APIEClass activity: Fix-It Fashion Market
Fashion and the clothing industry
Answers and an explanation for each question appear once you add this activity to your own library.
Fix-It Fashion Market
Causative Role-Play Activity: have / get + something + done (V3/ed)
Rules of the Game
For the Teacher (Setup & Run)
- 1 Assign 4 Shopkeepers: Place 4 shop signs at 4 room corners and appoint specialist repairers.
- 2 Hand Out Customer Cards: Distribute 1 yellow problem card to each roaming student.
- 3 Clarify Movement & Scoring: Tell customers: after a shop serves you, swap your card with another customer and visit a new shop. Shopkeepers stay at their desk.
- 4 Run 5-Step Timer: Maintain active pace across the 20-minute simulation phases strictly.
- 5 Arbitrate with Key: Monitor errors using the Teacher Key and resolve disputes during debrief.
For Students (Goal & Points)
- 1 Identify Your Service: Read your yellow card problem and choose the correct specialized repair shop.
- 2 Order with Causative: Approach the counter and request repairs using "I need to have/get my [item] [V3/ed]."
- 3 Shopkeeper Confirms: Service provider validates the order: "We can have/get it [done] by..."
- 4 Score Points: Have the shopkeeper write your points on your card; the shopkeeper keeps the tally for the desk.
Timed Lesson Plan (Total: 20 Minutes)
Setup & Roles
Distribute cards & station 4 shopkeepers at corners.
Pattern Drill
Quick choral review of causative stems on the board.
Market Open
Free customer roaming, dialogue exchanges & peer grading.
Score Tally
Customers & shops finalize points on score tracking sheets.
Error Debrief
Teacher reviews frequent grammar slips and declares top pairs.
🏪 The 4 Specialist Shops
Printable Station Posters — Post in 4 corners of the classroom
Official Services Offered:
"Stitch and Sew: we shorten trousers and replace zips."
Official Services Offered:
"Shoe Fix: we mend shoe heels and clean leather bags."
Official Services Offered:
"Dry Clean Express: we clean wool coats and iron shirts."
Official Services Offered:
"Tailor Studio: we make suits to measure and make jackets smaller."
🏷️ 8 Printable Customer Cards
Cut along borders and distribute 1 card per customer student
Peer Scoring Rubric
Shopkeepers and peers award points after each customer transaction using this 3-point scorecard:
Causative Grammar Accuracy
Customer produces a grammatically sound sentence using have/get + object + V3/ed correctly.
Unit Vocabulary Integration
Naturally inserts at least one unit term: fabric, garment, trend, tailor, textile, label, alter, mend, disposable.
First-Choice Shop Accuracy
The customer identifies and walks directly to the accurate specialist shop on their very first attempt.
Sentence Starters & Target Vocabulary
Display these 6 prompt strips on the board to scaffold conversations:
"I'd like to have this garment altered because..."
"Could I get this zip replaced, please?"
"Can I have this wool coat cleaned by Friday?"
"You can have this mended by Friday afternoon."
"We can make your suit to your measurements."
"You can get it mended by Friday afternoon."
Teacher Master Key & Error Guide
Activity: Fix-It Fashion Market (20 minutes)
Shop 1: "Stitch and Sew: we shorten trousers and replace zips."
Shop 2: "Shoe Fix: we mend shoe heels and clean leather bags."
Shop 3: "Dry Clean Express: we clean wool coats and iron shirts."
Shop 4: "Tailor Studio: we make suits to measure and make jackets smaller."
Card 1: "Your jeans are too long."
Card 2: "The zip on your jacket is broken."
Card 3: "The heel of your shoe has come off."
Card 4: "Your leather bag is dirty."
Card 5: "Your wool coat has a stain on it."
Card 6: "Your shirt is full of creases."
Card 7: "You need a new suit for a wedding."
Card 8: "Your jacket is too big."
📌 Solution Mapping: Customer Cards to Specialist Shops
| Customer Card & Issue | Correct Shop | Required Causative Action |
|---|---|---|
| Card 1: Jeans too long & Card 2: Broken zip | 🪡 Stitch and Sew | have my jeans shortened / get the zip replaced |
| Card 3: Heel off & Card 4: Dirty leather bag | 👞 Shoe Fix | get this heel mended / have my leather bag cleaned |
| Card 5: Stained wool coat & Card 6: Creased shirt | 🧺 Dry Clean Express | have this coat cleaned / get my shirt ironed |
| Card 7: New wedding suit & Card 8: Jacket too big | ✂️ Tailor Studio | have a suit made to measure / get this jacket altered (made smaller) |
⭐ 4 Benchmark Model Sentences
Mistakes to Listen For (Intervene if heard)
- ✗ Missing V3/ed participle: Saying "I had my jacket alter" instead of "altered".
- ✗ Active voice avoidance: Saying "I want to shorten my trousers" instead of using the causative "have/get them shortened".
- ✗ Vocabulary confusion: Confusing alter (modifying fit/size of garments) with mend (repairing physical holes/tears).
Activity Variations & Differentiation
Sentence Starter Pass
Students can carry the printed Sentence Starter sheet directly into the shop to read aloud.
Fabric Inquiry Requirement
The shopkeeper must ask at least 1 follow-up question regarding fabric or textile care before accepting.
Taboo Card Words
Customers cannot say the specific words on the card (e.g. cannot say "jeans" or "long" – must paraphrase with synonyms).
Express Service Negotiation
Customers negotiate an express deadline: "Can I get it done within two hours?" with realistic extra fees.
Post-Market Closing Debrief Questions
Conclude the simulation with a 3-minute open discussion using these prompt cards:
Personal Habit & Service Frequency
Which repair or cleaning job do you most often have done in real life, and why?
Sustainability & Disposable Culture
How does getting garments mended or altered help reduce disposable fashion waste?
Modern Industry Trends
What trends are making traditional tailor and repair shops popular again?
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