Ask what has changed in this neighbourhood. Put students in pairs. Tell them to describe their home neighbourhoods to each other and include any changes they know about or have heard about.
Main activity
Speaking
To look at the slide, one person has slide A; the other has slide B. Tell them they must not look at each other’s slide.
Tell them to talk about their pictures and find four main changes that have happened in each.
Check their answers. With strong classes, you can do this as a dictation, but include wrong information and tell them to correct it.
Answer key
In Wellhams
The disco has become a theatre.
The restaurant used to be a bank.
The footbridge has replaced the pedestrian crossing.
They have built an office block on the market
In Marlford
The pub used to be a police station,
The sports centre has replaced the factoryÂ
They have built the block of flats on the park
The supermarket has closed.
Listening
Tell the students that they are going to hear a radio interview about Wellham, and they will hear the interview twice. Tell them to make notes on what people think about the changes.
Play the interview twice.
Tell them to compare their notes with a partner before checking their answers.
Ask how many people spoke to the reporter, and who they were.
Answer key
There were three people: the old man, the woman who is his daughter, and her daughter
Follow up
Ask students for their opinions on the comments made by the speakers. Are they sensible comments?
Put two pairs together into groups of four.
Tell students to look at all the pictures, and discuss the changes in both towns. Tell them they have ten minutes to decide which changes are good, which are bad, and why.
Go around helping where necessary, and listening for interesting comments.
Ask the better groups to explain their ideas to the class.