Imposter syndrome

This ESL lesson plan is ideal for both business English classes and general English lessons, focusing on the topic of imposter syndrome. Students will explore strategies to cope with self-doubt, learn about the five types of imposters, and develop vocabulary related to psychology and self-confidence.

Other lessons you might like are: “Dealing with setbacks and failure”, “Perfectionism vs progress”, “Self-confidence”, “What is holding women back at work”, “Phrasal verbs: motivation”, “Idioms: self-confidence”, “Idioms: talents, skills, and abilities”, “Phrasal verbs: psychology”, “Phrasal verbs: success”.

Speaking: The lesson starts with a speaking activity: The lesson begins with a reflective discussion where students recall a time they succeeded at something and identify the factors contributing to their success. This activity helps students practice speaking about accomplishments and sets the stage for discussing self-confidence and imposter syndrome.

Vocabulary: Students learn expressions related to imposter syndrome, most of which will later appear in the video (e.g. feel like a fraud, deserve your accomplishments, challenge yourself, question your ability). To practice, students complete 9 sentences with the correct expression. Then they engage in a pre-listening discussion.

Video: Next, students watch a video called “Overcoming Imposter Syndrome”, and complete 2 listening comprehension activities.

Reading: Next, students look at 5 types of “imposters” (The Perfectionist, The  Expert, The Soloist, The Superhero, The Natural Genius). They guess the characteristics of each type, read detailed descriptions, and discuss how these traits might apply to them. They also brainstorm strategies to address each type’s behavior and evaluate practical tips for overcoming imposter syndrome. Students reflect on the provided tips and decide which are most suitable for each imposter type.

For more speaking practice, you can use the conversation cards.