Real Estate Listing

Setup

You will need some paper or card for students to make posters with (at least A4 size). Optionally, you could also bring some magazines for students to cut pictures out of.

This project is usually completed individually, but can also be done in pairs.

Explain that a typical poster consists of four parts, and draw this template on the board:

– Picture, cut out or drawn (optional)
– Basic Specifications (price, location, size, number of bedrooms/bathrooms etc.)
– Description of House
– Description of Area

Highlight the use of target language in each section as appropriate.

Project

1. Students can find pictures from magazines as the basis for their property, or invent the property completely.
2. In their notebooks, students write down the basic specifications of the house (number of bedrooms etc.), a description of the house, and a description of the area.
3. Check each description, or have the students peer-correct.
4. The students produce a poster that shows their property and its features, using the target language. You could display the finished posters on the wall.
5. An optional extension is for students to compare the properties, with a partner and/or the whole class. This can be done as a writing or speaking exercise.

Target Language

The Real Estate Listing ESL project is a great way for beginner or low intermediate students to practise home vocabulary. Students should describe the rooms in the house, and the furniture it contains. They can also use comparatives and superlatives, both in the descriptions and in the comparison activity at the end.

Adjectives is another possible language focus, suitable for higher intermediate students too. In this case the focus should be on more detailed descriptions and specific vocabulary for this purpose (e.g. cosy, charming).

For further practice, try the Real Estate Agent activity, which follows on directly from this project.