Speaking task 1: practicing core vocabulary

Now go back to the prior exercises. Think about how to explain these words to children. How can you help them understand what they mean? Choose some words and explain them to a classmate, who pretends to be your pupil. Feel free to draw on a whiteboard/digital board to support your explanation and ask your pupils to copy you and draw along.

For instance:

• (draw a horizon line) On your paper, draw a horizon line.
• (put a vanishing point in the middle) Put a vanishing point on your horizon line.

Take turns explaining each word.

Speaking task 2: language of description

As you draw some example buildings and trees, explain the change in size. Use language of description, to talk about what something looks like.

For instance:

• can see… (e.g., “I can see a long road.”)
• There is / There are… (e.g., “There are trees on both sides.”)
• In the foreground… (e.g., “In the foreground, there is a big tree.”)
• In the background… (e.g., “In the background, the road looks very small.”)
• On the left / On the right… (e.g., “On the left, there are houses.”)
• The road goes towards… (e.g., “The road goes towards the vanishing point.”)

• The lines meet at the vanishing point.
• Objects look smaller as they go further away.
• The horizon line is in the middle of the picture.

• Straight, long, narrow, wide
• Near, far, distant
• Big, small, thin

Work with a partner.

• Take turns describing the picture. Focus on the perspective.
• Find objects that are closer or further away

Think back to discourse, sentence, and word/phrase dimensions of your explanation.

• discourse: the structure of your explanation. Was it short and easy to follow?
• sentence: Did you use short, grammatically simple sentences?
• word/phrase: Did you use the target language? Did you explain the key words correctly?

Speaking task 3: explaining the key concepts

Now, you will practice a very short explanation with a beginning, middle and end.

Work with a classmate. You will take turns being a 'teacher' and being a 'learner'.

Choose one or two key concepts to explain. Follow these steps:

• Greet your 'learner'.
• Name what you will be learning about, for instance that perspective drawing makes a picture look more real.
• Explain the main concept (perspective).
• Explain one part of drawing in perspective. Use modelling and props.
• Round off your explanation.

Do this two or three times each, until you feel fluent.

Speaking task 4: Putting it all together

Finally, you will practice the entire explanation.

Imagine your students are going to finish their drawings and then explain what they have done using the CLIL words.

Work in small groups. Take turns giving your full explanation, as though you are teaching young learners. Give each other feedback.

Include these steps:

• Open the explanation
• Explain three or four CLIL words, including the words from the earlier exercises’
• Encourage the learners to interact and use the new words (Repeat after me…)
• Check for understanding (Is this smaller or bigger?)
• Round off your explanation and start moving towards your lesson activity

Note: you do not have to do the lesson!

Think back to discourse, sentence, and word/phrase dimensions of your explanation.

• discourse: the structure of your explanation. Was it short and easy to follow?
• sentence: Did you use short, grammatically simple sentences?
• word/phrase: Did you use the target language? Did you explain the key words correctly?