Learning paths The themes included in One photo, a thousand words can be organised into groups to form learning paths. The teacher can vary and adapt these paths according to the language level of the group/ class and the learning objectives. Following are some suggestions.
Path 1
General topics related to family, social and emotional relationships. Discussions can be based on personal experience or more generally on common social situations and events. Family 1 Family 2 Brothers and sisters 3 Grandparents 4 Pets Friendship, love and groups 5 Friends 6 Love 17 Study habits 21 Bullying 39 Being part of a group… 74 Solitude Living and travelling 8 Where do you live? 9 City life or country life? 13 Holidays 15 Travelling abroad 16 Study holidays 19 Speaking a foreign language School and work 18 Your favourite subject 20 School uniforms 22 School 23 The future 24 New professions Sport, body image and health 31 Your favourite sport 32 Sport and health 6
33 Team sports or individual sports? 34 Sports fans 35 Living with a disability 36 What do you look like? Food and lifestyle 53 Eating habits 54 Food allergies and intolerances 55 Eating disorders 56 Food waste
Path 2
Contemporary issues of global interest. Students can find out more about these topics by reading newspaper articles, as well as watching films and documentaries and doing online research. Humanitarian and social issues 47 Equality 48 Sharing 49 Gender equality 50 Integration 51 Human rights 52 Volunteer work The environment and ecology 57 Reduce, reuse, recycle 58 Pollution and climate change 59 Endangered animals 60 Save the planet 61 Alternative energy
Path 3
A variety of themes designed to provoke an exchange of opinion, by stimulating the curiosity and creativity of the students. Reality and imagination 42 Superpowers 43 Lucky charms and superstitions 45 Make a wish 62 Artificial intelligence 63 Virtual communication 67 Idols 72 Living on a desert island 73 Freedom 75 Emergency situations 7
CEFR: Common European Framework of Reference A1
Beginner
A2
Elementary
B1
Intermediate
B2
Upper Intermediate
C1
Advanced
C2
Proficiency
One photo, a thousand words by Joy Olivier © 2021 ELI s.r.l. P. B. 6 - 62019 Recanati - Italy Tel. +39 071 750701 - Fax +39 071 977851 P.B. www.elionline.com English version: Karen Mackie Art Director: Letizia Pigini Editor: Gigliola Capodaglio Photos: Shutterstock Production Manager: Francesco Capitano Layout: Tecnostampa Box design: Gianni Caputo Printed in Italy by Tecnostampa Pigini Group Printing Division - Loreto-Trevi 21.83.259.0 ISBN: 978-88-536-3400-9 No unauthorised photocopying. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of ELI. 8
SpeakING English with pictures
One photo, a thousand words consists of 75 photo cards, created for students at A2-B1 level on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
Contents and objectives One side of each card is: - a photograph which represents a theme of common interest; the other side contains: - a series of questions pertinent to the depicted theme; - a list of vocabulary and suggestions which can be used to answer the questions and stimulate discussion; - discussion topics which can be used to create in-depth discussions on the proposed topic at a more advanced level. The teacher can use these cards to guide discussions and adapt the conversation to the level of each group or class. There are 75 different topics to choose from, which make it easy for teachers to find topics and vocabulary suitable for the level of their class. The photo cards can be used to: - stimulate brainstorming by describing the picture and thinking about what it represents; - develop comprehension and oral production skills; - facilitate pair and group work; - reinforce mutual respect and tolerance of other people’s opinions; - encourage a constructive exchange of opinions. 2
How to use the cards The aim of the photographs is to encourage students to reflect on and talk about themes which affect everyone. They include: family, friendship, cities and transport, holidays, travelling, study/school and work, free time, sport, body image, feelings and emotions, social and humanitarian themes, the environment, renewable energy, current lifestyles, the future of the planet. The questions and suggested vocabulary help students to express themselves and exchange opinions with the others, starting at an elementary level (A2+) up to an intermediate level (B1+). However, teachers will find that they are useful at any level and can be adapted to a variety of classroom activities. The initial questions are designed to introduce and stimulate a discussion on the theme represented by the photo. By observing and describing the picture, the students begin to understand what the theme is and the questions help them to focus and reflect on this theme. The vocabulary section provides words and expressions related to the theme which can be used to answer the questions. The discussion topics develop the theme further and can be used to encourage discussions at a more advanced level or as a starting point for writing practice. The teacher shows the card to the students. There is a miniature photo on the back of the card, so that the teacher can see the photo at the same time as the students. The teacher asks a student/the class to describe what they can see in the photo. The teacher can then use the questions to develop a class discussion, eliciting and teaching vocabulary and expressions when necessary. The students start by describing the photo. Then by answering the questions and using the vocabulary provided by the teacher, they learn to talk about the topic depicted in the photo. Lessons can be adapted to individual teaching needs by using more than one card at a time and connecting themes, keywords and questions to other topics. Using One photo, a thousand words is an effective way of encouraging oral production and interaction, as well as teaching new vocabulary and expressions. When students are working in 3
pairs or small groups the cards can be used in numerous ways: - at the beginning of the lesson to introduce a new topic; - at the end of a lesson for a final class discussion; - as a teaching aid to teach new vocabulary on a specific theme; - to develop a theme previously introduced in class; - as a starting point for group/pair work over one or more lessons.
