Dotty Language level: Upper Intermediate (B2)Advanced (C1) Learner type: Teens and adults Time: 90 minutes Activity: Writing instructions, talking about texting, watching a short film, predicting the ending of a film speaking, reading and writing a film review Topic: Texting, technology and old people Language: Vocabulary related to texting Materials: Short film and film review
Overview This EFL lesson is designed around a moving short film by Brett and Mick , and the themes of texting and elderly people. Students discuss texting, write instructions, predict how a short film ends, read a film review and write a film review for homework.
Step 1 Put your students in pairs and ask them to discuss the following questions: How many texts messages do you send a day? How many texts messages do you get a day? How long does it take you to compose a normal message?
Step 2 Write the following words and expressions on the board: to text to unlock your mobile to enter your PIN to scroll down/up to go to the main menu to select
Elicit or explain the meaning of the vocabulary.
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to press a button
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Step 3 Ask your students to imagine that they have to help an 80-year-old lady who wants to send a text to her daughter, but she has never sent a text before nor used a mobile phone. The woman has a new phone which is turned off. In pairs the students have to write step by step instructions to ensure that the elderly lady can write and send her message. Reiterate that the instructions need to be very clear and structured as she has never sent a message before. Tell them that they can use their own mobile phones to remind themselves of the necessary steps. Encourage them to use the vocabulary in Step 2. Set a time limit of 10 minutes.
Step 4 Each pair reads their instruction to another pair and compare what they have written.
Step 5 Get feedback from the whole class and try to get agreement on the essential steps and write them on the board.
Tell your students they are going to watch a short film in which they will see a woman trying to explain to an elderly lady how to compose and send a text. As they watch they should compare the woman’s instructions with their own. Show the film and pause at 07:13.
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Step 6
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Link: https://vimeo.com/128544536
Step 7 Get feedback from the whole class.
Step 8 Tell your students they are going to watch the film again. As they watch their task is to notice any problems which arise. Show again and pause at 07:13.
Step 9 Elicit problems the old lady has such as: She doesn’t know how to unlock the phone. She doesn’t press the menu and star buttons fast enough. She can’t find the correct letters. She doesn’t understand predictive text.
Step 10 Put the students into small groups and ask them to discuss how they think the film ends.
Get feedback from each group on how they think the film ends.
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Step 11
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Step 12 Show the rest of the film and ask the students to say if they like the ending.
Step 13 Put the students in pairs and ask them to discuss the following questions: What do you think the message of the film is? How do you think the old lady’s daughter feels? How does the film make you feel? Do you know an elderly person who finds it difficult to use new technology?
Step 14 Hold a plenary session on the questions in the previous step.
Step 15 Give the students the review of the film and ask them to read it and then say if they agree with it.
Homework
I hope you enjoy the lesson.
www.film-english.com by Kieran Donaghy
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Ask your students to write a review of the film.
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