ESL for IT · Level B1 · Teacher's Book · Print Edition
UNIT 3: AGILE, STAND-UPS & TROUBLESHOOTING
Teacher's Book · PDF-ready · For teachers who are not IT people (and that's OK)
🖨 Print: Ctrl+P → "Save as PDF" → enable Background graphics. Green = teacher notes (what the section is about + IPA glossary + how to teach). Orange KEY = answers under each task. Dashed block = listening script, teacher only.
👩 How to use this book
Green blocks = teacher notes: what the section is about in plain words + mini-glossary (term, IPA, meaning) + how to teach. Orange blocks = KEY with answers, placed right under each task. You do NOT need to be a programmer: you teach language, the IT context provides motivation. If a student asks a tech question you can't answer — "Great question! Let's check the glossary / ask your DevOps colleague" is a perfectly professional move.
"I'm Lapa. My favourite part of the day is the stand-up — mostly because I can sit on the keyboard while humans talk. But seriously: Agile is not just fancy words. It's how we ship code without crying. In this unit you will learn to give updates, plan sprints, and report bugs so developers don't hate you. Or at least, hate you less."
3.1 · Warm-up: The Agile Mindset
Заметка · §3.1
О чём раздел: разминка-угадайка про Agile. Студенты часто путают термины или имеют стереотипы. Цель — через смех и обсуждение показать, что Agile — это не хаос, а гибкая система.
Waterfall/ˈwɔtəfɔːl/ — каскадная модель: сначала всё спланировать, потом строить. Жёстко, долго.
Scrum/skrʌm/ — фреймворк внутри Agile с ролями, артефактами и церемониями.
sprint/sprɪnt/ — короткий рабочий цикл (обычно 2 недели).
Как вести: после упр. A спросите «Which statement surprised you most?». Обсуждение стереотипов («Agile = no plan») снимает напряжение перед новой лексикой.
1 True or False? §3.1A
Look at the statements below. Are they True (T) or False (F) about modern IT work?
"Waterfall" means we plan everything for a year and then build it.
"Agile" means we have no plan and just do whatever we want.
A "sprint" is a short period (1–2 weeks) where the team works on specific tasks.
"Scrum" is a type of coffee.
A "stand-up" is a meeting where everyone must stand up (no chairs allowed).
KEY: 1 T · 2 F (Agile has plans, just flexible ones) · 3 T · 4 F (Scrum is a framework) · 5 F (It's a name, you can sit if you want, but standing keeps it short)
2 Discuss §3.1B
Does your company use Agile, Waterfall, or "Chaos"?
What is the most annoying meeting you have to attend? Why?
If you could change one thing about your team's workflow, what would it be?
3.2 · Vocabulary: Agile & Scrum Basics
Заметка · §3.2
О чём раздел: базовая лексика Agile. Не требуйте глубокого понимания процессов — достаточно узнать слова и их функции в команде. Аналогия: спринт = забег на короткую дистанцию, бэклог = список покупок, стендап = быстрый чек-поинт.
backlog/ˈbæklɒɡ/ — общий список задач и хотелок.
user story/ˈjuːzə stɔːri/ — описание функции от лица пользователя.
velocity/vəˈlɒsəti/ — скорость команды (сколько задач закрывают за спринт).
blocker/ˈblkə/ — то, что тормозит работу.
stakeholder/ˈstekhəʊldə/ — заинтересованное лицо (клиент, менеджер).
retrospective/ˌretrəʊˈspektɪv/ — встреча для анализа прошедшего спринта.
Как вести: упр. B читайте вслух по ролям: один студент читает текст, остальные хором вставляют пропущенные слова. Это активизирует лексику до начала грамматики.
