Your student is the expert today — this lesson is all about the town they know best. Because they already own the content, they can relax, open up, and focus on speaking instead of searching for ideas.
⏱ About 60 minutes🎯 All levels (questions are leveled)📋 No prep — tap 🔊 to hear any phrase
Before you start tutor prep
This page is everything you need. Skim it once, then teach straight down the screen. A quick checklist before you say hello:
Open this page full-screen and share your audio so the 🔊 buttons come through clearly.
Have a blank notes area ready (paper or a doc) to jot down new words and small corrections.
Smile and turn your camera on — a warm face does half the teaching.
Remember the goal: lots of student talking time, not lots of tutor talking time.
Mindset: Today the student is the expert and you are the curious visitor. Ask real questions, react like you genuinely want to visit their town, and let small mistakes pass if the meaning is clear. Confidence first, accuracy second.
1 · Warm-up 5 min
Start gently. Keep your own answers short so the student does most of the talking.
Where are you from?
Is it a big city or a small town?
Is it near the mountains or near the sea?
Do you like living there? Why or why not?
Tip: If the student gives a one-word answer, smile and ask "Oh, tell me more!" Give them a second chance to say a full sentence before you move on.
2 · Key words & phrases 8 min
Tap 🔊 to play each phrase, then have the student repeat it and use it in a sentence about their own town.
hometownMy hometown is a small town in central Taiwan.
downtownDowntown is busy on the weekend.
countrysideThere are rice fields in the countryside near my home.
neighborhoodMy neighborhood is quiet and friendly.
templeThere is an old temple in the center of town.
marketThe night market opens around six o'clock.
parkPeople walk and exercise in the park every morning.
famous forMy town is famous for its mangoes.
local specialtyThe local specialty is meatballs.
quietMy street is very quiet at night.
busyThe train station is busy in the morning.
I'm from ___I'm from Changhua.
It's famous for ___It's famous for its old temple.
There is / There are ___There is a park, and there are many small shops.
Tip: Don't drill the whole list cold. Teach a word, then immediately ask the student to put it into a true sentence about their own town. Real meaning sticks better than repetition.
3 · Read & talk 8 min
Read this together — you take Tutor (A), the student takes themselves (B). Then swap roles. Tap 🔊 on any line to hear it first.
A:
So, where are you from?
B:
I'm from a small town in central Taiwan.
A:
Nice! What is it famous for?
B:
It's famous for its night market and an old temple.
A:
That sounds great. Is it a busy place?
B:
The downtown is busy, but my neighborhood is quiet.
A:
What do you like to do there?
B:
I like to walk in the park and eat at the market.
A:
It sounds wonderful. I'd love to visit one day.
B:
Yes! You are always welcome.
Tip: After the second read-through, close the dialogue and ask the student to tell you the same things about their real town — no script. The dialogue is a warm-up for free speaking, not the goal.
4 · Let's talk 12 min
Pick questions that match the student's level. Stay on each answer — ask "Why?" and "Tell me more!" before moving on.
Beginner
What is the name of your town?
Is it big or small?
What food is your town famous for?
Intermediate
What is the best thing about your town?
What do people do there on the weekend?
How is your town different from a big city like Taipei?
Advanced
If a foreign friend visited for one day, where would you take them and why?
What do you wish more people knew about your town?
What is one problem your town has, and how could it be solved?
Tip: When the student finishes an answer, repeat one of their sentences back correctly and warmly ("Oh, so your town is famous for its mangoes!"). They hear the correct model without feeling corrected.
5 · Going deeper 10 min
Now stretch the student into longer, more personal answers. Give them a few seconds of thinking time — silence is fine.
Beginner
Recommend one place in your town. What is it?
What can you do there?
Intermediate
What makes that place special to you?
Has your town changed since you were a child? How?
Advanced
Would you rather stay in your hometown or move to a big city? Explain your choice.
How do you think your town will change in the next ten years?
Tip: Listen for the connectors "because", "but", and "so". If the student speaks in short pieces, gently push them to link two ideas: "Tell me that again in one longer sentence with 'because'."
6 · Activity — give your tutor a tour 10 min
The student becomes a tour guide and walks you through their town out loud.
Tell the student: "Imagine I just arrived at your town's train station. Be my guide!"
Have them name three places they would show you, in order.
At each stop, they say what it is and why it's worth seeing.
You play the happy tourist — ask one follow-up question at every stop.
At the end, ask them to recommend the one place you absolutely must not miss.
Welcome to ___! Let me show you around.
First, we'll go to ___. It's famous for ___.
Next, there is ___, where you can ___.
The food you have to try here is ___.
If you only see one thing, see ___ — because ___.
Tip: Lean in and react like a real visitor ("Wow, I have to try that!"). Your excitement keeps the student talking far longer than any grammar prompt would.
7 · Wrap-up 5 min
Close warmly and leave the student feeling proud of what they shared.
Ask: "Tell me two things you remember saying today in English."
Review two or three new words from the Key words list together.
Share one thing they did really well today, and be specific.
Give a small homework idea: "Take one photo of your town and describe it next time."
Tip: End on a genuine compliment about their town, not just their English. "Your town sounds beautiful — thank you for showing me around" sends them off smiling.
🧭 Tutor notes
How to flex this lesson for the student in front of you:
If they're shy / lower level
Stay in the Warm-up and Key words longer; accept short answers and build them up.
Model every answer yourself first, then let them copy and adapt.
If they're comfortable
Move quickly to Let's talk and the tour activity, where they talk most.
Push for full sentences and connectors like "because" and "but".
If they're strong
Spend the bulk of time in Going deeper with the opinion questions.
Ask them to compare, predict, and justify, not just describe.
Most important: Talking time belongs to the student. If you're speaking more than they are, ask a question and wait. Their town is the lesson — your job is to be curious and let them shine.
