Search form

  • A1 speaking

Homework problems

Sam needs help with his homework.

Instructions

Do the preparation exercise first. Then watch the video and follow the instructions to practise your speaking.

Preparation

Makayla: Hi Sam. How are you? Sam: Oh … Hi Makayla. I’m fine. Makayla: What’s up? Sam: Well, I haven’t done my French and maths homework … and I don’t know what to do. Makayla: Oh, don’t worry. I’ll help you … OK … For French, write an email to your French friend about your weekend … and for … Sam: Stop! Stop! Wait a minute. Can you say that again? Makayla: OK. Write an email to your French friend. Sam: Write an email … OK. Makayla: Yes … about your weekend. Sam: Do you mean a special weekend? Makayla: No, no. Just a typical weekend … you know … what you normally do at the weekend. Sam: OK. And for maths? Makayla: For maths … erm … it’s pages 27 and 28 from the book and revise everything for the exam next week. Sam: Hang on! Can you repeat that? Makayla: Yeah. Pages 27 and 28 from the book and revise for the exam. Sam: Exam? What exam? Makayla: You know, the end of term exam? It’s next Tuesday! Sam: Ohhh … OK, thanks a lot, Makayla!

Makayla: Hi Sam. How are you? Sam: Oh … Hi Makayla. I’m f___. Makayla: What’s up? Sam: Well, I haven’t done my French and maths homework … and I d___ k___ what to d__. Makayla: Oh, don’t worry. I’ll help you … OK … For French, write an email to your French friend about your weekend … and for … Sam: Stop! Stop! Wait a m_____. Can you s__ that a____? Makayla: OK. Write an email to your French friend. Sam: Write an email … OK. Makayla: Yes … about your weekend. Sam: D__ y__ mean a special weekend? Makayla: No, no. Just a typical weekend … you know … what you normally do at the weekend. Sam: OK. And for maths? Makayla: For maths … erm … it’s pages 27 and 28 from the book and revise everything for the exam next week. Sam: Hang on! Can you r_____ t___? Makayla: Yeah. Pages 27 and 28 from the book and revise for the exam. Sam: Exam? W___ exam? Makayla: You know, the end of term exam? It’s next Tuesday! Sam: Ohhh … OK, t_____ a l__, Makayla!

Check your understanding: true or false

Check your understanding: gap fill, check your understanding: gap fill typing, worksheets and downloads.

Did you like this video? What new phrases have you learned?

bbc english homework

Sign up to our newsletter for LearnEnglish Teens

We will process your data to send you our newsletter and updates based on your consent. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of every email. Read our privacy policy for more information.

  • Print and make

Do you like learning about new things in English? We have lots of activity sheets about many different topics. Download and print the worksheets to do puzzles, quizzes and lots of other fun activities in English.

bbc english homework

Acrostic poems

bbc english homework

Chinese zodiac

bbc english homework

Christmas food in the UK

bbc english homework

Digital citizenship

bbc english homework

Doing chores

bbc english homework

Elderly people

bbc english homework

Fairy tales

bbc english homework

Flag design

bbc english homework

Free-time activities

bbc english homework

Helping the environment

bbc english homework

Looking after pets

bbc english homework

Musical instruments

bbc english homework

New Year's Eve

bbc english homework

New Year’s resolutions

bbc english homework

Olympic and Paralympic games

bbc english homework

Pencil case

Presents

T-shirt design

bbc english homework

Typical dish

bbc english homework

English courses for children aged 6-17

Sign up to our newsletter for free learning tips and resources

We will process your data to send you our newsletter and updates based on your consent. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of every email. Read our privacy policy for more information.

  • Professional development
  • Managing resources

The role of homework

Homework seems to be an accepted part of teachers’ and students’ routines, but there is little mention of it in ELT literature.

bbc english homework

The role of homework is hardly mentioned in the majority of general ELT texts or training courses, suggesting that there is little question as to its value even if the resulting workload is time-consuming. However, there is clearly room for discussion of homework policies and practices particularly now that technology has made so many more resources available to learners outside the classroom.

