Everyday Dialogues

Going to the
Hairdresser
In this lesson, you will learn words and expressions related
to hairstyles. After this lesson, you will be able to express
what style or cut you want in an English-speaking salon.

Pre-Reading
A. Warm-Up Questions

1. Describe your current hairstyle.

2. Who usually cuts and styles your hair?

3. Describe the worst hairstyle you have ever seen.

B. Vocabulary Preview

Match the words on the left with the correct meanings on the right.

1. trim a) a certain look or appearance

2. style (noun) b) to think about something, to remember it is an important point
3. bangs c) damaged hair that is broken at the tips
4. split ends d) a quick cut that takes off the ends of the hair
5. layers e) streaks of a light colour that are placed on certain sections of hair
6. highlights f) the new growth of hair that comes out of the head
7. lowlights g) hair that covers the forehead and ends around eyebrow level
8. touch up h) short and long lengths of hair that give hair shape and volume
9. keep in mind i) streaks of a dark colour that are placed on certain sections of hair
10. roots j) to make something look good again after some time has passed

Copyright 2017, Red River Press Inc. For use by ESL Library members only. ( LO W I N T / V E R S I O N 4 . 0) 1
 Going to the Hairdresser
Everyday Dialogues

Dialogue Reading
Read the dialogue with your partner a few times. Take turns
being each character. Practise your intonation and pronunciation.
Circle any new words or phrases that you need to practise.

Hairdresser: What can I do for you today?

Customer: I’d like a cut and colour, please.

Hairdresser: Okay. Do you just want a trim, or are you looking for a new style?

Well, my bangs could use a trim, and I have a lot of split ends.
Customer:
I’d like some layers, too.

Sure. Now, about your colour. Do you want highlights,

Hairdresser:
a full colour, or are we just going to touch up your roots?

Customer: I’d like some highlights and lowlights.

Hairdresser: Great. Why don’t you look through some magazines while I get your colours mixed?

Customer: Thanks a lot. Please keep in mind that I don’t want my hair too short.

No problem. We’ll do the colour first and then we’ll do your cut.
Hairdresser:
I’ll teach you how to style it at the end.

Copyright 2017, Red River Press Inc. For use by ESL Library members only. ( LO W I N T / V E R S I O N 4 . 0) 2
 Going to the Hairdresser
Everyday Dialogues

Practice
Work with your partner. Role-play the dialogue on page 2,
substituting the different expressions below. Then switch roles.

1. What can I do for you today? 5. Now, about your colour.

• What brings you in today? • Let’s discuss your colour.

• So, what are we doing with your hair today? • Next, let’s talk about your colour.

2. D
 o you just want a trim, or 6. I ’d like some highlights and lowlights.
are you looking for a new style?
• a more modern look
• Are we just doing a simple cut today? • a more professional style
• Are you looking for something different • something easy to care for
today, or do you just want a trim? • to go dark for the winter
• How much do you want off? • to go a bit lighter than usual
• Are you looking for a change? • you to touch up my roots

3. Well, my bangs could use a trim... 7. Why don’t you look through some magazines...

• My bangs are in my face... • You could look through some magazines...

• I need my bangs trimmed... • If you want, you can check out our magazines...
• I’m not going to grow my bangs out after all... • Feel free to browse through some magazines...

4. I ’d like some layers, too. 8. I ’ll teach you how to style it at the end.

• My hair needs more volume. • Then I’ll teach you how to style it yourself.
• My hair is so lifeless. • Before you go, I’ll teach you
• I’d also like some different lengths. how to style it at home.

Copyright 2017, Red River Press Inc. For use by ESL Library members only. ( LO W I N T / V E R S I O N 4 . 0) 3
 Going to the Hairdresser
Everyday Dialogues

Listening Practice
Listen to the recording of the dialogue from page 2. Fill in the missing
words as you listen. Listen again. Now look back at page 2 and check your
work. Did you fill in the correct words? Did you spell everything correctly?

Hairdresser: What can I do for you today?

Customer: I’d like a cut and colour, please.

Okay. Do you just want a             ,

Hairdresser:
or are you looking for a new             ?

Well, my             could use a trim, and I have a lot of

Customer:
            . I’d like some             , too.

Sure. Now, about your colour. Do you want             ,

Hairdresser:
a full colour, or are we just going to             your roots?

Customer: I’d like some highlights and             .

Great. Why don’t you look through some

Hairdresser:
            while I get your colours mixed?

Customer: Thanks a lot. Please keep in mind that I don’t want my hair             .

