the Whiteboard

Sunday, May 10, 2026

The Paper Pianist

Chat

1. Did you learn a musical instrument as a kid? Did you have lessons?

2. If you could play an instrument really, really well, which would it be?

3. Do you think everyone should study music? Why? Why not?

Read:

Lacking the money to buy a piano, 11-year-old Andrew Garrido created his own paper piano to practise on. It got him through his first five grades with distinction.

Now aged 21, the pianist and musician is in his third year at the prestigious Guildhall School of Music and Drama and has played venues across Europe.

What do the highlighted words mean?

True / False?

1. Andrew has been playing the piano for more than ten years.

2. Andrew's mum lost her job.

3. Andrew didn't have access to a computer.

4. After Andrew reached grade five, his mother bought him a real piano.

5. Andrew is not very far into his music course at Guildhall.

6. Andrew thinks a lot of the other students had it much easier than he did.

7. A paper piano is great, because you can't make a mistake.

8. Andrew feels that having learned in such a difficult way, means he's better able to cope with further difficulties in his career.

Discussion

1. What do you think Andrew is like as a person? What qualities does he have?

2. Do you have a burning passion that you would like to fulfil?

3. What does Andrew’s example teach us all?

Reading / Prepositions

My name is Andrew Garrido. I'm an award-winning pianist and musician and fewer ____ 10 years ago I learned how to play the piano ____ pieces of paper. This is my paper piano - the third version that I drew. I started learning to play the piano on paper because my mum had just been made redundant and, lacking funds ____ afford an instrument or piano lessons, I went online and I drew a keyboard. So, I played on the piece of paper guided ____ sounds I was hearing ____ the computer. But after a while I just began to hear those notes ____ my head. I used the paper piano ________ grades 1 and grade 5 _____ which my mum saw my commitment, so she borrowed money from family and friends ____ pay for a keyboard that I could have _____ home. But I still had ____ continue to practice _____ real pianos, so often I would go round ____ local houses who had pianos, and I was allowed ____ practice for an hour or so a week ____ those, and I began a tour ____ practice rooms. I'm now ____ my third _____ four years _____ my current course _____ the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and I'm loving it. I'm __________ many people I think who have come _____ a more affluent background - I think it's fair to say - and it meant when they had the opportunity to study music they started very young, they studied _____ very fine instruments and very fine teachers, and it meant they were best placed to go ____ the opportunities that all of us were going ______... I made a mistake. I made a mistake on the paper piano - it's... you make mistakes! I don't think there's been ever a greater challenge _____ playing on pieces of paper. Looking _____, having done that, I'm quite ready to face any other challenges that come my way now. Never underestimate what you're able to do, and if you think you're _____ the limit of what you're able to do, try harder. You can always give more and you'll be surprised what you're able to achieve when you really search _______ yourself ____ that willpower, ____ that strength to achieve what you really really want to do.

Saturday, May 9, 2026

Music as a Language

What do the following words mean when we are talking about music?

key

beat

bow

note

fade

scale

air guitar

string

minor

tempo

blue

harmony

solo

pitch

folk

strum

catchy

reverb

verse

chorus

jam

skin

stick

Lead In:

Student A: Music

1. What kind of music do you like? Why do you like it?

2. How does music make you feel? Can you give an example?

3. Do you listen to music every day? When and where?

4. Can music send a message without words? How?

The text we will read is called “Music as a language”

What do you think the text will say about learning a language and learning music?

Student B: Language

1. How is learning music similar to learning a language? How is it different?

2. How did you learn to speak your first language?

3.Do you think people learn better by practicing a lot or by just trying and experimenting?

4.Do you think music should be taught like a school subject, or learned more naturally? Why?

The text we will read is called “Music as a language”

What do you think the text will say about learning a language and learning music?

VOCAB

1. effective

2. the spoken word

3. definitely

4. tutelage

5. proven success

6. proficient speakers

7. air guitar

8. to use an approach

9. instead of

10. wrong notes

11. to carry on a conversation

12. in my eyes

A. speech

B. to work well

C. training

D. clear positive results

E. people who can communicate well in a language

F. when you pretend to play a guitar with your hands only

G. in my opinion

H. to have a way of doing something

I. certainly

J. musical tones that are not good

K. as an alternative

L. to chat

Reading Passage

Music is a language. Both music and verbal languages serve the same purpose. They are both forms of expression. They can be used as a way to communicate with others. They can be read and written. They can make you laugh or cry, think or question, and can speak to one or many. And both can definitely make you move.

