ESL lesson plans for teachers

Video-based lesson plans

Whether your lessons are online or in-person, The English Flows’ lesson plans are the ultimate time-saver for ESL teachers working with adult and Business English students. Cut down on prep work and free up your time for what truly matters – guiding, coaching, and meeting your students' unique needs. Our current and highly relatable topics will keep your students engaged before, during, and after the class. We add 7-8 new video-based ESL lesson plans each month. Ignite their curiosity and inspire them to explore the English language further!

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a photo with the word "mystery", and a slogan "top 10 fascinating unsolved mysteries"

Vocabulary: cold case, unexplained events, urban legend, unidentified men, hoax, to debunk, manhunt, hijacking
Functional language: speculating and theorizing
Speaking: supernatural and paranormal activity, unsolved mysteries, conspiracy theories, true crime

8:00

a photo with a label emerging markets, and a slogan "developing and developed countries"

Vocabulary: economic terms (GDP, FDI, stock market, volatility, economic growth, industrialization, emerging markets)
Video: What is an emerging market?
Speaking: developing vs developed countries, emerging markets, the future of emerging economies

5:42

a person writing "i'm a lefty", and a slogan: idioms with "hand"

Vocabulary: idioms with “hand” (give a hand, in safe hands, caught red-handed, out of hand, my hands are tied
Video: Ted talk “Why are some people left-handed”
Speaking: conversation questions, discussing common beliefs, how easy or difficult it is to do different activities with your non-dominant hand

 

5:07

a photo of a comic colelction, and a slogan "why do we like to colect things?"

Vocabulary: expressions related to collecting (trasure trove, prized possession, hard to come by, a rare gem, declutter, hoard)
Video: “Hobby or hoarding: The psychology behind the drive to collect”
Speaking: collecting items, the collectibles market, investing in collectibles

4:05

a person about to give feedback, and a slogan "are you good at giving and receiving feedback?"

Functional language: giving positive feedback and praise, identifying gaps, suggesting improvements
Speaking: discussing the importance of feedback in different situations, and practicing giving feedback
Video: “How to give effective feedback to employees (5 tips for managers)”

5:14

a photo of burrs that inspired velcro, and a slogan "biomimicry: nature's design solutions"

Vocabulary: collocations related to inspiration (to draw inspiration from, to seek inspiration, the creativity spark, to serve as an inspiration, a burst of inspiration)
Speaking:  creativity, new ideas, adaptation strategies, designs inspired by nature, applications of biomimicry in students’ professional fields
Video: Biomimicry 101 – examples of how we copied nature

5:00

2 people ckilnking their glasses and a slogan "what's your favourite beer style?"

Vocabulary: beer
Reading: beer styles
Speaking: attitude towards beer, Oktoberfest, local festivals

6:38

a team meeting a new employee and a slogan "tips for an effective onboarding process"

Vocabulary: expressions to talk about job and responsibilities, company policies
Writing: a welcome email
Video: onboarding new employees

3:09

a person doing skydiving, and a slogan "good stress vs bad stress"

Vocabulary: collocations and expressions with “stress” (chronic stress, stress-induced, stress-free, stress management, stress out)
Confising words: distress vs de-stress
Speaking: stressful situations, stress managements techniques, refaming your perspective

4:37

people analysing graphs, and a slogan "dealing with the off-season slump"

Vocabulary: describing graphs and charts
Vocabulary: to diversify, existing assets, overheads, staffing
Speaking: seasonal businesses, diversification, off-season marketing

7:00

an illustration of a heated debate and a slogan "can you spot these dirty debate tactics?"

Vocabulary: verb + noun collocations (bring up a topic, get defensive, change the subject, dodge a question), and adjective + noun collocations (ongoing/constructive/heated debate, complex/unresolved issue)
Reading: common logical fallacies and dirty debating tactics
Video: Why debates turn into arguments (and how to fix it)

3:15

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Every lesson plan includes

Pre-class online activities
(Free)

In-class activities
(For Full members)

After class: Additional resources
(Free)

Each video-based ESL lesson plan features:

  • Online Pre-class Activities: Perfect for teachers who wish to embrace the modern blended learning approach. The pre-class activities are FREE for all video-based ESL lesson plans and can be completed without registration. By providing students with resources and engagement opportunities before the actual class session, educators can foster active participation, enhance comprehension, and optimise in-class discussions, promoting flexibility and a deeper, more interactive learning experience. On the other hand, if you choose not to assign the pre-class activities, or your students don’t complete them, it will not disturb the flow of the class.
  • Versatile In-Class Material: Each lesson includes 5-8 pages of in-class material created to explore the topic in-depth. The lessons encompass a diverse spectrum of current Business and General English topics. Whether you're exploring business trends or everyday conversational skills, our materials ensure that each subject is comprehensively covered, making the learning experience relevant and practical.
  • Engaging Video Content: Immerse your students in real-life language use through short YouTube videos, featuring content such as TED Talks, BBC Ideas, or news reports. These videos not only enhance listening and comprehension skills but also expose students to different accents, and a wide range of current, real-world topics and expert perspectives, making the learning experience more engaging and relevant.
  • Focus on communication: The English Flows’ lessons are all about communication. They're tailored to spark conversations and offer plenty of speaking opportunities. Additionally, each lesson includes a set of printable conversation cards, which teachers can use to revise target vocabulary, or turn the lesson into a conversation class.
  • Meaningful Homework Ideas: Each lesson suggests three research topics that encourage students to engage with authentic materials, fostering independent exploration and critical thinking skills after class. There are also links to additional resources (videos and articles), which can be found online and are FREE for all video-based lesson plans. These features aim to extend the learning experience, enabling students to connect classroom knowledge with real-world applications.

Try The English Flows’ video-based ESL lesson plans today and watch your students thrive!