A great way to learn English is community involvement
Are you staying or planning to stay with English people and keen to practise the discussion topics current among residents of UK towns and cities?
Extend Your Discussion-----Buy Now on Amazon UK (£5.25)
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Methodology
Extend Your Discussion follows the approach of its sister book Prepare for Discussion.
Every topic module contains:
- Vocabulary Builders: "Odd one out" exercises to rapidly build active vocabulary
- Authentic Dialogues: Realistic pair-work scripts packed with natural, colloquial expressions
- Comprehension Texts: Versatile short texts designed for reading, listening, or dictation tasks
- Themed Crosswords: Engaging grids with full clue lists and answer keys to reinforce learning
- Discussion Prompts: Targeted questions engineered to spark genuine debate
However, the choice of topics is especially relevant to learners of English living and/or studying in the UK who welcome the opportunity to converse with British people and take an active part in the local community.
If you are hosting students of English at the upper-intermediate or above level and are willing to help them with their English, Extend Your Discussion would make the perfect gift. The familiarity of the exercise types means that the role of the teacher is clear throughout.
As well as specialising in ELT in my working life, I have had extensive involvement in my local community, including a period of over 20 years editing the content of my residents association's website. I have therefore had full opportunity to explore the 14 topics selected for Extend Your Discussion.
These include art versus graffiti, climate change, community events, controlled parking zones, cost of living crisis, dogs, homes or open spaces, local history, neighbourhood disputes, the planning system, policing, refuse & recycling, residents associations and wildlife gardening.
How can this book help you?
Extend Your Discussion recognises that interaction with people in your neighbourhood can be one of the most effective and enjoyable ways of improving your English. Whether you want to discuss housing, the environment, planning, transport or other issues affecting everyday life, this book will help you:
- develop vocabulary for discussing contemporary issues
- express and support your opinions more confidently
- participate more actively in conversations and discussions
- improve your understanding of life in British towns and cities
- engage more effectively with your local community
- extend your English beyond the classroom
Extend Your Discussion is for learners who do not simply want to speak English — but want to use English to participate, contribute and become more involved in the world around them.
Exercise types
Please take the links below for examples of the exercise types you will find in the books as well as my thoughts on the value of these exercises in teaching discussion
- odd one out vocabulary exercise
- short texts for listening / reading comprehension or listening & writing tasks such as dictation
- dialogues for reading in pairs
- discussion questions
- themed crosswords including grids, clues and answer keys