Today I’m going to create a listening activity for the students containing key vocabulary from a reading passage that they have already read and worked on either in class or at home. The idea is to provide further exposure to a specific topic and targeted language in different ways.
From a selected reading passage in our adopted textbook series or an online source, we will be choosing 6 to 10 new and relevant vocabulary items that we would like to include in the listening passage. I will be using a written article about “moving house” from the BBC site, which can be found HERE. My Gen.AI tool will be Claude this time.
Prompt: Create a listening passage for Intermediate English students that will take about two and a half minutes to read aloud based on the text provided at the end, which discusses moving house. Assume the role of a person working for a removal company, offering tips about the moving process. It is essential that the listening passage includes the following language items from the text: “sort out”, “throw away”, “breakables”, “removal company”, “get a quote”, “make the move go smoothly”.
I also copied and pasted the original text from the link provided above. And this is the generated text:
Tips for Moving House
Hello there! I’m Sarah from Smooth Moves Removal Company, and I’d like to share some tips to help make your move go smoothly. Moving house can be stressful, but with the right preparation, it doesn’t have to be traumatic.
First, let’s talk about packing. Use this opportunity to sort out your possessions. It’s amazing how much stuff we accumulate over time! Be ruthless – throw away any rubbish and consider donating items you no longer need to charity shops or giving them to friends. Trust me, you’ll thank yourself later for lightening the load.
When it comes to packing materials, plan ahead. Get boxes well in advance from local shops or supermarkets. And here’s a money-saving tip: save old newspapers. They’re great for wrapping breakables like dishes and ornaments.
Now, you might be considering a DIY move. If so, be careful when choosing a van. Too small, and you’ll end up making multiple trips. Too big, and you might struggle with parking. If you’re flexible, try booking on weekdays – it’s often cheaper.
However, unless you have very few possessions, I’d recommend hiring a professional removal company like ours. Yes, I’m biased, but hear me out! We can take a lot of stress off your shoulders. You can either have us do everything, or you can do the packing yourself and leave the heavy lifting to us.
If you do decide to use a removal company, here are some tips:
- Book early – at least two weeks before your move.
- Always get a quote from at least three companies before deciding.
- Check if the company offers weekday discounts.
- Make sure to read the fine print in your moving insurance.
Lastly, whether you’re moving yourself or using professionals, make a list of all your possessions. This will help you check if you’ve left anything behind.
Remember, with good planning and the right help, you can make your move go smoothly. Good luck with your new home!
This passage incorporates all the required language items: “sort out”, “throw away”, “breakables”, “removal company”, “get a quote”, and “make the move go smoothly”. It should take approximately two and a half minutes to read at a comfortable pace.
Would you like me to make any adjustments to the passage or provide any additional information?
I am reasonably pleased with the output, but I would probably want a slightly shorter text. I also want the tone to be a bit more informal to better reflect the nature of spoken language. So here is my next prompt.
Prompt: Make the passage about 20 per cent shorter while ensuring it includes the provided language items. Also, simplify the language slightly so that my Intermediate English students can understand it, and adjust the tone to make it a bit more informal.
And here is the revised version:
Tips for Moving House
Hey there! I’m Sarah from Smooth Moves Removal Company. Let me give you some tips to make your move go smoothly. Moving can be tough, but don’t worry – I’ve got you covered!
First up, packing. This is a great time to sort out your stuff. We all have things we don’t need anymore, right? Throw away any junk and maybe give some things to friends or charity shops. Trust me, less stuff means less work!
For packing, get boxes early from local shops. Oh, and save old newspapers – they’re perfect for wrapping breakables like plates and glasses.
Thinking about moving everything yourself? Be careful when picking a van. Too small and you’ll make lots of trips. Too big and parking might be a pain. If you can, book on weekdays – it’s usually cheaper.
But hey, if you’ve got more than just a few things, why not hire a removal company like ours? We can do all the work, or you can pack and we’ll do the heavy lifting. It’s up to you!
If you do use a removal company, here’s what to do:
- Book early – at least two weeks before you move.
- Get a quote from three companies before you choose.
- Ask if they’re cheaper on weekdays.
- Check your moving insurance carefully.
Last tip: make a list of all your stuff. That way, you won’t leave anything behind.
Remember, good planning helps make the move go smoothly. Good luck in your new place!
I am quite satisfied with the results now. The next step is to convert the text to speech and download it using free tools. My favourite choice is Eleven Labs, which delivers amazing results.
Last but not least: it’s time to create a listening exercise. We could ask Claude to generate questions for us by providing the right prompt. However, this time, I’m simply going to copy and paste the text into a word processor and create a fill-in-the-gaps exercise by removing the listed language items, along with a few others. Voila!
AI in ELT 