S C H O L A S T I C E LT R E A D E R S

A FRE E RESOURCE FOR TEACHERS!

Billy Elliot Extra

Level 1
This level is suitable for students who have been learning English for at least a year and up to two years. It corresponds with the Common European Framework level A1. Suitable for users of CLICK magazine. SYNOPSIS
Billy Elliot comes from a mining family. His mother died two years ago. Its now 1984, and most of the miners, like Billys dad and brother, are on strike. Theres no money coming in and life is difficult. Billy, meanwhile, dreams about dancing, and, by chance, he joins the local ballet class. The teacher sees at once that hes special. When Billys dad finds out, hes angry. Ballet is for girls! But Billy carries on in secret and his teacher enters him for the Royal Ballet School. Then the police arrest Billys brother. Instead of going to the audition, Billy has to watch his brother in court. The future looks bad. But then Billys dad sees Billy dance and realises his son is a brilliant dancer. He takes him to another audition in London. It seems to go badly but, against all expectations, Billy gets in. His family are very proud of him. the story is told by Jackie, Billys dad, and one part is told by Tony, Billys brother. Look at the Contents page the title of each chapter tells you who is telling that part of the story. The writer Lee Hall thinks the miners strike of 1984 is a very important time in recent British history. He wanted to explore the different characters and ideas involved in this political struggle. But he also wanted a good story. When Elton John saw the film, it reminded him of his own life as a talented young pianist with a difficult father. He worked on the musical version of the story with Lee Hall and the films director, Stephen Daldry. Elton wrote the music for the songs. Thousands of boys aged between 12 and 14 auditioned for the role of Billy. The musical opened in London in 2005.

MEDIA LINKS
DVD: The film Billy Elliot is produced by Universal Studios. CD: A recording of Billy Elliot is available to accompany the Scholastic ELT reader. Internet: For more information have a look at www.bbc.co.uk and www.billyelliotthemusical.com. Book: Melvin Burgesss novel Billy Elliot is published by Chicken House.

THE BACK STORY

Billy Elliot is a story about a young boy trying to express himself in difficult circumstances. Theres a scene in the film where he tries to dance through a wall and thats what it is like for him. He wants to get out of his narrow world and fly. Most of the story is told by Billy in the first person. Some of

HOW TO USE YOUR SCHOLASTIC ELT MEDIA READER

Choosing and motivating
Is this the right story for your class? Has anyone seen the film? Motivate them with background information and by reading aloud the first page of the story with dramatic atmosphere. Alternatively, show the whole film in two sessions, perhaps over two lunchtimes when the whole class can get together. The book is much shorter than the film and there are differences ask students spot the differences. There are more ideas for using the DVD in class on page 4 of this resource sheet.

Organising
Plan a class reading schedule. Decide how many pages to set for reading each week. Select exercises from the back of the reader and extra activities from this resource sheet to go with each chunk of reading. (All answers on page 4 of this resource sheet.)

Glossary and casual language

Go to New Words! at the back of the reader. Translate the words with the class or get students to find meanings at home. Introduce the informal expressions used in Billy Elliot (see Vocabulary Builder on page 3 of this resource). Put them into context. Tell students to look out for them as they read.

Using the CD
Students can listen and follow in their books. They can listen and then read. They can read and then listen. All these activities will improve their reading speeds and skills.

Fact Files
Set these as self-study or use for whole class work. The files explore the world of ballet, popular dance styles and the strike of 1984. Extension ideas are on page 4 of this resource sheet.

Using the DVD

Try to get the English language version DVD (with or without subtitles). Watch it yourself first there are some scenes you may not want to show to your class. The film is realistic and many of the characters use bad language and again this may be a problem for your class. The accents used by the actors are strong Scottish, north-eastern and southern and students may find them difficult to follow. Show the film in chunks of, say, 20 minutes in parallel with the class reading schedule. Scholastic Ltd

What did they think?

Get everyone to do a written or spoken review of Billy Elliot. Compare opinions. Will they go and see the film? Did you like it? Let us know at readers@link2English.com.

COMPETITIONS AND UPDATES

Check readers@link2English.com for competitions and other activities related to the Scholastic Billy Elliot reader.

Teachers notes

S C H O L A S T I C E LT R E A D E R S
RESOURCE SHEET STUDENT ACTIVITIES

Billy Elliot
Extra
Chapters 1-2 1 Answer these questions.
a) Where does Billy find his nan?

Chapters 5-6 1 Work with a partner. You are in the ballet class when Billys
dad comes in. What do Mrs Wilkinson and the girls say after Billy and his dad leave? Write down some ideas.

2 Complete the sentences with words from the box.

different famous kitchen letter money pub shouts

shouts a) Billy at his father and runs out of the house.

b) Mr Wilkinson often goes to the . c) Mrs Wilkinson doesnt want for the ballet lessons. d) Gene Kelly was a dancer like Fred Astaire. e) Billys mam wrote a to Billy before she died. f) Tony and Jackie have ideas about the strike. g) Jackie hits Tony in the at four oclock in the morning.

