Susan Boyle by Ramon Zalakain

The Susan Boyle EFL Lesson

photo credit: 'we love you just as you are' by gilberto viciedo www.flickr.com

The Susan Boyle EFL Lesson includes: • • • •

Notes to the Teacher Student Sheets Song Activity, looking for collocations SimplyQuestTM, post-task activity

cc-sa Karenne Sylvester 2009. Permission granted for unlimited copying, sharing and distribution of this material. Let me know how this lesson goes: www.kalinago-english.com: Conversation materials / http://kalinago.blogspot.com: Blog for language teachers / http://how2learnenglish.blogspot.com: Blog for language learners

Notes to the Teacher

The Susan Boyle EFL Lesson PREPARATION • Download and/or photocopy copies of the Susan Boyle EFL lesson. • Cut up the song sheets into strips. Sheet A, one color and Sheet B, another. A. WARM UP • Kick off your lesson with a discussion about achievements and ambitions. You can start by telling a story from your own life and/ or that of a famous person. •

Hand out the sheets, do your students recognize the picture? Have they already heard about Susan Boyle? Ask those who have to not give away the whole story. Discuss the questions.

B. WATCHING AND WORKING • Play the video, stopping and starting as indicated on the student sheet. • Encourage as much discussion between video segments as possible. C. WORKING WITH THE SONG LYRICS Exercise objective: looking for common collocations in song lyrics. • •

Ask your students to tell you the meanings of the words on the sheet using a dictionary. Discuss how the words are used, in what contexts and ask them for their own example sentences. Play game: Options for working with the sheets: a) Divide your students into groups of two or three and provide them with the strips from sheet A. Ask them to brainstorm what words they think would come next. Give them sheet B strips and get them to do the matching (good for adults). b) Copy song sheets to A3 size. Using blu-tak, stick up several copies of the strips from sheet A on one side of the classroom, sheet B on the other side. Divide the class into teams and run a competition to see which students can get the most matches together within a timed period (good with teens). c) Divide up the number of strips from sheets A and B by the number of students you have. Get your students walking around the room trying to find their matching part of the lyrics. Then get them to physically put themselves into the order of the song (good with teens and young adults).

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Feedback, play the song again and check.

D. READING • Ask your students to read the various comments taken from the internet silently. • Ask for their opinions and hold a discussion on which they found most interesting/surprising. E. WRITING • Would your students like to write Susan Boyle? Do this as an in-class activity if you have time. F. POST TASK ACTIVITY – SimplyQuestsTM Susan Boyle • Set a deadline for the students, encourage them to make own choices, set no rules on how much/what they do – but stress they should aim to reuse the vocabulary presented. G. FOLLOW-UP LESSON • Ask students to report on what they learned. Get feedback, did they enjoy this lesson/work? • Discuss your students own ambitions, dreams and accomplishments using SimplyConversationsTM: Ambitions&Achievements sheets (free to registered users of website).

Susan Boyle Britain's Got Talent ITV show

(cc)gilberto viciedo

A. Discussing vocabulary What do the following words mean? Achievement

Ambition

Appearance2

Do you think that a person's appearance can stop him/her from achieving their greatest ambitions? Why, why not? Can you give an example? Do all talented people find fame? Are all famous entertainers talented?

B. Watching the video Watch 0.00 – 1.44

AN INTRODUCTION TO SUSAN BOYLE

1. What are your impressions of Susan Boyle? Is she... a) a nice person Tell us what you remember about her b) a great singer introduction. c) a crazy lady d) other What did you think of her accent? 2. Were there any important phrases or expressions that she or the judges used which you would like to remember?

Watch 1.45 – 4.28

SUSAN BOYLE'S PERFORMANCE

1. Was her performance surprising? Why?

2. How do you feel now? Do you think she's talented? 3. Do you think she will win the contest? 4. If she releases a CD will you buy it? Watch 4.29 – 06.26 THE JUDGES' REACTIONS

1. What were some of the adjectives and expressions that the judges used? 2. Did you agree with the judges? 3. How would you reuse some of these phrases, can you describe someone you know (or know about) who fits any of these descriptions? Watch 06.27 – 07.07 SUSAN BOYLE – AFTER THE PERFORMANCE

1. How do you feel for Susan? How do you think her life will change since her appearance on ITV's 'Britain's got talent'? In what ways? 2. What did you like best about this video? 3. Do you think that Susan Boyle should get a 'make-over'? cc-sa Karenne Sylvester 2009. Permission granted for unlimited copying, sharing and distribution of this material. Let me know how this lesson goes: www.kalinago-english.com: Conversation materials / http://kalinago.blogspot.com: Blog for language teachers / http://how2learnenglish.blogspot.com: Blog for language learners

C. Discussing the song lyrics What do the following words mean? • ransom • worth • forgive • thunder

• •

hell tear apart

Your teacher will now give you some phrases to match from the song. Listen again. Were you right? How did you know which phrases and expressions fit together? Which collocations (matches) were most surprising?

