Have Your Say! provides an intensive focus on communication practice for intermediate students. Each unit covers a theme relevant to students and is introduced with a short listening activity on the cassette (dialogue, news report, interview, etc.). The listening section acts as a springboard for
the unit, introducing the theme, major communication functions, and key vocabulary. The unit then focuses on communication functions with three to four activities practising each function. Also includes activities on idioms in each unit and self-evaluation sections at the end of each unit.
Unit 1: About You
1. Personal Information
Language Functions: Making Introductions; Describing People; Asking for Clarification; Complimenting
2. Experiences and Achievements
Language Functions: Narrating; Describing Past Habits; Making Small Talk
3.
How Are You Getting Along? - Family, Friends, Accommodations
Language Functions: Requests for Permission; Making Requests; Expressing Necessity
Unit 2: Health and Lifestyles
1. Health and Nutrition
Language Functions: Talking About Similarities/Differences;
Stating Opinions; Asking For and Giving Information; Expressing Likes and Dislikes
2. Sports, Entertainment and Leisure
Language Functions: Inviting-Accepting/Refusing Invitations; Stating Preferences; Expressing Ability and Inability; Expressing Obligation; Expressing
Advisability
3. Attitudes and Emotions
Language Functions: Giving Advice and Suggestions; Expressing Hope, Fear, Worries; Expressing Possibility and Probability
Unit 3: Society and Culture
1. How Do You Do That?
Language Functions: Asking For and Giving
Instructions/Describing a Process; Making and Cancelling Appointments; Interrupting
2. Working and Time Off
Language Functions: Giving Information and Describing; Describing Abilities; Adding Information and Ideas to a Convention
3. Cultural Differences
Language
Functions: Making Recommendations and Predicting Consequences; Warning and Prohibitions; Apologies
Unit 4: Nature and the Environment
1. Humans and Animals
Language Functions: Eliciting, Expressing and Analyzing Options; Expressing Regret; Strategies for Turn-taking and
Changing the Subject
2. The Environment
Language Functions: Expressing Disapproval; Criticizing and Complaining; Hypothesizing
3. Natural Disasters
Language Functions: Reporting Information; Explaining; Elaborating and Giving Details
Unit 5:
Explorations
1. Uniquely Human: Abilities, Inventions, Accidents
Language Functions: Asking for a giving impersonal information; Expressing Pleasure; Expressing Indifference; Expressing Disappointment and Sadness
2. New Frontiers: Space and Beyond
Language Functions
Expressing Enthusiasm; Persuading; Supporting and argument
3. The Future: Science, Technology and the 21st Century
Language Functions: Describing a process in detail; Speculating; Summarizing
Irene McKay is a TESL trainer and has taught ESL for over 25 years.