Going to the Dentist - Speaking and Reading Skill Building Activities

Speaking Skill Builder 1: Symptoms & Sensitivities (Sentence Stems)

Goal: Express dental symptoms using correct structures (I have a..., My [tooth/gums]..., It hurts when...).

Activity 1: Structure Matching & Substitution Drill

Provide the following frame on the board. Drill using vocabulary cards (e.g., toothache, broken filling, swollen gums, sensitive teeth, cavity).

• Pattern A: "I have a / an [ symptom ]."

(e.g., "I have a toothache.")

• Pattern B: "My [ part ] is [ adjective ]."

(e.g., "My gums are swollen.")

• Pattern C: "It hurts when I [ verb phrase ]."

(e.g., "It hurts when I drink cold water.")

Activity 2: "Find Your Problem" Pair Drill

Student A picks a visual cue card (e.g., a picture of a broken tooth). Student B asks: "What's the matter?" Student A must use Pattern A, B, or C to describe it. Switch roles after 5 turns.

Skill Builder 2: Start & Duration (Time Frame Practice)

Goal: Distinguish between asking and answering about when a problem started (past simple point in time) vs. how long it has continued (duration).

Structural Scaffolding: Point in Time (Past Simple): Yesterday / Last night / On Monday / 2 days ago Question: "When did it start?" Answer: "It started two days ago." Duration (For + Time): For 2 days / For a week / For a few hours Question: "How long has it been hurting?" Answer: "It has been hurting for a week."

DENTAL CLINIC INTAKE LOG — PAIR WORK

SCHEDULE A (Partner A Sheet)

Directions: Answer Partner B's questions using "started [time] ago" or "for [time]". Ask Partner B questions to fill in the missing boxes (?) in your table.

Patient	Symptom	Start Time (When did it start?)	Duration (How long has it been hurting?)
Patient 1	Toothache	? (Ask Partner B)	For 3 days
Patient 2	Swollen gums	Last Tuesday	? (Ask Partner B)
Patient 3	Broken tooth	? (Ask Partner B)	For 24 hours
Patient 4	Sensitive teeth	Two weeks ago	? (Ask Partner B)
Patient 5	Lost filling	? (Ask Partner B)	For 12 hours

Questions to ask Partner B: "When did Patient 1's toothache start?" "When did Patient 3's tooth break?" "When did Patient 5 lose their filling?"

SCHEDULE B (Partner B Sheet)

Directions: Answer Partner A's questions using "started [time] ago" or "for [time]". Ask Partner A questions to fill in the missing boxes (?) in your table.

Patient	Symptom	Start Time (When did it start?)	Duration (How long has it been hurting?)
Patient 1	Toothache	3 days ago	? (Ask Partner A)
Patient 2	Swollen gums	? (Ask Partner A)	For 5 days
Patient 3	Broken tooth	Yesterday morning	? (Ask Partner A)
Patient 4	Sensitive teeth	? (Ask Partner A)	For 2 weeks
Patient 5	Lost filling	Last night	? (Ask Partner A)

Questions to ask Partner A:

·        "How long has Patient 2 had swollen gums?"

·        "How long has Patient 4 had sensitive teeth?"

·        "How long has Patient 5 had a lost filling?"

PART 1: SKILL-BUILDING TASKS

Skill Builder 1: Vocabulary in Context & Context Clues

Instructions: Read the short excerpts below. Use the clues in the sentences to match each bold word to its correct meaning.

1. "If you have a cavity, the dentist will clean the small hole in your tooth and put in a filling."
2. "When teeth are sensitive, drinking hot coffee or cold ice water can cause sharp pain."
3. "Gum disease causes swollen gums that look red and bleed easily when you brush."
4. "Regular check-ups allow the hygienist to clean plaque before it destroys your tooth enamel."
5. "You should limit sugary snacks like candy, eating them only on special occasions."

Bold Word		Correct Definition
1. Cavity	•	A. Enlarged, puffy, and inflamed
2. Sensitive	•	B. Routine examination by a health professional
3. Swollen	•	C. A small hole in a tooth caused by decay
4. Check-up	•	D. Keep something to a small or restricted amount
5. Limit	•	E. Easily hurt or feeling pain from hot or cold temperatures