Comedy for ELT - Language Problems

[ To download a free worksheet ( KEY, Script) just click here: ] A number of students are talking about the problems they have with English. Incredibly they do manage to understand each other... :-) A hilarious little sketch with huge potential both for the classroom and for presentations. Taken from the series ’The Sketch Show UK“ Level: B2 -- C1 Topics: Language / Language Learning / Education / Learning difficulties EXTENSION Post-Listening: Watch What about you? What would you say is your greatest problem with the language? Walk around the class and share your problem ( an example) with at least three other people. Homework: [ Students write their problem ( an example) on a post-it note and they give it to the teacher. The teacher distributes the notes at random to the various students. Each student has to write an e-mail suggesting ways for how their classmate can overcome their problem. Next time the post-it notes along with the e-mails can be put up on the wall and the students can walk around voting for which e-mail they think gives the best advice. ] [A big ‘Thank You’ to my colleague Joanna Charalampous for suggesting these two activities after using the clip with her class. :-) ] [NB: I do not own the copyright to this video clip. I have uploaded it here for educational purposes]. SCRIPT B: Hey! Aren’t we all on the same English course? A: Oh yeah! How’s it going? B: Eer -- not bad. Except that I sometimes have trouble with my grammar, isn’t it? * I mean, sometimes I perfect, but other times I don’t, won’t they? * R: You see, I’m alright with my grammar. My problem is spilling. I can’t spill to save my loaf... * A: Yeah? R: Yeah... After all I have a spell chock on my compluter. * A: Well, you know, look at it this way ’You can lead a horse to the water, but you can’t eat it too’ -- you know what I’m saying? * R: No, no, not really... B: I... I think that she sometimes has trouble mixing metaphors, aren’t she? A: Yeah... Sorry guys I’m always crying over spilled chickens before they’re hatched... * P: It’s alright for you all; I’ve got a very small vocabulary. * G: What’s that like? P: It’s alright for you all; I’ve got a very small vocabulary. * G: That’s ok; I’ve got problem with my emPHAsis... * A: Your emPHAsis?!? G: Yes, my emPHAsis on different parts of the senTENces... * In my job that can cause a lot of awkWARDness... * R: What do you do? G: I’m a speech theRApist. * R: A peach therapist that can’t spike properly. * I’m surprised your boss hasn’t sucked you... * P: It’s alright for you all; I’ve got a very small vocabulary. * G: Can I make a SUggestion? Why don’t you purCHAse a dictioNAry? You’ll save yourself a lot of embarrassment. * (she nods) B: I tell you what -- why don’t we try studying together, isn’t it? How doesn’t it next week sound, didn’t we? How does it next week sound, didn’t we? R: Grave idea! G: FaBUlous! * A: Yeah, you give them an inch, it’s worth two in the bush! * P: It’s alright for you all; I’ve got..... * All: Shut up!! B: ...isn’t it? *