The environment seems to be one of English exam designers’ favourite topics. They take any opportunity they have to include a reading, listening or other exam task that informs us about recycling, plastic usage or wind power. It is a useful topic for practising discussion skills with B2 and C1 learners.
Environment is an especially popular topic at B2 level. At this level, students should be able to discuss more complex and less personal topics. They are also expected to know lexis related to such topics.
Unfortunately, the environment doesn’t seem to be quite as popular with my students. In fact, the younger the students, the faster the eye rolls occur. I think they are oversaturated with this topic in school and even in popular media, so they often see it as a boring lecture telling them what they need to do to fix the world.
However, there are ways to make the topic more interesting. One functional area that lends itself to the environment topic is agreeing and disagreeing. As exam teachers, we know that our students need to be using this language, and using it well. These skills also help learners respond to a partner in Cambridge speaking practice.
Contents
The Materials
With this activity, start by sorting ten agree / disagree phrases by function, using the included key to check. Then discuss four personal statements and choose from six debate prompts. Students can take an assigned position if they prefer. Finish by reaching a shared decision about environmental changes at a learning centre.
This task can be extended with a pronunciation phase focussed on intonation following the first activity.
LEVEL: B2–C1 speaking
SKILLS: Discussing unfamiliar topics, expressing agreement, interactive communication
TOPIC: The environment
TIME: 30 minutes
PREPARATION: One copy of the worksheet per student
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