I find the best way to introduce a chapter in a coursebook is with a short playlet or dialogue which tries to use most of the chapter's vocabulary and concepts in context in a simple, involving, light and amusing way before they hit the book.. This works particularly well in weaker classes, one can read it to them, then hand it out to be read by them, silently, or out loud in pairs, ask for volunteers to read it out loud, (I've found in fact they tend to volunteer spontaneously, and I'm talking mabar and weaker here) and so on.

So I am attaching two such dialogues, one based on Perspectives, the other on Encounters I, and which people may find useful, as introduction, or revision, or whatever. My classes enjoyed them.

(This work comes out of my background in drama, comedy, and interest in Seal's suggestopaedia.)

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YORAM:	Hi, you're Guy aren't you? You are new here. Welcome to the school.
GUY:	Thank you. You are Yoram, aren't you?
YORAM:	Yes.
GUY:	I must say, I was really impressed with you in the mathematics class yesterday.
YORAM:	Impressed with me? Why ?
GUY:	Well, you didn't do the homework, and the teacher saw it. But when his voice boomed out at you angrily, you just did not care.
YORAM:	So? What is so impressive about that?
GUY:	Well, you told the teacher you did not care about homework, and to leave you alone.
YORAM:	So?
GUY:	And then when his voice boomed out at you in anger again, you told him to go stick his head in a bucket of water. Wow!!
YORAM:	Well. I only told him the truth. I believe the teacher has to respect my right not to learn, if I do not want to.
GUY:	I agree, he has to respectour rights. But aren't you worried about failing the test next week.
YORAM:	No. Anyway, how do you like it here?
GUY:	Well, the kids are nice and the girls are pretty, like Adi and Hofit.
YORAM:	Yes, and so is Noa, even if she seems to be smiling in a dream all the time.
GUY:	Yes. But the schoolwork!! I am just overwhelmed by all the schoolwork. I cannot do it.
YORAM:	Yes, I know exactly what you mean.
GUY:	At my old school it wasn't so bad. But here the teacher just gives you too much material to learn.
YORAM:	True, true.
GUY:	(ALMOST SCREAMING) I can't do it all, I'm going crazy. I will never be ready for the test next week!!
YORAM:	Hey, take it easy. Don't be so upset.
GUY:	What do you mean, don't be so upset? How would you feel if you came to a new school and you were way behind everybody in the studies?? Would you feel comfortab le? No!!
Yoram:	All I'm saying is there is no need to be so upset.
GUY:	That's easy to say. I'm under so much pressure. I try to study at night and I cannot even concentrate on my books. I don't sleep well.
YORAM:	Wow, that's really bad, and unhealthy.
GUY:	Thanks a lot. You're a big help.
YORAM:	O.K., OK, but I can help you solve your problem.
GUY:	What are you, the school counsellor? You don't even do your homework!!
YORAM:	True. But I can concentrate on my studies if I want to. Look, school pressure is very common among students, there is nothing special about it.
GUY:	Yes, but we have tests next week already, and I did not learn with the same books as you in my old school.
YORAM:	Let me explain something to you. You know I miss about half of the classes, I just do not come to class if I do not want to.
GUY:	I know. You miss a lot of classes. The teachers are always asking where you are.
YORAM:	So, do I look worried? No I don't. Do you want to know why I don't care?
Guy:	Because you are crazy ??
Yoram:	No. I have decided not to continue at school next year. Life is for having fun, not for suffering in school.
Guy:	Wow. Don't you think you should think about it a bit more, and weigh all the options?
Yoram:	I already weighed all the options. And my best option is to leave school and have fun!!	G
Guy:	Maybe you could go to an external school. But how does this help me? Are you telling me to leave and go to an external school??
YORAM:	No, I'm not trying to convince you to leave school. You must do what is right for you. But I am going to pass the tests next week, and so are you.
GUY:	But how? You don't do homework and you miss a lot of classes.
YORAM:	Well, I'll tell you what you have to do. I recommend you get very friendly with Naomi.
GUY:	You recommend that I get friendly with Naomi?? Why??
YORAM:	Don't argue. Take her out to a movie, go to a disco, dance slow and close. Give her a nice time. Start tonight!
GUY:	But I need to study.
YORAM:	Relax. Naomi always gets top marks in the tests. Then, in the test you sit next to her, and she will give you all the answers.
GUY:	But that's cheating.
YORAM:	Smart guy!! Do you want to pass the tests or not??