3 Match terms and definitions §3.2A
Terms
Definitions
1. sprint
a) a list of all features, bugs, and tasks waiting to be done
2. backlog
b) a short daily meeting to sync up (yesterday / today / blockers)
3. stand-up (daily scrum)
c) a person interested in the project (client, manager, user)
4. retrospective (retro)
d) a time-boxed iteration (usually 2 weeks) to complete work
5. stakeholder
e) something that stops you from finishing a task
6. user story
f) a description of a feature from the user's perspective ("As a user, I want...")
7. velocity
g) the amount of work a team can complete in one sprint
8. blocker
h) a meeting after a sprint to discuss what went well and what didn't
Our team works in two-week (1) . At the start of each cycle, we pick tasks from the (2) and turn them into (3) like "As a user, I want to reset my password". Every morning at 10:00, we have a (4) to share progress. If someone has a (5) , we try to solve it immediately. After the cycle ends, we hold a (6) to improve our process. Our (7) is usually around 20 story points per week. The (8) from the marketing department always joins our demos.
О чём раздел: грамматическое ядро юнита. На стендапах важен результат: «Я сделал Х» (Present Perfect), а не процесс «Я делаю Х» (Continuous). IT-контекст идеален: апдейты всегда про завершённые задачи или текущие блокеры.
deploy/dɪˈplɔɪ/ — выкатить код на сервер.
merge/mɜdʒ/ — слить ветки кода.
pull request/pʊl rɪˈkwest/ — заявка на проверку кода.
Как вести: акцент на сигнальных словах (just, already, yet, since). Попросите студентов привести примеры из своей работы: "I have just fixed...", "We haven't deployed yet...". Личный опыт = запоминание.
Tense
Use
Example
Present Simple
routines, facts
I work on the backend.
Present Continuous
happening now
I am fixing a bug right now.
Present Perfect
recent actions with result now, experience, updates
I have finished the task. (It's done now.) We haven't tested it yet.
️ Signal words for Present Perfect: just, already, yet, recently, since, for, ever, never.
❌ I finished the task yesterday. (Past Simple — specific time)
✅ I have just finished the task. (Present Perfect — result is important now)
5 Choose the correct tense §3.3A
I ____________ (fix) three bugs this morning. (Result: they are fixed now.)
Usually, I ____________ (start) work at 9.
Look! The server ____________ (crash) again!
We ____________ (not / deploy) the new feature yet.
She ____________ (work) on this ticket since Monday.
They ____________ (have) a stand-up every day at 10.
I ____________ (just / merge) my pull request.
He ____________ (test) the login flow right now.
KEY: 1 have fixed · 2 start · 3 is crashing · 4 haven't deployed · 5 has been working (or has worked) · 6 have · 7 have just merged · 8 is testing
6 Complete stand-up updates §3.3B
Use Present Perfect or Past Simple.
Yesterday I ____________ (write) the documentation. Today I ____________ (already / review) the first draft.
Last week we ____________ (release) version 2.0. Since then, we ____________ (receive) five bug reports.
I ____________ (not / finish) the API integration yet. I ____________ (need) more time.
____________ you ____________ (ever / work) with Kubernetes?
She ____________ (join) the team in 2021. She ____________ (be) with us for three years.
KEY: 1 wrote / have already reviewed · 2 released / have received · 3 haven't finished / need · 4 Have / ever worked · 5 joined / has been
3.4 · Listening: The Daily Stand-up
Заметка · §3.4
О чём раздел: живой стендап. Студенты учатся слышать структуру апдейта: «вчера сделал / сегодня делаю / что мешает». Это готовый шаблон для их собственных выступлений.
CI pipeline/ˌsiː aɪ ˈpaɪplaɪn/ — конвейер сборки и тестирования кода.
staging database/ˈsteɪdʒɪ ˈdeɪtəbeɪs/ — тестовая база данных.
UX team/ˌjuːeks tiːm/ — команда дизайнеров интерфейсов.
Как вести: читайте скрипт сами в живом темпе, с паузами и интонацией реального человека. Первое прослушивание — таблицы закрыты, студенты просто слушают настроение. Скрипт показывайте только для задания C.
