Objectifs globaux : Learn to argue points and solve dilemmas.
Objectifs linguistiques : Disagreeing with points, expressing point of view.
Resources :
PDF: A Family Dilemma
Audio: Convincing and arguing
Contents
Breakfast chat
Look at the image, suggest things that the family are discussing.
Use the present continuous, and avoid the verbs TALK and SAY.
The man is informing his family that he lost his job.
The boy is explaining Pokemon lore.
The girl is complaining about her brother’s smelly breath.
Convincing and arguing
Look at the situation, and imagine what is said
Read the following problems, and write what each character might say about the situation. Do not prepare a conversation! Just write monologues for now.
Then, practice reading your texts concentrating on tone, postures and behaviours.
MUM
You have to explain to the family that you all have to move house.
Give a reason as to why.
DAD
You are not happy with your daughter’s most recent maths result.
Give an appropriate punishment.
SON
You have lost your bicycle. You think it’s been stolen.
Suggest a solution.
DAUGHTER
You want to quit your ballet lessons.
Suggest another after-school activity.
MUM
We have to move house because I lost my job. I have found a new job in Timbuktu. Our plane leaves in 30 minutes, let’s go.
MUM
Sit down everyone, I have some difficult news. Now kids, I’ll need you all to be very strong, and listen to what I have to say all the way through. We need to sell the house and move to Timbuktu. I know this must be a horrible shock for you, but I’m afraid we have to. You see, the Tokyo Yakuza want me dead because I borrowed some money and didn’t pay it back. I hope you’ve been listening in your French lessons, because our plane leaves in 30 minutes.
More tools
Copy these expressions, and listen to the pronunciation and intonation
Audio: Convincing and arguing
Politely.
- I understand where you are coming from but…
- I’m afraid I disagree.
- I’m sorry but I don’t agree.
- I don’t see it that way.
In a more informal way.
- No way!
- You must be joking!
- You can’t be serious!
- I totally disagree.
- I don’t think so.
The family discussion
Read the information, and find the possible conflicts
Make a list of all the possible conflicts in the family mentioned in the document.
PDF: A Family Dilemma
DAD & DAUGHTER: The dad works for a petroleum company, but the daughter wants him to quit.
Solving the dilemma
Write a dialogue that tackles the dilemma
The family of four are sitting at the breakfast table talking. During the discussion the dilemmas mentioned in the previous documents are bought up. Prepare the dialogue.
Organisation
- Groups of four maximum.
- Everyone in the group has to participate in the project. The person who participates the least will receive fewer participation points.
Preparation
- Each character has to express their dilemma.
- Each character has to talk about the other character’s dilemmas, including any conflicts they may have with certain decisions.
- Decisions must be made about the conflicts, even if not every character is happy with the decision.
- The school bus arrives in 15 minutes. You don’t have more than this to solve the dilemmas.
Marking
- Context (5) Did every character involve themselves in every dilemma?
- Grammar (5) Did you use correct grammatical forms?
- Vocabulary (5) Did you use interesting vocabulary? Did you use expressions that we studied in this sequence?
- Participation (5) Did you participate as much as the others in the group?