UNIT 3

IN THE CLASSROOM
 CONTENTS

- CLASSROOM LANGUAGE

- METHODOLOGY

- BACK TO SCHOOL

- LETTER OF ENQUIRY
WARM UP
 FIRST DAY AT SCHOOL

• Try to put yourself in the teacher’s shoes.

– How do you think teachers feel?

• Now, think about the students.

– How do you think they would feel on their first day?
CLASSROOM LANGUAGE
 CLASSROOM LANGUAGE

• When we interact in the classroom, either as a teacher or as a student, we can

predict a series of commonly used actions.

• In this section we will work with some elements, verbs and expressions that will help
us to make communication in the classroom more natural and comfortable.
1. VIDEO ACTIVITY
 1.1.Watch the video and choose the correct answer.
1. Geeta Dhir is an Educational Psychologist who works for
a. Companies and small businesses.
b. Children, young people, parents, careers and professionals.
c. Students, mothers and professionals.
2. She helps people, mainly in
a. Educational settings.
b. Promotional settings.
c. Professional settings.
3. A common problem she has to deal with, is related to the fact that
a. The child does not do the homework.
b. The child does not show any respect.
c. The child does not listen.
4. The first tip to deal with that problem is
a. Get the child’s attention.
b. Listen to what the child has to say.
c. Punish the child until his behavior improves.
5. A good way to get the child’s attention would be making sure that
a. Your sentences are not too long.
b. Your sentences are not complicated from the grammar point of view.
c. Your sentences start with the child’s name.
6. The second tip is to double check
a. That the child has finished doing his/her homework on a daily basis.
b. That you really got the child’s attention.
c. That the child is healthy.
7. To make sure that they are listening
a. You can ask them questions about what you have just said.
b. You can raise your voice.
c. You can look at them in the eyes.
8. The third tip is that you become
a. Excellent parents.
b. A good speaker.
c. A model listener yourself.
9. You can accomplish the third tip
a. By making sure you become aware of your body language, your tone of voice and how you are talking
to the child non-verbally.
b. By making sure that you never forget to prepare a healthy lunch for them.
c. By making sure that you dedicate them enough time on the weekends, because it is important to
spend enough time with your child.
10. Another way to become a good listener is by
a. Not moving at all when listening to the child.
b. Showing them that you are actually listening.
c. Making sure you do not interrupt them when they are talking.
1.2. Make a sentence with each one of the following words from the video.

Helpful.
___________________________________________________________
Model listener.
___________________________________________________________
Non-verbally.
___________________________________________________________
Become aware.
___________________________________________________________
Make sure.
___________________________________________________________
2. SPEAKING. In pairs, imagine that you are a teacher.
2.1. Then discuss the different possibilities for getting the right
learning environment. Use some sentences with the prepositions
of AT, IN and ON, used in time and place expressions.
ØExamples:
– When preparing the workspace for your students, make sure their desks
are clear, and that there not too many objects on the desks.
– When teaching, make sure that you use your students’ name in your
sentences with enough frequency.
– If you are going to help your students with homework, let their parents
know that it is not a good idea to do it at night.
2. SPEAKING. In pairs, imagine that you are a teacher.

2.1. Then, between you and your classmate, try to find, at least:
– one common way of motivating a kid in class.
– one different way of motivating a kid at home.
 3. PROJECT

In the following project you will learn some useful collocations to use
in the classroom.
3.1. VOCABULARY: COLLOCATIONS. Make as many verb/noun collocations as possible
using the nouns in the box and the verbs in the table below:
A mistake A degree An exam Good marks
Homework Progress Some research To lectures
To class From university Notes A subject
GET TAKE DO PASS FAIL REVISE GO MAKE GRADUATE
(4) (3) (5) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (1)

TO FROM
A DEGREE AN EXAM A DEGREE AN EXAM AN EXAM NOTES A MISTAKE UNIVERSITY
LECTURES

GOOD
NOTES AN EXAM A SUBJECT A SUBJECT A SUBJECT TO CLASS PROGRESS
MARKS

TO HOMEWORK
A SUBJECT
LECTURES

SOME
TO CLASS RESEARCH

A SUBJECT
3.2. Complete the sentences with the verbs from the previous exercise.
REVISE alone or with friends?
a. Before exams do you usually …………..
Which is better?
b. Do you think that …….……..
MAKING mistakes is an important part of
learning?
DO
c. Do you have to ……………….. any homework this afternoon?
GET/GO to a lecture, do you take lots of notes or just
d. If you …..………..
listen?
MAKE progress in English outside the classroom?
e. How can you ………..
 3.3. METHODOLOGY
• Now, imagine you are a group of teachers from the English Department of a primary
education school.
• In groups, create and design an activity or a set of activities that would allow your
students to learn and practice the classroom vocabulary from activity 2 and then,
challenge your classmates by making them do the activity you have just designed.
 3.4. SPEAKING. Role-play the following situations:

