Model Text for Adding Emphasis and Fronting

(TESOL Materials--Adding Emphasis)

Video: Adding Emphasis and Fronting

Google Worksheet: docs, pub

Notes: I found this model text for Adding Emphasis on the Learn English Youtube Channel.  (It's actually 3 separate conversations, so I guess this counts as 3 different mini-model texts, which isn't ideal, but it was the best model text I could find.)

Staging works like this:

Lead-in: Students talk about what job they want to do.

Gist Task: Students identify what job the person is doing in each conversation

Specific Information Task: Questions on the first page of the Worksheet

Noticing Task: The statements on the second page of the worksheet are cut up and shuffled before class.  One set of shuffled sentences is given to each pair of students.  They arrange the statements in the order that they appear in the video, at first from memory, but they they double check this by listening to the video.  Then, the students are given the third sheet of the worksheet, and have to fill in the missing gaps with the statements.  They listen and write in the statements, and hopefully notice the difference between the normal sentences on the strips, and the fronting and adding emphasis statements on the audio.  After the listening, teacher possibly helps to draw attention to this by showing page four of the worksheet on the projector.

From here, the teacher moves into the clarification stage, and the lesson proceeds as normal.

Adding Emphasis and Fronting

https://youtu.be/D1eccsYQ96w?si=YPrRJQjdyuA08jss

Conversation 1:

What was Jackie’s son studying?

What has he decided he wants to do now?

Conversation 2:

What company had Dave been working at?

How long had Dave been working for the same company?

What is Dave working as now?

Conversation 3:

Who inspired her to become a lawyer?

What time did she finish all her work today?

Listen again and put these sentences in order (cut up and shuffle before class)

Nobody knows what career he will follow in the future.

It is more important that he is happy.

I realized that I was in the wrong job after I had worked for the same company for 10 years.

I’m really glad I changed my job.

My uncle inspired me to become a lawyer.

Today I went home early since I had finished all my work by 5 pm.

https://youtu.be/D1eccsYQ96w?si=YPrRJQjdyuA08jss

Write in the missing words

So, Jackie, how is your son doing now?

Well, he's just dropped out of university, which I'm not too happy about.  He was studying medicine, but now he's decided that he wants to become a writer.

I can understand why you are annoyed with him, but surely, 1)____________________ that he's happy.

Yes, I suppose you're right.  Though 2)____________________ nobody knows.

So, Dave, I hear you changed your career recently.

That's right. I'd been working for an insurance company since I left college. The funny thing is, 3)____________________ I realized I was in the wrong job.

I'm surprised it took you that long to realize! What are you doing instead?

I'm working as a maths tutor. I'm really enjoying it.  4)____________________ something I'm really glad I did.

That's good. I'm really happy for you.

What do you do these days for work?

I work as a human rights lawyer.

That sounds wonderful. What made you decide to go into law?

Actually, 5)____________________ who inspired me to become a lawyer. I always admired him.

So, do you have to work really long hours?

Sometimes I do when I have a big case, but not always. Today, 6)____________________, I went home.

Answers:
So, Jackie, how is your son doing now?

Well, he's just dropped out of university, which I'm not too happy about.  He was studying medicine, but now he's decided that he wants to become a writer.

I can understand why you are annoyed with him, but surely, what's more important is that he's happy.

Yes, I suppose you're right.  Though what career he will follow in the future nobody knows.

So, Dave, I hear you changed your career recently.

That's right. I'd been working for an insurance company since I left college. The funny thing is, it was only after I had worked for the same company for 10 years that I realized I was in the wrong job.

I'm surprised it took you that long to realize! What are you doing instead?

I'm working as a maths tutor. I'm really enjoying it.  Changing my job is something I'm really glad I did.

That's good. I'm really happy for you.

What do you do these days for work?

I work as a human rights lawyer.

That sounds wonderful. What made you decide to go into law?

Actually, it was my uncle who inspired me to become a lawyer. I always admired him.

So, do you have to work really long hours?

Sometimes I do when I have a big case, but not always. Today, since I had finished all my work by 5 pm, I went home.