Reasons for homework

  • Attitudes to homework
  • Effective homework
  • Types of homework
  • Homework is expected by students, teachers, parents and institutions.
  • Homework reinforces and helps learners to retain information taught in the classroom as well as increasing their general understanding of the language.
  • Homework develops study habits and independent learning. It also encourages learners to acquire resources such as dictionaries and grammar reference books. Research shows that homework also benefits factual knowledge, self-discipline, attitudes to learning and problem-solving skills.
  • Homework offers opportunities for extensive activities in the receptive skills which there may not be time for in the classroom. It may also be an integral part of ongoing learning such as project work and the use of a graded reader.
  • Homework provides continuity between lessons. It may be used to consolidate classwork, but also for preparation for the next lesson.
  • Homework may be used to shift repetitive, mechanical, time-consuming tasks out of the classroom.
  • Homework bridges the gap between school and home. Students, teachers and parents can monitor progress. The institution can involve parents in the learning process.
  • Homework can be a useful assessment tool, as part of continual or portfolio assessment.

Attitudes to homework Teachers tend to have mixed feelings about homework. While recognising the advantages, they observe negative attitudes and poor performance from students. Marking and giving useful feedback on homework can take up a large proportion of a teacher’s time, often after school hours.

  • Students themselves complain that the homework they are given is boring or pointless, referring to homework tasks that consist of studying for tests, doing workbook exercises, finishing incomplete classwork, memorising lists of vocabulary and writing compositions. Where this is actually the case, the negative effects of homework can be observed, typified by loss of interest and a view of homework as a form of punishment.
  • Other negative effects of poorly managed homework include lack of necessary leisure time and an increased differential between high and low achievers. These problems are often the cause of avoidance techniques such as completing homework tasks in class, collaborating and copying or simply not doing the required tasks. In turn, conflict may arise between learners, teachers, parents and the institution.

Effective homework In order for homework to be effective, certain principles should be observed.

  • Students should see the usefulness of homework. Teachers should explain the purpose both of homework in general and of individual tasks.
  • Tasks should be relevant, interesting and varied.
  • Good classroom practice also applies to homework. Tasks should be manageable but achievable.
  • Different tasks may be assigned to different ability groups. Individual learning styles should be taken into account.
  • Homework should be manageable in terms of time as well as level of difficulty. Teachers should remember that students are often given homework in other subjects and that there is a need for coordination to avoid overload. A homework diary, kept by the learner but checked by teachers and parents is a useful tool in this respect.
  • Homework is rarely co-ordinated within the curriculum as a whole, but should at least be incorporated into an overall scheme of work and be considered in lesson planning.
  • Homework tends to focus on a written product. There is no reason why this should be the case, other than that there is visible evidence that the task has been done.
  • Learner involvement and motivation may be increased by encouraging students to contribute ideas for homework and possibly design their own tasks. The teacher also needs to know how much time the students have, what facilities they have at home, and what their preferences are. A simple questionnaire will provide this data.
  • While homework should consolidate classwork, it should not replicate it. Home is the outside world and tasks which are nearer to real-life use of language are appropriate.
  • If homework is set, it must be assessed in some way, and feedback given. While marking by the teacher is sometimes necessary, peer and self-assessment can encourage learner independence as well as reducing the teacher’s workload. Motivating students to do homework is an ongoing process, and encouragement may be given by commenting and asking questions either verbally or in written form in order to demonstrate interest on the teacher’s part, particularly in the case of self-study and project work.

Types of homework There are a number of categories of useful and practicable homework tasks.

