Section 1: chosen text
For this assignment I have a chosen a text which is an interview with celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, called ‘Interview with Jamie Oliver: I’m a big fan of chillies’, by Nandy Priyadarshini, published on DNA India website (http://www.dnaindia.com/lifestyle/report-interview-with-jamie-oliver-im-a-big-fan-of-chillies-1897063). The level of students for which the article and tasks are intended is intermediate. I think students will be interested in reading an interview with Jamie Oliver because food tends to be a universal topic that everyone can relate to. Despite the fact that different nationalities and cultures have different cuisines, overall, people all around the world love food and enjoy talking about it. Jamie Oliver is one of Britain’s celebrity chefs and what makes him stand out is his outspoken, passionate and no-nonsense philosophy about cooking that people find appealing. He is seen on many TV shows and his books have made him a familiar face all over the world, so there is a good chance the students, who have different nationalities, have heard of Jamie Oliver. Additionally, a healthy lifestyle has become a very current topic which is why this article is interesting and relevant material, suitable for reading activities. The text has a good length, around 1 A4. Too long a text will require too much from the students, too short a text and the students aren’t challenged enough.
Section 2: Lead-in
In order to raise students’ awareness, I would consider showing them some realia in the classroom, for example a frying pan and ask the students WHOSE name comes to mind when they see it. Perhaps they can come up with some names of famous cooks. Then show a book by Jamie Oliver and elicit his name. I would ask the students what they know about him, whether they have ever seen his shows, if they have ever tried his recipes, if they like cooking in general. If so why, or why not. “If