Learn how to ask for basic information and directions from a bus driver
THIS WEEK’S FEATURED POST
Week of Sept. 28/26
This page gathers helpful links for your online classes of ESL beginners (CLB 1-4) on topics such as Alberta, Canada, health, work, home and community, numbers, transportation, clothes, and grammar. Use these to create your…
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Lesson plan overview
| Task | To learn the basic vocabulary needed to ask for basic directions from a bus driver. |
| CLB level | CLB Stage I (CLB 1-3) |
| Delivery method | Online |
| Class size | 10-15 students (vary the number of activities according to your class size) |
| Estimated time | 1.5 hours (depending on class size) |
| CLB Skills and Competencies | Speaking: Interacting with others Getting things done Sharing information Listening: Interacting with others Comprehending instructions Getting things done Comprehending information Reading: Comprehending information |
| Language focus | Learn the vocabulary needed to understand this topic. Use the appropriate grammar structures and vocabulary to respond personally to the reflection questions. (Encourage students to respond in full sentences.) |
| Cultural focus | Students understand politeness formulas expected in interactions with Canadian bus drivers. |
| Specific task learning objectives | Students learn common words and phrases associated with taking a bus. Students practice asking for basic information and directions from a bus driver. |
| ESL Directions original video (🎥) and audio (🔊) activities? | This lesson includes original video (🎥) and audio (🔊) activities. |
| Resource attribution | ESL Directions original resources are marked below with an asterisk (*). Feel free to use these, but please give credit to ESL Directions. |
Lesson plan
Warm-up: Introducing the topic and defining our terms
- Today, we’re going to learn some of the words you need to speak with a bus driver.
- What is a bus?
- What is a bus driver?
- What words might you need to talk with a bus driver?
Skill-building activities
FEATURED CONTENT
- Vocabulary flashcards*
- Let’s listen to the vocabulary again* (Pay attention to how to say the words and phrases and what they mean.)
- Taking the bus video* 🎥
Skill-using tasks
- Audio, role play, and comprehension questions* 🔊
- What does each sentence mean?*
- Group sort: Who says what?*
- Pair matching* (Pair the questions and answers.)
- Unjumble the sentences*
Assessment/review tasks
- Audio and words match-up* 🔊
- Taking the bus vocabulary fliptiles*
- Random words and phrases* (Ask students to explain what they see.)
Reflection questions
- Who here has ridden the bus in Canada?
- How has riding the bus in Canada been for you?
- Have you ever spoken with a bus driver? How did that go for you?
- Have the drivers been friendly?
- Is it easy for you to ask for directions? If not, what is hard for you?
- Would you rather drive a car or take public transit?
- What do you do when you ride the bus? Do you read? Sleep? Look at your phone? What do most people do?
- Do you feel safe on the bus or subway/LRT?
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Click on the small arrow on the top of this video to play the videos or go to the YouTube Transportation Playlist.
TRANSPORTATION WORDWALL ACTIVITIES
Wordwall is a very useful interactive lesson-creation site. If you sign up for a free Wordwall account, you will be able to see our “Transportation” folder, which includes ESL Directions activities that you can add to your lessons.
ABOUT ESL DIRECTIONS
Kathy Garnsworthy, the creator of ESL Directions, is an ESL teacher, movie buff, constant reader, and former editor and communications pro. Now a graduate of the Teaching English as a Second Language program at the University of Manitoba and an ESL teacher in Edmonton, Alberta, she specializes in teaching online classes of beginner ESL students.
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