🎧 JOEY AT ESL CLASS
Today we are going to work on a funny listening activity based on a TV scene. Listen carefully and follow the same steps we always use in class.
📖 Step 1 · Mini vocabulary
First, let’s read some key vocabulary from the video:
TV series → a program with several episodes shown on television
sitcom → a funny TV series about everyday life and situations (situation comedy)
spin-off → a new TV series created from a character or story of another series
- accent → the way someone pronounces words
- ESL class → English as a Second Language class
- sentence → a complete group of words
- homework → work students do at home
- subjunctive → a special grammar form (for example: if I were)
- tough → difficult
- rough → not smooth
- laugh → make a happy sound
- auditorium → a large hall in a school or building
- homonym → a word that sounds like another word but has a different meaning (we’ll see this in the next unit😉)
- there / their / they’re → three different words with similar pronunciation
- slogan → a short phrase used in advertising
👂 Step 2 · First listen
We’ll watch the video twice: first step by step, then without stopping to understand the general idea.
✍️ Step 3 · Worksheet
- panicky → very nervous and afraid
- nervous → worried or a little afraid
- confident → sure about yourself
- ill-at-ease → uncomfortable or not relaxed
- comfortable → relaxed and feeling good
- enthusiastic → very interested and excited
- determined → not giving up, trying hard
- interested → wanting to know more
- seductive → trying to attract someone
- friendly → kind and nice to people
- welcoming → making people feel comfortable
- relaxed → calm and without stress
- humorous → funny
- unfriendly → not kind or not nice
- tense → nervous and not relaxed
- threatening → showing danger or possible harm
- reassuring → making someone feel calm and safe
- intimidating → making someone feel afraid or less confident
- hostile → very unfriendly or aggressive
- foreigner → a person from another country
- impressed → feeling admiration
- competitive → wanting to win
- flattered → feeling happy because someone praises you
- proud → feeling good about something you did
- encouraging → giving confidence or support
- self-confident → confident in yourself
- satisfied → happy because something is good
- annoyed → a little angry or irritated
- full of admiration → feeling great respect or admiration
✔️ Step 4 · Check your answers
📄 Show answers
1. The recording is actually an extract / scene from a TV series. Matt LeBlanc plays Joey. The action takes place in a classroom / ESL class.
2. Possible ideas:
- The two men at the beginning are friends / they know each other.
- The young lady is a student in the ESL class.
- The lady is the teacher.
3. Joey’s feelings: confident, comfortable, enthusiastic, determined, interested.
4. His friend expects him to wait in the car / stay there while he gets his books.
5. Joey actually goes into the ESL class and stays there.
6. The students are attending an ESL class.
7. The overall atmosphere is friendly, welcoming, relaxed and humorous.
8. The teacher is surprised because Joey speaks very good English / perfect English for that class.
9. She expected the students to do their homework on the subjunctive tense.
12. Possible answer: The video is funny / humorous.
13. Possible slogan:
Learn English the right way!
Speak English with confidence!
Don’t be like Joey 😄
✍️ Step 5 · Language focus from the video
- If I were → correct form in the subjunctive
- Joey is stupid → remember: with he/she/it, use is
- There / their / they’re → similar pronunciation, different meanings
- Tough / rough / laugh → the letters gh can change pronunciation
- You don’t end a sentence with a preposition → an old grammar rule that he says because he has studied a lot.
