Breaking News English Lesson: Bricklayers

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Bricklayer shortage worsens UK housebuilding crisis (3rd March 2025)

The Reading / Listening - Bricklayers - Level 6

A housing crisis in the UK is being exacerbated by a shortage of bricklayers. Britain needs to build more homes to enable young people to get on the housing ladder and to end the scourge of homelessness. Soaring rents and a lack of affordable housing have greatly increased rough sleeping. Successive governments over decades have failed to meet their housebuilding targets. The latest government's efforts are being hindered by a shortfall of qualified bricklayers and other skilled tradespeople. The UK needs an extra 25,000 bricklayers, 3,000 plumbers, 4,000 plasterers, 10,000 carpenters, and 3,000 new electricians to meet its pledge to build 1.5 million new homes.

The UK government has blamed the deficit in construction worker numbers on "years of underinvestment in skills". A housing ministry official said her department was doing its utmost to build 300,000 new homes a year. Another spokesperson added: "We will pull every lever to deliver on our commitment, which includes building a diverse workforce." However, Colin Brown, a housebuilding consultant, called the government's home construction pledge "unrealistic". He said training sufficient numbers of workers could take "a generation". He added that the current target of adding 5,000 new apprenticeships each year was "fanciful" and a "drop in the ocean".

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

Bricklayers - Level 4 or Bricklayers - Level 5

Sources

https://www.crisis.org.uk/ending-homelessness/key-homelessness-policy-areas/housing/housing-supply/
https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/1917971/bricklayer-shortage-threatens-general-election-housing-pledges
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/other/labour-s-1-5m-new-homes-pledge-at-risk-as-uk-short-of-25-000-bricklayers/ar-AA1zCrDh

Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Warm-ups

1. BRICKLAYERS: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about bricklayers. Change partners often and share your findings.
2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?
housing crisis / bricklayers / the housing ladder / homelessness / targets / carpenters
deficit / construction / skills / new homes / a diverse workforce / a drop in the ocean
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. GOVERNMENT HOUSING: Students A strongly believe governments should provide houses for their citizens; Students B strongly believe they shouldn't. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. TRADES PEOPLE: What do these workers do? Would you like to do these jobs? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

	What they do	Would you like to do this job?
Bricklayer
Plumber
Carpenter
Plasterer
Electrician
Gardener

MY e-BOOK

ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers

See a sample

5. HOUSING: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "housing". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. JOBS: Rank these with your partner. Put the most important jobs at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

Teacher
Carpenter
Soldier
Nurse
Chef
AI coder
Farmer
President

Vocabulary

Paragraph 1

1.	exacerbated	a.	The different levels of buying a first home (and moving up to buy bigger ones).
2.	the housing ladder	b.	Sleeping outside because you have no home.
3.	scourge	c.	Going up very high or very fast.
4.	soaring	d.	Something that causes a lot of pain or trouble.
5.	rough sleeping	e.	Made something worse.
6.	successive	f.	Made something slow or difficult.
7.	hindered	g.	Happening one after another.

Paragraph 2

8.	deficit	h.	Not real, only in the imagination.
9.	utmost	i.	When there is not enough of something.
10.	commitment	j.	A serious promise.
11.	diverse	k.	A very small amount compared to what is needed.
12.	pledge	l.	A (strong) promise to do something.
13.	fanciful	m.	Different from each other.
14.	a drop in the ocean	n.	The greatest, best or most important.

