Activity 1: Warm-up · 10 minutes
Brainstorming ASEAN and New Year festivals
a) Aims
Ss activate prior knowledge of ASEAN and of New Year celebrations and become interested in the topic of the lesson.
b) Content
Ss work in groups of four. In 3 minutes, they write as many words as they can about 'ASEAN' and 'New Year festivals' on sticky notes, such as family, food, dragon, water, lantern, calendar and reunion. Then they place the notes on the board in a word web.
Guiding question: 'What do you usually do with your family at New Year? Do all countries celebrate New Year on the same day?'
c) Expected outcomes
A class word web with 10 to 15 words about ASEAN and New Year festivals. Ss predict that festivals in different countries may have different dates and traditions, for example: 'Tết is in January or February, but Thai New Year is in April'.
d) Organisation
Teacher's activities
Students' activities
Teacher
Step 1: Task delivering
T introduces the aim of the lesson and asks groups to brainstorm words about ASEAN and New Year festivals. T shows the target word ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) on the board and asks Ss to say what they know about it.
Students
Ss listen carefully and ask about the task if necessary.
Teacher
Step 2: Task performance
T gives a 3-minute time limit, monitors the groups and encourages them to write in English as much as possible.
Students
Groups write words on sticky notes, e.g. 'family', 'water', 'calendar', 'lunar', 'reunion', 'costume', and stick them to the board.
Teacher
Step 3: Report and discussion
T invites one or two groups to read out their words and asks: 'Do all ASEAN countries celebrate New Year on the same day?'
Students
Ss answer, e.g. 'No, I think they have different calendars and traditions.' Other groups add their ideas.
Teacher
Step 4: Conclusion and assessment
T praises the ideas and says that New Year festivals in ASEAN countries may follow different calendars and traditions. T leads into the lesson: 'Today we will learn an everyday exchange and compare two festivals.'
Students
Ss note the title of the lesson in their notebooks.