  • Workbook-based tasks Most published course materials include a workbook or practice book, mainly including consolidation exercises, short reading texts and an answer key. Most workbooks claim to be suitable for both class and self-study use, but are better used at home in order to achieve a separation of what is done in class and at home. Mechanical practice is thus shifted out of class hours, while this kind of exercise is particularly suited to peer- or self-checking and correction.
  • Preparation tasks Rarely do teachers ask learners to read through the next unit of a coursebook, though there are advantages in involving students in the lesson plan and having them know what is coming. More motivating, however, is asking students to find and bring materials such as photographs and pictures, magazine articles and realia which are relevant to the next topic, particularly where personalisation or relevance to the local context requires adaptation of course materials.
  • Extensive tasks Much can be gained from the use of graded readers, which now often have accompanying audio material, radio and TV broadcasts, podcasts and songs. Sometimes tasks need to be set as guidance, but learners also need to be encouraged to read, listen and watch for pleasure. What is important is that learners share their experiences in class. Extensive reading and listening may be accompanied by dictionary work and a thematic or personalised vocabulary notebook, whereby learners can collect language which they feel is useful.
  • Guided discovery tasks Whereas classroom teaching often involves eliciting language patterns and rules from learners, there is also the option of asking learners to notice language and make deductions for themselves at home. This leads to the sharing of knowledge and even peer teaching in the classroom.
  • Real-world tasks These involve seeing, hearing and putting language to use in realistic contexts. Reading magazines, watching TV, going to the cinema and listening to songs are obvious examples, offering the option of writing summaries and reviews as follow-up activities. Technology facilitates chat and friendship networks, while even in monolingual environments, walking down a shopping street noticing shop and brand names will reveal a lot of language. As with extensive tasks, it is important for learners to share their experiences, and perhaps to collect them in a formal or informal portfolio.
  • Project work It is a good idea to have a class or individual projects running over a period of time. Projects may be based on topics from a coursebook, the locality, interests and hobbies or selected individually. Project work needs to be guided in terms of where to find resources and monitored regularly, the outcome being a substantial piece of work at the end of a course or term of which the learner can claim ownership.

Conclusion Finally, a word about the Internet. The Web appears to offer a wealth of opportunity for self-study. Certainly reference resources make project work easier and more enjoyable, but cutting and pasting can also be seen as an easy option, requiring little originality or understanding. Conferring over homework tasks by email can be positive or negative, though chatting with an English-speaking friend is to be encouraged, as is searching for visual materials. Both teachers and learners are guilty of trawling the Net for practice exercises, some of which are untried, untested and dubious in terms of quality. Learners need guidance, and a starting point is to provide a short list of reliable sites such as the British Council's  LearnEnglish  and the BBC's Learning English  which provide a huge variety of exercises and activities as well as links to other reliable sources. Further reading Cooper, H. Synthesis of Research on Homework . Educational Leadership 47/3, 1989 North, S. and Pillay, H. Homework: re-examining the routin e. ELT Journal 56/2, April 2002 Painter, L. Homework . English Teaching Professional, Issue 10, 1999 Painter, L. Homework . OUP Resource Books for Teachers, 2003

First published in October 2007

Mr. Steve Darn I liked your…

Mr. Steve Darn I liked your method of the role of the homework . Well, I am one of those laggard people. Unfortunately, when it comes to homework, I definitely do it. Because, a student or pupil who understands new topics, of course, does his homework to know how much he understands the new topic. I also completely agree with all of Steve Darn's points above. However, sometimes teachers give a lot of riff-raff homework, just like homework is a human obligation. This is a plus. But in my opinion, first of all, it is necessary to divide the time properly, and then to do many tasks at home. Only then will you become an "excellent student" in the eyes of the teacher. Although we live in the age of technology, there are still some people who do not know how to send homework via email. Some foreign teachers ask to send tasks by email. Constant email updates require time and, in rare cases, a fee. My above points have been the cause of constant discussions.

  • Log in or register to post comments

exam and certificate

Setting homework, busy work or homework, setting homework.

I could not agree more!

Homeworks are an excellent way to revise and learn.

However, students are not likely to accept homeworks. That is why, as you claimed, the homeworks need to be useful, to have purpose.