	The scene is a disco. A boy sees a really, really beautiful and sexy girl standing at the bar, and he goes over to her.
He:		Hi.
She:		Hi.
He:		Would you care to dance?
She:		Maybe. It depends.
He:		Depends on what?
She:		How many children do you want to have?
He:		What! Say, I hardly know you and ….
She:		I know, and I barely know you. I do not even know your name.
He:		Oh, well, I am …
She:		Wait!! There are more important things first! Now, how many children do you want to have?
He:		Well……. I know, that is for my future wife to decide. I will not dictate to her how many children to have. I will never be a dictator.
She:		Good answer. I like it. You do not think it is the husband's role to dictate to his wife.
He:		Yes, I always say it is the husband's role to make his wonderful wife happy!! So can we dance now?
She:		Not quite yet, I really must know your definition of a good father first.
He:		Definition of a good father??? Can't we dance first? As yet, we hardly know each other and ….
She:		Look, I know you want to dance with me, and I appreciate it.
He:		Great, I'm glad you appreciate it. I think you are the loveliest girl I have ever seen.
She:		Good. And you want to hold me close while we dance, right? Tell the truth!!
He:		Er…. well to be perfectly honest, yes.
She:		Good, I like an honest man.
He:		Great !! So let's dance.
She:		Wait, and after we dance, if you like me, you will ask me to go out with you. Right?
He:		Yes, I suppose so.
She:		And then you will try to kiss me.
He:		Er …..well …..
She:		Do you want to kiss me or not!!
He:		Yes, yes I do.
She:		And if the kissing is nice you will want to gradually develop a relationship with me.
He:		True.
She:		Over time we would slowly, gradually get to know each other.
He:		I guess so.
She:		You said I am the loveliest girl you have ever seen. Do you want to get to know me or not???
He:		Oh yes, yes, of course I do.
She:		So then one day, if we got on well, you would ask me to marry you.
He:		Hey!!
She:		So we would get married and have children.
He:		Hey, wait. We hardly, barely know each other at all, and you are talking about marriage!
She:		I know, I know. I am just saying, if we developed a relationship, it could happen, couldn't it??
He:		Yes, yes. It certainly could. Can we dance now??
She:		So it is important to know now what kind of father you would be. Would you be a burden on your children's lives and make them miserable and unhappy, or not?
He:		Why must you know now?? Let's dance first.
She:		Why should I wait till we marry to find out if I have to divorce you? If you are a rotten father we will fight, and then we will have to separate and live in different houses. What will happen to our chi ldren if we separate? Who will they live with?
He:		Uh ??
She:		If I find out now, I can know whether it is even worth starting the whole process of dancing and kissing and going out angetting married and fighting and separating and then having to make arrangements f or the children …
He:		I see. Well, it makes a kind of sense, and you really are incredibly beautiful. You have the loveliest pair of eyes I have ever seen. Ok, go ahead, what the hell, ask your questions. Let the truth emerge!!
She:		Good boy. Ok, as a father, what kind of disciplinarian will you be?? Will you hit your children if they behave badly??
He:		Never!! I do not believe in that kind of discipline. If my child's behaviour is bad I will talk to him. I will listen to him. I will be his audience for anything he ever wants to tell me or talk a bout.
She:		I see - the father as audience for his child.
He:		Yes, I believe that this is a really important role for a father, just to listen.
She:		Yes, I see you are a very intelligent and wise man.
He:		Great. I'm glad you admire my wisdom. Can we dance now?
She:		Not quite yet. It is important to remember that parents affect their children's lives drastically.
He:		I do agree. I think that raising children is one of the most important, significant things you can do in your life.
She:		You know I was impressed before with what you said about not being a hard disciplinarian.
He:		Good.
She:		However when you say this about raising children, I'm doubly impressed with you !
He:		Great, can we dance now??
She:		Wait. Children also need somebody with authority in their lives, somebody to tell them what to do.
He:		Oh yes, yes they do. Well, I would be an authoritative father. I would teach them right from wrong !!
She:		Good. How?
He:		How ??
She:		Yes, how ?
He:		Well … I would be …. authoritative, and , er, um …I would tell them that in no circumstances should they ever knowingly hurt someone, or steal !!
She:		Very good.
He:		And I would explain in what circumstances you should lie.
She:		What, tell a lie instead of the truth? What kind of wisdom is that ??
He:		Look, you should never hurt someone in any circumstances, right ?
She:		Right.
He:		So sometimes you have to lie in order not to hurt a person's feelings.
She:		Oh, I see. This is an unfamiliar idea for me. Can you give me an example of circumstances where you might need to lie??
He:		Sure, I'll explain the concept of what we call a good, or white lie.
She:		Good. It sounds a very interesting concept.
He:		If you had been born in different circumstances, and to different parents, you might not be so incredibly beautiful.
She:		It's possible, go on.
He:		Strange as it might sound, you might even be ugly. But if you asked me how you looked, I would not hurt your feelings, I would not say you were ugly!! Never!!
She:		I see.
He:		It hurts a person's confidence and sense of security if you say such things. And you should never do that.
She:		Yes.
He:		I think it is a parent's job to make his child feel secure in life. If you feel secure you can do anything.
She:		You are right. Everybody needs self-confidence and security to survive in life.
He:		And it is the parent's job to give it to their children. Can we dance now?
She:		Almost. I can see you would be a protective father and protect your children. But the economic side is also important - if there is no money it is a problem.
He:		Of course.
She:		So, I must know. Are you ambitious, what do you want to be? Will you be satisfied to be just an ordinary worker, or do you want to be something more?
He:		My ambition in life is to be a rich successful lawyer. It is what I have always dreamed of. Can we dance now?
She:		Why just dance? You sound just perfect to me. Let's go back to my place now!!
He:		YES!!!
She:		And if you like my cooking we can get married tomorrow !!