The Dog Translator: ESL Partner Speaking Mystery (B1–B2)

The Director's birthday cake has disappeared. Everyone blames the intern. The only witness is Biscuit the dog, and the dog translator is broken. What is Biscuit trying to say?

HOW IT WORKS

This is a partner speaking mystery for pairs. Student A has the dog trainer's notebook: four bark sentences and what they meant. Student B has the broken translator (three words) and the dog's new message. Neither sheet solves the mystery alone: A doesn't have the message, and B's three words are not in it. Students keep their sheets secret, ask and answer questions in their own words, compare what they find out and work out what each bark means and translate the message. The answer is fixed and fully explained in the answer key.

LEVEL AND LANGUAGE

Written for English learners at CEFR B1–B2, grades 5–8. Language focus: spelling and checking (Is that R-U-F-F?) and deduction (RUFF is in both cake sentences, so it must mean …).

PREP AND TIMING

Print page 2 for each Student A and page 3 for each Student B. Keep pages 1 and 4 for yourself. No cutting and no extra materials. About 25 minutes.

THE INSTITUTE OF UNLIKELY SCIENCE

One of five mysteries set in the same very strange research institute. No science knowledge is needed: the science is silly, the thinking is real.

WHAT'S INCLUDED (1 PDF, 4 pages, full colour)

• Page 1: Teacher notes (level, timing, language focus, steps, an early-finisher idea and support/challenge tips)
• Page 2: Student A sheet
• Page 3: Student B sheet
• Page 4: Answer key with the reasoning (teacher only)

LICENCE

Purchase grants the purchasing teacher permission to use this resource in their own teaching and to print copies for their own students.

You may not resell, redistribute, share the digital file with other teachers, or upload it to publicly accessible websites. Each teacher who wishes to use the resource must purchase their own copy.