7 Complete the table §3.4A
Speaker
Yesterday
Today
Blocker
Mark
(1) the login page
(2) unit tests
none
Lapa
(3) 3 bugs in the cart
(4) the fixes
no access to (5)
Sarah
(6) with the client
(7) the backlog
waiting for (8)
KEY: 1 finished · 2 am writing / am going to write · 3 found · 4 am retesting · 5 staging database · 6 had a call · 7 am updating · 8 designs / final designs
8 True or False §3.4B
Mark has already written the unit tests. ______
Lapa found bugs in the login page. ______
Sarah needs help from the design team. ______
The meeting lasts more than 30 minutes. ______
KEY: 1 F (he is going to write them) · 2 F (shopping cart) · 3 F (UX team) · 4 F (it was short)
9 Phrases for (a) start, (b) blocker, (c) close §3.4C
KEY: (a) "OK team, let's start the stand-up." · (b) "One blocker: I still don't have access to the staging database." / "Blocker: I am waiting for the final designs..." · (c) "Thanks everyone, see you tomorrow!"
Script — teacher only, show after listening
Scrum Master: OK team, let's start the stand-up. Mark, you go first.
Mark: Sure. Yesterday I finished the login page UI. Today I am going to write unit tests for it. No blockers.
Scrum Master: Great. Lapa?
Lapa: Hi. Yesterday I found three critical bugs in the shopping cart. I have logged them in Jira. Today I am retesting the fixes. One blocker: I still don't have access to the staging database.
Scrum Master: Noted. I'll ask DevOps to fix that after the call. Sarah?
Sarah: Yesterday I had a call with the client. They changed the requirements for the export feature. Today I am updating the backlog. Blocker: I am waiting for the final designs from the UX team.
Scrum Master: OK. Let's take the design issue offline. Thanks everyone, see you tomorrow!
3.5 · Speaking: Give Your Update
Заметка · §3.5
О чём раздел: вывод грамматики и лексики в речь. Шаблон апдейта — это скелет, на который студенты нанизывают свой реальный опыт. Ролевая игра моделирует реальную ситуацию стендапа.
Как вести: дайте 2 минуты на подготовку по шаблону. Во время ролевой игры следите за временем: если кто-то говорит больше 1 минуты, мягко прервите фразой "Let's take it offline" — это часть обучения этикету.
10 Prepare your update §3.5A
Use Present Perfect for recent achievements and Present Continuous for current work.
"Yesterday I [Past Simple: finished / worked on / fixed] ... Today I [Present Continuous: am working on / am testing / am writing] ... I have [Present Perfect: already done / just started / not finished yet] ... My blocker is [none / I need help with / I am waiting for] ..."
11 Role-play: The Stand-up §3.5B
Student A (Scrum Master). Start the meeting. Ask for updates. Keep it short (under 15 mins!). If someone talks too long, interrupt politely: "Let's take this offline."
Student B (Developer). Give your update. Mention one completed task, one current task, and one blocker.
Student C (QA - Lapa 🐱). Report bugs you found. Complain slightly about the build failing. Ask for access to something.
3.6 · Reading: How to Write a Bug Report
Заметка · §3.6
О чём раздел: чтение технического текста. Задача — не понять каждую деталь, а найти соответствие между заголовками и абзацами (skimming/scanning). Это навык, нужный в реальной работе.
reproduce/riːprəˈdjuːs/ — воспроизвести баг (заставить его появиться снова).
severity/sɪˈverəti/ — серьёзность бага.
priority/praɪˈɒrəti/ — приоритет исправления.
Как вести: перед чтением спросите: «Have you ever reported a bug? What information did you include?» Активация личного опыта повышает вовлечённость.
