Leson plan

Topic: Fashion

Level: Intermediate

Aims:- To develop students' ability to communicate their opinion on and reaction to a text- To develop students' ability to negotiate in a group and work as a team- To develop students' ability to defend their position in a conflictive situation- To expand students' vocabulary on the modern-day topic of image.

Introduction: This lesson asks students to discuss ways of changing their image before reading an informative article about tattoos. They then design a new image for a client of their company and then for themselves before discussing at what age they should be allowed to take certain decisions.The theme is fashion.

Procedure:Lead-in: What do you look like?

The teacher shows photos
of particularly attractive/ugly/interesting examples of piercings, tattoos, earrings, hairstyles, etc for students to look at.

T asks students to look at the photos and tell you which are the most/least attractive. Can they think of any reasons why people decide to change the way they look?

Suggested answers:To be different, to join a particular group, to identify with an idol or movement, boredom, to rebel, etc.

T hands out Worksheet A, runs through the instructions and examples, clarifying any language problems. Pay particular attention to the pronunciation of sounds and word stress in: piercing, navel, tongue, tattoo, dying, weird, accessory. When they have finished,T asks for some feedback from the class on the three questions.

Pre-reading task:- Students are given plenty of time to discuss their predictions beforehand. The questions are designed for all levels. At higher levels you could ask students to speculate further about the information or draw further conclusions from the text.Before you read about tattoos, write down a short answer to these questions:

a. How old do you think you have to be to get a tattoo in the UK?

b. How much do you think they cost in pounds?

c. Do you think it hurts?

d. Do you think you need to look after your tattoo once you have one?

e. Is it easy or difficult to remove a tattoo nowadays? Is it 100% effective?

f. Are temporary tattoos worth trying, or do they just look false?- This text will be quite challenging, so have some explanations prepared for, or pre-teach if desired: tat = trendy abbreviated form for tattoo, Pat dry - can be mimed, Until it's healed = until it stops hurting, Henna is a plant used for its ink to make tattoos which only last a day or two

T hands out Worksheet B.- When the majority of students have finished reading, T gets the answers to the pre-reading questions.

Tattoos:Back in the late 18th century, the upper classes were queuing up to get tats. Nowadays, tattoo trends are often led by celebrities. Tattooed VIPs include Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, David Beckham and Eminem. Even Barbie (yes, the doll) had temporary tattoos at one point.But fashion isn't the only reason people get a tattoo. For some, it's a statement about what kind of person they are or where they're coming from. Others just love the way tattoos look or see them as a way of expressing their individuality. If you're considering one, here are some essential facts.Getting a tattoo:- In the UK, you have to be over 18 to get a tattoo. Even with parental permission,most tattoo artists will refuse you if you're younger than 18.- At 18, you might regret something that you did when you were 16, as our opinions change as we grow older. Think about getting that tattoo - it might seem like a good idea at the time, but you might end up hating it in 2 years time.- Tattoos can cost anything upwards of £10.- A tattoo is created by injecting ink into the your skin. Some people find tattoospainful, some describe it as an uncomfortable or weird sensation.- After you've had your tattoo, keep the bandage on for two to 12 hours. Gently wash it twice a day with an antibacterial soap and pat dry, then use moisturiser. Keep it uncovered as much as possible, and avoid sunbathing, swimming, soaking in the bath and exercise until it's healed.- Tattoos can be removed using laser surgery. However, this process is expensive and doesn't guarantee complete removal - you might be left with marks or some ink left.- If you're not sure, you could try a (temporary) henna tattoo (a mehndi). The henna mixture is pasted onto the skin and then scraped off, leaving behind a deep red design. A professional henna artist can create amazing designs that last several days.

Answers:a. How old do you think you have to be to get a tattoo in the UK? Over 18.

b. How much do you think they cost in pounds? The cheapest are £10

c. Do you think it hurts? For some people it does, for others it doesn't.

d. Do you think you need to look after your tattoo once you have one? You have to until it has healed.

e. Is it easy or difficult to remove a tattoo nowadays? Is it 100% effective? Easy, but expensive. It is not completely effective.

f. Are temporary tattoos worth trying, or do they just look false? They can look amazing, so yes they are worth a try.

Post-reading discussion:Notice that the focus here is on students' natural reaction to the text. This is to encourage an unguided, authentic response to reading materials.

Post-reading Discuss the following in groups of three or four. You don't have to make notes, but remember what your colleagues say because your teacher will ask you to tell the class.

a) Which facts surprised you about tattoos, if any?

b) Would you ever consider getting one now you have this information?

Role play:You work for Image Consultants, PLC, an agency which helps people change theirlook. Your teacher will give you a photo of someone who wants to change their look and improve their image. In groups:- decide what this person does in life and why they want to change their look.- make a list of things they could do to improve their image.Person's profession.............. Why they want to change...................Hair Clothes Jewellery etc.

Pair work:- This activity, Worksheet D, is deliberately similar to the previous activity in order that students have the opportunity to practise the same language in a one-to-one situation after having had some exposure to other students' contributions and language.- Students change their own look. With shyer or reluctant students, encourage them to simply think about a change of hairstyle or a new item of clothing, for example. When students are giving class feedback, be careful to make sure shyer or weaker students are not teased. If this is a problem, only have class feedback on the more confident students.Student A: Tell your partner what you would do.Student B: Take notes in the box below to tell the rest of the class what your partner would do to change their look.Partner's name..............Hair Clothes Jewellery OtherNow swap roles.Tell the class what your partner decided. The rest of the class can agree or disagree with their choiceFamily role play:- T explains the following situation to students: Student C is 15 and has changed his/her look in one of the ways mentioned without their parents' consent.- T hands out the role cards, Worksheet E, puts students with the same role into groups and gives them a couple of minutes to write down some ideas and asks you for words they don't know how to say in English. This allows them to get some ideas and language before performing.- Have students summarise their arguments afterwards, telling you what was said and what the outcome was.

Evaluation

Homework