Conversation Class File

STUDENT A ANIMALS
PART 1 PART 2
1. Describe your photo to your partner for 1 minute Discuss these questions with your partner. Ask for
2. Listen to your partner’s description more detail if necessary. AGREE or DISAGREE!
3. Think of 3 differences between the photos 1. Why do people go to zoos?
2. How are humans different to other animals?
3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of
being a vegetarian?
4. What skills do you need to be a zoo keeper?
5. How many ways can you think of in which
humans use animals?
6. Are there any animals that scare you? Why?
7. Are there any endangered animals in your
4. Now look at your photos. Identify 2 or 3 country? Why?
differences each. Use CONNECTORS:
Firstly However Moreover
Secondly On the other hand Furthermore
Finally Whereas In addition

STUDENT B
PART 1
1. Listen to your partner’s description
2. Describe your photo to your partner for 1 minute
3. Think of 3 differences between the photos
ANIMALS
PART 2
Discuss these questions with your partner. Ask for
more detail if necessary. AGREE or DISAGREE!
1. Why do people go on wildlife safaris?
2. How are humans the same as other animals?
3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of
having pets?
4. What skills do you need to be a vet?
5. Do humans use animals more or less than in the
past? Why?
6. If you could be any animal for a day, what
would it be and why?

4. Now look at your photos. Identify 2 or 3 7. What do you think about using animals in
sports such as horse riding, bullfighting or fox
differences each. Use CONNECTORS:
Firstly However Moreover hunting?
Secondly On the other hand Furthermore
Finally Whereas In addition

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Teacher’s Instructions
PART 1: Photo Description

STEP DESCRIPTION TIME

Working with a partner with the same photo (student As with As, Bs with Bs),
students attempt to identify the vocabulary in their photo.
1
Teacher boards new vocabulary. 2-5 minutes
(optional)
(alternatively, for low-level students, the teacher can provide students with a
vocabulary list and the students label the photo).
2 Change pairs to AB
Student A describes photo.
3 Encourage Student B to listen carefully. 1 minute
Teacher monitors the pairs and records errors for post-activity error correction
Student B describes photo.
4 Encourage Student A to listen carefully. 1 minute
Teacher monitors the pairs and records errors for post-activity error correction
Still without looking at each other’s photos, students attempt to identify 3
5 differences between their photos. 3 minutes
Teacher monitors the pairs and records errors for post activity error correction
Students may now look at each other’s photos and describe 2-3 differences each.
6 Encourage use of CONNECTORS 5 minutes
Teacher monitors the pairs and records errors for post activity error correction
CLASS FEEDBACK.
7
Ask each student in turn to report a difference to the class 5 minutes
(optional)
(dependent on class size)

An example of STEP 6:
“Firstly, in your photo the people are outside whereas in my photo the people are inside.
Secondly, in your photo the weather is sunny, however, in my photo the weather is cloudy
Finally, in my photo the people seem happy. On the other hand, the people in yours seem sad”

“In your photo there are two children whereas in my photo there are five.
Moreover, in your photo there are trees, however, in my photography there are no trees
Furthermore, my photo looks professional. On the other hand, your photo looks amateur”

Gamification Alternative: Before activity, the teacher writes 4 differences between the photos.
Replace STEP 6 with: Students look at the photos and write 6 differences
together.
• 1 point for every difference which matches the teacher’s!

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Teacher’s Instructions
PART 2: Discussion Questions

STEP DESCRIPTION TIME

1 Change pairs (but maintain AB)
Students ask each other the discussion questions. Encourage students to:
• Extend their answers 10-20 minutes
(hugely dependent
2 • Elicit more information on the age/level/
personality of the
• Agree / disagree with their partners class!)
• Justify their arguments
3 Change pairs (but maintain AB)
1 minute
(optional)
Students try and report to their new partner everything they can remember
4
which their old partner has just told them. 5-10 minutes
(optional)
Encourage students to use the questions to guide their memory.

Optional Homework Task: • Teacher sets one discussion question as a writing activity (e.g. discursive
essay question)
• Students must write a short answer for every discussion question.

Gamification Alternative: Replace STEP 4 with:

Students have 5 minutes to write complete sentences about what their
partner has told them.
• 1 point for correct fact!
• 1 point for correct grammar!

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