S1E14 - Good at Different Things

Objective & content

Rosie and her school friend Priya are bored in the garden, so they compare skills. Priya swims very well, Rosie rides a bike really well, both play football well, Rosie draws really well and Priya cannot draw at all. They share one skill at the end: having fun. The episode teaches ability with can and can't (I can swim very well.), graded with quite well, a little and at all (I can't draw at all!). The vocabulary is hobbies and sports. Learners listen, then check their understanding with the in-app quiz.

Pedagogical guide

The ability comes first and the grading last: I can swim very well. French and Italian learners may insert to after can, but nothing goes between can and the verb. A scale on the board from "not at all" to "very well" carries the lesson.

Suggested procedure

1. (5 min) Warm-up: draw the scale from not at all to very well and ask pupils where they stand for swimming.
2. (7 min) Teach the activity words by miming: swim, ride, draw, dance, play football.
3. (7 min) First listen: is one girl better than the other?
4. (10 min) Second listen: place each girl on the scale for each activity.
5. (8 min) Board work: I can swim very well; correct any extra word between can and the verb, and teach I can't draw at all.
6. (8 min) In pairs, ask about four activities and report one thing each does better.

Materials & prerequisites

The episode in the PLAY app (audio, slideshow, text and quiz), a student sheet and a teacher sheet with the answer key. Learners need the verb be and the present simple with I.

Curriculum alignment

Cycle 3 (6e), axis "The child and their close environment": abilities and hobbies.