Cool for Cats

level:  intermediate

suitable for:  young adults/adults

duration:  60 minutes

skills developed:  reading text aloud, following text while listening, listening comprehension, open communication, matching words and pictures, written text comprehension, pronunciation and developing vocabulary skills

1a)  listen to the song and complete the gaps with the missing words:

Students listen to a song, Cool for Cats (1979), Squeeze.  Most of the lyrics are written out for them.  The task is to complete the gaps in the lyrics as they listen to the song.  This exercise is actually very easy, most of the gaps contain the phrase ‘cool for cats’.  The idea is to create a pleasant start to the lesson with students listening to a cool song.

Copyright for the song lyrics is credited to:  < lyrics copyright © Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook (1979) >

        1b)  Which gap has different words?

This is a very easy exercise, one gap has slightly different lyrics, ‘cool to be a cat’.  Again, I am not testing their English at this point in the lesson, only creating a pleasant atmosphere.  This question allows the students an opportunity to listen to the song again if they would like to.

2)  Answer the questions:

·       Are cats cool?

·       What funny things have you seen cats do?

·       Do you have a cat?

·       What is your cat’s name?

·       Tell the class something about your cat.

This is an open communication exercise.  Students can complete it either in pairs or small groups depending on the size of the class.  The teacher can circulate and briefly join in with each pair/small group.  For individual/online lessons the conversation can be conducted between the student and the teacher.

3)  Each different type of cat is called a breed.  Match the pictures of cats 1 – 9 with their different breeds in the boxes below:

Online students have an HTML to Longman’s Dictionary on the key word ‘breed’ to make sure that they understand it.  For face-to-face lessons, the teacher should make sure that students understand the word ‘breed’, at first by communicating in English, and then as a backup, the teacher should prepare before the lesson by finding out the key word in the students’ native language just as a check to be 100% sure before students begin the exercise.

Copyright for the images used is credited to:  < all images:  PublicDomainPictures.net >

4)  In pairs, decide which cat is your favourite.  Why do you like it?  Discuss with your partner.

Another open communication exercise.  The teacher should circulate throughout the class as previously.

5)  Read the text and answer the questions:

Text comprehension and vocabulary exercises, the text is called ‘Cats through History’.  For face-to-face lessons the teacher should select which students will read the text aloud.  The rest of the students follow the text as it is being read.  This gives the teacher the opportunity to correct pronunciation, emphasis should be given to pronouncing the target vocabulary correctly.  For individual/online lessons the student reads the text aloud, this gives the same opportunities for correcting pronunciation.  Students are free to ask questions on grammar/comprehension throughout the exercise, the teacher can give as detailed or brief explanations as time allows towards the end of the lesson.

Copyright for the text is credited to:  myself as I wrote it

Separate handouts are provided for the student and the teacher.