Business English ESL lesson-Analyzing Graphs

 

One of my high schools specializes in teaching science so this lesson was particularly useful. The students first learn some phrases they can use when analyzing graphs before having the chance to practice these phrases with some real graphs. Finally they make their own graphs and present them to the class.

Objectives.

To learn phrases useful for analyzing graphs.

Materials.
PPT
Paper/notebook for the students to write on.

Part One.
Introduce the topic of the lesson and the key phrases. Find some pictures of graphs on the internet (I used google images and found graphs about technology, social networks, the world cup and the decline of newspapers) Show the students the pictures of the graphs and ask them to write two sentences analyzing the information seen in graphs using the key phrases. Ask some students to share their answers after each graph. (20mins)

Part Two.
The students will now get into groups of four or five and make and analyse their own graphs. First show the students the example graph and analysis in the PPT so they know what to aim for. Tell the students that they have to think of a question they can ask their classmates to make a graph. Each group should then survey all of their classmates before putting their results into a graph and writing a paragraph explaining their results. (20 mins)

Part Three.
Each group should then present their findings to the class. (10mins)

Around the Web

Sandy Millin-This link has a PPT and a number of worksheets with vocabulary and phrases useful for describing graphs. I especially like the describing graphs speaking worksheet (It's the 9th one on the page).