Describing Appearances "Airport Convention"

TIPE OF ACTIVITY
whole class; exchanging

FUNCTION PRACTICED
describing appearances

STRUCTURES
He's/She's/They've got (dark hair).
He's/She's/They're (tall).
He's/She's/They're wearing (shorts).

TOPIC AREA
appearances and clothes

ESSENTIAL VOCABULARY
either: dark/fair/curly/straight/long/short hair, tall, small, fat, thin, beard, glasses
or: shorts, trousers, suit, jacket, shirt, skirt, dress, T-shirt, blouse, jumper, trainers, shoes, sandals or both, depending on the needs of your class


MATERIALS AND PREPARATION

Missing person cards 1 | Missing person cards 2 | Teacher's notes

There are enough cards for up to 32 students. If you have more than 32, play in two groups.
Mentally devide your class in half.
Select that number of MISSING PERSONS CARDS (1) and (2) and copy them twice.
Cut them up.
On one set, cut off the words. Leave them on the other set.

NOTES

(1) If your students have already studied the order of adjectives, you can prompt them to use combinations such as. 'He has short, dark hair.' If they haven't, they can say, 'He has short hair. It is dark/He has dark hair.'
(2) If you want to practise they forms as well as he and she, allocate some students two similar cards (e.g. a man and woman who are both short and fat, or who both have dark hair).

HOW TO USE THE GAME

If you have more than 32 students, divide them into two groups; if not, play as a whole class.

Divide the class into two halves A and B.

Give the As a missing person card with words on (or two cards if you are practising they forms).

Get them to stand up and come to the front.

Tell them they are at an airport. They are supposed to meet the person/people on their card and take them to a conference (or they are meeting their aunt or uncle from abroad - choose the context that suits your students best). They don't know the person, but have this photo of them.

Then give all the Bs a card (or two cards) without words.

They can remain seated.

Tell them they are at an airport. They are waiting for their flight, sitting in a cafe. The person in their card is standing somewhere near them looking lost.

The object of the game is for all the As to find the person they have come to meet.

To do this, they will have to stand up and move around the class, asking the Bs if they have seen the person they are looking for, and describing them (either their physical appearance or their clothes or both).

When a B student hears the description of the card she is holding, she should give it to the A student.

When they have finished, yoiu can play again, reversing roles.

DEMONSTRATION

Demonstrate how to play the game by taking an A card and playing it yourself, while the class watch.

Go up to a B student and say, 'Excuse me. I'm looking for someone. (describe the person on your card) Have you seen her/him?

Repeat with one or two more students.

Then explain that when they find their missing person, the B students should hand over the card. They can then sit down.

CLASSROOM LANGUAGE

You are all in Group A
You are all in Group B
Group A, stand up and come to the front.
You are in an airport.
You are meeting someone.
Here is a photo of the person you must meet.
(giving out cards)
You don't know this person, but you must meet them and take them to a conference. (Or: This is your aunt/uncle. You don't know them because they live in Canada, but you have their photo.)
Group B, you are at the same airport.
You are sitting in a cafe.
This person is standing near you. (give out the cards to the Bs)
Group A, you must find your person.
Ask the Bs.
Like this. (taking a card and going up to a B) Excuse me. I'm looking for someone. Can you help me? (describe the person on your card)
OK. Now you play. When you find your person, take the card and sit down. [source: Beginner's Communication Games by Jill Hadfield]

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