Jordan Smith loves playing video games. He started playing Call of Duty on a laptop. Now, he works with games all the time. He shows that you can turn playing games into a job. He says it’s important to work hard and meet other gamers.

If you want to make gaming your job, there are some things to do. Make lots of different game videos. Keep making videos often so people watch you. Talk to other gamers and people who make games. This can help you find new chances to work with games.

Original news source: Five tips for turning gaming from a hobby to a job (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades
Instructions: Write down key words from the article on separate pieces of paper (e.g., video games, Call of Duty, laptop, job, work hard). Have students take turns picking a word and acting it out without speaking, while the rest of the class guesses which word it is.

– News Summary
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. Ask one student in each pair to summarize the article about Jordan Smith to their partner. Encourage the use of their own words and keep it brief. Then, have the pairs switch roles.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write down vocabulary words from the article (e.g., gamers, videos, chances) on the board. Have students take turns coming to the board to draw a quick sketch to represent the word while the rest of the class guesses which word it is.

– Think-Pair-Share
Instructions: Ask the students to think about a time when they turned a hobby into a job or something they would like to turn into a job in the future. Have them share their thoughts with a partner. Then, select a few students to share their ideas with the whole class.

– Headline Creation
Instructions: In small groups, ask students to come up with a catchy headline for an article about turning a hobby into a job, like Jordan Smith did. Encourage them to be creative and use some of the key words from the article. Have each group share their headline with the class.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What does Jordan Smith love to do?
2. How did Jordan start playing Call of Duty?
3. What does Jordan do with games now?
4. Why does Jordan say it’s important to work hard?
5. What should you do if you want to make gaming your job?
6. Why is it important to make lots of different game videos?
7. How can talking to other gamers and game makers help you?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Jordan Smith loves playing video (1)______. He started playing Call of Duty on a (2)______. Now, he works with games all the time. He shows that you can turn (3)______ games into a job. He says it’s (4)______ to work hard and meet other gamers.

If you (5)______ to make gaming your job, there are some things to do. (6)______ lots of different game videos. Keep making videos often so people watch you. Talk to other gamers and people who (7)______ games. This can help you find new chances to (8)______ with games.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is a video game?
2. Do you like playing video games?
3. How would you feel if you could play video games all day for your job?
4. Do you know anyone who plays video games a lot?
5. What do you think about making videos about games?
6. Why do you think it’s important to work hard if you want to make gaming your job?
7. How often should you make videos if you want people to watch you?
8. Do you think talking to other gamers is a good idea? Why or why not?
9. What do you think about working with games?
10. How can talking to people who make games help you?
11. Do you think it’s fun to meet other gamers? Why or why not?
12. Why is it important to keep trying new things if you want to make gaming your job?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. video
2. laptop
3. job
4. important
5. gamers
6. different
7. often
8. talk
9. chances
10. work

Meanings:
(A) To use words with someone
(B) Something that matters a lot
(C) A small computer you can carry around
(D) People who play games
(E) Not the same
(F) Something you do to earn money
(G) Happening many times
(H) A moving picture you can watch on a screen
(I) To do something, like a task or activity
(J) Opportunities to do something new
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What does Jordan Smith love to do?
(a) Play basketball
(b) Cook
(c) Sing
(d) Play video games

2. How did Jordan start playing video games?
(a) On a laptop
(b) On a phone
(c) On a TV
(d) On a tablet

3. What does Jordan do with games now?
(a) Eats them
(b) Throws them away
(c) Works with them
(d) Ignores them

4. What does Jordan say is important if you want to make gaming your job?
(a) Work hard and meet other gamers
(b) Sleep all day
(c) Watch TV all day
(d) Eat candy all day

5. What should you do to make gaming your job?
(a) Read books all day
(b) Go for a walk all day
(c) Clean your room all day
(d) Make lots of different game videos

6. How often should you make videos if you want people to watch you?
(a) Never
(b) Sometimes
(c) Often
(d) Rarely

7. Who should you talk to if you want to work with games?
(a) Your pets
(b) Other gamers and people who make games
(c) Strangers on the street
(d) Your toys

8. How can talking to other gamers and people who make games help you?
(a) Find new chances to watch TV
(b) Find new chances to work with games
(c) Find new chances to sleep
(d) Find new chances to eat candy

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Keep making videos often so people watch you.
2. He stopped playing Call of Duty on a laptop.
3. Now, he rarely works with games.
4. It’s important to work hard if you want to make gaming your job.
5. He demonstrates that you cannot transform playing games into a job.
6. Jordan Smith dislikes playing video games.
7. Make lots of different game videos if you want to work with games.
8. Talking to other gamers and game makers can help you find new job opportunities.
Go to answers ⇩

📝 Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. What does Jordan Smith love to do?
2. How did Jordan turn playing video games into a job?
3. What should you do if you want to make gaming your job?
4. Why is it important to make lots of different game videos?
5. How can talking to other gamers and people who make games help you?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What does Jordan Smith love to do?
Jordan Smith loves playing video games.

2. How did Jordan start playing Call of Duty?
Jordan started playing Call of Duty on a laptop.

3. What does Jordan do with games now?
Now, Jordan works with games all the time.

4. Why does Jordan say it’s important to work hard?
Jordan says it’s important to work hard to achieve success.

5. What should you do if you want to make gaming your job?
If you want to make gaming your job, you should make lots of different game videos and talk to other gamers and game makers.

6. Why is it important to make lots of different game videos?
It’s important to make lots of different game videos so people watch you and you can show your skills.

7. How can talking to other gamers and game makers help you?
Talking to other gamers and game makers can help you find new opportunities to work with games and grow your career.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) games
(2) laptop
(3) playing
(4) important
(5) want
(6) Make
(7) make
(8) work
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. video
Answer: (H) A moving picture you can watch on a screen

2. laptop
Answer: (C) A small computer you can carry around

3. job
Answer: (F) Something you do to earn money

4. important
Answer: (B) Something that matters a lot

5. gamers
Answer: (D) People who play games

6. different
Answer: (E) Not the same

7. often
Answer: (G) Happening many times

8. talk
Answer: (A) To use words with someone

9. chances
Answer: (J) Opportunities to do something new

10. work
Answer: (I) To do something, like a task or activity
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What does Jordan Smith love to do?
Answer: (d) Play video games

2. How did Jordan start playing video games?
Answer: (a) On a laptop

3. What does Jordan do with games now?
Answer: (c) Works with them

4. What does Jordan say is important if you want to make gaming your job?
Answer: (a) Work hard and meet other gamers

5. What should you do to make gaming your job?
Answer: (d) Make lots of different game videos

6. How often should you make videos if you want people to watch you?
Answer: (c) Often

7. Who should you talk to if you want to work with games?
Answer: (b) Other gamers and people who make games

8. How can talking to other gamers and people who make games help you?
Answer: (b) Find new chances to work with games
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Keep making videos often so people watch you. (Answer: True)
2. He stopped playing Call of Duty on a laptop. (Answer: False)
3. Now, he rarely works with games. (Answer: False)
4. It’s important to work hard if you want to make gaming your job. (Answer: True)
5. He demonstrates that you cannot transform playing games into a job. (Answer: False)
6. Jordan Smith dislikes playing video games. (Answer: False)
7. Make lots of different game videos if you want to work with games. (Answer: True)
8. Talking to other gamers and game makers can help you find new job opportunities. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