Lesson 1501: At the Mall

Level: A1–A2
Topic: Shopping and Places in a Mall
Language Focus: Ordinal Numbers and Shops
Skills: Listening, Vocabulary, Speaking, Reading
Materials: Audio, worksheet, multiple-choice quiz, transcript puzzle

1. Vocabulary Warm-Up

Give students the worksheet.

Have them match the words with the pictures. The vocabulary includes common places in a mall, such as a bookstore, cinema, theater, and supermarket.

Briefly review the vocabulary before listening.

2. First Listening – Put the Pictures in Order

Play the conversation between Katie and Todd.

Students listen and number the pictures in the order the places are mentioned.

This gives students a simple task that keeps them engaged throughout the longer listening.

Afterward, have students compare their answers with a partner.

3. Memory Check + Second Listening

Give students the multiple-choice questions.

Before playing the audio again, have them try to answer the questions from memory based on the first listening.

Then play the conversation again.

Students listen for details and confirm or change their answers.

Check answers as a class.

4. Discussion – Shopping

Use the discussion questions at the bottom of the worksheet.

Students work in pairs or small groups and talk about shopping and places they like to visit.

You can extend the discussion with simple questions such as:

What shops do you like to go to?
What shops don't you like to go to?
What is your favorite place at the mall?

5. Language Focus – Ordinal Numbers

The conversation provides lots of natural examples of ordinal numbers:

first → first floor
second → second floor
third → third floor
fourth → fourth floor

Review the ordinal numbers and then ask students to listen for how Katie uses them to explain where different shops are located in the mall.

6. Transcript Puzzle – Choose the Correct Word

Have students read the conversation in pairs.

As they read, they choose the correct word to complete each part of the transcript.

Students can discuss their choices as they work through the conversation.

After they finish, play the audio again so they can listen and check their answers.

This activity can also be assigned for homework.

7. Optional Mobile Activity

The transcript puzzle is also available online.

Display the lesson page and generate a QR code for the page. Students scan the code and open the activity on their phones.

They can complete the puzzle and receive a score at the end.

Using the digital version can also reduce the number of worksheets you need to print.

8. Extension – Design Your Own Mall

Give students a blank sheet of paper.

Have them draw four simple sections representing:

First Floor
Second Floor
Third Floor
Fourth Floor

Students decide which shops they would put on each floor.

They can then work in pairs and explain their malls to each other:

The bookstore is on the first floor.
The cinema is on the third floor.
The supermarket is on the fourth floor.

Students can compare their malls and explain which one they would rather visit.

9. Answer Key

The worksheet includes an answer key for the teacher.

The multiple-choice answers also include timestamps showing exactly when each answer is spoken.

You can use these timestamps to quickly replay a section, pause after the answer, and check students' comprehension.

Suggested Lesson Flow

Vocabulary → First Listening → Picture Order → Memory Quiz → Second Listening → Ordinal Numbers → Transcript Puzzle → Discussion → Design a Mall

The Design Your Own Mall extension gives students a simple way to reuse both main language areas from the listening: places in a mall and ordinal numbers.