In some instances, music works better than the spoken word, because it doesn't have to be understood to be effective. Although many musicians agree that music is a language, it is rarely treated as such. Many of us treat it as something that can only be learned by following a strict regimen, under the tutelage of a skilled teacher. This approach has been followed for hundreds of years with proven success, but it takes a long time—too long.

Think about the first language you learn as a child. More importantly, think about how you learned it. You were a baby when you first started speaking, and even though you spoke the language incorrectly, you were allowed to make mistakes. And the more mistakes you made, the more your parents smiled.

Learning to speak was not something you were sent somewhere to do only a few times a week. And the majority of the people you spoke to were not beginners. They were already proficient speakers. Imagine your parents forcing you to only speak to other babies until you were good enough to speak to them. You would probably be an adult before you could carry on a proper conversation. To use a musical term, as a baby, you were allowed to jam with professionals.

If we approach music in the same natural way we approached our first language, we will learn to speak it in the same short time it took to speak our first language. Proof of this can be seen in almost any family where a child grows up with other musicians.

Here are a few keys to follow in learning or teaching music. In the beginning, embrace mistakes instead of correcting them. Like a child playing air guitar, there are no wrong notes. Allow young musicians to play and perform with accomplished musicians on a daily basis. Encourage young musicians to play more than they practice. The more they play, the more they will practice on their own. Music comes from the musician, not the instrument.

And most importantly, remember that a language works best when we have something interesting to say. Many music teachers never find out what their students have to say. We only tell them what they are supposed to say.

A child speaks a language for years before they even learn the alphabet. Too many rules at the beginning will actually slow them down. In my eyes, the approach to music should be the same. After all, music is a language too.

Comprehension Questions (Multiple Choice)

1. What is the main idea of the passage?
A. Music is harder to learn than language
B. Music should be taught like a natural language
C. Only professionals can teach music well
D. Children should not learn music

2. Why does the author say music can be more effective than spoken language?
A. It is easier to write
B. It is always louder
C. It does not need to be understood to be effective
D. It uses more emotion

3. How do most people traditionally learn music, according to the passage?
A. By playing with friends
B. By listening only
C. By following strict lessons with a teacher
D. By experimenting freely

4. What comparison does the author make about learning language as a child?
A. Children learn by making mistakes and interacting with fluent speakers

B. Children learn by practicing alone

C. Children learn by reading books first
D. Children learn only at school

5. What does the phrase “jam with professionals” suggest?
A. Babies play instruments
B. Babies learn by interacting with skilled speakers
C. Babies attend music classes
D. Babies avoid making mistakes

6. According to the author, what should young musicians do more often?
A. Practice silently
B. Study theory
C. Avoid mistakes
D. Simply play music

7. Why can too many rules slow down learning?
A. They make learning more expensive
B. They reduce creativity and natural learning
C. They confuse teachers
D. They make music boring

Idioms using music

Shouting dictation

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Think about the first language you learn as a child. More importantly, think about how you learned it. You were a baby when you first started speaking, and even though you spoke the language incorrectly you were allowed to make mistakes. And the more mistakes you made, the more your parents smiled.

Music is a language.

Both music and verbal languages serve the same purpose.

They are both forms of expression.

They can be used as a way to communicate with others.

They can be read and written.

They can make you laugh or cry,

think or question,

and can speak to one or many.

And both can definitely make you move.

In some instances, music works better than the spoken word,

because it doesn't have to be understood to be effective.

Although many musicians agree that music is a language,

it is rarely treated as such.

Think about the first language you learn as a child.

More importantly, think about how you learned it.

You were a baby when you first started speaking,

and even though you spoke the language incorrectly

you were allowed to make mistakes.

And the more mistakes you made,

the more your parents smiled.

Learning to speak was not something you were sent somewhere to do

only a few times a week.

And the majority of the people you spoke to

were not beginners.

They were already proficient speakers.

Imagine your parents forcing you to only speak to other babies

until you were good enough to speak to them.

You would probably be an adult before you could carry on a proper conversation.

language

embracing

communication

approach

Music is a powerful 1.______ tool - it causes us to laugh, cry, think and question. Bassist and five-time Grammy winner, Victor Wooten, asks us to 2.______ music the same way we learn verbal 3.______ - by 4. ______mistakes and playing as often as possible.

