It can get a bit repetitive, at least for the teacher, to re-enact restaurant scenes every time we do a chapter on food, so to brighten up the lesson a bit…

I bring in some realia which the students love;

The other way to add an extra spark is by changing the instructions slightly.

As this time we did this chapter in February I added a twist, the students worked in groups of four, the task was the following:

“You have invited someone you fancy to a restaurant on St Valentines’ day, and he/she has turned up with their mum, write and perform a dialogue between the three characters and the waiter.”

Other twists include your teacher is invited by the head of school, you invite your teacher to try and bribe them to improve your marks, you win a competition and get to spend an evening at a restaurant with the star of your choice, etc.