Exploring Space: Speaking Classes For Intermediate and Advanced Classes by Lindsay Clandfield

EXPLORING SPACE
Speaking Classes for Intermediate and Advanced Classes

by Lindsay Clandfield
The following activities are all connected to the theme of space and space
travel. They are suitable for all learners from Intermediate level to Advanced
level. Each activity is outlined below, with possible language aims.
You can choose to do one, two or all three of the activities. Should you wish to
do all three, it is recommended that you do them in the order they occur below.
Warmer (all activities)

Write on the board the following words: Soyuz, Challenger, Columbia,
Shenzhou. Ask learners What do they all have in common? Answer: they are
all names of space ships (Soyuz is the name of a Russian rocket, Challenger
and Columbia are the names of American space shuttles and Shenzhou is the
name of the first manned Chinese rocket that was sent into space in October
2003). Ask learners to work in pairs and write as many words connected to
space and space travel as they can. Who can write the most words in two
minutes? Ask the pair that writes the most words to come up to the board and
write them up.
Exploring Space Speaking Activity #1: Guessing Game

Preparation: For this activity, you need a copy of the pictures worksheet. Make
copies of the pictures. There should be one picture for every two learners (i.e. if
you have twelve learners in your class, you will need two copies of the
worksheet). Cut the pictures out, then cut each picture in half diagonally.
Give each learner one half of the picture. Explain that they must find the other
half of their picture. They must follow these rules:
1. Do not show your picture to anyone.
2. Describe your picture to different people as specifically as possible and try to
find the other half.
3. Use only English.
Note that this activity requires learners to be quite specific in their descriptions,
as there are two different photos of each thing (2 photos of rockets from
different distances, 2 photos of space shuttles from different distances, 2 photos
of astronauts).
Language points: language for describing and speculating (it looks like it
could be it cant be )
Exploring Space Speaking Activity #2: First National Astronaut

Ask learners if they can tell you what three countries have sent people into
space (answer: Russia, United States and China). In October 2003, China sent
its first astronaut into space. It was a great honour for the country, and the
Macmillan publishers Ltd 2003

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astronaut is now considered a national hero. Explain that the learners are going
to decide who will be the next person to be sent into space for their country.
Outline the following situation:
Your country has decided to send its first manned rocket into space. The
National Space Committee is looking for the ideal candidate for the post of first
National Astronaut. It can be a man or a woman. The Committee is looking for
the person with the best qualifications and background to have the honour of
this job.
Now divide the class into groups of three or four. One group is the National
Space Committee. Every other group is made up of a candidate for the post of
first National Astronaut and his (or her) supporters.
Tell the groups they have ten to fifteen minutes. The National Space committee
must decide what kind of candidate they are looking for and what kind of
questions they are going to ask. The candidates and their supporters must plan
their backgrounds with as much detail as possible. After the time is up, have the
committee members split up and interview each of the candidates in turn. At the
end of the interviews, the committee has three minutes to decide who will
receive the job. They must then make their official announcement to the rest of
the class.
Language points: language for convincing (you should choose candidate x is

the best because) education lexis (degree in doctoral studies in
experience with)
Exploring Space Speaking Activity #3: Discussion Questions

Copy the following questions onto individual strips of paper. Make sure you
have enough copies of the questions so that there is one set for every three or
four learners. Divide the class into groups of three or four and give each group a
set of questions. They should put the questions all face down on the table. They
then take turns. One learner picks up a question and asks the others to answer.
Discussion questions
Did you want to be an astronaut when you were a child?
Do you think that there is life on other planets?
If you had the chance to go into space, would you take it?
Imagine you are going on a voyage into space. This voyage will be for
several months. You are allowed to take three personal items with you.
What items would you take?
Do you think that one day a human being will walk on Mars?
Do you think it is a waste of money to explore space?
Do you or anyone in your family remember the Moon landing?
Some people say that the Moon landing was a hoax. What do you think?
Do you think that Earth has been visited by extraterrestrials?
Language point: A lot of different language could come up here, but you could
pre-teach/review the second conditional which occurs in a couple of the
questions.

Did you want to be an astronaut when you were a child?
Do you think that there is life on other planets?
If you had the chance to go into space, would you take it?
Imagine you are going on a voyage into space. This voyage

will be for several months. You are allowed to take three
personal items with you. What items would you take?
Do you think that one day a human being will walk on

Mars?
Do you think it is a waste of money to explore space?
Do you or anyone in your family remember the Moon

landing?
Some people say that the Moon landing was a hoax. What
do you think?
Do you think that Earth has been visited by

extraterrestrials?


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EXPLORING SPACE

Speaking Classes for Intermediate and Advanced Classes

Warmer (all activities)

Exploring Space Speaking Activity #1: Guessing Game

Exploring Space Speaking Activity #2: First National Astronaut

Macmillan publishers Ltd 2003

Language points: language for convincing (you should choose candidate x is

Exploring Space Speaking Activity #3: Discussion Questions

Macmillan publishers Ltd 2003

Do you think that there is life on other planets?

Imagine you are going on a voyage into space. This voyage

Do you think that one day a human being will walk on

Do you think it is a waste of money to explore space?

Do you or anyone in your family remember the Moon

Do you think that Earth has been visited by

Macmillan publishers Ltd 2003

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