elllo.

org

Introduction
You can improve your ability to talk with native English speakers if you start a conversation
about a common topic. Even though not everyone loves it, school is a popular topic of
conversation and everyone has an opinion about it. It is also a great opportunity for you to
share your opinions and stories about your school experiences.

Survey
Did you like elementary school? Are you good at English?
❍ I can’t remember much about it. ❍ My tongue gets twisted when I speak English.
❍ I loved it, but I hated middle and high school. ❍ I’m terrible at it, but I know it’s important.
❍ I had great teachers and great friends. ❍ I’m making progress, but I’m really slow.
❍ I had bad teachers and great friends. ❍ I understand a lot, but I’m too shy.
❍ I had great teachers and terrible friends. ❍ I used to be shy, but now I talk a lot.
❍ I got in trouble all the time. ❍ I love talking, reading, and singing in English.

Are you good at Art? Was the lunch good at your junior school?
❍ I’m terrible. I can’t even draw stick figures. ❍ Are you kidding me?
❍ I’m creative, but I’m not very talented. ❍ There were a couple of good things.
❍ I think I could be good if I practiced more. ❍ I always bought snacks from vending machines.
❍ I’m ok, but I couldn’t make a living doing art. ❍ I used to bring my lunch from home.
❍ My teachers always told me that I was good. ❍ It wasn’t that bad.
❍ My work has been featured in art shows. ❍ It was surprisingly good.

Are you good at Math?
❍ I’ve always hated Math.
❍ I’m pretty good at it but it’s boring.
❍ I’m really fast at adding and subtracting.
❍ I’m good at Algebra but not Geometry.
❍ I’m good at Geometry but not Algebra.
❍ Math has always been easy for me.
Did you do any clubs or after school activities?
❍ No, I hung out with my friends after school.
❍ No, my parents made me come home.
❍ I did sports.
❍ I was in music.
❍ I was in the drama club.
❍ I did as many activities as I could.

Go online for the slide show, interactive quiz, and free downloadable MP3 of this interview: www.elllo.org : Interview #931

Junior
School
Naomi talks about
her daily life in
junior school.
Dai: So Miss Naomi
from...where is it you are
from?
Naomi: Wales.
Dai: Wales, OK, and how
old are you now?
Naomi: I’m eleven.
Dai: Eleven. OK, so that
means you are in...what
would that be, junior school?
secondary school?
Naomi: Junior school.
Dai: Junior school. OK. And
so what grade is that in junior
school.
Naomi: Six.
Dai: Oh, grade six, OK. So
tell me about your school.
What kind of subjects do you
study in junior school.
Naomi: We study Art and
Maths and Science and
English and Geography and
History and RE.
Dai: RE? What’s RE?
Naomi: Religious education.
Dai: Oh, OK. And you go to
school from what time in the
morning?
Naomi: About quarter to
nine and it starts at five past.
Dai: The first class is at five
past.
Naomi: Yeah.
Dai: And then do you get a
break?
Naomi: We get a break at
half past ten and then lunch
at twelve o’clock.
Dai: Oh twelve o’clock, for
how long?
Go online for the slide show, interactive quiz, and free downloadable MP3 of this interview: www.elllo.org : Interview #931
Naomi: For an hour.
Dai: Oh an hour? Oh nice!
And then what do you do for
lunch in Wales? Do they have
like a cafeteria where they
cook for you?
Naomi: Yeah, they have that
and you can bring
sandwiches.
Dai: You can bring your own
sandwiches instead?
Naomi: Yeah.
Dai: OK. What do you do?
Naomi: I normally bring
sandwiches.
Dai: OK. Is that because the
dinner’s are no good, or...?
Naomi: They’re OK but I
don’t really like them as much
as sandwiches.
Dai: And what kind of food
do they serve up in the
canteen?
Naomi: They serve roast
dinners and...
Dai: Roast dinners? What’s a
roast dinner?
Naomi: It’s like a meat and
vegetables.
Dai: OK. It sounds very
simple.
Naomi: Yeah, and pizza and
chips and ham and all sorts of
stuff.
elllo.org
Dai: Oh OK, it sounds good.
And do they give you lots of
homework?
Naomi: No.
Dai: Oh really?
Naomi: No.
Dai: Oh that’s good to hear.
So what’s your favorite
subject then in junior school?
Naomi: Art.
Dai: OK, why is that?
Naomi: I don’t know, I just
like painting and drawing.
Dai: And then, what’s the
subject that you find most
boring?
Naomi: Maths.
Dai: Maths? Oh really? Yeah,
I’m not a big fan of Maths. So
I guess if you’re in grade six
you’ll be going on to your
next school soon?
Naomi: Yeah, secondary
school.
Dai: OK, and are you
looking forward to that.
Naomi: Yeah.
Dai: OK, it was very nice
talking to you and good luck
in your next school.
 elllo.org
Task Sheet elllo.org

