Checking into a Hotel in a Video-based Lesson

Donna Hurst Tatsuki
tatsuki [at] kobeuc.ac.jp

People often check in to hotels in the movies, so they are a good source of language models. In this activity, video is used to reinforce and consolidate student-produced language.

Objective:
- Students will be able to anticipate the questions and topics that occur during real-life hotel check-in and respond appropriately.
Level:
- Low-Intermediate to Intermediate
Materials:
- Handout and short video segment showing a person checking in to a hotel. Movies that include hotel check in scenes are:
  - The Graduate
  - Home Alone II
  - Only You
  - It Could Happen to You
  - Planes, Trains and Automobiles
Preparation:
- Watch the video segment and make a note for your own reference of which of the topics and conversational moves listed on the handout are used and in what order during the check-in scene.
Procedure:
1. Distribute the handout and go through the meanings of each conversational move/topic on the list.
2. Form pairs and ask each pair to construct a possible dialogue including all of the topics and conversational moves. Remind them that the Front Clerk does not always start each conversational exchange. Sometimes the Hotel Guest would bring up the topic first. Circulate the room providing assistance as needed.
3. Select some (or all) of the pairs to perform their dialogues.
4. Watch the video segment and check off the conversational moves or topics that occur in the scene.
5. Watch the segment again and make a note of the order of the moves/topics.
6. Watch a third time and make of note of any expressions used in the video that are similar to those constructed in the student dialogues.

Handout

Checking into a Hotel

Topics/Conversational Moves

Opening/Greeting
Request Room
Specify Room Type and Number of Occupants
Length of Stay
Help with Luggage
Special Needs (wake up call, room service, laundry)
Sign the Register Book
Other Business (Can you think of anything else?)
Closing/Farewell

This is a sub-page of ESL/EFL Lessons Using Movies

The Internet TESL Journal, Vol. IV, No. 3, March 1998
http://iteslj.org/