If I Were A Boy

K E S L L E S S O N P L A N

DECEMBER 2008

IF I WERE A BOY Language Function:

discussing issues; listening

Vocabulary/Topic:

men and women; relationships

Grammar Focus:

second conditional sentences

S T U D E N T W O R K S H E E T

This lesson requires a recording of Beyoncéʼs song: If I Were a Boy

UPPER- INTERMEDIATE

focus on talking Activity 1. Ask and answer the questions. How important is gender in todayʼs society? What sort of issues does gender influence? Do roles of men and women differ much in the country you come from? If given a chance, would you like to be a man or a woman? Why? Based on your experience, who has it better: men or women ... - ... in childhood? - ... at school? - ... in a relationship? - ... in a marriage? - ... at work? Explain why. Look at the statistics presented by Equal Opportunities Commission (UK). What do these findings tell us about the changes in gender roles in British society?

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In 1975, women represented one third of higher education students. In 2005, girls were outperforming boys at school and represented 56% of those in higher education. The number of women in the workforce has increased by a third since 1975. In 1975, less than 2% of managers were women. In 2005 one third of managers were women. The average household income has increased by around £200 since the mid 1970s. Fathers today spend nearly two hours a day on child-related activities, compared with 15 minutes 30 years ago.

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If I Were a Boy

UPPER-INTERMEDIATE

Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat. A week's holiday requires only one suitcase. Queues for the toilet are 90% shorter. You can open all your own jars. Old friends don't give you crap if you've lost or gained weight. Dry cleaners and haircutters don't rob you blind. When channel surfing, you don't have to stall on every shot of someone crying. Your last name stays put. You can leave a hotel bed unmade. You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness. You never have to clean the toilet. Or oven. You can be showered and ready in 10 minutes. Your underwear is £5 for a three pack. You understand why Beavis and Butthead is funny. You don't have to shave below your neck. Chocolate is just another snack. You can understand the offside rule in football. Three pairs of shoes are more than enough for most of your life. You can boast about the number of people you've slept with. You don't give a toss if noone notices your new haircut. You can remember the punchlines to jokes. You know at least 20 ways to open a beer bottle. You can sit with your knees apart no matter what you are wearing. Same work....more pay. Gray hair and wrinkles add character. The remote is yours and yours alone. People never glance at your chest when you're talking to them. You can buy condoms without the shopkeeper imagining you naked. If an other bloke shows up at the party in the same outfit, you might become lifelong buddies. You can teach your friend's children swear words. New shoes don't cut, blister, or mangle your feet. You can't get pregnant.

More erogenous zones. Maternity Leave - six months paid holiday and all you have to do is have a baby You can scare male bosses with mysterious gynaecological disorders. Beats the dentist every time on the scale of skiving excuses. You get to flirt with systems support men who will always return your calls, and will be nice to you when you blow up your computers. You would have got off the Titanic first. You can wear power suits and stilettos, and get called 'ball breakers' behind your back. You are never expected to refill the water cooler. You can do better stuff with your hair, and.... ... you don't go bald after your 26th birthdays. You don't grow nose hair. You can wear open-toed sandals in the summer, with no real fear of social ostracism. You can wear wigs and be fashionable. You are allowed to wear skirts and trousers. You have total control over your eyebrows. You can be groupies. Male groupies are stalkers. It's cool to be a daddy's girl. It's sad to be a mummy's boy. Who really controls the population? You can cry and get off speeding fines. You can go all weak and therefore carry fewer bags home from Sainsbury's. You are statistically less likely to get caught when you have affairs. You don’t have to pay for your dinner. You always get rings when you get engaged and married. You can surprise people by being good at darts... and pool..and football. You get drunk quicker, and cheaper. You can pretend to be pregnant and get lots of attention on buses... ... or you can be pregnant and get lots of attention everywhere. Women's mags give better free gifts. You don't have to leave early on a Saturday night to get home in time for match of the day. You can wear pink.

Why it is better to be a woman

Why it is better to be a man

Activity 2. Female students - look at the reasons why it is better to be a man. Which of them would appeal to you? Male students - look at the reasons why it is better to be a woman. Which of them would appeal to you?

adapted from www.fertilityfriends.co.uk

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If I Were a Boy

UPPER -INTERMEDIATE

focus on listening Activity 3. Listen to the song, in which the singer imagines what she would do, and what her life would be like if she were a man. List as many of her expectations as you can.

If I were a boy, I would

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focus on listening Activity 4. Listen again and decide whether the statements below are true or false. 1. The singer probably broke up with her boyfriend because he cheated on her. 2. The singer believes that if she were a man, she would be a better man than the one she broke up with. 3. Being a man is much harder than being a woman.

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4. The singer took her boyfried for granted. 5. The singer wants her boyfriend to come back.

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If I Were a Boy

UPPER-INTERMEDIATE

focus on vocabulary Activity 5. Find these words and expressions in the lyrics. 1. to be told what you donʼt want to hear, often because it is about something bad you have done

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2. to act in a selfish way, giving priority to your own needs

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3. to support or defend someone, especially when they are being criticized

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4. to fail to appreciate somebody or show how much we benefit from them

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5. to hang out, relax, chill out with somebody

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6. to try very hard to persuade a girl to have a relationship with you

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If I Were a Boy If I were a boy Even just for a day I’d roll out of bed in the morning And throw on what I wanted and go Drink beer with the guys And chase after girls I’d kick it with who I wanted And I’d never get confronted for it. Cause they’d stick up for me.

If I were a boy I would turn off the phone Tell everyone it’s broken So they’d think that I was sleeping alone I’d put myself first And make the rules as I go Cause I know that she’d be faithful Waiting for me to come home (to come home)

[Chorus] If I were a boy I think I could understand How it feels to love a girl I swear I’d be a better man. I’d listen to her Cause I know how it hurts When you lose the one you wanted Cause he’s taking you for granted And everything you had got destroyed

(Chorus)

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Year: 2008 Artist: Beyoncé

But you’re just a boy You don’t understand Yeah you don’t understand How it feels to love a girl someday You wish you were a better man You don’t listen to her You don’t care how it hurts Until you lose the one you wanted Cause you’ve taken her for granted And everything you have got destroyed But you’re just a boy

It’s a little too late for you to come back Say it’s just a mistake Think I’d forgive you like that If you thought I would wait for you You thought wrong (Chorus)

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