20 School uniforms
48 Sharing
21 Bullying
49 Gender equality
22 School
50 Integration
23 The future
51 Human rights
24 New professions
52 Volunteer work
25 An ideal day
53 Eating habits
One photo, a thousand words is great for introducing or concluding a lesson on a new topic. It gives the students the opportunity to express their opinions freely using lexis and structures they have already learned in class, as well as the vocabulary provided on the cards. The themes proposed in One photo, a thousand words can also be developed and researched to be used in other ways. The discussion topics and questions on the cards are ideal for use as the basis for written work, especially at more advanced level.
26 Free time 27 Paper books or e-books?
54 Food allergies and intolerances
28 Reading
55 Food disorders
29 Playing or listening to music?
56 Food waste
30 Your music 31 Your favourite sport
58 Pollution and climate change
32 Sport and health
59 Endangered animals
57 Reduce, reuse, recycle
33 Team sports or individual 60 Save the planet 61 Alternative energy sports?
List of topics 1 Family 2 Brothers and sisters 3 Grandparents 4 Pets 5 Friends 6 Love 7 Individual style 8 Where do you live? 9 City life or country life? 10 Sustainable transport
11 Types of transport 12 The highway code 13 Holidays 14 Theme parks 15 Travelling abroad 16 Study holidays 17 Study habits 18 Your favourite subject 19 Speaking a foreign language 4
34 Sports fans
62 Artificial intelligence
35 Living with a disability
63 Virtual communication
36 What do you look like?
64 Selfies
37 The importance of hair
65 Violence in video games
38 Tattoos
66 Watching TV
39 Being part of a group…
67 Idols
40 Rules and laws
68 Theatre
41 Are you tidy or untidy?
69 Graffiti
70 A day with no… 43 Lucky charms and technology 71 A day with no… electricity superstitions 42 Superpowers
44 What are you afraid of?
72 Living on a desert island
45 Make a wish
73 Freedom
46 Pocket money
74 Solitude
47 Equality
75 Emergency situations 5
1
Family
© ELI s.r.l.
➊ Talk about your family. ➋ How often do you see your relatives? ➌ Talk about a typical day in your house. ➍ What do you like doing with your family? Vocabulary
Discussion topics
• Different types of families: traditional family, nuclear family, large family, extended family, adoptive family, multi-ethnic family…
• How important is it for families to spend time together?
• Family members and relatives: parents, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, cousin, grand-parents, grandmother, grandfather…
• Are friends more important than family?
• Family routine: make breakfast/lunch/dinner, do chores, wash the dishes, make the bed, do the shopping, go to school/work, do sport, do homework, free-time activities, hobbies...
2
Brothers and sisters
© ELI s.r.l.
➊ Have you got any brothers or sisters? ➋ Would you like to have brothers or sisters/be an only child? ➌ Do you share a bedroom with a brother or sister? ➍ Do you spend time with your brothers and sisters? Vocabulary
• Siblings: brother, sister, adoptive brother/sister, half-brother/sister, big brother/sister, little sister/brother… • Position in the family: youngest, oldest, middle, favourite… • Role of brothers and sisters: give advice, support each other, help with homework, share things, ...
Discussion topics • What are the advantages/ disadvantages of having brothers and sisters? • Is it better to be part of a big family or be an only child?
3
Grandparents
© ELI s.r.l.
➊ Do you have grandparents? ➋ How often do you see your grandparents? ➌ Do you like spending time with your grandparents? ➍ Do your grandparents help you in any way? Vocabulary
Discussion topics
• Grandparents: grandfather, grandmother, great grandfather, great grandmother, maternal grandparents, paternal grandfather/mother...
• What kind of relationship do you have with your grandparents?
• Describing grandparents: live-in, hands-on, supportive, helpful, old-fashioned, youthful, wise, understanding...
• Do you think that grandparents nowadays are different from the past?
• Role of grandparents: give advice, help with daily routine, look after grandchildren, provide support...
4
Pets
© ELI s.r.l.
➊ Do you have a pet? What is it? ➋ Who takes care of it? ➌ Where did you get it from? ➍ What is the best pet to own? Vocabulary • Common pets: dog, cat, horse, hamster, rabbit, guinea pig, goldfish… Unusual/exotic pets: turtle, parrot, snake, iguana, tropical fish, virtual pet… • Where to find a pet: dog/cat rescue centre, dog breeders, the vet, friends.... • Things you do for a pet: feed your pet, take your pet (dog) for a walk, visit the vet with your pet, clean up after your pet, play with your pet… • Pets: need attention, can’t be alone too long, can’t always travel with you...
Discussion topics • What should you consider before getting a pet? • What do you think children can learn from looking after a pet?
5
Friends
© ELI s.r.l.
➊ Do you have a best friend or a big group of friends? ➋ What do you do with your friends? ➌ How did you meet your friends? ➍ Do you have friends in other countries? Vocabulary
• Types of friends: school friend, old friend, best friend, childhood friend, virtual friend… • Describing friends: loyal, funny, generous, kind, sincere, good… • Things to do with friends: go out, hang out, study, do sport, visit places, talk about problems, listen to music, go on holiday…
Discussion topics • What do you look for in a friend? • Are virtual friends real friends?