In news we trust?

Title separator

Speaking
Class

speaking about news

LESSON OVERVIEW

This worksheet focuses on speaking about news and news sources. Students also talk about changes and problems related to the media and news and watch and discuss a video. 

C1 / Advanced
C2 / Proficiency
45 min
60 min
Speaking ClassUnlimited Plan

This is a Speaking Class worksheet. It includes a variety of tasks that let your students practise their speaking skills. This lesson format does not focus on grammar or vocabulary. Learn more about it here.

WARM-UP & DISCUSSION

The lesson starts with a quick warm-up activity. Students have to read some comments in which people express how they prefer getting their news (traditional newspaper, online and the social media, TV). Students then choose one of the options that is true for them and explain why. After that, they look at different areas connected to the media (e.g. news quality, journalist’s job, the role of the media, information gathering). They continue speaking about news by discussing the changes they’ve noticed. 

VIDEO

In this part of the lesson, students watch the video about a journalism crisis (inc. a lack of trust in the news, the changes in the content). After watching, their task is to summarise it by finishing sentences with what they remember as well as their own ideas. Next, they participate in a discussion on whether they agree with everything mentioned in the video. Also, students talk about a wide range of other issues (e.g. news credibility, future of the media, political bias, paying for news with personal data). The lesson finishes with an activity on speaking about news and its problems. Students look at the graph with different problems (e.g. clickbait, misinformation, propaganda, cherrypicking, ad clutter, partisan news stories), define them and brainstorm possible solutions. Teachers can also find a link to a chart with more information about these problems that can be discussed with students.

WORKSHEETS

Comments

Title separator

Leave a Reply

  1. deborah

    LOVE IT!!! Thanks

    1. Justa

      Great to hear that! Thanks 🤗

  2. Kev

    super lesson plan, works very well in Germany 🙂

    1. Justa

      Thanks for the comment 🙂

  3. Julia Avanzi

    Amazing lesson plan! Perfect for discussion in Brazil’s current situation!

    1. Justa

      I’m happy you find it useful!

  4. Michał Altawil

    Please stop making presentations that are 11 slides only! I teach a lot of one to ones and I need more material. , maybe for large group slides it wouldn’t be a problem.

    1. Stan

      Michal, this is a Speaking Class lesson which is a slide-lighter format. We created this format for conversation-only classes that many ESL Brains members have. The aim of this lesson is to provide enough varied talking points to have your student(s) talk for 45-60 mins – no extra vocab or grammar. Of course, it always depends on the people you teach and some topics might be more or less stimulating than others and can result in longer or shorter discussions. We publish Speaking Classes around 3-4 times a month, so you will continue getting standard ESL Brains lessons.

  5. Maulwurf

    I like it

Browse other materials recommended for you

Title separator
ESL lesson on first impressions
C1 / Advanced | C2 / Proficiency
Standard Lesson 60 min

Go with your gut

General

Uncover the world of first impressions with this lesson! Students watch a video about how first impressions affect our opinions, share their views and practise phrases related to intuition and decision-making.

engineering vocabulary
C2 / Proficiency
Vocabulary Lab 45 min / 60 min

From engineering to metaphors

General Technology

Dive into engineering and figurative language with this lesson! Students talk about engineering and machines, practise vocabulary for mechanical parts and structures and explore the figurative meaning of expressions.

ESL lesson on pronunciation and spelling
C1 / Advanced | C2 / Proficiency
Standard Lesson 60 min

Pronunciation and spelling oddities

General

Talk about pronunciation and spelling with this lesson! Students watch a funny video about silent letters in English, practise words with challenging spelling and pronunciation and discuss various statements.

C1 / Advanced
Critical Reading Club 45 min

Rethinking fairy tales

General

Read and discuss an article about the influence of fairy tales! Students explore phrases inspired by fairy tales, debate their pros and cons for children and talk about their experiences. They also create a plot for a modern fairy tale.

talking about mysteries and theories
C1 / Advanced | C2 / Proficiency
Standard Lesson 60 min

It’s a mystery!

General

With this lesson, students debate mysteries and real-life cases. They practise vocabulary for talking about mysteries and theories, watch a video on Amelia Earhart’s disappearance and share their thoughts.

advanced lesson on education
C1 / Advanced | C2 / Proficiency
Standard Lesson 60 min

Are we losing our educators?

General Global Issues

Talk about teachers and challenges in education with this lesson! Students share their experiences and opinions, practise compound adjectives and watch a video about the challenges teachers face. 

B2 / Upper Intermediate | C1 / Advanced
Vocabulary Lab 45 min / 60 min

In the toolbox

General

Explore tools and projects with this worksheet! Students discuss DIY tasks, practise vocabulary for tools and share experiences. They also practise giving instructions for DIY projects.

vocabulary for doing repairs
B2 / Upper Intermediate | C1 / Advanced
Standard Lesson 60 min

Can you fix this?

General

Talk about fixing things with this lesson! Students practise vocabulary for doing repairs, watch a video segment about fixing an object and discuss how to solve common household problems. They also read about approaches to repairing things. 

speaking lesson on adulthood
C1 / Advanced | C2 / Proficiency
Speaking Class 45 min / 60 min

Adulting: more than a number

General Global Issues

Explore what it means to be grown-up with this ESL lesson on adulthood! Students discuss the reality of being an adult today, watch a video on becoming an adult and share experiences and opinions.

Show more lessons

Questions

Title separator

Is there a minimum subscription period if I choose a monthly subscription?

No, there's no minimum required number of subscription months. You can cancel any time you want. Basically, you can sign up and then cancel your subscription the next day, which will mean you have access for 1 month and won't be charged again.

What currencies can I pay in for my subscription?

Our default currency is USD (American dollar), but you can also pay in EUR (euro), GBP (British pound sterling) or PLN (Polish zloty). You can change the currency you want to pay in at the Pricing page before selecting a subscription plan.

How can I edit an e-lesson plan?

You can get your own editable copy of an e-lesson plan and make changes to it. To do so, either (1) make a copy of it on your Google Drive (preferable method) or (2) download it in a Powerpoint format (but formatting might be a bit off so we can’t guarantee that it will work well).
Read more FAQ
Title separator

ESL Brains

Forgot password?
or continue with
Title separator
Title separator