Stories for English Learners

10. See Eye to Eye

Aprende expresiones idiomáticas y phasal verbs con las historias de este detective.

This English mystery course features 11 lessons full of expressions (idioms, phrasal verbs, etc.) and characters that your intermediate to advanced students will grow to love. Each episode features a dialogue between the famous Detective Bossley and one of his prime suspects. 10. See Eye to Eye.

Juan Carlos Martinez
December 1, 2022
Idioms Course
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Detective’s Log

Valerie thinks I’m barking up the wrong tree by questioning all of these students. In her eyes, I should be questioning some of the staff. She has a point. There’s no proof that our prankster is a student, even though I’m sure it’s an inside job. I’ve read through all of the teacher bios in the yearbook, and nobody stands out. It looks like I’m going to have to chat with the principal again.

Exercise A

Vocabulary for the story

Audio

Difficulty: Intermediate (B2)

Audio

Transcript

DETECTIVE BOSSLEY: Good morning, Mrs. Davidson. Any phone calls from our prankster yet? I keep meaning to check the phone logs.

PRINCIPAL DAVIDSON: Nothing yet. Are you getting any closer to finding our guy?

DETECTIVE BOSSLEY: What makes you so sure it’s a guy we’re looking for, Mrs. Davidson?

PRINCIPAL DAVIDSON: It’s just an expression, Detective. I didn’t mean anything by it. And please, it’s Ms., not Mrs. Actually, you can just call me Amber

DETECTIVE BOSSLEY: I apologize. Look, Amber, I’ve been meaning to ask you about the staff. Is there anyone who has a bone to pick with you at the moment?

PRINCIPAL DAVIDSON: Teachers? [sounds surprised] I assure you, I get along with all of the teachers here, Detective.

DETECTIVE BOSSLEY: So you see eye to eye with all of them?

PRINCIPAL DAVIDSON: Well, there is one teacher who tries to rock the boat. But, he…

DETECTIVE BOSSLEY: Go on. I promise to give him the benefit of the doubt.

PRINCIPAL DAVIDSON: It’s Leo. Sorry, I mean Mr. Eaton. He teaches the ESL class.

DETECTIVE BOSSLEY: ESL as in English as a Second Language?

PRINCIPAL DAVIDSON: Correct. Let’s just say he doesn’t always go by the book. And I mean that quite literally.

DETECTIVE BOSSLEY: Is that so? So he likes to go about things his own way when it comes to teaching?

PRINCIPAL DAVIDSON: Right. Even though he likes to make waves, he always has good reasons. He wants the best for his students. He’s just not a big fan of course books.

DETECTIVE BOSSLEY: Can you think of any reason why Mr. Eaton would want to cause a disturbance at the school?

PRINCIPAL DAVIDSON: Nothing comes to mind. His English learners are improving by leaps and bounds this term, though. That’s another mystery.

DETECTIVE BOSSLEY: I think I’ll have a word with him just in case. I doubt anything will come of it. Please keep your eyes peeled for any students causing trouble.

PRINCIPAL DAVIDSON: I’ll be on the lookout for any funny business. [Alarm sounds] Here we go again.

Exercise B

Comprehension

Why does Detective Bossley mention the principal’s telephone?
Which of the following is true about Principal Davidson based on the dialogue?
a) She’s married to one of the teachers.
b) She gets along with all of the teachers.
c) She believes the prankster is male.
d) She’s in Mr. Eaton’s bad books.
What does Principal Davidson say about Mr. Eaton’s students?
a) Their English is very poor.
b) They have improved a lot recently.
c) They have a bone to pick with their teacher.
d) They’re involved in a lot of funny business.
True or False? Mr. Eaton is a prime suspect in Detective Bossley’s eyes.

Exercise C - Writing

Writing Task: “The Role of Innovative Teaching Methods in Enhancing Student Performance”

Instructions:

Carefully read the provided story about the conversation between Detective Bossley and Principal Davidson at Mountain Berry High.

Write an essay discussing the role of innovative teaching methods in enhancing student performance, using Mr. Eaton as an example.

Be sure to include at least 3 phrasal verbs from the story or any others you have learned in class. The phrasal verbs from the story include:

have a bone to pick
see eye to eye
go by the book

In your essay, address the following points:

What are the potential benefits of using innovative teaching methods, like those employed by Mr. Eaton, in improving student performance?
How can innovative teaching methods help students with diverse learning needs, such as those in an ESL class, to better engage with the material and succeed academically?
What challenges might teachers face when implementing unconventional approaches in the classroom, and how can they address these challenges?
How can school administrators, like Principal Davidson, support teachers in exploring and adopting innovative teaching methods while ensuring that educational standards are maintained?

Write a minimum of 250 words and a maximum of 500 words.

Remember to check your grammar, spelling, and punctuation before submitting the task. Use appropriate academic language and structure your essay with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Good luck!