I like your idea of ,, Real-world tasks,, since they definitely involve their background knowledge and such a type of homework is interesting and contemporary!

I totally agree. I am one of those teachers who give a lot of homework, and sometimes pupils don't like it. But homework help a lot. I mostly prefer project works, especially to upper levels.

I want to learn more about upper English specially law and business English all terms and words that we can use when we are making business.

Research and insight

Browse fascinating case studies, research papers, publications and books by researchers and ELT experts from around the world.

See our publications, research and insight

Listening

Here you can find activities to practise your listening skills. Listening will help you to improve your understanding of the language and your pronunciation.

The self-study lessons in this section are written and organised by English level based on the Common European Framework of Reference for languages (CEFR). There are recordings of different situations and interactive exercises that practise the listening skills you need to do well in your studies, to get ahead at work and to communicate in English in your free time. The speakers you will hear are of different nationalities and the recordings are designed to show how English is being used in the world today.

Take our free online English test to find out which level to choose. Select your level, from A1 English level (elementary) to C1 English level (advanced), and improve your listening skills at your own speed, whenever it's convenient for you.

Choose your level to practise your listening

A1 listening

A1 listening

A2 listening

A2 listening

B1 listening

B1 listening

B2 listening

B2 listening

C1 listening

C1 listening

Learn to listen with confidence.

Our online English classes feature lots of useful learning materials and activities to help you listen and respond with confidence in a safe and inclusive learning environment.

Practise listening to your classmates in live group classes, get listening support from a personal tutor in one-to-one lessons or practise by yourself at your own speed with a self-study course.

Explore courses

Online courses

Footer:Live classes

Group and one-to-one classes with expert teachers.

Footer:Self-study

Learn English in your own time, at your own pace.

Footer:Personalised Tutor

One-to-one sessions focused on a personal plan.

Footer:IELTS preparation

Get the score you need with private and group classes.  

IMAGES

  1. BBC Compacta class 7 Classroom assignment...40

    bbc english homework

  2. BBC Learning English

    bbc english homework

  3. BBC Learning English

    bbc english homework

  4. BBC Learning English

    bbc english homework

  5. English Homework

    bbc english homework

  6. BBC Learning English

    bbc english homework

COMMENTS

  1. BBC Learning English

    START A COURSE NEW SERIES LEARN ENGLISH FROM THE NEWS LEARN NEW VOCABULARY QUIZZES AND LEVEL TESTS BUSINESS ENGLISH STORIES FOR CHILDREN Find Everything FREE ENGLISH COURSES Easy English -...

  2. Primary resources, homework help and online games

    Primary resources, homework help and online games - BBC Bitesize England Early years KS1 KS2 KS3 GCSE Functional Skills Northern Ireland Foundation Stage KS1 KS2 KS3 GCSE Scotland Early Level...

  3. Home

    Age 11 to 16 Careers Skills and jobs Teachers BBC Teach Revise for your exams with BBC Bitesize All the support you need for your GCSEs, Highers and National exams in 2024, with exam-style and...

  4. BBC Learning English

    This is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I'm Phil. Georgie ... Here she is telling BBC World Service's, The Food Chain, how eating well needn't cost a fortune:

  5. KS3 English

    KS3 English learning resources for adults, children, parents and teachers.

  6. BBC Learning English

    Try something different Find Everything FREE ENGLISH COURSES Easy English - level 1 | Easy English - level 2 Medium English - level 1 | Medium English - level 2 Hard English - level 1 |...

  7. BBC Learning English

    Inspiring language learning since 1943 English Change language Courses Easy Courses Courses Medium Courses Courses Hard Courses Courses Grammar Easy Grammar Grammar Medium Grammar Grammar Hard...

  8. GCSE and secondary resources for KS3 and KS4

    Games for Key Stage 3 students. Divided Islands - Maths game. KS3 MATHS | AGES 11-14. Atomic Labs - Science game. KS3 SCIENCE | AGES 11-14. Planet Planners - Geography game. KS3 GEOGRAPHY | AGES ...

