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This video has no dialogue, so we'll have a look at their characters' minds and try to guess what they're feeling and thinking. We'll provide the students with a "thoughts conversation" totally jumbled, and use it to make them more familiar with colloquial English in emotional situations and also to feed their imagination so they can practise speaking. If you want to use it with lower levels you can adapt the "conversation" by reducing the number of sentences and maybe making them more simple, though you'll be surprised to find out how quickly students learn to identify colloquial expressions that they find amusing or interesting, given the right context.
First of all, tell your students they are going to work with a love story, but there is no dialogue, only thoughts. You will give them the characters' thoughts, but not in order, and they will try to find out what is the story like. At the end they will watch the video with the story and check how right or wrong they were. They can ask you questions about the language but not about the story. That's all they need to know, nothing more. You can work with only one scene or with 2 or more of them.
STAGE 1- (7ms/scene to prepare + 4 ms/scene to figure out) Organize the students in groups of 4 or 5. Give them each a jumbled conversation sheet (you'll find it at the end). In that sheet the whole conversation is broken up into 4 different scenes, so they can work with the scenes one at a time. They start with scene 1. They read all the sentences together and make sure they more or less understand them (they can ask you anything they don't understand). Now they will try to figure out what is happening in that scene (they will never get the story right unless they know it, but they may come up with many different interesting stories). When they have finished with scene 1 they can proceed and do the same with scene 2 and so on, or you can do only scene 1 if you have not much time. [Note: To make it faster you can choose to do this stage in their mother tongue. Remember that now there is no right or wrong story, the only important thing is that they create their own story and work with the language.]
STAGE 2- (5-10 minutes) When they have finished trying to guess what is happening, break the groups up and rearrange them so you can mix people from different groups together (if you need to create 5 groups, tell them to number off up to 5 and then tell all the 1's to get together in one group, all the 2's together and so on). Now you have groups with people who have different versions of the story in mind. They have to share their different versions, in English. You will probably find they get too excited when sharing their stories and some may turn to their mother tongue. Try to keep them going back to English.
STAGE 3- (7 minutes) By this time they should all be really interested in finding out what the original story really is, so play the video.
You can leave the activity at that or you can take it one step further (the same day or some other day). Now we're going to let our students get more familiar with the new expressions, and have them using them in context. The more excited they are about the activity, the deeper the learning will be. This video has a strong emotional charge (especially for youngsters?), so they will assimilate the language easier; it's a good chance to pour some good language into them.
STAGE 4- (7 minutes per scene) Now let them have another quick look of the sentences in scene 1 again. Now play that scene but stopping every few seconds. Every time you stop you ask students what thoughts from the list they could identify. Now you will see if they can really understand the meaning of the expressions. Guide them, correct them, explain to them, make sure they can see those expressions coming to life in the story context. At the end here there is a transcription of all the thoughts in order of occurrence, but it's not important if students come up with exactly the same order (which is impossible), the important thing is that they use the right expressions in the right places. Very often more than one sentence is possible, sometimes one sentence can fit in more than one place. At this stage, the first scene is probably enough, unless they want to continue.
Note: Students don't need to be given any clues or extra information, the less they know, the better their imagination will flourish. For every scene, students will naturally discuss about who says what, that's fine and necessary, but they don't need to arrange the sentences in any kind of order, they just need to look at all the sentences in one scene and try to imagine what was happening there, not step by step, but at least the general idea, the plot. Predictably, girls are generally better at figuring emotional things out, so if you have mixed classes try not to have all-boy groups, or they may feel too lost at guessing (nothing sexist here, just experience talking).
A LOVE STORY IN THOUGHTS------ Students' activity sheet
(jumbled sentences)
----- SCENE 1: at the platform --------------------------------
That's it, now she hates me... or maybe not?
What? She can't leave now! Just like that? Oh boy!
Oh no, stupid train, look what you've done!
She's laughing at me?
Should I say hello or something?
That girl's got something... Sweet!
Oops, I stained his form. Uhm... well... ha ha, so funny!
I think he likes me, he he, or does he not? Yeah, I think he does.
If only I could see him again...
Yea, definitely, very cute!
Was it a blush? I think it was! how sweet!
Ooh, look at him, he's cute!
I'm sleepy.
But he was so cute...
Mm? what's this?
But she was so cute...
Great, another wonderful day. Hate it.
lips mark? Ha, ha, love it, I'm gonna keep it.
It's no use girl, you're never going to make it.
I wish I could see her again. I think that was love at first sight.
Oh, Jenny, stop daydreaming, life's not like in the movies.
----- SCENE 2: at the office (until fat man) --------
Oh no, my sheet, her sheet!
Heeey!! it's me, remember? Yoohoo! Helloooo! Up here!!
I'm watching you boy.
Oops, that was close. Bloody wind.
What!!! Can it really be her!
Oh, I know! not this one. This.
what is wrong with this boy?
Like this... like this... ok, perfect! Here we go.
If only I could see her again! Why this always happens to me?
Ok, ok, I'll wait. After all, I'm always waiting. Always waiting.
Yea man, it's her! it's her! I can't believe it! If only she could see me.
Great. Life goes on, I guess.
Yes, yes, yes, yes!... Nope!
Ok, ok, and now what? How can I... Think, think.
Oops, the boss again!
Shut that freaking window up, you idiot! Man, what's wrong with him?