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

Bricklayers in the UK are helping to solve a housing crisis. T / F
Young people are using ladders to get into housing. T / F
Only the current government has failed to meet housebuilding targets. T / F
The UK needs tens of thousands of new tradespeople to build homes. T / F
There hasn't been enough investment in skills in the UK for many years. T / F
An official said the government would do its best to build new homes. T / F
A housing expert said the government's promises were unrealistic. T / F
The UK government wants to build new homes near the ocean. T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

crisis
build
scourge
lack
rough sleeping
utmost
commitment
sufficient
target
fanciful

evil
objective
dearth
best
construct
enough
imaginary
promise
emergency
homelessness

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

exacerbated by
enable young people to get on
end the scourge
government's efforts are being
meet its pledge
years of underinvestment
We will pull every
a diverse
training sufficient
a drop

in skills
workforce
to build
of homelessness
lever to deliver
a shortage of bricklayers
in the ocean
hindered
the housing ladder
numbers of workers

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

affordable
failed
pledge
ladder
rough
plumbers
exacerbated
qualified

A housing crisis in the UK is being (1) _________________________________ by a shortage of bricklayers. Britain needs to build more homes to enable young people to get on the housing (2) _________________________________ and to end the scourge of homelessness. Soaring rents and a lack of (3) _________________________________ housing have greatly increased (4) _________________________________ sleeping. Successive governments over decades have (5) _________________________________ to meet their housebuilding targets. The latest government's efforts are being hindered by a shortfall of (6) _________________________________ bricklayers and other skilled tradespeople. The UK needs an extra 25,000 bricklayers, 3,000 (7) _________________________________, 4,000 plasterers, 10,000 carpenters, and 3,000 new electricians to meet its (8) _________________________________ to build 1.5 million new homes.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

lever
deficit
consultant
drop
workforce
current
skills
unrealistic

The UK government has blamed the (9) _________________________________ in construction worker numbers on "years of underinvestment in (10) _________________________________". A housing ministry official said her department was doing its utmost to build 300,000 new homes a year. Another spokesperson added: "We will pull every (11) _________________________________ to deliver on our commitment, which includes building a diverse (12) _________________________________." However, Colin Brown, a housebuilding (13) _________________________________, called the government's home construction pledge "(14) _________________________________ ". He said training sufficient numbers of workers could take "a generation". He added that the (15) _________________________________ target of adding 5,000 new apprenticeships each year was "fanciful" and a "(16) _________________________________ in the ocean".

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) A housing crisis in the UK is being exacerbated by a ______
     a. shortage off bricklayers
     b. shortage oft bricklayers
     c. shortage if bricklayers
     d. shortage of bricklayers
2) Britain needs to build more homes to enable young people to get on ______
     a. the housing laddered
     b. the housing ladder
     c. the housing laddie
     d. the housing ladle
3) Soaring rents and a lack of affordable housing have greatly ______
     a. increased tough sleeping
     b. increased rough sleeping
     c. increased cough sleeping
     d. increased ruff sleeping
4) The latest government's efforts ______
     a. are being hindered
     b. are being kindred
     c. are been hindered
     d. are been kindred
5) 10,000 carpenters, and 3,000 new electricians to ______
     a. meet its bilge
     b. meet its pledge
     c. meet its ledge
     d. meet its purge

6) A housing ministry official said her department was ______
     a. doing it’s a most
     b. doing its up most
     c. doing its at most
     d. doing its utmost
7) We will pull every lever to deliver ______
     a. on our commit meant
     b. on our contentment
     c. on our commitment
     d. on our committing
8) which includes building ______
     a. a diverse workforce
     b. a adverse workforce
     c. a reverse workforce
     d. add verse workforce
9) He said training sufficient numbers of workers could ______
     a. take age generation
     b. take a generations
     c. take a generational
     d. take a generation
10) the current target of adding 5,000 new apprenticeships each ______
     a. years was "fanciful"
     b. year was "fancy full"
     c. year was "fanciful"
     d. year was "plentiful"

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

A housing crisis in the UK is being (1) _______________________________________________ shortage of bricklayers. Britain needs to build more homes to enable young people to get on the housing ladder and to (2) _______________________________________________ of homelessness. Soaring rents and a lack of affordable housing have greatly (3) _______________________________________________. Successive governments over decades have failed to meet their housebuilding targets. The latest government's efforts are (4) _______________________________________________ a shortfall of qualified bricklayers and (5) _______________________________________________. The UK needs an extra 25,000 bricklayers, 3,000 plumbers, 4,000 plasterers, 10,000 carpenters, and 3,000 new electricians to meet its (6) _______________________________________________ 1.5 million new homes.