  9. BBC Learning English

    Spelling. 1. We usually form ordinal numbers by adding the suffix -th to cardinal numbers: 2. If we are writing using numbers, which we often do for dates and numbers over 10, we simply add the ...

  10. BBC Learning English

    Welcome! 25 Sep 2014. This is the first unit of our lower-intermediate course - so we'll go easy on you. Over the next few sessions, you'll meet some of our presenters, learn some informal ways of ...

  11. BBC Learning English

    Learn English with the BBC. We publish new videos, podcasts, tutorials and lessons every week to help you learn and improve your English speaking, listening, vocabulary and pronunciation ...

  12. How to get into a good homework routine

    Our Homework Helpline heroes are comedians Louise Young, Inel Tomlinson, and actor Lenny Rush - happy to help! Video Transcript Five expert tips for forming a good homework routine Do it ASAP...

  13. LearnEnglish Teens

    Welcome to LearnEnglish Teens LearnEnglish Teens is brought to you by the British Council, the world's English teaching experts. If you want to learn English while having fun, this free website is just for you.

  14. BBC Learning English

    BBC Learning English - English at Work More... English at Work Intermediate level This is a new animated series that focuses on English communication in the office. With a great cast of...

  15. Learn English Online

    Start learning Grammar Revise and practise your grammar to improve your language level and increase your confidence. Clear and simple grammar explanations to help you revise and practise different grammar points. Online exercises to help you check your understanding of the grammar points.

  16. Homework problems

    Preparation Connection Error Transcript Check your understanding: true or false Check your understanding: gap fill Check your understanding: gap fill typing Worksheets and downloads Homework problems - exercises 213.31 KB Homework problems - answers 190.09 KB Homework problems - transcript 198.8 KB Discussion Did you like this video?

  17. 6 Minute English / Why do we procrastinate?

    procrastination. delaying doing things that must be done until later, often because they are boring, difficult or unpleasant. without a shadow of a doubt. used to emphasise that you are completely ...

  18. Grammar

    Grammar Revise and practise your grammar to help you increase your confidence and improve your language level. Practise your English grammar with clear grammar explanations and practice exercises to test your understanding. The learning materials are organised into two sections, organised by English level .

  19. PDF 6 Minute English

    6 Minute English ©British Broadcasting Corporation 2018 bbclearningenglish.com Page 4 of 4 Neil So an adolescent might be responsible for adolescent behaviour in his or her adolescence. Rob Exactly. Neil Papers is the word for published scientific research. Rob Dogma is strongly held beliefs that are not challenged. Neil The prefrontal cortex is an important part of the brain which deals with ...

  20. Home

    Welcome to LearnEnglish Kids LearnEnglish Kids is brought to you by the British Council, the world's English teaching experts. We have lots of free online games, songs, stories and activities for children.

  21. Worksheets

    Worksheets Do you like learning about new things in English? We have lots of activity sheets about many different topics. Download and print the worksheets to do puzzles, quizzes and lots of other fun activities in English. ALL A B C D E F H L M N O P R S T W Y Acrostic poems Bicycle Birthdays Chinese zodiac Christmas Christmas food in the UK

  22. The role of homework

    Learners need guidance, and a starting point is to provide a short list of reliable sites such as the British Council's LearnEnglish and the BBC's Learning English which provide a huge variety of exercises and activities as well as links to other reliable sources. Further reading Cooper, H. Synthesis of Research on Homework.

  23. Listening

    Listening Listening Discover your current English level by taking our free online test Discover your level Here you can find activities to practise your listening skills. Listening will help you to improve your understanding of the language and your pronunciation.

  24. Salford City: Class of 92-owned League Two club looking for ...

    Salford City are in their fifth season as an EFL club. Class of 92-owned League Two side Salford City is looking to attract outside investment to help fund its ambition to become a Championship club.