Charles Dickens

Learning Objectives: To learn about the writer Charles Dickens and learn new vocabulary from the text. Skill/Grammar: Reading, vocabulary Preparation Time: 5 minutes Completion Time: 40 minutes Age/Level: TeensAdults/Intermediate

1 Warm-up (5 minutes)
Divide the class into groups and have a game of Scategories. Groups must come up with as many English writers as they can (or English-speaking writers if thats too hard). Then reconvene the class. Each group takes it in turns to name a writer. If none of the other groups named the writer then they get three points, if another group has also chosen that writer then they only get one point. Tell the class they are going to read about Charles Dickens. Can they name any Charles Dickens novels? (Oliver Twist, Great Expectations, etc.)

2 Scanning the text (5 minutes)

Direct students to the text and the three comprehension questions. Ask them to scan the text quickly and answer the questions.
Answers: a London b Easy c People

3 Reading and comprehension (10 minutes)

Ask students to read the text in more detail and answer the comprehension questions.
Answers: a because he didnt pay his debts; b yes he was; c yes, theyre still in print; d USA; e a stroke; f Oliver Twist

4 Vocabulary focus (10 minutes)

Ask students to match the word with the definition.
Answers: a ii; b iii; c ii; d i; e ii; f iii; g ii

5 Presentation task (10 minutes)

Ask students to think about their favourite author or book and prepare a very short talk on it (perhaps 12 minutes). Get them to either give the presentation to the whole class or a partner or small group (depending on numbers, student confidence, etc.). There are some questions to help them think about the topic. Monitor and help with any vocabulary. Feedback on any common errors

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Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens 18121870 Charles Dickens is one of the most popular English novelists. His novels and articles addressed social issues such as hypocrisy and injustice. He introduced his readers to the dreadful living conditions of the poor in 19th century Britain. The topics that he wrote about often reflected his own personal experiences of poverty, for example when he witnessed his father being sent to prison for unpaid debts. His books, which include titles such as Oliver Twist; Bleak House; A Christmas Carol; David Copperfield; Dombey and Son; Barnaby Rudge; The Old Curiousity Shop; and A Tale of Two Cities, have remained in print. His vivid descriptions reflected the fact that he regularly walked long distances through London. In the process, he observed the people and places and gained information for his novels. A stroll in and around Fleet Street and the Strand will give you an impression of the area. In his book Oliver Twist, which was set in and around London Bridge, Dickens describes the dreadful conditions and the penal conditions of the workhouses. Times have changed, but the places and streets where Dickens walked to gain his information still exist. They are well worth a visit. During the Victorian era, Charles helped make serialized fiction popular, when he published the highly successful book, The Pickwick Papers, in 1836. It attracted wide spread attention with its easy-to-read style. A popular author during his lifetime, as much as after it, Charles went on a number of reading tours, including two to the USA. During the second of these tours, he became ill. He died on 9th June 1870, after suffering a stroke. The legacy of Charles Dickens lives on in film, on stage and in print. His life is celebrated through a number of festivals in England and the United States.
Text The Amazing People Club www.amazingpeopleclub.com r: Katie Jones. Pearson PHOTOCOPIABLE

Charles Dickens
1 Divide into groups. Think of as many English writers as you can in one minute. You will score more points if other groups did not find the same writers.

Read the text quickly and answer the following questions: a b c Where did Charles Dickens live? Were Dickenss books considered easy or difficult to read? Did Dickens write about people or ideas?

Read the text again and answer these questions about Charles Dickens: a b c d e f Why was his father sent to prison? Was Dickens popular in his lifetime? Do people still buy his books? To which country did he go on tour? How did he die? Which book talks about the London Bridge area?

Vocabulary focus. Choose the correct definition for the following words:

a workhouse

i a type of office ii a place where poor people lived iii a prison

b serialized

i sold with breakfast cereal ii printed in several parts iii printed in one

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Charles Dickens
c poverty i rich ii poor iii middle class d hypocrisy i pretending to have certain beliefs ii a type of disaster iii stealing e stroll i running for fitness ii walking for pleasure iii riding a horse f debt i books you borrowed from the library ii food you borrowed and now owe to someone else iii money you borrowed and now owe to someone else

g vivid

i boring ii lively and bright iii long

Prepare a very short presentation about your favourite book or author? Here are some questions to help. Where is the book set? Where is the author from? What does he/she write about? Is he/she famous?

Now either present your talk to either a partner or the rest of the class.
www.amazingpeopleclub.com r: Katie Jones. Pearson PHOTOCOPIABLE