The UK government has (7) _______________________________________________ in construction worker numbers on "years of underinvestment in skills". A housing ministry official said her department was (8) _______________________________________________ to build 300,000 new homes a year. Another spokesperson added: "We will pull every (9) _______________________________________________ on our commitment, which includes building (10) _______________________________________________." However, Colin Brown, a housebuilding consultant, called the government's home construction pledge "unrealistic". He (11) _______________________________________________ numbers of workers could take "a generation". He added that the current target of adding 5,000 new apprenticeships each (12) _______________________________________________ and a "drop in the ocean".

Comprehension questions

What has exacerbated a housing crisis in the UK?
What scourge does the article say needs to end?
For how long have UK governments not met housebuilding targets?
How many new plumbers does the UK need?
How many new homes has the UK government promised to build?
What have successive governments failed to invest in?
What will the government pull to deliver on its housebuilding pledge?
What is the job of Colin Brown?
How long could it take to train enough workers to build houses?
How many new apprenticeships does the UK want to start each year?

Multiple choice quiz

1) What has exacerbated a housing crisis in the UK?
a) an increase in demand for houses
b) a shortage of bricklayers
c) a population increase
d) global warming
2) What scourge does the article say needs to end?
a) poor workmanship
b) rising damp
c) inflated house prices
d) homelessness
3) For how long have UK governments not met housebuilding targets?
a) ages
b) generations
c) decades
d) years
4) How many new plumbers does the UK need?
a) 3,000
b) 4,000
c) 10,000
d) 25,000
5) How many new homes has the UK government promised to build?
a) a million
b) 1.5 million
c) 2 million
d) 2.5 million

6) What have successive governments failed to invest in?
a) skills
b) bricks
c) targets
d) efforts
7) What will the government pull to deliver on its housebuilding pledge?
a) a rope
b) a brick cart
c) levers
d) a zip
8) What is the job of Colin Brown?
a) He's a housebuilding consultant.
b) He's a bricklayer.
c) He's CEO of a house building company
d) He makes bricks.
9) How long could it take to train enough workers to build houses?
a) ages
b) decades
c) a year or two
d) a generation
10) How many new apprenticeships does the UK want to start each year?
a) 3,500
b) 4,500
c) 5,000
d) 6,000

Role play

Role A – Teacher
You think the job of a teacher is the most important job. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their jobs aren't as important. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): carpenter, farmer or soldier.

Role B – Carpenter
You think the job of a carpenter is the most important job. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their jobs aren't as important. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): teacher, farmer or soldier.

Role C – Farmer
You think the job of a farmer is the most important job. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their jobs aren't as important. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): carpenter, teacher or soldier.

Role D – Soldier
You think the job of a soldier is the most important job. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their jobs aren't as important. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): carpenter, farmer or teacher.

After reading / listening

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words...

'bricklayer'

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

and 'crisis'.
________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

• Share your findings with your partners.

• Make questions using the words you found.

• Ask your partner / group your questions.

2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

•Share your questions with other classmates / groups. •Ask your partner / group your questions.

3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

crisis

enable

end

decades

hindered

extra

deficit

official

pull

consultant

training

drop

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion - Bricklayers

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

What did you think when you read the headline?
What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'bricklayer'?
What causes a housing crisis?
What problems are there with housing in your country?
How important are bricklayers?
How can we end homelessness?
What do you think of there being so much rough sleeping?
How can governments get the numbers of skilled people they need?
Would you rather be a carpenter or a bricklayer?
What advice do you have for someone who cannot buy a house?

