Are you planning to get your students talking about books and reading habits? Here’s a background that could make the activity more engaging by transporting learners from the classroom to a beautiful old bookshop, with some relaxing music to help set the scene.

How to use it

At the end of a unit on books or reading, tell your students that they are browsing in an old bookshop when they unexpectedly bump into a classmate. Put them into pairs and ask them to write a natural conversation between the two classmates—small talk is welcome too. They could discuss what they are looking for, their reading habits, books they have recently enjoyed or titles they would recommend. Encourage them to use some of the new vocabulary from the unit, and give them time to practise with their partner.

Project the role-play background onto the whiteboard and give each pair a maximum of four minutes to perform their conversation.