No problem. We’ll do the colour first and then we’ll do your cut.
Hairdresser:
I’ll teach you             it at the end.

Copyright 2017, Red River Press Inc. For use by ESL Library members only. ( LO W I N T / V E R S I O N 4 . 0) 4
 Going to the Hairdresser
Everyday Dialogues

Vocabulary Review
Work with your partner. Classify the products, supplies, and actions
with the correct step during the visit to the hair salon. Some words
can go in more than one category. Check off each word as you use it.

——scissors ——trim OOspray bottle

OObleach ——highlights ——towel
——toner ——lowlights ——sink
——cap ——foil ——shave
——comb OOconditioner ——cape
——brush ——mirror ——chop
——shampoo ——perm ——hairspray
OOcurl ——blow-dry ——mousse

Colour Wash Cut Style

bleach conditioner spray bottle curl

Copyright 2017, Red River Press Inc. For use by ESL Library members only. ( LO W I N T / V E R S I O N 4 . 0) 5
 Going to the Hairdresser
Everyday Dialogues

Write Your Own Dialogue

Write a dialogue with your partner using phrases from page 3.
One of you will be a hairdresser and the other will be a customer.
Practise and present the dialogue to the class.

Copyright 2017, Red River Press Inc. For use by ESL Library members only. ( LO W I N T / V E R S I O N 4 . 0) 6
 Going to the Hairdresser
Everyday Dialogues

Review
Task 1

LISTEN & ANSWER

Listen to the conversation and answer the questions.

Your teacher will tell you if you have to write or say the answers.

1. What is the main purpose for the visit?

2. W
 hat type of cut does the customer need?
Identify two or three needs that are mentioned by the customer.

3. Will the hairdresser just touch up the customer’s roots?

4. Why does the hairdresser need to step away for a moment?

5. Summarize the three main things that the hairdresser will do (in the correct order).

Copyright 2017, Red River Press Inc. For use by ESL Library members only. ( LO W I N T / V E R S I O N 4 . 0) 7
 Going to the Hairdresser
Everyday Dialogues

Review cont.
Task 2

QUESTION FORMATION

A. Questions

Write five questions a hairdresser might ask you.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

B. Answers

Write five possible answers to the hairdresser’s questions.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Task 3

ROLE-PLAY

Find a partner. Imagine that you are the customer and your partner
is the hairdresser. Use your questions to do a role-play for your teacher.

Copyright 2017, Red River Press Inc. For use by ESL Library members only. ( LO W I N T / V E R S I O N 4 . 0) 8
 Going to the Hairdresser
Everyday Dialogues

Answer Key
LESSON DESCRIPTION: LEVEL: Low Int / CLB 3–4

In this lesson, a customer goes to a hair salon TIME: 1.5 hours

to get a cut and colour. Students learn vocabulary
TAGS:  everyday dialogues, hair, fashion, style, cut, colour,
and expressions to use when at the hairdresser’s.
salon, hairdresser, preferences, CLB, LINC, PBLA

Pre-Reading Listening Practice

A. WARM-UP QUESTIONS Have students complete the dialogue by listening

to the recording or by having two students read
Discuss as a class or in small groups. Answers will vary.
the completed dialogue from page 2.

B. VOCABULARY PREVIEW

1. d 3. g 5. h 7. i 9. b CLB Skill Competencies

2. a 4. c 6. e 8. j 10. f Listening: I. Interacting with Others,

IV. Comprehending Information
Dialogue Reading

Give your students time to read the dialogue in pairs. Vocabulary Review

Colour:
CLB Skill Competencies
bleach, toner, cap, highlights, lowlights, foil, cape
Reading: IV. Comprehending Information
Wash:
Speaking: I. Interacting with Others
shampoo, conditioner, towel, sink

Cut:
scissors, comb, trim, mirror, spray bottle, towel, shave, cape, chop
Practice
Style:
Have your students read the dialogue again and comb, curl, brush, perm, blow-dry, hairspray, mousse
practise subbing in some of the different expressions.

CLB Skill Competencies

CLB Skill Competencies
Writing: II. Reproducing Information
Reading: IV. Comprehending Information
Speaking: I. Interacting with Others

(continued on the next page...)

Copyright 2017, Red River Press Inc. For use by ESL Library members only. ( LO W I N T / V E R S I O N 4 . 0) 9
 Going to the Hairdresser
Everyday Dialogues

Answer Key cont.