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
What do you think of when you hear the word 'housebuilding'?
What do you think about what you read?
What should governments do to invest in skills?
How important is it to get on the housing ladder?
Do you always believe government promises?
What do you think of apprenticeships?
What do you think of your home?
What will homes be like in the future?
What questions would you like to ask a bricklayer?

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

A housing crisis in the UK is being (1) ____ by a shortage of bricklayers. Britain needs to build more homes to enable young people to get (2) ____ the housing ladder and to end the scourge of homelessness. Soaring rents and a lack of (3) ____ housing have greatly increased rough sleeping. Successive governments over decades have failed to meet their housebuilding targets. The latest government's efforts are being hindered (4) ____ a shortfall of qualified bricklayers and other skilled tradespeople. The UK needs an extra 25,000 bricklayers, 3,000 (5) ____, 4,000 plasterers, 10,000 carpenters, and 3,000 new electricians to (6) ____ its pledge to build 1.5 million new homes.

The UK government has blamed the deficit in construction worker numbers (7) ____ "years of underinvestment in skills". A housing ministry official said her department was doing its (8) ____ to build 300,000 new homes a year. Another spokesperson added: "We will pull every (9) ____ to deliver on our commitment, which includes building a diverse workforce." However, Colin Brown, a housebuilding (10) ____, called the government's home construction pledge "unrealistic". He said training sufficient numbers of workers could (11) ____ "a generation". He added that the current target of adding 5,000 new apprenticeships each year was "(12) ____" and a "drop in the ocean".

Which of these words go in the above text?

(a) excavated (b) exacerbated (c) exhibited (d) exalted
(a) down (b) over (c) under (d) on
(a) suburban (b) affordable (c) show (d) high-tech
(a) on (b) of (c) by (d) at
(a) plumbers (b) plums (c) lumbers (d) combers
(a) meet (b) build (c) erect (d) construct
(a) by (b) at (c) of (d) on
(a) utmost (b) topmost (c) at most (d) mostly
(a) cog (b) lever (c) button (d) wheel
(a) contents (b) constituent (c) contestant (d) consultant
(a) give (b) build (c) take (d) house
(a) fancied (b) fanciful (c) fancy (d) fancies

Spelling

Paragraph 1

bcxataeedre by a shortage of bricklayers
end the gesucor of homelessness
a lack of adalfrofeb housing
eivsseucsc governments
3,000 new isielectcran
meet its elpedg to build 1.5 million new homes

Paragraph 2

the efiicdt in construction worker numbers
doing its uostmt to build
pull every eelrv to deliver on our commitment
building a eevisrd workforce
training ntceifusif numbers of workers
5,000 new apprenticeships each year was afcfiunl

Put the text back together

(..1..) A housing crisis in the UK is being exacerbated by a shortage of bricklayers. Britain needs to
(...) of homelessness. Soaring rents and a lack of affordable housing have greatly increased rough
(...) commitment, which includes building a diverse workforce." However, Colin Brown, a housebuilding
(...) consultant, called the government's home construction pledge "unrealistic". He said training sufficient
(...) build more homes to enable young people to get on the housing ladder and to end the scourge
(...) targets. The latest government's efforts are being hindered by a shortfall of qualified bricklayers and other skilled
(...) new apprenticeships each year was "fanciful" and a "drop in the ocean".
(...) numbers of workers could take "a generation". He added that the current target of adding 5,000
(...) 10,000 carpenters, and 3,000 new electricians to meet its pledge to build 1.5 million new homes.
(...) underinvestment in skills". A housing ministry official said her department was doing its
(...) The UK government has blamed the deficit in construction worker numbers on "years of
(...) tradespeople. The UK needs an extra 25,000 bricklayers, 3,000 plumbers, 4,000 plasterers,
(...) sleeping. Successive governments over decades have failed to meet their housebuilding
(...) utmost to build 300,000 new homes a year. Another spokesperson added: "We will pull every lever to deliver on our