Task 1
Read the text or listen to the audio. Check all the topics that Naomi and
Dai discuss. For the subjects they discuss, which does Naomi like? Why?

1) Place Good / Bad Reason

[ ] Math

[ ] Foreign Language

[ ] History

[ ] Art

[ ] Math

[ ] Sports

[ ] Lunch

[ ] Homework

[ ] Teachers

[ ] High School
Bonus: Do you agree? What about the other places on the list? Discuss with a partner.

Task 2
What are the best spots for the places below? Give a reason for
each one and then share your ideas with a partner.

ex) Art class is fun because I get to be creative.

1) Math is __________ because ________________________________________________

2) English is __________ because ______________________________________________

3) History is __________ because _______________________________________________

4) PE (sports) is __________ because ___________________________________________

5) Science is __________ because ______________________________________________

6) The cafeteria is __________ because __________________________________________

7) My favorite teacher is __________ because _____________________________________

8) The best thing about school is __________ because ______________________________

Go online for the slide show, interactive quiz, and free downloadable MP3 of this interview: www.elllo.org : Interview #931
 elllo.org
Naomi: Yeah, they have that and you can
Word Completion: bring sandwiches.
Option 1: Read the text and try to predict Dai: You can bring your own sandwiches
the missing word.
instead?
Option 2 : Listen the audio from elllo.org Naomi: Yeah.
and complete the gaps.
Dai: OK. What do you do?

Dai: So Miss Naomi from...w______ is it you Naomi: I normally bring sandwiches.

are from? Dai: OK. Is that because the dinner’s are no
Naomi: Wales. g______, or...?

Dai: Wales, OK, and how o______ are you Naomi: They’re OK but I don’t really like
now? them as much as sandwiches.
Naomi: I’m eleven. Dai: And what kind of f______ do they serve
up in the canteen?
Dai: Eleven. OK, so that means you are
in...what would that be, junior s______? Naomi: They serve roast dinners and...
secondary school? Dai: Roast dinners? What’s a roast dinner?
Naomi: Junior school. Naomi: It’s like a meat and vegetables.
Dai: Junior school. OK. And so what g______ Dai: OK. It sounds very simple.
is that in junior school? Naomi: Yeah, and pizza and chips and ham
Naomi: Six. and all sorts of stuff.
Dai: Oh, grade six, OK. So tell me about your Dai: Oh OK, it sounds good. And do they give
school. What kind of subjects do you s______ you lots of home______?
in junior school? Naomi: No.
Naomi: We study Art and Maths and Science Dai: Oh really?
and English and Geography and H______ and Naomi: No.
RE. Dai: Oh that’s good to hear. So what’s your
Dai: RE? What’s RE? f______ subject then in junior school?
Naomi: Religious education. Naomi: Art.
Dai: Oh, OK. And you go to school from what Dai: OK, why is that?
time in the m______? Naomi: I don’t know, I just like painting and
Naomi: About quarter to nine and it starts at d______.
five past. Dai: And then, what’s the subject that you find
Dai: The first c______ is at five past. most b______?
Naomi: Yeah. Naomi: Maths.
Dai: And then do you get a break? Dai: Maths? Oh really? Yeah, I’m not a big fan
Naomi: We get a break at half past ten and of Maths. So I guess if you’re in grade six you’ll
then l______ at twelve o’clock. be going on to your next school soon?
Dai: Oh twelve o’clock, for how long? Naomi: Yeah, s______ school.
Naomi: For an hour. Dai: OK, and are you looking forward to that.
Dai: Oh an hour? Oh nice! And then what do Naomi: Yeah.
you do for lunch in Wales? Do they have like a Dai: OK, it was very nice t______to you and
c______ where they cook for you? good luck in your next school.

Go online for the slide show, interactive quiz, and free downloadable MP3 of this interview: www.elllo.org : Interview #931