Make a note of the expressions you would like to remember.

D. Reading Here are some quotes taken from youtube visitors, twitter tweets and the Susan Boyle fan club on Facebook. What do you think about the commenters? Who do you agree with? Why do you think she has become such an international hit? Your "performance" was more than just the singing. You walked out there with brazen confidence. You were mocked, laughed at, and ridiculed. You not only handled it, you threw it back in their face.

Your voice is unique and is one of the most impresive voices I have heard in my life. RF, Portugal, Facebook

(BTW, I'd LOVE to have 5 min alone with the bully who threw out the wolf whistle). Then Yeah, too bad she looks like you opened your sweet mouth. And to top it someone beat her with a shovel. off was the song you chose.

Facebook

You had revealed that your lifelong dream had been to be a professional singer. As the song faded to black, you sang: "I had a dream my life would be So different from this hell I'm living so different now from what it seemed Now life has killed the dream I dreamed."

Who's that Guy? What a disrespectful thing to say. Does every singer have to look like Britney? Facebook Ivan Vasonez Salazar likes this. Facebook

We were all blessed to be able to witness I am ever happy watching you singing, your unveiling, that you had been a swan all again and again. I cannot wait until the next clip to be published. All the best along. wishes from Trung Nguyen, Hanoi, Vietnam! Facebook

I don't know if you realize how your life is about to change. And this was not the lottery. You earned in that moment, everything you Simon Cowell to finance Susan Boyle are about to receive. eyebrow waxing in exchange for piece of Your strength, your courage, and your voice future earnings. Twitter. inspire us all. Now excuse me, I have to go grab some tissues and watch it again :) Dan Barrett, San Francisco, CA, Facebook

I wonder who's kissing Susan Boyle now. Twitter

Nice to see the everyday person hand the "industry" its ass. Youtube Is it just me, or is Susan just a pretty good singer, not the sensation of the century? Youtube

Hi Susan from sunny Canberra, Australia. I just wanted to tell you that I think you are truly amazing. You have the voice of an angel and the heart of a lion. I will watch your progression from the other side of the world with much anticipation. Good luck in every thing you do. I have no doubt in my mind that you will succeed and go on to bigger and better things. Enjoy the journey. Regards, Jennykate Harrison, Facebook Domain squatters have snapped up sites like susanboyle.org, susanboyle.com & .co.uk.

Twitter „¸¨°º¤ø„...ø¤º° ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨ ¨°º¤ø„¸ GO! Susan !!¸„ø¤º°¨ ¸„ø¤º°¨Ur Awesome!!! `°º¤ø„¸ ¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨¨°º¤ø„¸¨°º¤ Youtube

E. Writing What would you like to say to Susan? Take a moment to write her – you can do this as an exercise in class and/ or you can visit youtube, facebook, twitter and let the world know what you think too. cc-sa Karenne Sylvester 2009. Permission granted for unlimited copying, sharing and distribution of this material. Let me know how this lesson goes: www.kalinago-english.com: Conversation materials / http://kalinago.blogspot.com: Blog for language teachers / http://how2learnenglish.blogspot.com: Blog for language learners

Susan Boyle Britain's Got Talent ITV show

(cc)gilberto viciedo

SimplyQuestsTM (post-task student activities)

Dear Learner, Your task is to do some detective work into Susan Boyle's life. Below you will find a number of questions, choose one or two that interest you and then visit the world wide web and find out what you can.

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Do your research in the language of your choice however please note that you should report on what you’ve found out only in English. Don't forget you can change your google settings to English. Make a point to reuse some of the interesting vocabulary that came up in the lesson today.

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Remember to make notes of unusual or difficult words that you may need when presenting to the class (that your colleagues may have difficulties with) and if you’re able, bring in diagrams, photographs or any other forms of media to help explain your web-quest to us.

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If, while you’re out searching you discover that you want to research something else even more fascinating (although related to this topic), you can.

Have fun!

Useful Internet Address: http://delicious.com/KalinagoEnglish/EFLsusanboyleLESSON (collection of youtube, news, wikipedia, twitter search, facebook fan club, blogs and other related sites)

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How many people around the world have visited Susan Boyle videos?

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What websites, other than Youtube, currently carry interviews and songs by Susan Boyle?

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What else has Susan Boyle sang? Can you bring these into class?

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Where is Susan Boyle from? Describe her life before her appearance on 'Britain's Got Talent'

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Which famous talk show hosts have now interviewed Susan Boyle?

