Let´s get positive! Popular inspirational quotes and how to use them in class

Levels: Intermediate/Upper-intermediate/Advanced Category: Warmers and fillers Aimed at: Teenagers/Young adults/adults Aims: To encourage speaking in the context of motivational quotes/ To expand students´vocabulary/ To encourage group work and critical thinking/ To promote interaction/ To increase students´motivation/ To make learning memorable Materials: A set of inspirational quotes of your choice or: handoutquotations All the inspirational quotes used...

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March is for Revising, Being Accountable and Practising the Art of Listening

Sore throat listening challenge

Aimed at: Young learners/young adults/adults LEVEL(s): Could easily be adapted for all levels/you adjust the level of difficulty/choose appropriate texts LANGUAGE: Anything you have (recently) taught/talked about I have based this particular lesson on Easter and Easter traditions AIMS: To encourage the students to ask for clarification and guess the words omitted from the text MATERIALS:...

The qualities of an inspiring woman – adjectives of personality

Every International Women´s Day, we try to reflect on women who somehow inspired us. Sometimes they are famous, other times historical figures — but often they are just regular women you've never read about in a newspaper. They are our friends, family members or colleagues. We often hold them up as the role models because of their outstanding personal qualities....

Snatch the pen! A warmer/filler for any level!

I´m sure you´ll agree that every lesson needs a warmer or filler just in case you have this odd moment that needs filling with something to keep your students on their toes or simply give the class a change of pace. Every teacher has a set of activities that they really like and use interchangeably during the lessons. What...

Pick-up lines – the beginning of love?

  The cheesiest celebration of the year is coming... In the following lesson idea, students will learn some cheesy pick-up lines and put downs in English, practise identifying words in an authentic listening text and create their own pick-up lines! Levels: Intermediate/Upper-intermediate Aimed at: Young adults/adults Aims: Speaking/identifying words in an authentic listening text/Pick-up lines -...

FCE with a twist – design your own exam speaking question!

  Levels: Upper-intermediate/B2 You could, however, easily adapt the following lesson plan to suit other exam groups. Aimed at: Young adults/adults Aims: To encourage speaking in the context of FCE part 2 of the Speaking Paper/ To expand students´vocabulary/ Revision of useful expressions for the language function of giving opinions/comparing and describing photographs/ To encourage...

Build a tower, build a team! Life skills: Teamwork

I have recently come across a very thought-provoking speech by Jack Ma, a world-famous businessman and...a former English teacher! In the speech, he points out that today´s education system is far too knowledge based. He suggests that teachers should also focus on developing students´soft skills: teach values, believing, independent thinking, teamwork and care for others. "Everything we teach should...

New Year, New Rules: The Englishometre!

We all know how important it is to encourage students to use the English language in the classroom from day one. But if you have ever tried to eliminate ( *sigh* ) or at least reduce the use of students´ L1, you will probably agree that this can be a very daunting task. So, here...