This lesson is about idioms. Idioms? An idiom is an expression that cannot be understood from the meanings of its separate words but has a meaning of its own. For example: a person can be a big cheese. Do you know what is meant?
This expression has nothing to do with a person's appearance. It has a figurative meaning and expresses that someone is an important person in an organization.
A big cheese can be used in various ways, here are some examples:
Jacob thinks he's a big cheese now that he's been promoted to assistant manager.
I'm the big cheese around here, so you have to do what I say.
One of the big cheeses from NASA gave her speech on Wednesday.
Why a lesson on idioms?
Knowing and using (new) idioms will improve your English skills. You will understand English better and express yourself more natural, like a native speaker.
Goals of this lesson
I know what an idiom is and how it is used.
I will have practised to notice new language by listening to a conversation.
I know 12 idioms and its meanings by heart.
I have used an idiom in a professional email.
Your to-do list for this lesson
There are several activities in this lesson and you have to do them all except for activity 6. Read the instructions carefully before you start an activity.
What you are going to do is:
Watch a short video on idioms.
Find the 12 idioms in a podcast.
Learn and practise the 12 idioms: in a way that fits you.
Write an e-mail using idioms.
Show that you master the 12 idioms.
Passed the test? Work on becoming an expert!
Evaluate the lesson and find out the homework.
How
For most activities you can choose between working on your own, in pairs or in threes. Make sure that by the end of the lesson each of you masters the 12 idioms.
The presented order 1-7 is a logical order. Still, you may choose the order of the activities yourself.
Note 1: activity 5 is an individual activity.
Note 2: the listening activity, activity 2, is easier to do when you read the list with idioms beforehand (activity 3, list 3.1/3.2).
Note 3: students with a good command of English can speed up completing activities 1-5 and focus on activity 6 and become an expert.
Help
If anything is unclear, please ask the teacher.
Time
You have 100 minutes to complete the to-do list.
Activity 5 (test) needs to start 15 minutes before the end of the lesson.
Activity 7 (evaluation & homework) needs to start 5 minutes before the end of the lesson.
Result
You know more about idioms, you have practised noticing new language, and you master 12 idioms.
Ready
Start activity 5 or start with the homework.
What you need
Please have ear plugs, a pen and a piece of paper at hand.
1. Watch a short video on idioms
What is an idiom? How many are there? Is this something new? Why learn them?
What
You are going to watch a short video about idioms.
Answer the questions below the video, during watching or afterwards.
How
Watch on your own, or together with one or two other students.
Make sure that you understand the video and that you know the answers to the questions below.
Do not disturb others (use earplugs and speak in a moderate voice).
Help
Other students, teacher
Time
This will take between 5-10 minutes.
Result
You know more about idioms.
Ready
Start with another activity.
What you need
Please use ear plugs if you could disturb other students.
Oefening: What was told in the video?
0%
Check your understanding of the video by answering the questions.
You will listen to 10 minutes of conversation that are part of a longer conversation in a podcast. You have to "pick up" 12 idioms.
What
Prepare for the listening task
Read "about noticing";
Read "about the conversation between Luke and Paul".
Listen to 10 minutes of conversation.
Notice the 12 idioms and write them down on a piece of paper.
How
You may work on your own, or listen with one or two other students.
Listen to the audio twice if you 've missed idioms.
If you work in a group: make sure each of you understands the audio and has picked up all the idioms.
Do not to disturb others (use earplugs and speak in a moderate voice)
Help
Other students, teacher
www.lexico.com (or other dictionary)
Download the answers after listening twice (see assignment 3, list 3.1) and listen again
Time
This activity will take between 20-30 minutes.
Result
A list of 12 idioms on paper.
Ready
Write down the meaning of the idiom(s) or try to guess it.
Check your answers at the start of activity 3 (list 3.1)
Start with another activity.
What you need
A piece of paper and a pen.
Please use ear plugs if you could disturb other students.
About noticing - About the conversation
About noticing (picking up language)
It is possible to learn a language unplanned, unintended and without homework and courses. Typically this is how you have learned you mother tongue. Most likely you'll have learned some of your English in a similar way, by watching television, films and video, or by playing computergames, just by "picking up" the language. Great that it our brain works like that.
Additionally it is good to know that you will learn English quicker and better when you pay attention to language features that you have to learn. The ability to notice language features such as idioms is an important skill to develop.That is why this lesson has a focus on paying attention to idioms. When you notice them first, and practise them diligently, your learning of idioms will accelarate.
