Where's the best place to go on holiday in your country?

Level

B1 / B2 (Intermediate / Upper-intermediate)

Age

Teenagers and adults

Time

40-60 mins

Procedure

Preparation

Read this plan, and familiarise yourself with the topic.

Make copies of worksheets.

Download the podcast to play on a phone/tablet (see the downloads section on the right) or listen to it online on the podcast page.

1. Introduction

Tell your students that they are going to listen to the first part of a podcast from the Premier Skills English website. Ask them to listen and try to identify the topic of the podcast.

Play the podcast from 00.00 > 1.40.

Here is the Premier Skills English Podcast: Speaking Skills - Talking about Holidays

The topic of the podcast is holidays - or the best place to go on holiday in your country.

2. Worksheet 1

Show your students the vocabulary worksheet. Tell them to read the statements at the top and ask them if they are familiar with the vocabulary.

Tell them to complete the matching activity on the worksheet.

3. Brainstorm

Ask your students to work in groups. Tell them that they are going to spend 3 minutes brainstorming ‘places to go on holiday’ in their country. Ask each group to nominate a writer who will write down anything that the members of the group come up with.

4. Podcast

Tell your students that they are going to listen to another part of the Premier Skills English Podcast. In this next section, Rich recommends to Jack some places to visit and things to do in Spain when he visits. Ask your students what they know about Spain. What places do you think Rich will recommend? What things will Rich recommend Jack does? What things will Rich recommend to eat? Are there any football stadiums in Spain you would like to visit?  

Play the podcast from 3.30 > 6.30.

Students listen and check their predictions.

Listen again. This time your students have to listen for the places and things that Jack thinks are a good idea and the one things he probably doesn't want to do.

Play the podcast from 3.30 > 6.30.

5. Classifying

Ask the groups to spend 5 minutes looking back at their ideas from the brainstorm. Groups need to classify each place by holiday type: who is it suitable for, what accommodation is available, what things do people have to pack, things to take, is a lot of money needed etc.

6. Language focus

In the section of the podcast you are about to listen to, Rich and Jack introduce some language for recommending things. Listen to the podcast and students have to write down five phrases that are used to recommend things.

Play the podcast from 6.30 > 9.30.

Hand out worksheet 2 and ask your students to read about the language and then complete the activity.

7. Discussion

Ask your students to work in small groups. Tell them that they are going to come up with 5 places in their country that tourists should visit. Each group needs to first decide on the five things from the earlier brainstorm, Give each group a different type of tourist e.g. younger people, families, couples and older people. Learners have to discuss the places and things to do in their country that are most suitable for this group of tourists. Encourage learners to use the phrases for recommending things from worksheet 2.

8. Presentation

Split the groups into new groups so there is one student from each of the previous groups. Each student takes it in turns to speak about their country and presents the places and activities that they think are suitable for that specific group. 

9. Listening

While the other students are listening, they have to decide which place or which activity which each group of tourists would enjoy most.

10. Homework

Students write a letter to a friend from abroad who will soon be visiting their country. The friend has asked for some recommendations. Write your letter. Alternatively, learners could write their recommendations in the comments section on the lesson page on the website.