Grade 7 English TRADITIONAL FASHION – LISTENING AND SPEAKING:LISTENING TO RESPOND Notes
ENGLISH: LISTENING AND SPEAKING — LISTENING TO RESPOND
Topic: Traditional Fashion (for learners aged 12 — Kenyan context)
- Listen to short descriptions about traditional clothes and respond correctly using grammar (short answers, WH-questions, tag questions).
- Use present simple and present continuous to talk about what people wear.
- Ask and answer politely about clothes and opinions.
Key vocabulary (Kenyan examples)
👗 👘 🧣 👕 — kitenge, kikoi, shuka (Maasai), kanzu, gomesi, leso
- kitenge — colourful printed cloth used as dresses, shirts, wraps
- shuka — the red checked cloth often worn by Maasai
- kanzu — long white robe worn by some men
- leso — small colourful cloth used as headwrap or baby sling
Grammar focus — forms to use when listening and responding
- Short answers (yes/no)
Example question: "Do you like this kitenge?"
Correct short answers:- Yes, I do. / No, I don't.
- Yes, she does. / No, she doesn't.
- Present simple vs present continuous
Use present simple for habits or facts: "They wear shukas in ceremonies."
Use present continuous for what someone is wearing now: "He is wearing a red shuka." - WH-questions
What? Where? Who? Why? How? — Example: "What is she wearing?" → "She is wearing a kitenge dress."
- Tag questions (checking information)
Use to confirm: "You like this shuka, don't you?" → "Yes, I do." / "No, I don't."
- Polite requests and opinions
Ask politely: "Could you tell me what he is wearing?" Give opinion: "I think the kitenge is colourful."
Model listening scripts (teacher reads aloud slowly)
Script 1 — At a school cultural day
"This morning, Jane is wearing a blue kitenge dress. She is carrying a small leso on her head. She likes colourful patterns."
Script 2 — A market scene
"Mr. Otieno wears a white kanzu today. The kitenge shirts are on the left. People are buying bright cloths for weddings."
Script 3 — A tourist asks
"Where did you buy this shuka? I like it a lot. It is red and blue and looks strong."
Questions and expected grammar responses (students answer after listening)
- From Script 1 — "What is Jane wearing?" → "She is wearing a blue kitenge dress." (present continuous)
- From Script 1 — "Does Jane like colourful patterns?" → "Yes, she does." (short answer)
- From Script 2 — "What is Mr. Otieno wearing today?" → "He is wearing a white kanzu." (present continuous)
- From Script 2 — "Where are the kitenge shirts?" → "They are on the left." (WH-question)
- From Script 3 — Teacher asks: "Did she buy the shuka yesterday?" (if teacher adds) → "No, she didn't." (past short answer)
Pair practice: Listening to respond (3 short tasks)
- Student A reads a short description (use one of the scripts). Student B listens and answers two questions using correct grammar. Swap roles.
- Student A shows an emoji card (👗, 🧣, 👕) and says, for example, "I am wearing a kikoi." Student B asks a WH-question: "Where are you wearing it?" or "Why are you wearing it?" Answer using full sentence.
- Tag question activity: Student A: "You like kitenge, don't you?" Student B practices short answers and adds one complete sentence: "Yes, I do. I like its colours."
Role-play (simple): At the cultural fair
Characters: Vendor and Visitor. Focus: present continuous, WH-questions, short answers.
Example lines to practise:
- Visitor: "Excuse me, what is this cloth called?" → Vendor: "It is a kitenge."
- Visitor: "Is it made in Kenya?" → Vendor: "Yes, it is."
- Visitor: "Can I try it on?" → Vendor: "Yes, you can. It looks lovely on you."
Mini assessment (teacher notes)
- Listen: Student answers WH-questions with a full sentence (check: present continuous vs simple present).
- Speak: Student gives correct short answers to yes/no questions (use subject and auxiliary).
- Observe: Student uses a tag question correctly in one pair activity.
Helpful tips for learners
- Listen carefully for verbs (is/are/does/do). They tell you which grammar to use.
- Answer in a full sentence after short answer to show understanding: "Yes, I do. I wear it to special days."
- Use polite language: "Could you tell me...?" or "Excuse me, what is this?"
Present continuous (now): "He is wearing a shuka." 👕⏳
Present simple (habit): "They wear kitenge at festivals." 🎉
Short answers: "Yes, I do." / "No, she doesn't." ✅❌
Use these notes in class: teacher reads short scripts clearly, students practise replying with the grammar forms above. Keep examples local (kitenge, shuka, kanzu) to make listening meaningful.