12 Match headings and paragraphs §3.6A
Headings
Paragraphs
1. Steps to Reproduce 2. Expected vs. Actual Result 3. Environment Details 4. Summary (Title) 5. Severity & Priority
A. Be specific about where the bug happens. Include the browser, OS, device, and app version.
B. This is the most important part. Describe exactly what the user sees versus what should happen.
C. Give your bug a clear, searchable title. Don't write "It doesn't work".
D. How bad is it? Critical, High, Medium, Low. Priority defines when it gets fixed.
E. List the exact steps a user takes to trigger the bug. Number them clearly.
13 Read the bug report. Answer the questions §3.6B
Bug ID: #402 Title: Checkout button unresponsive on iOS 17 Severity: High Environment: iPhone 15, iOS 17.2, Safari Mobile, ShopApp v3.4 Steps to Reproduce:
1. Add any item to the cart.
2. Go to the checkout page.
3. Enter valid credit card details.
4. Tap the "Pay Now" button. Expected Result: The payment processing screen appears. Actual Result: Nothing happens. The button remains grey. No error message is shown. Notes: This works fine on Android. Issue started after the last update on Friday.
What is the severity of this bug?
On which device does the bug occur?
What happens when the user taps "Pay Now"?
Does the bug happen on Android?
When did the issue start?
KEY: 1 High · 2 iPhone 15 (iOS 17.2) · 3 Nothing happens / button stays grey · 4 No (works fine on Android) · 5 After the last update on Friday
3.7 · Writing: Report a Bug
Заметка · §3.7
О чём раздел: финальный продукт юнита — баг-репорт. Это практичный навык: студенты учатся структурировать информацию, использовать точную лексику и избегать эмоциональных описаний.
Как вести: peer review (упр. B) обязателен: пусть студенты меняются отчётами и пытаются «воспроизвести» баг по описанию партнёра. Если не могут — значит, описание плохое. Это лучший учитель.
14 Write a bug report §3.7A
Scenario: Feature: Export report to PDF. Problem: When you click "Export", the file downloads but it's empty (0 KB). Environment: Windows 10, Chrome browser, Internal Tool v1.2. Steps: 1. Open a report. 2. Click "Export to PDF". 3. Open the downloaded file.
Title: _______________________________________________________ Severity: [Critical / High / Medium / Low] Environment: _________________________________________________ Steps to Reproduce:
1. ___________________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________________
3. ___________________________________________________________ Expected Result: _____________________________________________ Actual Result: _______________________________________________
15 Peer Review §3.7B
Swap your bug report with a partner. Act as a developer. Can you reproduce the bug based on their steps? Is the title clear? Give feedback.
О чём раздел: модальные глаголы для инструкций. В IT важно различать obligation (must), advice (should) и possibility (can/could). Диалог моделирует реальную помощь коллеге.
CI pipeline/ˌsiː a ˈpaɪplaɪn/ — конвейер сборки.
dependencies/dɪˈpendənsiz/ — зависимости (библиотеки, которые использует код).
roll back/ˌrəʊl ˈbæk/ — откатить изменения.
Как вести: упр. A обсудите нюансы: почему в предложении 5 лучше "doesn't have to", а не "should"? Потому что "optional" = отсутствие обязанности, а не рекомендация.
Modals for Instructions
Modal
Meaning
Example
must / have to
obligation, necessary
You must restart the server.
should
recommendation, advice
You should check the logs first.
can / could
possibility, suggestion
We could try clearing the cache.
don't have to
not necessary
You don't have to reinstall the app.
16 Complete with modals §3.8A
Use must, should, can, or don't have to.
If the screen is frozen, you ____________ wait 5 minutes before restarting.
To fix this error, you ____________ clear your browser cache. It's the only way.
You ____________ contact support if you can solve it yourself.
We ____________ try rolling back the last update to see if it helps.
Everyone ____________ attend the retro meeting. It's optional but recommended.
KEY: 1 should · 2 must / have to · 3 don't have to · 4 could / can · 5 doesn't have to (or should)
17 Dialogue: Helping a Colleague §3.8B
Have you tried...? · I think you should... · Let me check... · It works on my machine. · Could you send me...?