I say, what the hell is wrong with him?
Oops, there it goes. Pathetic.
Well, if you think I'm going to give up... I just got started!
Well, I just can't leave it at that. Think, think.
----- SCENE 3: in the office (starting with fat man) -----
Let me try again...
Oh, damn! I was so close!
Oh, to hell with birds!!
Oh, nice, how did this get here?
Here's your last chance boy, give me a good reason not to kick you out.
What? A weirdo! Is he trying to make fun of me or what?
Stay away from my forms.
To hell with it, run for it!
One more, one more.
Oh well, I guess that's it.
Just a little bit more to the right...
Oops, no more.
Ok, one last try... oh damn!
She's leav... you stay right there!
----- SCENE 4: In the street ----------------------------------
Oh, where have I seen this before?
Well, well, my cute handsome boy is back :)
Great! Why me? Why always me?
Great, now everybody thinks I'm a freak. Well, maybe I am, after all.
Let me out!!
Where is she, where is she? Where the hell is she gone?
These flowers look nice. I wish somebody bought me... Maybe that guy?
That boy...! If only I could find him again. If only he...
What? Get off! Leave me alone!
Ok, ok, I'll get in.
Wait!! Sorry, please, stop! Sorry, excuse me, sorry, this is important, sorry.
What? This is ridiculous! Stop it! What the hell is happening?
Ok little plane, why don't you tell me where he is?
What? my plane? her lips? Yea, great.
My cute little girl is back :)
Ok, got it, this is one of those days... hate it!
Oh my! Her!? Is this for real?
You trying to tell me something, little thing? wait! Come here!
A LOVE STORY IN THOUGHTS------ Teacher's sheet
(ordered sentences)
boy= b girl=g boss= boss worker=w fat man= f
SCENE 1: at the platform
b- Great, another wonderful day. Hate it.
b- I'm sleepy.
b- Mm? what's this?
b- It's no use girl, you're never going to make it.
b- That girl's got something... Sweet!
g- Ooh, look at him, he's cute!
g- Yea, definitely, very cute!
g- Was it a blush? I think it was! how sweet!
b- Should I say hello or something?
g- I think he likes me, he he, or does he not? Yeah, I think he does.
b- Oh no, stupid train, look what you've done!
b- That's it, now she hates me... or maybe not?
g- Oops, I stained his form. Uhm... well... ha ha, so funny!
b- She's laughing at me?
b- lips mark? Ha, ha, love it, I'm gonna keep it.
b- What? She can't leave now! Just like that? Oh boy!
g- Oh, Jenny, stop daydreaming, life's not like in the movies.
g- But he was so cute...
b- But she was so cute...
b- I wish I could see her again. I think that was love at first sight.
g- If only I could see him again...
SCENE 2: at the office (until the fat man)
b- If only I could see her again! Why this always happens to me?
boss- what is wrong with this boy?
b- Great. Life goes on, I guess.
b- Oh no, my sheet, her sheet!
b- Oops, that was close. Bloody wind.
b- What!!! Can it really be her!
g- Ok, ok, I'll wait. After all, I'm always waiting. Always waiting.
b- Yea man, it's her! it's her! I can't believe it! If only she could see me.
b- Ok, ok, and now what? How can I... Think, think.
b- Heeey!! it's me, remember? Yoohoo! Helloooo! Up here!!
boss- I say, what the hell is wrong with him?
b- Well, I just can't leave it at that. Think, think.
b- Oh, I know! not this one. This.
b- Like this... like this... ok, perfect! Here we go.
b- Oops, there it goes. Pathetic.
b- Well, if you think I'm going to give up... I just got started!
b- Yes, yes, yes, yes!... Nope!
boss- Shut that freaking window up, you idiot! Man, what's wrong with him?
b- Oops, the boss again!
boss- I'm watching you boy.
SCENE 3: in the office (starting with the fat man)
f- Oh, nice, how did this get here?
f- What? A weirdo! Is he trying to make fun of me or what?
b- Let me try again...
b- Oh, to hell with birds!!
b- One more, one more.
b- Just a little bit more to the right...
b- Oh, damn! I was so close!
b- Oops, no more.
w- Stay away from my forms.
b- She's leav... you stay right there!
b- Ok, one last try... oh damn!
boss- Here's your last chance boy, give me a good reason not to kick you out.
b- Oh well, I guess that's it.
b- To hell with it, run for it!
SCENE 4: In the street
b- Wait!! Sorry, please, stop! Sorry, excuse me, sorry, this is important, sorry.
b- Where is she, where is she? Where the hell is she gone?
b- Great! Why me? Why always me?
b- What? my plane? her lips? Yea, great.
b- What? Get off! Leave me alone!
b- What? This is ridiculous! Stop it! What the hell is happening?
g- These flowers look nice. I wish somebody bought me... Maybe that guy?
g- Oh, where have I seen this before?
g- You trying to tell me something, little thing? wait! Come here!
b- Ok, ok, I'll get in.
b- Great, now everybody thinks I'm a freak. Well, maybe I am, after all.
b- Let me out!!
b- Ok, got it, this is one of those days... hate it!
g- That boy...! If only I could find him again. If only he...
g- Ok little plane, why don't you tell me where he is?
b- Oh my! Her!? Is this for real?
g- Well, well, my cute handsome boy is back :)
b- My cute little girl is back :)
