1 Families and relationships

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Families and relationships
Words in action
Role models
20-year-old Natalie Warne’s 12-minute speech Anonymous Extraordinaries is a thought-provoking look at how everyone, no
matter how young, can have a voice and make an impact. In her TEDxTeen talk she highlights a campaign she led for
“Invisible children” to raise the movement’s profile.
In her speech she talks about her upbringing, the campaign she led, and why young people can make an impact.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrhyA_XAsro
Families, growing up
This nine-minute short film Amar (all great achievements take time) is an observational documentary about a 14-year-old boy
living in India. Unlike other films, it does not dwell on misery but is more a celebration of Amar’s spirit. It focuses on a single
day in his life and on his daily routine. As the main breadwinner for his family, he works two jobs six and a half days a week,
as well as going to school. As the film is without dialogue and only underlaid with the sounds around him, the pupils can be
asked to provide a commentary, describing what is going on as Amar’s day unfolds. The film touches on different topics in
Words in Context including Education, The working world and The arts (talking about films).
http://www.shortoftheweek.com/2012/04/29/amar/
TV shows
There are countless TV shows and sitcoms that deal with families. Pupils could be asked to compile a list of their favourite
shows that do so. Pupils should then form small groups and each group gives a two-minute presentation of their chosen
sitcom, explaining the relationship between the different characters and briefly outlining what it is about.
A good starting point is the US sitcom mockumentary Modern Family. Look at the trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aogZUDx51vQ
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1.1 Family structures
Organize all terms and phrases dealing with “family” and “family structures” into a meaningful mind map.
Compare with a partner, add any additional vocabulary and discuss your choices.
Keep the mind map to add more vocabulary and collocations.
adoption – blended family – brother – children – to cohabit – couple – to divorce – father – to file for
divorce – to delay starting a family –foster child – fostering – gay/lesbian family – half-sister –
marital problem – marriage – mother – neo-extended family – nuclear family – only child – parents –
to separate – single-parent household – sister – son/daughter – stepbrother – surrogate – test tube
baby – offspring – to remarry – widow – …
children
parents
nuclear family
family
marriage
Follow-up activities
Choose five nouns from the mind map and write short definitions.
Draw a family tree including as many elements from the mind map as possible.
© Ernst Klett Sprachen GmbH, Stuttgart 2015 | www.klett-sprachen.de | Alle Rechte vorbehalten Kopieren für den eigenen Unterrichtsgebrauch gestattet.
ISBN 978-3-12-519946-0.
(Reference texts and vocabulary Words in context pp 14:
Migration / Problems faced by immigrants)
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1.4 On the emotional roller coaster
Look at the pictures below. Jot down words or phrases describing the depicted situation.
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Then, use the online code to listen to track 2 “Growing up” on the internet.
Listen to the audio and add more relevant terms and phrases.
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2
3
4
5
6
Follow-up activity
Choose two pictures and describe the situation.
What can you say about the state of mind of the youth and about their relationship to
their environment, friends or family?
to accept responsibility – to be accepted / unaccepted – adolescent / adult – aggression
– to answer back – close-knit (family) – to have differences of opinion – to find your own
sense of identity – to form close ties – to hang out in cliques – identity – to live up to sb’s
expectations – to live up to sth – to lose one’s temper – to be mature – to moan about
sth – to experience mood swings – to have nobody to turn to … – peer – peer pressure
– peers – pressure – to question authority – to rebel – to sulk– to tell sb off
© Ernst Klett Sprachen GmbH, Stuttgart 2015 | www.klett-sprachen.de | Alle Rechte vorbehalten Kopieren für den eigenen Unterrichtsgebrauch gestattet.
ISBN 978-3-12-519946-0.
(Reference texts and vocabulary Words in context pp 16:
Growing up)
1 Families and relationships /// 15
1.7 The twists and turns of love
Relationships develop and anything is possible. Find words for the twists and turns a relationship can take.
How did it begin? How will it end? And what might happen in between?
Describe how it might be. Use as many “clouds” as you like.
He makes the first move.
She …
ask sb out – be happily married – be heartbroken – be in love – be on the same
wavelength – be on your own (again) – be single – boyfriend/girlfriend – break off – –
file for divorce – dump sb – enjoy sb’s company – fall in love – get on well – go out/go
on a date – have a crush on sb/fancy sb – have a row with sb – make the first move –
marriage – marry sb – mutual love – patch things up – start a/live in a /be in a
relationship – trust sb –
Listen to the audio track 5 “Relationships” to check your answers.
xw34sh
© Ernst Klett Sprachen GmbH, Stuttgart 2015 | www.klett-sprachen.de | Alle Rechte vorbehalten Kopieren für den eigenen Unterrichtsgebrauch gestattet.
ISBN 978-3-12-519946-0.
(Reference texts and vocabulary Words in context pp 20:
Relationships)