Survey says...wait, wait... don't tell me!

This week we are practicing expressing opinions and formulating questions and answers correctly. We will take a look at the two formats below and come up with our own game show surveys and news-related questions. 

Survey Says...

"Survey says..." is one of the most popular quotes from American game show culture. The phrase was coined by the host of Family Feud, the popular game show where families battle it out over survey results to quotidian questions such as "When a woman is trying to catch a man, name something she pretends to like." Check out this episode to get a better idea:

Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!

From National Public Radio, better known as NPR,Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! is a radio news program with a twist. Callers are given three quotes about some of the week´s most talked-about headlines and are asked key details about each story. The panel of hosts then give their comical opinions about the intricacies of these headlines. If callers get two out the three questions right, they are given a prize. Listen to this week's podcast here.

City Comparisons and Accents

Compare and Contrast these two images from one of the most popular squares in Madrid:

Plaza Callao 1920

Plaza Callao 2014

Now watch this video and do the same for London:
London 1927 and 2013

• What differences and similarities can you see between London in 1927 and London in 2013?
• What differences and/or similarities can you see between London and Madrid in the 1920´s?

Pronunciation

Let´s practice our American and British English:

Vocabulary
Match the American and British English 
elevator, potato chips, baggage, notebook, garbage can, subway, railroad, vacation, movies, flashlight, truck, automobile, restroom, candy, pants, sneakers, purse, french fries, cookies, airplane, cell phone, fall, student, cab, gas station, mail box, eraser, drugstore

British English	American English
lavatory
chemist's
lorry
lift
biscuits
luggage
car
post box
trousers
cinema
chips
crisps
rubbish bin
petrol station
handbag
pupil
mobile phone
trainers
sweets
aeroplane
torch
autumn
holiday
taxi
railway
underground train
rubber
exercise book

And just for fun, a scene from one of my favorite films, "A Fish Called Wanda". Do you love languages as much as Jamie Lee Curtis?!?!

Ridiculous Laws

What are some of the silliest laws in your country, state, province, or city?

Have you ever had a run-in with the law while travelling abroad?

Every country has a different set of laws and sometimes to outsiders they can seem a bit strange. And sometimes these laws are just down right ridiculous.Want to freshen your breath while visiting Singapore? Before you reach for that stick of Big Red, think twice:chewing gum is strictly prohibited in Singapore.

Check out this article from Travel and Leisure about the world´s strangest laws.

Here is a more extensive list of some of the most ridiculous laws from around the world.

Group activity: We will now distribute a list of 10 outrageous but real laws from around the world. You must add 3 fake ones. Next, we will read some of the real laws and some of the fake ones in front of the class. The class will try to identify which laws are real and which are fake. If a group fools the others with one of their fake laws, they are awarded 100 points. Good luck!

Now, check out this video about Barristers in the UK and complete the worksheet.

Oral Presentations

In a conversation class it is important to practice different forms of oral expressions, both formal and informal. The objective of the oral presentations in this class is to develop confidence speaking in front of groups, build key vocabulary and communicate effectively. 

The oral presentations should be 7-10 minutes long on the topic of your choice. You should also include a visual aid related to your topic, such as a power-point presentation, video, photograph or object. 

Some of the topics that students have done in the past include a business proposal, a guide to a city they had visited, highlighting a hobby like skateboarding or triathlons, explaining the press outlets in the UK, talking about an interesting documentary, and practicing a work presentation about international markets.

Basically, think about a topic that interests you and that you would enjoy talking about in front of the class. It should be specific, but with enough information to be able to talk for 7-10 minutes. It should also be a topic that is useful for you to practice, something you need to be able to talk about with ease in your everyday life.

Good luck!

Social Media

Discuss these questions as a class:

Which social media outlets do you use?

How often do you use them? 

How much time do spend on social media outlets per day/week/month/year?

Are they time savers or time wasters?

What are some of the pros and cons of these technologies and new ways of communicating?

From "10 Surprising Social Media Statistics" Huff Post

Now check out this I-diots video and compare. 

Watch this video clip from the show Portlandia and discuss as a class.

Plundered Treasures

Here is a list of the Top 10 Plundered Artifacts from Time Magazine 

"History is big business. Plundered art and antiquities trade to the tune of at least $3 billion a year, much to the chagrin of nations struggling to reclaim their lost artifacts. In honor of a recent spat between the Egyptian government and the Louvre museum in Paris over the fate of fresco fragments, TIME examines 10 plundered antiquities and the conflicts they've created."

Read the descriptions of each of the plundered artifacts mentioned in this article and discuss as a class. 

Non-Verbal Communication

Sorry for the Disney throwback, but on the subject of Non-Verbal Communication Ariel and Ursula from the Little Mermaid make a good point:

Ursula: What I want from you is...your voice.

Ariel: My voice? 

Ursula: You've got it sweet cakes... no more talking, singing, zip.

Ariel: But without my voice, how can I...

Ursula: ...you´ll have your looks, your pretty face, and don't underestimate the importance of body language!

So, what are some of the ways that we can communicate without speaking?

With a partner, try to think of as many examples for each category as you can. Then, share with the class.

Did you come up with the following vocab?

If not, add it to your lists.

• shrug your shoulders
• shake your head
• look at your watch
• make eye contact
• yawn
• fidget 
• stare 
• smile 
• cross your arms
• cross your legs
• rub your nose

Role Play
Act out the following situations without saying a word and see if the class can guess what is happening.

• You are at a restaurant and you find a fly in your food. You complain and get into an argument with the staff. 
• You are with a group of friends in an overly crowded bar. You can´t hear a word of the conversation because there is so much background noise. You want to suggest going to another, less crowded place.
• In pairs: Student A is trying to flirt with Student B, but Student B is completely uninterested.
• In pairs: You are at a business conference. One person is going on and on about a topic that completely bores the other. The bored listener tries to find a way out of the conversation without being completely rude. 
• In pairs: One of you is extremely angry with the other.