About the conversation you are going to hear
Luke's English Podcast
Below is the recording of episode 616 from Luke’s English Podcast. This is an award winning podcast for learners of English, made and presented by English teacher (and stand-up comedian) Luke Thompson. In episode 616 Luke wants his listeners to learn idioms.
Luke and his friend talk about a footbal player and use 12 idioms
In a conversation English teacher Luke and his friend, comedian Paul Taylor, present the listeners with 12 idioms. They have agreed to both use 6 idioms and mix them in a casual conversation. Each of them writes down the idiom of the other once they hear it (this is mentioned in the conversation). They don't know each other’s idioms.
The whole podcast takes 40 minutes and deals with 15 idioms, in this lesson we concentrate on the part where they insert 12 idioms in their talk.
The conversation is about Paul Taylor’s brother Kyle, who is a professional footballer for the Premiership team Bournemouth FC. However, Kyle is still to make his Premiership debut, instead Kyle gains football experience in another league. Luke shows his surprise. Also Luke and Paul talk a bit about Paul and Kyle's father.
Listen to a conversation
You are now going to listen to the conversation between Luke and Paul. You don't listen to the whole podcast of 40 minutes.
Start listening at minute 14.10. Finish at minute 24.00
Tip: the first and the last idiom are used in the first and last half minute.
Tip
If you struggle with this activity: the advice is to read the list of idioms before you start the recording a second time. See list 3.1 or 3.2 in activity 3.
Ready?
Try to guess the meaning of the idioms
Check your answers with the list of activity 3 (3.1)
Continue with activity 3
3. Learn and practise 12 idioms
Practise and learn the 12 idioms. There are several ways to learn them. Try the method that fits you and do the formative test.
What
Practise and learn the 12 idioms.
As was explained in the video, idioms are fixed expressions. You have to know the exact words and structure. So read the idioms carefully: which nouns, verbs and prepositions are used exactly? Verbs in idioms may appear in different forms when they need to be conjugated.
Learn the fixed forms and meanings of the idioms by heart
Do the formative test to assess how much you know.
How
Choose the way that fits you! As long as you know the fixed form, the meaning and use, you are on the right track.
Note: you have to know the meaning when an expression is mentioned and vice versa.
Some get the best results by reading and memorising from a list. Others practise by writing everything down on a paper. For another group quizlet practise supports their learning the best.
Do what suits you.
Tip: to ensure success it might be best to go the extra mile and do all the practices.
3.1 = A list with idioms, their meanings and example sentences
3.2 = A list with idioms meanings and pictures
3.3 = Quizlet flashcards and other quizlet options
3.4 = Google formative test
Work on your own or together with one or two other students. Or start on your own and work with other students half-way.
As a self-assessment on yourprogress you could end the practice with the formative test. You can also start with it, to assess your level at the beginning and repeat it at the end.
Help
Other students, teacher.
Time
This activity will take about 20 minutes. If the formative test shows you need more practice: take some extra time. Or repeat practising after another activity.
Result
You know the fixed form of the 12 idioms and its meanings (and vice versa) by heart.
Ready
Start with another/the following activity.
What you need
Your brain, some patience and endurance.
3.1 A list of idioms, meanings and example sentences
This is a traditional list with idioms and meanings. You can zoom in, read the idiom and its meaning. You can memorise the idioms and meanings by covering up a side of the list, change when you know one side. You could first cover up the meanings, then cover up the idioms. Research shows that writing down what you have to learn has a great effect on the results. So: write them down as well!
3.2 A list of idioms, meanings and pictures
This is a list with pictures, it'll support students that learn better with visuals. You can zoom in, read the idiom and its meaning. You can memorise the idioms and meanings by covering up the idioms and meanings. Read it, memorise it, cover it up and say the idiom and its meaning. Research shows that writing down what you have to learn has a great effect on the results. What keeps you from writing?
3.3 Quizlet flashcards of idioms and its meanings and other quizlet options
Practise with flashcards: click on the card and the idiom is presented. Try to learn the idioms the other way round: produce the fixed expression when you read the meaning.
Then choose another quizlet option on the lower right corner. There are multiple ways of learning in quizlet and this may lead to succes in your case.
3.4 Google formative test
Do you think you have memorized the idioms and its meanings? Can you pass the final test in assignment 5? First test yourself with this formative test in the form of a quiz. The quiz has 20 questions. 15 or less questions right? Check which questions you missed and practise more with 3.1., 3.2, 3.3.