Put the words in the right order

on ladder . to Enable get the people housing
end wants homelessness . scourge of to the Britain
housebuilding Governments targets . failed meet to have their
shortfall a by hindered bricklayers . qualified of They're
to build its Meet 1.5 million new homes . pledge
Blamed on the of deficit years underinvestment .
build was homes . It utmost its to doing
homes . will We deliver pull lever every to
could sufficient take numbers Training a generation .
ocean . apprenticeships the was a Adding drop in

Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

A housing crisis in the UK is being excavated / exacerbated by a shortage of bricklayers. Britain needs to build more homes to enable / disable young people to get on the housing ladder and to end the scourge at / of homelessness. Soaring rents and a lack of / on affordable housing have greatly increased rough / tough sleeping. Successive governments over decades have failed to build / meet their housebuilding targets. The latest government's efforts are being hindered by / of a shortfall of qualified bricklayers and other skilled tradespeople. The UK needs the / an extra 25,000 bricklayers, 3,000 plumbers, 4,000 plasters / plasterers, 10,000 carpenters, and 3,000 new electricians to meet its purge / pledge to build 1.5 million new homes.

The UK government has blamed the surplus / deficit in construction worker numbers on "years / yearly of underinvestment in skills". A housing ministry official said her department was doing its mostly / utmost to build 300,000 new homes a year. Another spokesperson added: "We will pull every lever / fever to deliver on our commitment, which includes building a diverse workforce / workshop." However, Colin Brown, a housebuilding consultant / consultancy, called the government's home construction pledge / ledge "unrealistic". He said training sufficient / sufficiently numbers of workers could take "a generation". He added that the currant / current target of adding 5,000 new apprenticeships each year was "fanciful" and a "drop in the puddle / ocean".

Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct. Look up the definition of new words.

Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

_ h__s_ng cr_s_s _n th_ _K _s b__ng _x_c_rb_t_d by _ sh_rt_g_ _f br_ckl_y_rs. Br_t__n n__ds t_ b__ld m_r_ h_m_s t_ _n_bl_ y__ng p__pl_ t_ g_t _n th_ h__s_ng l_dd_r _nd t_ _nd th_ sc__rg_ _f h_m_l_ssn_ss. S__r_ng r_nts _nd _ l_ck _f _ff_rd_bl_ h__s_ng h_v_ gr__tly _ncr__s_d r__gh sl__p_ng. S_cc_ss_v_ g_v_rnm_nts _v_r d_c_d_s h_v_ f__l_d t_ m__t th__r h__s_b__ld_ng t_rg_ts. Th_ l_t_st g_v_rnm_nt's _ff_rts _r_ b__ng h_nd_r_d by _ sh_rtf_ll _f q__l_f__d br_ckl_y_rs _nd _th_r sk_ll_d tr_d_sp__pl_. Th_ _K n__ds _n _xtr_ 25,000 br_ckl_y_rs, 3,000 pl_mb_rs, 4,000 pl_st_r_rs, 10,000 c_rp_nt_rs, _nd 3,000 n_w _l_ctr_c__ns t_ m__t _ts pl_dg_ t_ b__ld 1.5 m_ll__n n_w h_m_s.

Th_ _K g_v_rnm_nt h_s bl_m_d th_ d_f_c_t _n c_nstr_ct__n w_rk_r n_mb_rs _n "y__rs _f _nd_r_nv_stm_nt _n sk_lls". _ h__s_ng m_n_stry _ff_c__l s__d h_r d_p_rtm_nt w_s d__ng _ts _tm_st t_ b__ld 300,000 n_w h_m_s _ y__r. _n_th_r sp_k_sp_rs_n _dd_d: "W_ w_ll p_ll _v_ry l_v_r t_ d_l_v_r _n __r c_mm_tm_nt, wh_ch _ncl_d_s b__ld_ng _ d_v_rs_ w_rkf_rc_." H_w_v_r, C_l_n Br_wn, _ h__s_b__ld_ng c_ns_lt_nt, c_ll_d th_ g_v_rnm_nt's h_m_ c_nstr_ct__n pl_dg_ "_nr__l_st_c". H_ s__d tr__n_ng s_ff_c__nt n_mb_rs _f w_rk_rs c__ld t_k_ "_ g_n_r_t__n". H_ _dd_d th_t th_ c_rr_nt t_rg_t _f _dd_ng 5,000 n_w _ppr_nt_c_sh_ps __ch y__r w_s "f_nc_f_l" _nd _ "dr_p _n th_ _c__n".