ROLE-PLAY 1: You are two students having a conversation about the exams
period at the canteen. You must include the following expressions:
– Fail / Pass an exam
– Revise notes
– Make a mistake
– Take an exam
– Take notes
– Get good marks
 3.4. SPEAKING. Role-play the following situations:

ROLE-PLAY 2: You are a teacher who has just started to work in a new school. You have a
conversation with a colleague. You must include the following expressions:
– Graduate from University
– Do some research
– Do a course
– Do a degree
– Go to class
– Make progress
4. VOCABULARY.
4.1. Back to school crossword.
Gymnasium Crossing guard Scissors Pencil sharpener

Principal Stationery Play Dough School bus

Subject Playground Classmate Ballpoint pen

Markers Library Lunch box Paint

Smart Board Glue Backpack Art

Desk Paper Crayon Cafeteria

Shelf Student Class Notes

4.1. Back to School:
CROSSWORD
 ACROSS
2. Someone who is learning at a school, university, etc.
– STUDENT
3. A flat length of wood or rigid material, attached to a wall or forming part of a piece of furniture, that provides a
surface for the storage or display of books or objects.
– SHELF
7. The room in your school where you may go to eat lunch. They may also serve food here.
– CAFETERIA
8. To paint, draw, or to make something that others may enjoy looking at.
– ART
12. A pen with a tiny ball as its writing point, especially one using ink than a rollerball. (2 words)
– BALLPOINT PEN
13. This is your piece of furniture in the classroom. You can read or write on this as well as store books.
– DESK
14. This person will help you cross a street safely. (2 words)
– CROSSING GUARD
 ACROSS
15. A brief record of points or ideas delivered by the teacher, written down as future study material. (2 Words)
– CLASS NOTES
16. Writing and office or school materials, such as pencils, scissors, notebooks, stapler, binder, etc.
– STATIONERY
17. A piece of ground used for playing games. Usually, you can find equipment to play on, like swings and jungle
gyms.
– PLAYGROUND
19. Something used to stick or hold things together .
– GLUE
20. A tool with handles and two blades joined together. Be careful or you might cut yourself with these!
– SCISSORS
21. A fellow member of a class at school, college, or university.
– CLASSMATE
23. A piece of equipment carried on a person's back, used to carry textbooks, notebooks, pencil case, lunch, etc.
– BACKPACK
24. A place where books are kept for people to borrow.
– LIBRARY
 DOWN
1. A discipline or branch of knowledge studied or taught in a school, college, or university.
– SUBJECT
3. It is a large interactive display in the form factor of a whiteboard. It can either be a standalone touchscreen
computer used independently, or it can be connected to a computer through a projector. (2 Words).
– (DIGITAL) SMART BOARD
4. The head of a school, college, or other educational institution.
– PRINCIPAL
5. These are felt-tipped pens that come in all sorts of pretty colours. You can colour or write with them.
– MARKERS
6. Modelling clay for children, typically made at home out of flour, water, and salt. (2 Words)
– PLAY DOUGH
9. A material used as a surface for writing, printing, or drawing, and also used for wrapping packages and covering
walls. Magazines, books, and newspapers all use this material. This material is made from wood, rags, or certain
grasses. You will need a lot of this in school.
– PAPER
 DOWN
10. A device for sharpening a pencil by rotating it against a cutting edge. (2 Words)
– PENCIL SHARPENER
11. A thick liquid that can be put on a surface to colour it. You usually apply it with a brush. It is fun to finger-paint,
too!
– PAINT
15. A stick or pencil of colour wax for drawing or writing. These will melt if left in the sun for too long.
– CRAYON
16. A large automobile that is used to drive students to a place where they are taught. (2 words).
– SCHOOL BUS
18. A place where people exercise and play sports. Often this is a large room in school where you can find basketball
courts and plenty of room to run!
– GYMNASIUM
22. Something used to carry your cold lunch to school. Sometimes it will have cool pictures on the outside, or
sometimes they are like mini-coolers. (2 words).
– LUNCH BOX
4.1. Back to School:
CROSSWORD
4.2. SPEAKING
Phone conversation between a public-school headmaster and a stationery and school
material provider. Do the following role-play using vocabulary from the crossword (2.1)
and expressions from the TELEPHONING activity in UNIT 1.
Ø STUDENT A
• You are working at the management department of London International School (early childhood and
primary education), and you are in charge of phoning SOTELIN Ltd., the company which provides the school
with all the materials their kids are going to need. Think of the materials that you need to order, the
quantity and the price. Since you have a limited budget, but you are going to order a considerable number of
products, you should try to get the best possible offer. You need to talk to Ms. Lepper, ask the receptionist to
put you through.
Ø STUDENT B
• You are the receptionist at SOTELIN Ltd. Take the call, there are problems with the line. Ms. Lepper is not
available.
Ø STUDENT C
• You are Ms. Lepper, listen to the school needs and try to offer them the best possible deal, as long as the
school purchases the minimum possible amount needed to make the discounts possible.
5. VOCABULARY
v It is widely accepted that learning by playing is one of the most effective methodologies for
young learners.