4. Write an e-mail using idioms
You will write an email, a reminder to provide you with the necessary information.
What
Write a reminder email for a colleague of max 150 words.
Use at least 1 idiom, from this lesson or any other idiom.
You would like the colleague to provide you with information, the deadline has passed.
Write:
a quick summary of the agreement
a reminder of the deadline
a call to action
Send the e-mail to the teacher 15 minutes before the end of the lesson
How
You work on your own or in pairs, but you have to draft your own email (use a moderate voice when discussing).
Help
Other students, information about e-mail writing in previous lessons, google (sample email about deadlines)
Time
You have to stop working on this assignment 15 minutes before the end of the lesson.
Then you 'll have to start activities 5 and 6 (unless you have already completed them).
Result
You have written an e-mail spiced up with an idiom.
Ready
Start with another/the following activity
What you need
Your knowledge from today and previous lessons.
Inspiration
5. Show you master the 12 idioms
Consider if you are prepared. Look at the lesson goals: do you know more about idioms, when they are used and do you know 12 idoms by heart? If you are not sure: please take the formative test first (3.4).
This test has to be done on your own. The test is to assess whether you have reached the goals of this lesson. The test has 30 points. You pass with a score of 26 or more.
What
Do the final test
How
On your own
Help
No one (you can do it!)
Time
This activity will take about 10 minutes
Result
You pass when you have 26, 27, 28, 29 or 30 points.
You know whether you master the 12 idioms and what you have learned addtionally in this lesson.
Ready
You didn't pass? Analyse your answers and reflect on how you worked in this lesson. If there is still time: repeat some previous activities. Or discuss with the teacher how to proceed.
Passed? Start with another/the following activity. When you have 5 minutes to go: start with activity 7.
What did you score?
01-15 points: you need more practice!
16-20 points: not bad, but you can do better...
21-25 points: quite good, but you need a bit more practise ;-)
26-30 points: well done: you passed the test.
6. Become an expert!
Have you finished activities 1-5 and nailed the test? Become an expert! You can either find out more about idioms by yourself, or work on a fun activity: find the hidden idioms.
What find more idioms, choose between 1 and 2
find more idioms the way you like it: there are various sites and youtube channels with more information about idioms in English. Google "idioms in English" and dive into it.
by finding hidden idioms in a cartoon (see below)
How
You may work on your own or with one or two other students.
Help
Other students, teacher
Time
Stop the activity five minutes before the end of the lesson
Result
You know more (about) idioms
Ready
Evaluate the lesson and find out the homework
Hidden idioms
The Times Literary Supplement published the cartoon A Figure Of Speech made by Ella Baron in 2019. Your task is to find the hidden idioms in the cartoon. There are at least 27 hidden idioms. You have learned some of the idioms in this lesson.
Tip: you can find idioms by trying to google word combinations. For example: idiom-heart-sleeve...
Click on the bubble below to open the website with the cartoon.
7. See homework and evaluate
Homework for next lesson
Your homework is to expand your knowledge with a new idiom and share it in class.
What
Look for a new idiom that you like. Next lesson: share your idiom, its meaning and give an example of how it is used.
How
On your own or with other students. If you work together: each student looks for a new idiom (!)
Present it any way you like.
Help
Other students, internet
Time
This activity will take about 10 minutes.
Result
You found an idiom, its meaning and how it is used and you prepared to share it with your class, by yourself or with a group.
Evaluation of the lesson
This evaluation is to provide the teacher with feedback about the lesson.
What
Fill in the the form
How
On your own
Help
Think back on today's lesson
Time
This activity will take about 5 minutes.
Result
You have provided feedback.
Peace out
Peace out is slang to say goodbye in English.
Sometimes shortened to just Peace, this is sort of like saying peace be with you and goodbye at the same time. It means you wish the other person well, and it’s a phrase that you’ll find used a lot in street slang and in hip hop.
Hope to see you again, online or in an offline lesson.
References
Hidden idiom
Cartoon by Ella Barron (2019), retrieved from: https://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/a-figure-of-speech/
Het arrangement Find and learn 12 idioms is gemaakt met
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Kennisnet. Wikiwijs is hét onderwijsplatform waar je leermiddelen zoekt,
maakt en deelt.
Auteur
Marion Janson
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Laatst gewijzigd
2022-01-09 11:24:57
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What was told in the video?
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