Name        Age comes from wants to children others in the household
Juliana        24 El Salvador work in a
library		 3: 2 boys, 1 girl husband
Rosa          29 Mexico find her own apartment none mother and father
Jaclyn        31 Ontario help her children with their school work 2, 1 boy, 1 girl partner
Maria        25 Panama get her children back from foster care 3 roommate
Anna         47 Quebec improve her English and work in a clothing shop 1 grandson husband and daughter

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Here the grid becomes a springboard for questions and more discussion which might emerge as a result of asking and answering these questions.

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To make the assignment more difficult, put the sentences in random order.

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For some learners, although they understand the information and are familiar with the content, the grid and sentences could present real challenges. If and as appropriate, it can be helpful to encourage learners to work together in pairs or small groups (depending on the size of the group overall) to complete the writing work.

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Other headings can be used for the grid within or beyond the category of families - such as children's grades and schools, learners' dates and places of birth, favourite foods, first languages, household tasks and learning goals.

3. Using the grid

* Start by asking and answering questions based on the grid. The tutor can model the first few questions, until learners are ready to ask one another themselves. Depending on the abilities of the group, and the focus of the lesson, the questions can also serve to introduce new vocabulary, such as "most," "youngest," "oldest," etc.:

  • Who has a grandchild?
  • Who has the most children?
  • Who has two children?
  • Who wants to work in a clothing shop?
  • Who lives with her parents?
  • How many children does ______ have?
  • How old is Juliana?

4. Beyond the grid

* Invite learners to ask one another about information that hasn't been included in the grid. For example:

  • How old are Juliana's children?
  • How old are Silvia's children?
  • Does anyone have children in school? What grades?
  • What questions do you want to ask someone else about their family?
  • Do you want to say anything else about your family?

* Reproduce the grid, but omit certain information in the grid itself, and include that missing information in sentence form below the grid. Leave blanks in the sentences, which can be filled in from information still on the grid.

* Ask learners to complete the grid and the sentences. They will probably remember many of the answers from the discussion in class.

1.______________ comes from El Salvador.
She has 3 children,_________ boys and ___________ girl.

2. ______________comes from Mexico. She lives with her mother and father.

Name  Age comes from wants to children others in the household
24 EI Salvador work in a
library		   husband
29 Mexico find her own apartment none mother and father

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