Punctuate the text and add capitals

a housing crisis in the uk is being exacerbated by a shortage of bricklayers britain needs to build more homes to enable young people to get on the housing ladder and to end the scourge of homelessness soaring rents and a lack of affordable housing have greatly increased rough sleeping successive governments over decades have failed to meet their housebuilding targets the latest governments efforts are being hindered by a shortfall of qualified bricklayers and other skilled tradespeople the uk needs an extra 25000 bricklayers 3000 plumbers 4000 plasterers 10000 carpenters and 3000 new electricians to meet its pledge to build 15 million new homes

the uk government has blamed the deficit in construction worker numbers on years of underinvestment in skills a housing ministry official said her department was doing its utmost to build 300000 new homes a year another spokesperson added we will pull every lever to deliver on our commitment which includes building a diverse workforce however colin brown a housebuilding consultant called the governments home construction pledge unrealistic he said training sufficient numbers of workers could take a generation he added that the current target of adding 5000 new apprenticeships each year was fanciful and a drop in the ocean

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

AhousingcrisisintheUKisbeingexacerbatedbyashortageofbricklayer
s.Britainneedstobuildmorehomestoenableyoungpeopletogetontheh
ousingladderandtoendthescourgeofhomelessness.Soaringrentsand
alackofaffordablehousinghavegreatlyincreasedroughsleeping.Succ
essivegovernmentsoverdecadeshavefailedtomeettheirhousebuildin
gtargets.Thelatestgovernment'seffortsarebeinghinderedbyashortfa
llofqualifiedbricklayersandotherskilledtradespeople.TheUKneedsan
extra25,000bricklayers,3,000plumbers,4,000plasterers,10,000car
penters,and3,000newelectricianstomeetitspledgetobuild1.5million
newhomes.TheUKgovernmenthasblamedthedeficitinconstructionw
orkernumberson"yearsofunderinvestmentinskills".Ahousingministr
yofficialsaidherdepartmentwasdoingitsutmosttobuild300,000newh
omesayear.Anotherspokespersonadded:"Wewillpulleverylevertode
liveronourcommitment,whichincludesbuildingadiverseworkforce."
However,ColinBrown,ahousebuildingconsultant,calledthegovernm
ent'shomeconstructionpledge"unrealistic".Hesaidtrainingsufficient
numbersofworkerscouldtake"ageneration".Headdedthatthecurrent
targetofadding5,000newapprenticeshipseachyearwas"fanciful"and
a"dropintheocean".

Free writing

Write about bricklayer shortage for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Academic writing

All houses should be built and sold by governments to keep prices low. Discuss.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Homework

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about this news story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. BRICKLAYERS: Make a poster about bricklayers. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
4. HOUSING: Write a magazine article about making governments responsible for all housebuilding. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against this.
Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).
5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on bricklayers. Ask him/her three questions about them. Give him/her three of your opinions on being a bricklayer. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

A Few Additional Activities for Students

Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

Also...

Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

News
Warm ups
Pre-reading / Post-reading
Using headlines
Working with words
While-reading / While-listening
Moving from text to speech
Post-reading / Post-listening
Discussions
Using opinions
Plans
Language
Using lists
Using quotes
Task-based activities
Role plays
Using the central characters in the article
Using themes from the news
Homework

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Answers

(Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

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