In some trees at the end of the street . .

b) Who are Jackie and Tony? . c) Where does Billy go on Saturday morning? . d) Who is Debbie? .

3 Talk to a partner. Answer these questions.

Do you think Mrs Wilkinsons house is a happy house? What is Tony going to do with the police baton, do you think?

Chapters 7-8 1 Why does Billy cry? Tick () the reasons. Because
a) his dad hit Tony. b) his mam is dead. c) he doesnt want to do the audition. d) Mrs Wilkinson doesnt want to help him. e) Mrs Wilkinson hits him.

2 Billy calls his grandmother Nan. He calls his father Dad.

What do you call your parents and grandparents? Ask other students.

3 What is life in Billys house like at the start of the story? Talk to
other students.

4 Boys dont do ballet in Billys world. Why does he join the class, do you think? Write down some ideas.
. .

2 Answer these questions.

a) Why do the police want Tony? b) What do the police do with their batons?

Chapters 3-4 1 Who says or thinks these things about ballet? Choose from
these names. boys at school Nan Tony Michael Debbie

c) Where did Tony sleep in the police station, do you think? d) Tony shouts Happy Christmas to the people in the court. Does he mean it? e) How does Tony know that Mrs Wilkinson is frightened?

a) Ballets not just for girls. b) Lots of boys do ballet. c) Where are your pink ballet shoes, Billy? d) Miners do not do ballet. e) Ballet shoes! How lovely!

Debbie

3 Think of two adjectives to describe each character in this scene. Use your dictionary to find new words.
Mrs Wilkinson Billy Jackie Tony

brave

2 Life on strike is difficult. Correct these sentences.

a) The weather is going to be hotter soon. b) The strikers are going to have lots of food for Christmas. c) The strikers have got lots of money. d) The mines are closing and the young men are happy. e) No miners are working.
Scholastic Ltd

colder

Photocopiable

S C H O L A S T I C E LT R E A D E R S
RESOURCE SHEET STUDENT ACTIVITIES
Chapters 9-10 1 Work with a partner. One of you is Michael. The other is Jackie.
At the end of Chapter 9, imagine Jackie asks Michael questions about Billy and his dancing. What does Michael tell him? Have a conversation.

VOCABULARY BUILDER 1 Look at the list of New Words at the back of Billy Elliot. Choose the right word for these sentences.
1. Elton John plays this. 2. Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom is this.

2 All Jackies ideas change after he sees Billy dance. Are these sentences true (T) or false (F)?
a) Jackie thinks Billy is a fantastic dancer. b) Mrs Wilkinson is going to give Jackie money for the audition. c) Jackie is going to be a scab for a week. d) Jackie walks to the mine. e) Tony goes into the mine with Jackie. f) Tony and Jackie both want to help Billy now.

3. Rudolf Nureyev was good at this. 4. Muhammed Ali was good at this. 5. Jesus Christ was born on this day. 6. Hercules was this. 7. Homer Simpson drinks a lot of this. 8. Jamie Bell was the best at this for the part of Billy Elliot.

3 Who
a) has no Christmas tree this year? b) sees Billys dad come into the Social first? c) says, Help the boy, Jackie!? d) thinks Billy is the best? e) bangs on the scab bus windows? f) is going to find the money for the audition?

Billy

2 Finish these sentences with words from the list.

1. My mums not going to work today because shes . 2. I always help my friends when theyre . 3. is very bad for you. Im never going to do it. 4. is a very difficult job. Its hot and dark in a

Chapter 11 Epilogue 1 Find words or phrases to complete these sentences.

. Its not for me.

People in town a) helped with the money for the audition.

b) Dad sold to get money. c) Billy didnt like the Royal Ballet School because it was . d) T. Rex wasnt the kind of music for the Royal Ballet School. e) When Billy dances, theres .

Casual language

2 How does Billy feel when he reads the letter from the Royal Ballet School? Talk to other students. Use a dictionary to find new words. FINAL TASKS Writing 1 All these things are dangerous: mining, boxing, smoking cigarettes. Why are they dangerous? Write sentences. Which is the most dangerous? Which is the least dangerous? 2 Imagine that Billy doesnt get into the Royal Ballet School.
What do you think happens to him? Write about his life.

Tony says Shut it! to Billy (p.24). This isnt very polite. Dont use it! It means Be quiet or Shut your mouth. Some boys at school laugh at Billy because of his ballet classes. He says What do they know? (p.12) He means, Theyre stupid. Mrs Wilkinson says See you to Billy (p.24). Its a way of saying goodbye. Shes going to see him again but she doesnt know when.

Complete the dialogues with the expressions below. Shut it! What does she know? See you.

3 It is the end of Billys first day at the Royal Ballet School. He

writes a letter to his dad. What does he say? How does he feel?

1. Bye, Jude. Have a nice time at the club tonight. Yeah. . 2. Youre fat! Youre fat! Youre fat! . 3. Jenny says Im no good at English. She thinks Im stupid. . She cant speak English at all!

