The teaching tips here are only a few of the many ways you can use this audio and video with your learners. The ideas given are not complete lesson plans and are not given in any suggested teaching order. They are just quick explanations of activities to use with your classes.

BRAINSTORMING VOCABULARY

With the whole class, brainstorm all the words they can think of connected with the theme of breakfast. Write all their suggestions on the board, and ask them to justify and explain any ideas where there seems to be no obvious connection with the theme.

PERSONAL ANECDOTES

Tell the class a personal anecdote or story connected with the theme of breakfast - something strange (interesting, funny etc) that has happened to you. Invite learners to tell their own stories in pairs, groups, or to the whole class.

PERSONALISATION

Tell the class what you usually have for breakfast and invite them to do the same in pairs, groups, or to the whole class. You can also tell the class about breakfasts you have had or know of in other countries and invite them to do the same.

PREDICTING LANGUAGE

Tell the class that the subject of the audio is an English breakfast, and ask them to predict any language they think they will hear. Write their suggestions on the board. To check their answers, play the audio and tick off the language they guessed correctly.

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

Prepare (listening for gist or listening for specific information) comprehension questions for learners to answer while they are listening to the audio. Question formats you can use include True/False questions, WH-questions, and Yes/No questions.

GAP FILL

Give each learner a copy of the tapescript but with gaps where you have deleted one or more words. Ask learners to listen and write in the missing words. Learners should check their answers in pairs.

ORDERING ITEMS

On the board, write a list of all the breakfast food items included on the audio but not in the order they appear on the audio. Ask each learner to make a copy of the list. Explain to the class that they should listen and number each item in the order it appears on the audio. A variation of this (if you have or can make sets of the pictures of the food and drink items) is for learners to arrange them in the order they appear in the audio.

RECONSTRUCT THE TEXT

On the board, write the tapescript of the audio, but instead of writing the words, draw a short line to represent each word. Explain to the class that you will play the audio, and they should call out any words they recognise. You will then write these words in the correct spaces. Continue this procedure until the class have reconstructed the complete text. In this activity, it is important to let your learners listen to the audio as many times as they need.

WHICH WORDS DID YOU HEAR?

On the board, write a list of food and drink words used in the audio, and include some that are not used. Ask learners to copy the list. They should listen to the audio and tick the words they hear.

BREAKFAST ROLE-PLAY

Pre-teach suitable restaurant expressions you wish the class to practise (e.g. A table for three, please. Are you ready to order? Can we see the menu? I'd like... Would you like...? Can I have...? etc). When the class is comfortable with this language, designate desks as tables in a restaurant, and invite several learners to play the role of waiters. Put the other learners into pairs or groups of three - they will play the breakfast diners. Explain that the diners should stand by the classroom door and wait to be seated. To begin the role-play, the waiters should greet the diners at the door. If you need menus, you can use real ones borrowed from a restaurant or cafe, or learners can make their own (see MENUS below).

MENUS

Ask learners to work in groups of three. Explain that each group should work together to discuss and agree on their ideal breakfast menu. Their menu can be quite traditional or, if they wish, international, but it should cater to a variety of tastes. Tell groups that they should write their menus in a menu format. When all the groups are ready, ask them to show and explain their breakfast menus to other groups.

PUTTING IT ALL BACK TOGETHER

Before the lesson, take the tapescript of the audio and cut it into individual words, short phrases and sentences. You will need one set for each group of three learners in the class. Put learners into groups of three, and give each group one of the cut-up tapescript sets. Explain that their task is to reconstruct the text in the correct order as quickly as they can. The first group to achieve this is the winner.

How have you used the English breakfast audio with your classes?

If you would like to suggest another way to use it with learners, please send us your idea and we will publish it in this section.