Teaching English As a Second Language - A Lesson About Fans

FANS - there's a word, plural, which conjures up a fewyourself with the uniform of a sports fan: hat, scarf,
different images for the native speaker. Here's ashirt, and rosette - you know the kind of thing. Now talk
lesson about fans. As the students enter the room, the- explain what each item is, talk colours, talk variety -
teacher overdoes the welcome with a few 'well doneenthuse about your favourites: mine are Sunderland
last time' / 'excellent homework' / 'great test results'AFC - red and white and brilliant!!
thrown into the opening seconds as the studentsA fan is a fanatic. Ask the class to brainstorm things
gather. Overdo the superlatives! Tell them that you arethat people get fanatical about (teams, bands, sports
going to be talking about fans. Start the lesson usingand so on). Write new words on the board. Split the
pictures and props to show several types of fan; aclass into pairs, and ask them to tell each other about
hand-held oriental fan; a strategically waved piece ofa team, band or personality that they are fans of, and
paper; a ceiling mounted fan; one of those little batterywhy. Each pair should prepare a role-play where one
operated pocket fans; an oscillating desk fan.of them is a very famous / popular personality: David
Talk a little about each - 'what is this?'; 'have you usedBeckham? Pele? Brad Pitt? Put that person in a
one?'; 'where would you use this?' etc. Use thespot-light, and then ask the others in the group to tell an
opportunity to test colours, numbers and so on, andalien what is so good about that person. Pick a number
use the opportunity to check progress generally - howof personalities from the pair work - you, the teacher,
are the class sounding now, are they relaxing with you,be the alien.
that sort of thing. Next clear the decks and deck