HIGHER FASTER SNEAKIER

Content of the lesson: Turin Winter Olympics
Speaking activity: Role play and discussion
Language: Convincing, expressing reluctance
Level: Intermediate +
Warm-up:
Put the pictures of Winter Olympic Sports ( go to yahoo clipart and get pictures) and other sports around the classroom. Ask the L-s go to around the class and try to remember as many sports as possible.
Tell them to sit back and ask them to tell what they have seen on pictures.
Elicit words and write them on the board. Ask questions about them.
Have you heard about this sport before?
How is it played? Is it popular sport? Is it dangerous? In which season is it played? Etc…
Write the words on a column on the board and give definitions to them briefly.
Stage one
Write the following on the board:
HIGHER, FASTER, SNEAKIER
Explain that this comes from the headline of a recent newspaper. Ask students to work in pairs and to come up with three possible explanations of the headline. You may have to explain “sneakier” first.

Ask a few groups to report back. If no one guesses correctly, draw the following symbol on the board.

Stage two
Read the information about “Turin Winter Olympics 2006” aloud to the class

GENERAL FACTS AND FIGURES

• 84 gold medals will be given over a period of 17 days.
• 2,600 athletes and 2,500 officials from 80 National Olympic Committees will be housed in 3 Olympic Villages: Torino, Bardonecchia and Sestriere.
• Seven sports will be presented: Biathlon, Bobsleigh, Curling, Ice Hockey, Luge, Skating, Skiing
• 650 judges and referees will participate in the Games.
• 10,000 journalists and media operators are expected to cover the Games.

24 February 2006
With the opening of the Olympic Village, and in the framework of the procedure in place for the Torino 2006 Olympic Winter Games, the first anti-doping tests were conducted on 31 January 2006. As of the 22 February 2006 there were 766 tests completed.
Stage three
1. Divide the class into three parts:
1. Athletes
2. Journalists
3. Sports commentators

2. Athletes: Give role cards and expressions to be used in their conversation to athletes and tell them that they should use expressions and phrases as many as they could. Prepare some useful expressions and tell them they should use those expressions in the conversation.
Once students have taken their roles, tell them that the main purpose their role play will be attempting to convince each other.
A The athlete
B The trainer
C The athlete’s friend

Expressions to be used:
Convincing someone
I really think you should… You ought to…
Why don’t you try…? Don’t worry…
Just trust me! Come on…
It’s good idea to… You better do….
I am afraid I can’t…. What if I…..?
What to say if you’re not really convinced
I don’t know… I’m a bit nervous/ scared/ unsure about this.
Isn’t there another way? OK, but I don’t really think…

4. Journalists: Give a questionnaire list to journalists. Ask them to choose one question from the list and make one their own and go around the class, give questions to athletes and sports commentators. When they ask questions tell them to introduce themselves first e.g. I am Li Fei Fei from CCTV 9. And tell them to act as if they are journalists in a real life. You can prepare microphone(s), so the journalists can use them while asking questions( It makes the activity more lively)

1. Whose fault is it when athletes dope themselves? The athlete, the trainer or society in general for putting so much pressure on the athlete?
2. If an Olympic athlete from your country was disqualified for doping, would you feel ashamed for your country?
3. Do you think that Olympic athletes make too much money?
4. Do you know anybody who has taken drugs to do better at sports?
5. Would you ever take drugs to win in a competition if you were an Olympic athlete?
6. Do you think that sport distracts people from things that are really important?
7. Do you feel proud of the athletes from your country in an international competition like the Olympics, or the World Cup?
8. If an athlete had surgery in order to improve his or her performance, would you consider that the same as doping ethically speaking? What about acupuncture (cure disease or relieve pain with needles)? Hypnotherapy (to cure with hypnoses)? A sex change?
When the journalists finish asking questions, ask the rest of the class about their activity
E.g.
Which journalist introduced him/her professionally?
Which journalist’s questions were interesting or close to reality?
Which journalist acted as if it s/he was a journalist in real life?

4. Sports Commentators: Give handouts covering a brief introduction of Winter Olympic Sports to Sports commentators and ask them to tell the class about Sports in brief.( each commentator 3 minutes)
Stage four
Now distribute the role cards and handouts, and give students five to seven minutes to prepare their tasks. Once they are ready, let them begin the activities in order

1. Sports Commentators Sports Commentators will tell about sports to the class
2. Journalists Journalists will go around the class and ask questions
3. Athletes Athletes will act roles in front of the class
Circulate and monitor groups discreetly, making notes of any interesting language/ errors that come up. Ask the class to correct each others errors and praise some students who did a good job mentioning their names and pointing that they have done a great job in the class.
Stage five
Once all the activities have been done, if you still have time, give discussion questions to the class and have a classroom discussion

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. If an athlete had surgery in order to improve his or her performance, would you consider that the same as doping ethically speaking? What about acupuncture (cure disease or relieve pain with needles)? Hypnotherapy (to cure with hypnoses)? A sex change?
2. What do you think of this statement? World Cup and Olympic Games are just to make money and make some countries and personals rich.
3. Which way is better to watch the Olympic Games? On TV, Internet or the Stadium where the events take place?
4. 2008 Olympic Games, China. What environmental and cultural problems do you expect during the games?

Good Luck !!!