The purpose of this lesson is to introduce vocabulary around books and reading. Students will learn about technical vocabulary and use this to answer questions and analyze text. You should use this lesson with students at the intermediate level. Specifically, you should use this lesson with students who are looking to improve their speaking skills. Ultimately you will provide students with controlled and free tasks to promote fluency in speaking. If you want additional lesson plans and support, including teachers’ notes, be sure to register for a free Off2Class account.

1. Books and reading

2. What do you like to
read?
Can you retell it?
What is your favorite story?
When did you first discover
this story?

3. Describe the images
What kinds of books and reading
material can you see here?

4. Describe the images
comic
biography
series
magazines and journals
reference

5. Where do you like to
read?
Do you prefer to
read in a
particular place?
Are there any
places where
you find it
impossible to
read?

6. Describe the images
What genres of novel do you think about
when you see these images?

7. Describe the images
detective
horror
romance
mystery
science fiction
action and
adventure

8. What about these types
of books?
autobiography
foreign literature
classic literature
travel
biography
self-help
Do you read any titles on
these topics?

9. How often does an
edition come out?
Weekly, monthly or
quarterly?
Do you read any magazines,
journals or periodicals? What kind
of articles are published in it?
Other publications
Do you subscribe to
any publications?

10. Authors and writers
Which authors are famous in your
culture? Are his or her books
generally available in English?
Who is your favorite author?
What do you like about his or
her stories or writing?

11. Characters
Can you describe this character’s
physical characteristics or
personality traits?
Think about your favorite fiction story. Who is your
favorite character? Why does this character mean
something to you?
Do you consider the
character to be a hero or
a villain? An anti-hero?
Or something else?

12. Discuss this quote
‘I think that the online world has actually brought
books back. People are reading because they're
reading the screen. That's more reading than
people used to do.’
Bill Murray, in an interview with Jessica Lee Jernigan
Do people read differently
today than a generation ago?
Do you read more than
your parents used to?
Do you read online as well
as hard-copy publications?
What is your opinion?

13. Discuss this quote
A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies.
The man who never reads lives only one.
George R R Martin
Do you believe that
an enthusiastic
reader has a better
or more interesting
life than someone
who doesn’t enjoy
reading?

14. Some book covers…
To which genre
does this book
belong?
What kind of book is this?
What title would you give it?
What is this story about?

15. And what do you think?
Is there a book that you just
couldn’t finish?
Have you ever read a book
and then watched the movie?
Do you think that any book or
author is overrated?
Will the Internet eventually
make books obsolete?
Which books do you
recommend to your teacher?