Scholastic Ltd

Photocopiable

S C H O L A S T I C E LT R E A D E R S
FACT FILE FOLLOW-UP
BALLET SHOES! (pages 32-3)
Discussion
Ballet dancers have to work and practise very hard. They dont have much time for other things. What can they do? What cant they do? Is this a good way or a bad way to spend your life? Extend the discussion to other glamorous jobs, like being a model, footballer, athlete.

ANSWER KEY Self-Study Activities (pages 38-40)

1 play piano, hit punchbag, bang drum, smoke cigarette, drink beer 2 Open answers. 3 a) jump b) spin c) stretch d) go on strike 4 a) in the dark b) a police officer c) Open answer. d) probably your dad! e) usually expensive clothes 5 a) 4 Billy, his dad, his brother and his nan. b) Ballet and boxing. c) Because they want the money. 6 a) Billy b) Billys dad c) Greavesy d) Mrs Wilkinson, the ballet teacher e) a Hollywood dancer f) the TV g) Michael, Billys friend 7 Open answers. 8 a) audition b) court c) trouble 9 Open answers. 10 a) Hes very angry. b) She thinks hes good enough. c) She feels sad - she wants to cry. d) They are shouting about the police. Tony wants to fight them. Jackie says, Theyre doing their job. e) Hes angry about everything. f) Because Tony is in court. g) He doesnt like her. He wants to hit her. 11-13 Open answers. 14 The correct order is: g, d, e, g, b, h, a, c. 15 Open answer.

Presentation
Each student chooses a famous performing artist. They dont tell anyone who theyve chosen. They research their artist and prepare about five sentences of biographical information. Each student tells the class about themselves without mentioning their name and the class guess who they are. The class can ask more questions if they cant guess.

LETS DANCE! (pages 34-5)

Class show
Students find out about popular dances in their country. They present the information as in the Fact File and make a classroom collage of their work, including pictures if possible. Alternatively, if you have an extrovert class, they can put together a show. Different students introduce each dance with a description. Other students perform the dances.

Story telling
Students work in pairs or groups to create a simple storyline around one of the dances in the Fact File. It can be about love, jealousy, dancing competitions, good dancing, bad dancing. Each student then writes their own version of the story. They can read their stories to each other in groups or to the class.

Resource Sheet Activities

Chapters 1-2 1 b) bother > brother c) Boxing lessons d) Mrs Wilkinsons daughter/a girl at Billys school Chapters 3-4 1 b) Michael c) boys at school d) Tony e) Nan 2 b) The strikers arent going to have much food for Christmas. c) The strikers havent got much money. d) The mines are closing and the young men are angry. e) Some miners are working. Chapters 5-6 2 b) pub c) money d) famous e) letter f) different g) kitchen Chapters 7-8 1 a and b. 2 a) Because hes in trouble. b) They hit people and bang on doors. c) On the floor. d) No. Theyre taking one hundred pounds from him not a very nice Christmas present. e) Because her face is white. Chapters 9-10 2 a, c and f are true. b, d and e are false. b) Jackie doesnt want Mrs Wilkinsons money. d) He goes to the mine on the scab bus. e) Tony and Jackie dont go into the mine they go home. 3 a) Billy b) Michael c) Sarah (Jackies wife and Billys mother) says this in Jackies head d) Mrs Wilkinson e) the strikers f) Billys family Chapters 11 Epilogue 1 b) some of Billys mams things d) right c) big and posh e) a fire in his body

1984: THE MINERS STRIKE (pages 36-7)

I was there
Each student chooses an event from their own countrys history. They imagine they are a character who lived through that event and describe aspects of their experience.

Discussion
Use the information about alternative energy sources for a discussion or debate. Students work in pairs or groups and choose one form of energy each, including wind farms, solar energy, hydro-electricity, nuclear power, burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas. Encourage students to research and prepare arguments in favour of their chosen energy source.

FILM/CD FOLLOW-UP
If you plan to show the film, watch it first. You may need parents permission to show it there is a lot of swearing, some violence and a scene where Billy and Debbie discuss sex.

Awards
Ask students to choose the best actor, best moment, worst moment, funniest moment and saddest moment.

Observing
Choose a scene before class and prepare questions on it. Tell students to look at everything very carefully and remember as much detail as they can. Play the scene a couple of times and ask your questions, e.g. What colour was Billys shirt? How many people were in the kitchen when Billy came home? What was in the middle of the table? Students swap answers. Play the scene again. Students mark each others work.

Vocabulary Builder
1 1. 6. 2 1. 4. the piano 2. posh 3. ballet 4. boxing 5. Christmas Day strong 7. beer 8. the audition on strike 2. in trouble 3. smoking cigarettes mining, mine

Predicting
Stop the CD at a dramatic moment. What will happen next? Ask the students to predict.

Casual language
1. See you. 2. Shut it. 3. What does she know?

Scholastic Ltd

Teachers notes