Proverb Wisdom

by Agnieszka Szeżyńska

©

Macmillan Polska 2009 PHOTOCOPIABLE

Teacher’s Notes

First published online 22.01.09

Type of school: gimnazjum

Type of activity: pairwork: reading, speaking

Focus: proverbs from around the world

Level/age group: grade 2 (pre-intermediate)

Time: 20 min

Preparation: copy one Student's Worksheet per
pair of students

Procedure:

1. Read the sentences to your students and ask
them what they are. Try to elicit 'sayings',
'proverbs' or any explanation of why the
statements are more than just ordinary
sentences. Also, try to elicit that some proverbs
exist in many languages in almost exactly the
same or a very similar form, some, on the other
hand, are very culture - and language - specific.

An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
All roads lead to Rome.

2. Ask students if they know any more English
proverbs (or revise if any have been introduced).
Next, tell the students they are going to get to
know some proverbs from various cultures.

3. Give out the Student's Worksheets (one per
pair). Ask students to work in pairs and, for a
start, find three pairs of proverbs with similar
meanings.

KEY:

A sparrow in your hand is better than a dove on
your roof.
Better an egg today than a hen tomorrow.

An old friend is much better than two new ones.
Make new friends, but keep the old, one is silver,
the other is gold.

It is better to begin in the evening than not at all.
Better late than never.

4. Get feedback with the whole group. Next,

ask the same pairs to establish the meanings
of all the proverbs (you may want them to
come up with paraphrases in writing), and try
to match them to the countries/regions of
origin (some countries may be used more than
once).

4. When they finish working in pairs, ask each
pair to work with another pair and compare
and discuss their opinions about the meanings
and origins of the proverbs (and come to
agreement, if possible).

5. Check with the whole group and vote for
the group's favourite proverb.

An old friend is much better than two new
ones. (Russia)

A bird does not sing because it has an answer.
It sings because it has a song. (China)

A beautiful thing is never perfect. (Egypt)

It is better to begin in the evening than not at
all. (the UK)

Better an egg today than a hen tomorrow.
(Italy)

A sparrow in the hand is better than a dove on
your roof. (the UK/Poland also Germany)

Coffee should be black as Hell, strong as
death, and sweet as love. (Turkey)

He who has no intelligence is happy with it.
(South Africa)

Make new friends, but keep the old, one is
silver, the other is gold. (the UK)

Better late than never. (the UK/Poland)