Shopping for Shoes (Intermediate)

Practice on Your Own

Imagine you are living with a host family in a country where the language is spoken. You need to buy yourself different types of shoes because of the weather and the various activities that you will be doing.

• Practice what you have learned so far about shopping, such as words for store, to buy, to sell, a seller/shopkeeper, a buyer, money and to bargain, as well as colors. Listen to audio examples of how people converse when selling and buying things.
• Practice saying the different types of shoes such as sandals, boots, rain boots, slippers and others. Also practice your numbers to say the right size for your shoes. (Your shoe size in the host country will probably be different from your U.S. shoe size.)
• In your room, look around and practice saying aloud the colors of different objects. You can also use different pens and say their colors. Do the same when walking, naming the colors of people’s clothing as well as trees and flowers.
• Have in mind the type of shoe store that you would like to go to. If you are not quite sure of the store that will have the variety of shoes you need, prepare questions for your conversation partner asking them to offer suggestions for alternative stores. Make a list of the kinds of shoes that you would like to buy as well as their colors. Have a tentative budget to guide your spending.
• Plan ahead for your conversations in the store(s) with the shopkeeper(s). Think about different age groups and the appropriate greetings to use for each. How will you ask for what you need? How can you ask about prices?

Practice in Conversation Session

• Prepare to tell your conversation partner and fellow students the store(s) you want to visit and the shoes you intend to buy. They may ask you questions about the colors that you like for each pair of shoes for the various activities.
• Be prepared to role play situations in which your partner will play the role of shopkeeper(s) and you will be the buyer. Start your conversation with greetings that are culturally appropriate depending on the age of the shopkeeper. Role play your interaction with the person, asking for what you need and about the cost. If bargaining is allowed in this type of store, role play bargaining in your conversation as well.
• Have a follow‐up conversation with your conversation partner and fellow students, asking them to tell you the different shoes they put on when engaging in different activities. Ask them to say their favorite colors.