Communication is not that easy!

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Functional language - clarifying and checking understanding

communication lesson plan

LESSON OVERVIEW

This communication lesson plan is based on a short video presenting how miscommunication happens and how we can avoid it. The worksheet includes vocabulary tasks, listening comprehension and speaking practice.

C1 / Advanced60 minStandard LessonFree / Premium Plan

VOCABULARY

The lesson plan starts with a short warm-up. Students need to discuss a quote by Greek philosopher Epictetus as well as some more general questions connected with communication. Then, they move to a vocabulary task. They get a table with six verbs and need to complete the table with words that go with these verbs. After checking, students fill in the sentences with the correct form of the verbs from the table. Students then discuss these points as all sentences relate to communication and serve as a lead-in to the video.

VIDEO

Students watch the first part of the video and have to choose correct answers to three comprehension questions. Next, they go to another task which includes four rules of communication which students have to complete with words given. After that, they watch the second part of the video and check their answers. Finally, students have to discuss these rules and tell whether it’s easy to follow them.

USEFUL EXPRESSIONS FOR SOLVING COMMUNICATION PROBLEMS

The last part of this communication lesson plan is built around phrases that we use when we don’t understand something, we want someone to clarify what they’ve said or when we want to be more specific. First, students need to complete a table with such phrases. Then, they have to read short dialogues and use the expressions from the table to complete them. Additionally, you can extend this lesson plan by doing some roleplay activities that can be found in many different ESL teaching sources.

WORKSHEETS

Comments

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Leave a Reply

  1. Natalie

    This lesson is absolutely terrific! Love it! Thank you guys for you great job)

    1. Justa

      Thank you 🙂

      1. Samuel Osade IGBINS

        Nice work thanks guys

  2. Clarice Verce

    Amazing. Simply loved it. Thank you guys.

    1. Justa

      Thank you 🙂

  3. Juliana Simões

    I am really impressed with the quality of the material! I just love it!

    1. Justa

      Thanks! Glad to hear that!

  4. helinenunes

    Great lesson, thank you!

  5. Lydia goold verschoyle

    Fantastic! My students and I all love it! Thank you.

    1. Justa

      Thanks 🙂

  6. Matthew Lee

    Very creative and effective! Thanks!

  7. A.Rice

    NICE LESSON TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH OR ADAPT

  8. Elena R

    I like it very much! thank you!

  9. Liz Wilson

    Fab lesson great to use an introduction to a new set of lessons for Advanced learners this can then be followed up by making conversation (uses of the Present perfect and present perfect continuous) – Then intonation and question tags.

    1. Stan

      Liz, thanks for sharing your lesson ideas. I think these are some nice follow-ups.

  10. KARINE BOUVRY

    excellent lesson, well designed, thanks for your great input!

    1. Justa

      Thanks, Karine!

  11. bea102

    Great lesson!! Would you be able to provide trascripts for the videos?

    1. Stan

      You can find the transcripts on YouTube. Go to the video page, play the video and click on the three horizontal dots below the video. Select “Open transcript” and you will see it on the right side. Mind you that often it’s auto-generated so review it before sharing with your students.

  12. kaiyea

    My student loved this lesson. Thank you ESL Brains!

    1. Justa

      Thanks 😊

  13. Jaylo

    For the #2 activity, why is “receive thoughts” not included? Receives thoughts and feedback. are the only answers?

    1. Justa

      In this exercise, we only included the most common and natural collocations, so that’s why we have ‘receive feedback/message’.

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