Learn the vocabulary to participate in a parent-teacher interview
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Week of Dec. 15/25
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The lesson includes interactive vocabulary activities, a short video, and reflection questions to…
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Lesson plan overview
| Task | To learn and understand many of the standard questions and answers used in a parent-teacher interview. |
| 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 | 1.5-2 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 discuss how schools (and parental roles) may be different here and in their home countries. Students understand politeness formulas (e.g., standard greetings and farewells) expected in Canadian interviews. |
| Specific task learning objectives | Students understand the purpose of parent-teacher interviews. Students learn the basic vocabulary needed to participate in or understand a standard parent-teacher interview. Students understand positive and negative comments the teacher may say during an interview. Students watch a video role play and participate in an open-ended dialogue. |
| 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 vocabulary needed to participate in a parent-teacher interview.
- What is a parent-teacher interview?
- Do you have children or grandchildren in school? How old are they?
- What are some other names for parent-teacher interviews?
- What are some things that teachers might say at a parent-teacher interview?
Skill-building activities
FEATURED CONTENT
- Vocabulary flashcards*
- Let’s listen to the vocabulary again* 🔊 (Pay attention to how to say each word or phrase and what they mean.)
- A parent-teacher interview* 🎥
Skill-using tasks
- Audio, role play, and comprehension questions* 🔊 (Listen to the video conversation again, do the role play, and answer comprehension questions.)
- Who says what?* (Arrange the tiles under the correct speakers to reconstruct the original dialogue.)
- Group sort* (Sort each comment into positive or negative comments.)
Assessment/review tasks
- Open-ended dialogue* (Includes typical questions and comments from the teacher. Students respond to these questions and comments.)
- Unscramble activity* (Unscramble the sentences.)
- Vocabulary review quiz* (Open-ended review. The definitions are in the Hints section.)
Reflection questions
- Can you name three words or phrases you learned today?
- What do parents and teachers talk about at parent-teacher interviews?
- Have you gone to a parent-teacher interview in Canada? How did it go?
- Did you find it easy to communicate with and understand the teacher?
- What kind of questions do you want to ask your child’s teacher?
- How are schools different here than in your home country?
- Are parental roles different in your home country?
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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 “Community and neighbours” folder, which includes ESL Directions activities that you can add to your lessons.
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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 a TESL Canada certified ESL teacher in Edmonton, Alberta, I specialize in teaching online classes of beginner ESL students.
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