True or false according to Victor? Listen and check.

1. Music and language are completely different things.

2. Music has to be understood to be effective.

3. Music is often not treated the same way we treat language.

4. Music is usually taught using a very strict method.

5. Music should be taught more informally - like we teach spoken language.

6. The more mistakes you make when learning to speak, the more your parent encourage you.

7. If we learned music the same way we learn to speak, we'd learn faster and more naturally.

8. Kids who grow up in a musical family often learn music slower.

9. There are no 'wrong notes' when you just play from the heart.

10. Many music teachers don't let their students 'say' anything through their music.

Vocab:

regiment
tutelage
proficient
to carry on a proper conversation
to jam (improvise)
air guitar (pretending to play the guitar with your hands)
accomplished

Go to Lesson:

Music as a Language

Language focus: listen (with headphones if possible) and fill the gaps

1. ___ music and verbal languages serve the ____ purpose.

2. In some ________ music works better than the spoken word because it doesn't ___ __ __ understood to be __________.

3. _________ many musicians agree that music is a language, it is rarely treated as ____.

4. ____ _____ you spoke the language incorrectly, you were allowed to make mistakes.

5. And ___ ____ mistakes you made, ___ _____ your parents smiled.

6. In the beginning, ________ mistakes ______ __ correcting them.

7. There ___ no wrong notes.

8. to play and perform with accomplished musicians ___ a _____ basis.

9. ___ _____ they play, ___ _____ they will practice on their own.

10. Remember that a language works ____ when we ____ something interesting to say.

11. ____ many rules ___ the onset will actually slow them down.

12. In my _____, the approach to music should be the same. _____ ___, music is a language too.

Review of language covered

Practice comparative phrases and structures

The...the... comparatives

Thursday, May 7, 2026

Say A little Prayer

wake up

put on

stay

take

combing

Answer

say

love

believe

riding

part

run

must

wear

The moment I ____________

Before I ___________ my makeup (makeup)
I __________ a little prayer for you
And while _________ my hair now
And wondering what dress to ___________ now (wear now)
I say a little prayer for you

(Forever) forever (forever) yeah
(You'll __________ in my heart and I will love you)
(Forever) forever (and ever) ever
(We never will__________, oh, how I love you)
(Together) together, (together) together
(That's how it _________ be, to live without you)
(Would only mean heartbreak for me) Ooh

I _________ for the bus, dear
When while _________ I think of us, dear (us, dear)
I say a little prayer for you
And at work I just __________ time
And all through my coffee break time (break time)
I say a little prayer for you

(Forever) forever (forever) and ever
(You'll stay in my heart and I will love you)
(Forever) forever (and ever) ever
(We never will part, oh, how I love you)
(Together) together, (together) together
(That's how it must be, to live without you)
(Would only mean heartbreak for me)
Nobody but me

(Forever) forever (and ever) ever
(You'll stay in my heart and I will love you)
(Forever) forever (and ever) ever
(We never will part, oh, how I love you)
(Together) together, (together) together
(That's how it must be to live without you)
(Would only mean heartbreak for me)

My darling, _________ me (believe me)
For me there _________ no one but you
Please __________ me true
I'm in love with you (answer my prayer)
_________ my prayer, baby (answer my prayer)
Say you'll love me true (answer my prayer)
Answer my prayer, baby (answer my prayer)

(Forever) forever (and ever) ever
(You'll stay in my heart and I will love you) ever
(Forever) forever (and ever) ever
(We never will part, oh, how I love you)
(Together) together, (together) together
(That's how it must be to live without you)
(Would only mean heartbreak for me)
Oh, nobody but me

My darling, believe me (believe me)
For me there is no one but you
Please love me true

This is my prayer (answer my prayer)
Answer my prayer now, baby (answer my prayer, baby)
This is my prayer (answer my prayer, baby)
Answer it right now, baby (answer my prayer, baby)
Say you'll love me true (answer my prayer, baby)
This is my prayer, baby (answer my prayer, baby)
I'm in love with you (answer my prayer)

Wednesday, May 6, 2026

Emotions

Sad

Unhappy, Down, Blue, Upset, Lonely, Crying, Low, Hurt

Sentence 1:
After everyone left the party early, he felt very ________ sitting in the quiet room.

