Last Christmas – old favourite with a twist
Levels: Intermediate/Upper-intermediate
Aimed at: Young learners/young adults/adults
Aims: To practise listening skills in a memorable way /To expand vocabulary range/To review Past Simple verb forms/To encourage speaking in the context of Christmas
Time: +/- 45 minutes
Materials: Handout 1/Youtube video of Last Christmas by WHAM : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8gmARGvPlI/
- Have students work in groups of 3 and ask them to discuss the following questions:
Did you enjoy last Christmas?
Did you make your own Christmas cards?
How long did you keep your Christmas tree up after Christmas?
How many presents did you give?
How many presents did you receive? Which present did you like the most?
How did you celebrate Christmas last year?
Did it snow last Christmas? What was the weather like?
(Feel free to add more!)
Have a brief class feedback.
+/- 10 minutes
- Put the following question on the board:
What is your favourite Christmas __________ ?
Ask students to guess what the missing word is. When they have done so (the missing word is SONG) have them work in groups of 3 and exchange ideas.
It is VERY likely that someone in the class will mention Last Christmas as his/her favourite song. Ask students about it. Do they know who sings it? When was it first recorded? What is it about? Why has it been so popular? How many hits has it got on Youtube? Etc.
+/- 5 minutes
- Give out handout 1 to the students. Have them work in pairs and allow 5 minutes for them to predict the words that complete the gaps. Play the song and have students complete the gaps. Students compare with the partner before the whole class feedback.
+/- 10 minutes
- Start putting the missing words on the board when students compare their answers with their partner. Have them work in pairs again and choose the words from the board to complete the gaps from the song they were not able to complete during the listening. Have the whole class feedback.
The missing words are: GAVE/SAVE/TEARS/BITTEN/SHY/CATCH/RECOGNIZE/SURPRISE/WRAPPED/
SENT/MEANT/FOOL/KISSED/YOU´D/CROWDED/HIDING/SOUL/ICE/THOUGHT/
RELY ON/SHOULDER/FIRE/UNDERCOVER/TORE/FOUND
+/- 5 minutes
- Ask for 2 volunteers. Have them come to the board and give out the fly swats. Here´s the image of some fly swats that you can find in any Chinese shop!
Explain to the students that you will play the song again and they have to hit the word they hear with the fly swat. The rest of the class can help out shouting out the words.
+/- 5 minutes
- Here´s a video we made to give you a better idea (no students shoutingVideo:
- Have students finish the LOVE IS _________ sentence from handout 1 individually and present their ideas.
+/-5 minutes
Handout 1
Last Christmas
Last Christmas
I __________ you my heart
But the very next day you ___________ it away
This year to ___________ me from __________
I’ll give it to someone special. X 2
Once _________ and twice __________
I keep my distance
But you still __________ my eye
Tell me baby do you __________ me?
Well, it’s been a year
It doesn’t __________ me
"Merry Christmas"
I ___________ it up and __________ it
With a note saying "I love you" I __________ it
Now I know what a _________ I’ve been
But if you __________ me now I know __________ fool me again
Last Christmas
I ________ you my heart
But the very next day you __________ it away
This year to ___________ me from __________
I’ll give it to someone special. X2
A _________ room
Friends with tired eyes
I’m __________ from you
And your __________of __________
My god I ___________ you were someone to ___________
Me? I guess I was a ___________ to cry on
A face on a lover with a___________ in his heart
A man ______________ but you ___________ me apart
Now I’ve _____________ a real love you’ll never ___________ me again
LOVE IS ___________________________________.
Katarzyna Piotrowska