Write Your Own Dialogue TASK 2

Answers will vary. Assess your students’ understanding of

Encourage your students to use vocabulary from the model. how to talk to a hairdresser by having them write common
questions and answers that they learned in this lesson.
Check for proper question formation.
CLB Skill Competencies

Writing: II. Reproducing Information

CLB Skill Competencies

Writing: II. Reproducing Information

Review (Assessment Tasks)

The following tasks can be used for assessment purposes

TASK 3
and/or review practice. You can save all of the tasks until
the end or assess your students throughout the lesson. Assess two students at a time as they role-play the scenario. If your
students have studied how to make an appointment, you could also
Personalize your own Listening, Writing, and Speaking Task
assign a role-play between a customer and a receptionist at a salon.
Assessment forms for your students’ portfolios by using
The customer will have to explain what type of service she needs
Assessment Tools in the Resources section:
and choose a time and date to come in.
https://esllibrary.com/resources

TASK 1 CLB Skill Competencies

Play the audio from this lesson. Then assign the questions. You Speaking: I. Interacting with Others, II. Giving Instructions
can decide if you want your students to say or write the answers.

1. T he main purpose for her visit is to get a cut and colour.

(continued on the next page...)
2. T he customer needs her bangs trimmed. She also needs
her split ends cut off. She also asks for some layers.
3. No, the hairdresser will give the
customer some highlights and lowlights.
4. T he hairdresser needs to step away to mix the dye colours.
5. T he hairdresser will put in the colour, then do the cut,
and then teach the customer how to style it at home.

CLB Skill Competencies

Listening: I V. Comprehending Information

Copyright 2017, Red River Press Inc. For use by ESL Library members only. ( LO W I N T / V E R S I O N 4 . 0) 10
 Going to the Hairdresser
Everyday Dialogues

Answer Key cont.

Canadian Language Benchmarks Summary

OVERVIEW

Stage: 1 CLB Range: 3–4* Primary Skill Competency: Speaking – I. Interacting with Others

PAGE TASK SKILL COMPETENCIES

Reading: IV. Comprehending Information

2 Dialogue Reading
Speaking: I. Interacting with Others

Reading: IV. Comprehending Information

3 Practice
Speaking: I. Interacting with Others

4 Listening Practice Listening: I. Interacting with Others, IV Comprehending Information

5 Vocabulary Review Writing: II. Reproducing Information

6 Write Your Own Dialogue Writing: II. Reproducing Information

7 Review Task 1 (PBLA)** Listening: IV. Comprehending Information

8 Review Task 2 (PBLA) Writing: II. Reproducing Information

8 Review Task 3 (PBLA) Speaking: I. Interacting with Others, II. Giving Instructions

*Note: **Note:

This CLB range is suggested by ESL Library based on PBLA refers to portfolio-based learning assessment in
the descriptors in the Canadian Language Benchmarks the LINC program (though any teacher can use these tasks
guide: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/pub/language- for review or assessment). Visit our Resources section for
benchmarks.pdf Assessment Tools that you can print and personalize for
PBLA: https://esllibrary.com/resources

(continued on the next page...)

Copyright 2017, Red River Press Inc. For use by ESL Library members only. ( LO W I N T / V E R S I O N 4 . 0) 11
 Going to the Hairdresser
Everyday Dialogues

Answer Key cont.

Canadian Language Benchmarks Summary cont.

PROFILES OF ABILIT Y

The following descriptors from the Canadian Language Benchmarks

apply to this lesson and are used with permission. For more
detailed information see: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/pub/
language-benchmarks.pdf and visit: https://www.language.ca/

BENCHMARK THE LEARNER CAN:

• Communicate basic information using simple sentences

Speaking about immediate needs and personal experiences. (3)
(3–4) • Communicate information about common everyday
activities, experiences, wants, and needs. (4)

• Understand key words, formulaic phrases, and most

Listening short sentences on topics of immediate personal relevance. (3)
(3–4) • Understand, with considerable effort, simple formal and
informal communication on topics of personal relevance. (4)

Writing • Write short, simple texts about personal experience and

(4) familiar topics or situations related to daily life and experience.

Reading • Understand the purpose, main idea, key information, and some details in simple,
(3) short texts related to everyday familiar and personally relevant situations and topics.

Copyright 2017, Red River Press Inc. For use by ESL Library members only. ( LO W I N T / V E R S I O N 4 . 0) 12
 Going to the Hairdresser
Everyday Dialogues

Copyright 2017, Red River Press Inc. For use by ESL Library members only. ( LO W I N T / V E R S I O N 4 . 0) 13