Teaching the word 'opposite'

[emmaems]

I'm just preparing for my tefl interview, and this one question is really puzzling me and I was wondering if you could help me...

The question is: How would you teach the following – what exact words would you use or what would you do? (The students are not necessarily beginners)

opposite

I've done the other words, but because there are several meanings of opposite i'm not sure how i would go about teaching it, whether to use props to demonstrate or not....help!

Thanks,

Emma

[Alex Case]

(Look at your left hand) "hot is the opposite of"
(Look at your right hand) "cold"
(Ditto) "black is the opposite of"
"white"
"So, big is the opposite of...?"
"small, that's right. Can you give me the whole sentence?"

Alternatively, students often know the maths symbol (a two headed arrow), so you can do the same routine while writing words on the board with that symbol

Another less common use in the classroom that can cause difficulties for many nationalities is the difference between "opposite" and "in front of" for positions. I tend to say and show that for opposite there has to be something between us, and that we are probably facing each other