What Do Actors Do?
Module
Jobs People do
Unit
Actors’ skills
Programme outline
Glen, Emma, Rebecca and Tim are back to the acting class. Their teacher Albert
shows them videos of their acting. Rebecca took part in a film playing the role of an
old man in the street. Tim acted as a news reporter in a TV studio. Glen can sing and
dance well so he got a role as a singer singing in a theatre. Emma did voice-overs for
animated characters in a sound recording studio. Is their teacher Albert satisfied with
their performances?
Key Stage 2 Learning Targets
To develop an ever-improving capability to use English
~ to develop an awareness of the basic sound patterns of English and an enjoyment of
imaginative texts through activities such as singing songs, reading news and
presenting short simple play (E.S.a)
~ to converse about feelings, ideas and experiences (I.S.b)
Communicative functions
1. Use appropriate intonation, tone of voice and speed to convey intended meanings
and feelings, etc., in drama activities
2. Learn about the vocabulary related to acting such as theatre, studio, etc.
3. Describe simple processes and situations and conditions related to acting, e.g.,
rehearsal, make-up, costume fitting
4. Give a simple account of past events and what people did in the past
Suggested activities
1. Introduce the characters: Albert the teacher and his four students in the acting class,
Emma, Tim, Rebecca and Glen.
2. Introduce the programme briefly and then watch it together.
3. Draw pupils’ attention to what the students do and where they work in the video.
For example, Tim works in a TV studio but Emma works in a sound recording
studio. Emma puts on a lot of make-up to make her look old. And Glen has to wear
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woman’s clothes to sing onstage. The vocabulary related to actors’ work and
workplaces are highlighted on screen.
4. Also, ask pupils to listen to how the characters say their lines in their performances.
For example, Glen sings like a diva onstage. Tim reads out the news with a tone of
newscasters although he looks more like a comedian in the end. Emma voices a
generous lion and a brave mouse in a short animation with precision. Rebecca has
to speak hoarsely like an old man but with dignity. The use of voice with the right
tone, intonation in drama activities is what pupils have to learn when learning to
speak English for different occasions.
5. After watching the programme, teacher can explain with the pictures in
COPYMASTER 1a the various workplaces of actors. Related vocabulary items
are introduced.
1. TV Studio
2. Sound Recording Room
3. Make-up Room
4. Theatre
In COPYMASTER 1b, pupils choose from the words provided and fill in the
blanks that best describe the pictures in which actors are preparing for their work.
Answers:
1. Putting on make-up
2. Hair setting
3. Costume fitting
4. Rehearsal
6. Then, teacher tells pupils to discuss in a group of four the best actor in the
programme. In COPYMASTER 2, pupils have to write and state the reasons for
their choices in the space provided. All answers are acceptable.
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COPYMASTER 1
What Do Actors Do?
Part 1a. Where do actors work?
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Part 1b. What do actors do? Choose and write in the box.
voice-over
costume
hair
make-up
rehearsal
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COPYMASTER 2
What Do Actors Do?
Who is the best actor? Discuss and write.
a. Tim as a news reporter
b. Emma doing voice-overs
c. Glen as a female singer
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d. Rebecca as an old man
Who is the best actor?
The best actor is ________________________________________
It is because____________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
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