Sentence 2:
When her pet was sick, she felt ________ and didn’t want to play.

Angry

Mad, Cross, Annoyed, Upset, Grumpy, Mean, Rude, Tense

Sentence 1:
When she found out someone had taken her bag without asking, she was really ________.

Sentence 2:
He felt ________ when his sister kept changing the TV channel.

Afraid

Scared, Nervous, Worried, Shy, Tense, Panicky, Afraid, Jumpy

Sentence 1:
The sudden bang made the cat ________ and run out of the room.

Sentence 2:
She felt ________ walking alone in the dark hallway.

Happy

Glad, Smiling, Cheerful, Excited, Pleased, Calm, Joyful, Content

Sentence 1:
The children were ________ on the morning of their school trip and couldn’t sit still.

Sentence 2:
After finishing his homework early, he felt ________ and relaxed.

Try this!

Interactiv e map

Talk about things that...

Test your emotional EQ

relief awe boredom fear embarrassment

triumph disgust rage exhilaration contentment

amusement despair realisation

What makes you feel disgust?

What makes you feel exhilaration?

What makes you feel despair?

What makes you feel embarrassment?

What makes you feel awe?

What makes you feel rage?

What makes you feel relief?

What makes you feel contentment?

What makes you feel fear?

What makes you feel amusement?

What makes you feel triumph?

What makes you feel boredom?

What makes you feel realisation?

Which emotion being shown in the images below?

Triumphdisgustrageexhilarationcontentmentamusementdespairrealisationreliefaweboringfearembarrassment

• r_g_

• exhi__aration

• con__entment

• amuse__ t

• de__air

• re__ief

• b__ring

• fe__r

• em__arra__ment

triumph disgust rage exhilaration contentment

amusement despair realisation

relief awe boring fear embarrassment

1. She felt _______ when she heard her friend was okay.

2. He looked at the tall mountains in _______.

3. The movie was so _______ that I fell asleep.

4. She felt _______ when she saw a big dog running toward her.

5. He felt _______ when he tripped in front of everyone.

6. They felt ________ after winning the game.

7. She felt ______ when she saw the dirty dishes.

8. He was filled with _____ when someone cut in line.

9. Riding the roller coaster gave her a feeling of _______.

10. He felt ______ while eating his favorite meal.

11. The funny clown brought _________ to the party.

12. She felt _______ when she lost her favorite toy.

13. He had a ________ that he forgot his homework at home.

Shades of Emotion

What is the lizard feeling?

What is the dog feeling?

Discuss different types of animals

Which animals can feel...

guilt

anger

love

fear

joy

boredom

despair

hope

shame

jealousy

gratitude

insignificance

You accidentally break your friend’s favorite headphones and try to hide it, but you can’t stop thinking about it all day.
What emotion do you feel?
Someone keeps interrupting you while you’re trying to explain your idea to the class, and eventually you snap at them.
What emotion do you feel?
Your little sister runs toward you after school and hugs you tightly because she missed you.
What emotion do you feel?
You wake up in the middle of the night after hearing a loud noise downstairs and you’re too scared to get out of bed.
What emotion do you feel?
Your team scores the winning point in the final seconds of the game, and everyone jumps up cheering.
What emotion do you feel?
You are stuck inside on a rainy weekend with nothing to do and no one to talk to.
What emotion do you feel?
You study hard for an important exam but still fail, and it feels like nothing you do makes a difference.
What emotion do you feel?
You’ve been practicing for months, and even though the competition is tough, you believe you might finally succeed.
What emotion do you feel?
You trip and fall in front of a large group of students who start laughing.
What emotion do you feel?
Your best friend starts spending all their time with someone else, and you feel left out.
What emotion do you feel?
A classmate helps you understand a difficult math problem before the test without expecting anything in return.
What emotion do you feel?
You look up at the night sky full of stars and suddenly feel very small compared to the size of the universe.
What emotion do you feel?

Emotions (in random order):

Hope
Jealousy
Joy
Guilt
Insignificance
Anger
Gratitude
Fear
Shame
Love
Despair
Boredom

Think of a time you felt guilty. What exactly were you telling yourself about what you “should” have done differently?
Remember a moment when you felt ashamed. Did you believe you had done something wrong — or that you were somehow wrong?
When you last felt anger, what boundary of yours had been crossed?
Describe a recent fear. Was it about something that was actually happening, or something that might happen?
Recall a time you felt deep joy. What made that moment feel meaningful rather than just fun?

