Do IQ tests measure our intelligence?
Lesson plan overview
This ESL lesson plan on intelligence helps upper-intermediate and advanced students explore what it really means to be intelligent and whether IQ tests are an accurate way to measure intelligence. Students learn key vocabulary, idiomatic expressions, and functional phrases for talking about intelligence, talents, and skills. The lesson includes a TED-Ed video, discussion activities, reading on Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences, and reflection tasks to build language fluency and critical thinking. You can combine this lesson with the worksheets “Idioms: intelligence“, “Idioms: talents, skills, and abilities“, and the video-based lessons “Puzzles: a workout for the brain“, “Is technology making us dumb“. to create a complete mini-unit on intelligence and learning.
Lesson Overview
1. Lead-in & Discussion:
Students begin by sharing their opinions about intelligence, natural ability, and effort. They discuss whether intelligence is innate or developed, and whether IQ tests can truly measure it.
2. Vocabulary Development:
Through quotes and matching exercises, students learn adjectives such as wise, sharp, gifted, resourceful, and genius. Later in the lesson, they also learn key nouns like reasoning, aptitude, bias, and critical thinking.
3. Functional Language:
Students practice useful phrases for talking about skills and abilities — e.g. I have a flair for languages, I’m hopeless at cooking, I have a head for business — and personalize them to reflect their own strengths and weaknesses.
4. Listening & Video Activity:
Students watch the TED-Ed video “The Dark History of IQ Tests”. Before viewing, they predict answers to seven multiple-choice questions, then check comprehension and discuss the ethical and historical aspects of IQ testing.
5. Reading: Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences:
Students read about Howard Gardner’s eight intelligences (linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalistic) and discuss which types best describe them.
6. Speaking & Critical Thinking:
Through structured discussion questions, students explore how intelligence relates to success, environment, and education.
For more speaking practice, you can use the printble conversation cards.
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Teacher’s lesson plan
Student’s worksheet
Student’s interactive PDF
Conversation cards PDF
Pre-class activities
All video-based ESL lesson plans include online pre-class activities, which are FREE and can be completed without registration. Perfect for teachers who wish to embrace the blended learning approach. 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.
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In-class activities
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Additional resources
Each video-based lesson plan includes links to additional resources (videos and articles), which are FREE can be found online (in the pre-class activities page. These links aim to extend the learning experience, enabling students to connect classroom knowledge with real-world applications.
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Teacher’s lesson plan
Student’s worksheet
Student’s interactive PDF
Conversation cards PDF
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