Unit 2: Adaptations-Foreign exchange emails

I think that the reading level of the text example would work well for students who are CLB 4. (readability) As one of the recommended tasks for Level 4 is to read an email from a friend this type of lesson would be a good one to use. These activities would cover some of the outcomes from Level 4.

Most of the vocabulary is quite simple, however they use a lot of idioms, so that would be my focus for one activity (how are you getting on?, we're a real mix, I'm learning loads, there are loads, hanging out, are very sweet). I would provide them with some synonyms and have them do a match (idiom in one column, similar expression in another). This could be done with a partner.

I would have some basic comprehension questions to determine purpose, main ideas and specific details. Why did Simon send the email? List 3 things that Fran has been doing. How does Fran feel about the children? What word does Fran use to describe the children, that shows that she likes them? Which word tells how Fran feels about watching Frozen? (register/style) 
For a more mature group I would do an email from a friend talking about a place they had visited. (suitability)

A written activity (exploitability) I would include would be to have them write their own email. I would give them the criteria for the writing based on the questions a partner would need to answer once they had read the email. (This would be used for assessment of writing and reading.)

Here is a great article on the teaching of idioms to ESL students.

How to teach English idioms

British Council. (2015). Foreign exchange emails-exercises. British Council. Retrieved from http://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/skills/reading-skills-practice/foreign-exchange-emails