Think about a time you felt jealous. What did that situation reveal about what you wish you had?
When have you felt truly grateful? How did that feeling affect the way you treated the other person afterward?
Describe a moment of boredom. What did your mind start craving in that silence?
Have you ever felt despair? What thoughts made the situation feel permanent or hopeless?
When have you felt hopeful even when things were difficult? What helped you hold onto that hope?

Dolphins singing

Questions to chat about...

How are you today?

Do you feel happy easily? (too easily?)

Do you feel sad easily?

What's the most frustrating thing for you lately?

Try to guess the word: first letter "a"

_________ adj.

VERBS be, feel, look, seem, sound He sounded very ______ on the phone. | become, get, grow | make sb

ADV. deeply, extremely, highly, very | increasingly | a little, quite, rather, slightly | visibly

PREP. about She's ______ about getting there on time. | at She started to grow ________ at the sight of the spider.

PHRASES in an _______ state By now he was in a very _______ state.

Sadness

Do you think these feelings are “sad”?

Nostalgia/ / nostalgic

Overwhelmed

Sick at heart

Devastation / devastated

Grumpiness / grumpy

Ennui

Sentimentality / sentimental

Isolation / isolated

Solitude / solitary

4

try using them in a sentence...

Today I feel ____________ because ___________...

I'm a bit ___________ today because _____________...

______________ makes me feel so ______________....

Lately I've been feeling rather ______________ because...

idioms for feeling sad

down in the dumps

in low spirits

feeling out of sorts

Are you moody? Is is a bad thing to be moody?

Are you easily manipulated?

What's your passion? What are your biggest passions?

What is a 'pet hate' of yours? (something you really hate)

Do you panic sometimes? What helps you calm down?

Guess the missing word: first letter "h"

________ adj.

VERBS be, feel, lie, look, seem, stand, watch John felt completely ______. He lay _______ in the hospital ward. | become | leave sb, render sb He was left _______ and alone. She was rendered _______ by panic.

ADV. absolutely, completely, quite, totally, utterly | apparently, seemingly | physically

PREP. against She was _______ against his strength. | before Kirk stood ______ before this giant of a man. | in the face of feeling _______ in the face of all these rules and regulations

Guess the missing word: first letter "c"

ADV. desperately, extremely, very | increasingly She was watching the clock and becoming increasingly ______. | a bit, a little, quite, rather, slightly, somewhat | genuinely | naturally, understandably Final-year students are naturally ______ about getting work after graduation. | unduly There's no need to get unduly ______ on my account. | suddenly

PREP. about I'm becoming very _____ about my son. | for We are extremely _____ for her safety.

What is your biggest fear?

Fear

Think of three words that mean the roughly same as "fearful"

Now write three sentences with those words

I often get _______________ when _____________...

Every time _______________ happens, I can't help feeling ________________.

When I feel _____________, I find it helps to _____________...

Find words on the wheel related to fear and try to memorise them

Write as many words related to fear as you can remember:

idioms for feeling afraid

to jump out of your skin

going white as a ghost

shaking like a leaf

scared stiff

paralysed with fear

Find words on the wheel related to anger and try to memorise them

Write as many words related to anger as you can remember:

use some of these words in a sentence:

________________ really makes me feel _____________...

I get so ______________ when _______________...

When I'm ________________ I ______________...

If people __________________, I get ___________ and I ____________...

Don't ever ________________ or I'll get extremely _____________ and _____________...

idioms for being angry

seeing red

beside yourself

makes your blood boil

Which emotion is more powerful, fear or anger?

Joy

The last time I was ____________ was when _______________...

Nothing makes me feel more ____________ than ______________...

Today I'm feeling very ____________ because _____________...

Today I'm not feeling ____________ at all, because_____________

Synonyms:

Review of 24 adjectives of emotion

Speaking practice:

Personality

Emotions

Imagine you're catching up after not seeing each other for two years.

One of you is showing an emotion that appears in the wheel. Think of a reason WHY you feel this way. The other can't see the wheel and has to figure out how you're feeling and why.

Personality test

Review of 60 personality adjectives

Guess the missing word:

first letter "h"