This document provides lesson plan activities adapted from various textbooks to teach personality types and writing descriptions of people. The activities include a warmup where students write adjectives to describe their own personality, listening to a radio program about birth order personality traits, discussing professions and the personalities suited to them, analyzing Facebook messages describing people, and planning and drafting the body of an informal email describing a friend. The lesson plan combines speaking, listening, reading, and writing activities to explore how personality is expressed and described in different contexts.

1. Adapting Activities from Textbooks
To your Lesson Plan

2. Warmer: s/w read these personality
adjectives (1 minute).
www.wordle.net

3. Then, ask sts to write down the first three adjectives
of personality that come into their head.
Finally, tell them to read the explanation of this activity.
The activity you have just done is a personality test.
The first adjective you wrote down is how you see
yourself, the second is how other people see you, and the
third is what you are really like.
Share results with partner and discuss if you think it is
true for you.
Warmer (5 - 8 minutes)

4. Listening: Linda Blair’s Book “Birth Order: what your position in the family really
tells you about your character”
Pre-listening activity: (2 minutes)
Whole class. Ask sts to raise their hands if they are the oldest child in their
families, then the middle child, the the youngest child and the only child. (give
them a card with a colour: oldest- blue , middle-red, youngest-green, only-yellow)
While listening: (35 minutes)
1st listening: S/ w listen to a journalist talking about Blair’s book on the radio. S/w
complete the chart (pag. 11) by writing 4 more adjectives of personality in each
column. Strategy: S/w try to predict answers before they listen.
2nd listening: (stop recording after each child position) Ask sts to check adjectives
and the reasons or examples the journalist gives. Compare answers with partner.
Correct activity with whole class (first with volunteers, then select students
radomly). Strategy: focus on the ones you didn't get.
Post listening: (10 minutes) Mix sts in groups of 4 (4 colours when possible)
They will discuss: SPEAKING
… if you think it is true for you – and if not, why not
… if you think it is true for other people you know (your brothers/sisters, friends…)

5. Writing: a description of a person (Body of an ” Informal
email”)
Pre-writing activity: (15 minutes)
First, individually: s/w look at photos of PP and select three
adjectives for each profession. (3-5 minutes)
Then, in pairs (pair sts with opposites adjective cards- two
colours) they/w compare and explain why they chose
those adjectives of personality. (10-12 minutes)

6. Professions and Personality
What should they be like?

7. a chef

8. a doctor

9. a shop assistant

10. a teacher

11. a babysitter

12. Writing: a description of a person (Body of an “Informal
email”)
While-reading activity: (30 minutes)
First, individually (act1a/page 113) s/w read two FB
messages). Answer general questions. Get feedback.
Continue with activity 1 c (compare answers in pairs)
1d: expressions we use to modify adjectives
Check table with “Useful language”
Explain FB project (show Teacher’s example)

14. Writing Homework (20 minutes)
•
Imagine you received Angela’s message asking
about a friend of yours.
•
Write the main body of your email using the
paragraph headings below: (80-100 words)
•
Paragraph 1: age, family, work/studies, hobbies
•
Paragraph 2: personality (good side)
•
Paragraph 3: any negative things?

15. Writing an Informal E-mail
Intermediate 1
(Notes from Succesful Writing by
Virginia Evans)

16. Informal Email-Type of Writing
•
Informal emails are sent to people you know well (e.g. friends, relatives,
etc).
•
The most common reason for writing an e-mail are: telling them recent
news / personal problem, asking for / giving information, asking for/ giving
advice, apologising for sth, thanking sb for sth, congratulating sb, inviting sb,
accepting / refusing an invitation, making suggestions, etc.
•
You will normally use informal style, characterised by the use of: every day
vocabulary (e.g. I had a great time), colloquial expressions/idioms (e.g. drop
me a line), phrasal verbs (e.g. get on, settle in), short forms (e.g. can’t,
don’t, I’m, I’ll).

17. Structure
Introduction
Paragragh 1
Opening remarks /reasons for writing
Main Body
Paragraphs 2 – 3 – 4 *
Development of the subject(s)
Conclusion
Final Paragraph
Closing remarks

18. Writing your plan (10 minutes)
Ask students to write their plan, brainstorming
ideas for each paragraph.
Your plan is not your first draft. (T/w show
example on board)
Bring draft next day for peer assessment.

19. Lesson Plan
•
Warmer (5-8 min.): wordle – personality test (speaking)
•
Pre- listening (2 min.): position in family (coloured cards)
•
While Listening (35 min.): complete chart (Blair’s book)
•
Post listening (10 min.): Speaking: discuss results
•
Library time (5 min.)
•
Pre-writing (15): PP “Personality-Professions” (speaking)
•
While-reading (25 minutes): act.1.a.c.d /page 113 + FB project
•
Pre-Writing-instructions: (15 minutes). PP
•
Writing plan (5-10 minutes)
•
Homework: FB project + main body first draft