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What is the program 'Britain's Got Talent' – what other famous people started out on this show?

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Who has been writing poems about Susan Boyle? What other crazy stuff's out there?

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Which famous people are current fans of Susan Boyle?

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What media coverage has Susan Boyle been getting in your country? What are the journalists saying?

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What is 'Les Misérables'?

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Who is Elaine Page?

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What are ITV and Youtube fighting about? Why?

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How did Gilberto Viciedo make his mosaic on flickr?

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Your own question.

Activity based on the original lyrics by Michael Ball, Les MisĂŠrables, I dreamed a dream

ď&#x20AC;˘

Sheet A(1)

I dreamed a dream in time 2

When hope was high 3

I dreamed that love 4

I dreamed that God 5

Then I was young 6

When dreams were made 7

There was no ransom 8

No song unsung, 9

But the tigers 10

With their voices cc-sa Karenne Sylvester 2009. Permission granted for unlimited copying, sharing and distribution of this material. Let me know how this lesson goes: www.kalinago-english.com: Conversation materials / http://kalinago.blogspot.com: Blog for language teachers / http://how2learnenglish.blogspot.com: Blog for language learners

Activity based on the original lyrics by Michael Ball, Les MisĂŠrables, I dreamed a dream

Sheet B(1)

gone by ?

and life worth living ?

would never die ?

would be forgiving ?

and unafraid ?

and used and wasted ?

to be paid ?

no wine untasted ?

come at night ?

soft as thunder cc-sa Karenne Sylvester 2009. Permission granted for unlimited copying, sharing and distribution of this material. Let me know how this lesson goes: www.kalinago-english.com: Conversation materials / http://kalinago.blogspot.com: Blog for language teachers / http://how2learnenglish.blogspot.com: Blog for language learners

Activity based on the original lyrics by Michael Ball, Les MisĂŠrables, I dreamed a dream

Sheet A(2)

As they tear your 12

As they turn your dreams 13

And still I dream 14

And we will live 15

But there are dreams that 16

And there are storms we 17

I had a dream my 18

So different from this hell 19

So different now 20

Now life has killed cc-sa Karenne Sylvester 2009. Permission granted for unlimited copying, sharing and distribution of this material. Let me know how this lesson goes: www.kalinago-english.com: Conversation materials / http://kalinago.blogspot.com: Blog for language teachers / http://how2learnenglish.blogspot.com: Blog for language learners

Activity based on the original lyrics by Michael Ball, Les MisĂŠrables, I dreamed a dream

Sheet B(2)

hopes apart ?

to shame ?

he'll come to me ?

our lives together ?

cannot be ?

cannot weather ?

life would be ?

I'm living ?

from what it seems ?

the dream I dreamed. cc-sa Karenne Sylvester 2009. Permission granted for unlimited copying, sharing and distribution of this material. Let me know how this lesson goes: www.kalinago-english.com: Conversation materials / http://kalinago.blogspot.com: Blog for language teachers / http://how2learnenglish.blogspot.com: Blog for language learners

Extra notes: Thanks for downloading the Susan Boyle EFL lesson - I really do hope you and your students enjoy using it. Do stop by the blog http://kalinago.blogspot.com or my website www.kalinago-english.com and let me how the class went or to share with me the surprising things you learned from your students' SimplyQuests. You can comment on the blog by clicking on the word 'comment' at the bottom of postings or you're welcome to write in the website's guestbook. As I'm not a great fan of referring to you as 'dear teacher' you're also very welcome to connect with me: On LinkedIn:

http://www.linkedin.com/in/karennesylvester

On Xing:

https://www.xing.com/profile/Karenne_Sylvester

On Twitter:

@kalinagoenglish

On Facebook:

The Kalinago English Blog Group

Talk soon, Karenne

The Susan Boyle EFL Lesson Plan by Karenne Sylvester is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License. This gives you permission to share the material via electronic means, to photocopy it and to upload it wherever you would like to. You may do this even if you are a commercial website.

Lyrics to go with the song, © Michael Ball. I dreamed a dream in time gone by When hope w as high and lif e w orth living I dreamed that love w ould never die I dreamed that God w ould be f orgiving. Then I w as young and unaf raid When dreams w ere made and used and w asted There w as no ransom to be paid No song unsung, no w ine untasted. But the tigers come at night With their voices sof t as thunder As they tear your hopes apart As they turn your dreams to shame. And still I dream he'll come to me. And w e w ill live our lives together. But there are dreams that cannot be. And there are storms w e cannot w eather. I had a dream my lif e w ould be so dif f erent f rom this hell I'm living so dif f erent now f rom w hat it seems Now lif e has killed the dream I dreamed.

Les Misérables – www.lesmis.com