v In this section you will be working with useful vocabulary that fits this type of methodology.
5.1.Match the names in the box to the pictures below.

Ball Marbles Doll Stuffed animals Teddy bear

Blocks Puppet Tricycle Kite Balloon

Slide Seesaw Swing set Hopscotch Toys

Roller blade Kick Scooter Board Games Maze Merry-go-round

 SWING SET
SLIDE SEESAW

HOPSCOTCH MERRY-GO-ROUND

TOYS BALL MARBLES DOLL

 STUFFED ANIMALS TEDDY BEAR

BLOCKS PUPPET BOARD GAMES KITE BALLOON

MAZE TRICYCLE ROLLER BLADES KICK SCOOTER

5.2. Fill in the gaps using some of the games and toys from the previous section.

tricycle
• You don’t have to use a helmet when riding a ______________ kick scooter
or a ______________.
kite
• In order to fly a ______________, you must know where the wind is coming from.
board game apart from a table and being two or more players,
• In order to play a ______________,
you must know the rules.
marbles
• If a kid is playing with a bag of ______________, you must keep an eye on the kid at all
times, to stop him/her from putting them in the mouth and swallowing them.
• When playing football, you need eleven players, a referee, a football pitch and a
ball
______________.
• Any good amusement park should at least have a good and vintage-looking
merry-go-round
__________________.
5.3. SPEAKING.
Choose at least THREE toys from the list that you would want in your class of
early-childhood and primary education class. Explain which would be their
advantages and disadvantages.

Ball Marbles Doll Stuffed animals Teddy bear

Blocks Puppet Board Games Kite Balloon

Slide Seesaw Swing set Hopscotch Toys

Roller blade Tricycle Kick Scooter Maze Merry-go-round

LETTER OF ENQUIRY
LETTER OF INQUIRY

• As a follow-up of formal correspondence, in this unit we will

focus on how to write a letter of enquiry.
• A letter of enquiry is used to ask for information about a
product, project, etc.
6. DISCUSS IN GROUPS.
What should you include in a letter of enquiry?
Check if your answers coincide with the functions listed below.
• Functions you should include in a letter of enquiry
1.Say where you found information about the product/ service
2.Give some general information about you or your school
3.State your general reason for writing
4.Request action
5.Close the letter
6.Add a formal ending
7. USEFUL EXPRESSIONS.
7.1 Match the sentences below with the list of functions. Some functions can
be matched with more than one sentence.
e.g.: h. We look forward to receiving your reply …5…( close the letter)
4
a. Please send us your latest brochure …...
2
b. We are one of the largest schools …...
c. We have seen your advertisement in last month’s “Independent” …… 1
3
d. We are interested in travelling to …….
e. Could you please send us some catalogues? ……. 4
f. We look forward to hearing from you ……. 5
4
g. We would appreciate it if you could send us more information about …..
7.2. Sample letter of enquiry via email.
8. WRITING. Email of enquiry.
You are an English teacher in Florida Primary School, a school based in Catarroja , Valencia (Spain). Langeduc Ltd is a
school games and material company. A salesperson from that company, visited your school last month and made a
presentation of the company’s most interesting products for early childhood and primary education, and then, he left a
catalogue. After having a meeting with the school principal, the school agreed to purchase some of their products. Write
an email of enquiry.
Use the vocabulary from exercises 4 and 5.

Follow these steps:

a. Put a complete layout (e-mail addresses, salutation, date, subject line, closing etc.).
b. Mention that you are writing regarding the catalogue Langeduc Ltd. left at your school.
c. Give some general information about your school.
d. State your general reason for writing: list which products you are interested in, why you are interested in
them and the budget that your school gave you.
e. Request action (discounts for large orders, samples, delivery time, method of payment, etc.)
f. Close the letter.
g. Add a formal ending.