Pairwork: tai chi classes

This is a simple pairwork activity that can be used with low level groups to provide practice in the present simple question form – What does he/she do on…?, days of the week, times and leisure activities. The lesson is designed for adults but could also be used with older teenagers.

Activity: Find out about the daily activities of another person
Activity type:
Information gap/exchange
Level: Up to B1
Age: Adults or Senior YLs

Preparation

  • Make one copy of the worksheet per pair, and cut into two sheets, A and B. (download the worksheet below)
  • Brainstorm vocabulary for leisure activities and write them on the board. Help them using mime, drawings, descriptions or translation. Encourage the students to come up with leisure activities that they do.
  • Ask students at random what they do in their leisure time: What do you do on Mondays/Tuesdays/Wednesdays…? etc.

Procedure

  • Put the students into pairs. One student in each pair is given a copy of sheet A, and the other sheet B. They should not show their partner. Explain that sheet A has information about half of Sonia and Nick’s busy social and leisure agenda. Sheet B has the other half.
  • Explain that Sonia and Nick want to go to Tai Chi classes together but first they have to find a time and day when they are both free.
  • By asking questions, the pairs complete the two agendas and try to find a time when both Nick and Sonia are free to go to Tai Chi classes. Point out the times of the Tai Chi classes on the flyer which appears on both sheet A and B.

For example

A: What does Nick do on Mondays?

B: He goes to Arabic class from 4 o’ clock to six o’ clock.

B: What does Sonia do on Mondays?

A: She goes to a cinema club from 7 o’ clock to nine o’ clock.


Extension

In the same pairs, students ask each other about their leisure activities.

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