Dev: Hey Lapa, the build is failing again. Lapa: Really? (1) restarting the CI pipeline? Dev: Yes, I did. Still red. Lapa: Hmm. (2) the error logs? Maybe I can spot something. Dev: Sure. (3) a screenshot of the console? Lapa: Thanks. Looking at it now... Ah, I see the problem. (4) update your dependencies. The library version is old. Dev: Weird. (5) perfectly fine yesterday. Lapa: Well, yesterday isn't today. Try updating and let me know.
KEY: 1 Have you tried · 2 Let me check · 3 Could you send me · 4 I think you should · 5 It works on my machine
3.9 · Culture Note: Agile Ceremonies & Etiquette
Заметка · §3.9
О чём раздел: культурные нормы Agile-команд. Для многих студентов концепция «безопасного пространства» на ретроспективе нова. Подчеркните: blameless culture — это не слабость, а инструмент улучшения процессов.
Как вести: спросите: «Have you ever been in a meeting that felt like a hostage situation?» Смешные истории разряжают обстановку и делают Culture Note живой.
🌍 Culture Note #1: The Four Scrum Events
Sprint Planning: Deciding what to do in the next sprint. Don't promise more than you can deliver. Under-committing is better than over-committing.
Daily Stand-up: 15 minutes max. Not a status report to the boss — a sync for the team. If you talk for 5 minutes, you're doing it wrong.
Sprint Review (Demo): Showing the working software to stakeholders. "Done" means "tested and ready", not "I wrote the code".
Retrospective: Discussing how to improve the process. Safe space: no blaming, only fixing the workflow.
🌍 Culture Note #2: Remote Stand-up Etiquette
Camera on: Shows you are present and listening.
Mute when not speaking: Background noise kills focus.
Be concise: "Yesterday I did X. Today I do Y. Blocker Z." Stop.
"Let's take it offline": The magic phrase to stop long discussions during the stand-up.
🐾 Lapa: "I once attended a stand-up that lasted 45 minutes. I slept through most of it. When I woke up, they were still discussing the color of a button. Please, keep it short."
3.10 · Vocabulary Review
Заметка · §3.10
О чём раздел: закрепление лексики и словообразование. Word formation помогает студентам видеть связи между словами и расширять словарный запас системно.
Как вести: word formation дайте в парах на скорость (3 минуты), затем взаимопроверка по ключам. Self-check студенты заполняют честно дома — это их личная карта прогресса.
18 Complete the sentences §3.10A
backlog · retrospective · blocker · user story · severity
We need to add this feature to the so we don't forget it.
The was very productive; we decided to change our testing process.
I can't work on this ticket because the API is down. It's a huge .
As a , I want to be able to filter results by date.
The of the bug is Critical because the app crashes completely.
KEY: 1 backlog · 2 retrospective · 3 blocker · 4 user story · 5 severity
I can explain what a sprint, backlog, and stand-up are.
I can give a status update using Present Perfect (I have finished...).
I can write a clear bug report with steps to reproduce.
I can use modals (must, should, can) to give technical advice.
I know how to politely interrupt a long meeting ("Let's take it offline").
I understand the difference between Expected and Actual results.
Заметка · Homework
О чём раздел: четыре задания разного типа: письмо (реальный баг-репорт), скрытое аудирование через YouTube, голосовое сообщение со стендап-апдейтом и личный словарь. Как проверять: начните следующий урок с 5 минут «show & tell»: каждый показывает одну фразу, украденную из видео про Agile.
Homework 🏠
Writing. Write a real (or realistic) bug report for a website or app you use often (e.g., Spotify, Instagram, a banking app). Use the template from §3.7.
Listening. Watch a video about "Agile vs Waterfall" on YouTube (5–7 mins). Write down 3 advantages of Agile mentioned in the video.
Speaking. Record a 60-second audio message giving your "Daily Stand-up" update for today. Send it to your teacher or a classmate.
Vocabulary. Add 10 new words from this unit to your personal glossary with example sentences.