speaking activities for advanced students
C1 / Advanced | C2 / Proficiency
Standard Lesson 60 min

Cultural appropriation

General Global Issues

In this lesson, students watch a video about cultural appropriation in fashion and learn some vocabulary. The lesson also includes lots of speaking activities for advanced students.

advanced multiword verbs
B2 / Upper Intermediate | C1 / Advanced
Standard Lesson 60 min

Living a digital nomad lifestyle

Business Lifestyle

In this lesson students watch a video about being a digital nomad and learn and practise advanced multiword verbs.

lesson about books
C1 / Advanced | C2 / Proficiency
Standard Lesson 90 min

The power of reading

General

In this lesson about books, students watch a video about the Harry Potter book series, learn vocabulary related to reading and write a short book review. 

first lesson
B2 / Upper Intermediate | C1 / Advanced
Standard Lesson 60 min

Stay interested, stay motivated – first lesson with new students

General

This ESL worksheet can be used in the first lesson with new students. In the lesson, students discuss their interests, watch a video about motivation, and do vocabulary and grammar tasks. 

talk about generations
C1 / Advanced | C2 / Proficiency
Standard Lesson 60 min

Will Gen Zers make cash cool again?

Lifestyle

In this lesson, students talk about generations and their approach to money, watch a video about Gen Zers and learn vocabulary related to the topic. 

B2 / Upper Intermediate | C1 / Advanced
Critical Reading Club 30 min

Who wants to live forever?

Technology

With this lesson plan, students have an in-depth discussion about the idea of recreating dead people as avatars. They also practise useful vocabulary and talk about the metaverse.

C1 / Advanced
Critical Reading Club 30 min

Biometrics – applications and implications

Technology

In this lesson students discuss biometric technology, its applications and the concerns people have about using it. Students also do a word formation exercise and complete a definition.

CAE Speaking Part 3 activities
C1 / Advanced
Standard Lesson 75 min

Sharpen your critical thinking (CAE Speaking Part 3)

General Grammar

With this lesson plan, students evaluate the validity of arguments using the information from a video about logical fallacies. They also practise conjunctions and do a Cambridge CAE Speaking Part 3 activity. 

phrases for giving opinions
B2 / Upper Intermediate | C1 / Advanced
Standard Lesson 75 min

Elegance versus bling (case study)

Business

In this lesson, students watch a video about a company facing problems, learn advanced phrases for giving opinions, and discuss case studies.

C1 / Advanced
Critical Reading Club 30 min

Legalese – explicit or ambiguous?

Business

In this lesson students discuss different types of jargon, learn some vocabulary to describe that something is easy or difficult to understand, and share their thoughts about the article they read at home. 

B2 / Upper Intermediate | C1 / Advanced
Critical Reading Club 30 min

Location-based pay – a thing of the past?

Business

In this lesson students learn some useful vocabulary to talk about salaries, discuss if location-based pay should become a thing of the past, and share their views on pay transparency and salary bands. 

group activity
C1 / Advanced | C2 / Proficiency
Flipped Lesson 60 min

Solar, wind or hydroelectric?

Global Issues Technology

With this lesson plan, students discuss different forms of alternative energy sources, learn vocabulary related to generating energy and engage in a group activity. 

expressions to talk about trends
B2 / Upper Intermediate | C1 / Advanced
Standard Lesson 75 min

It’s so hot right now!

Business Technology

In this lesson students learn expressions to talk about trends and watch a video about one of new buzzwords, i.e. NFTs.

C1 / Advanced
Critical Reading Club 30 min

Menstrual leave sparks debate

Business Global Issues

In this lesson, students learn advanced words and phrases to express opinions, talk about the idea of menstrual leave and hold a debate.

lesson including advanced phrasal verbs
C1 / Advanced
Standard Lesson 60 min

Advanced vocabulary activities

General

This is a set of ESL vocabulary activities rather than a typical ESL Brains lesson plan. Each of the activities can be used separately as a time filler, a warm-up, etc.

C1 / Advanced
Critical Reading Club 30 min

Are we all content creators?

General

In this lesson students discuss who a content creator is and practise some vocabulary useful when defining vague terms. 

advanced speaking lesson
C1 / Advanced
Standard Lesson 90 min

Families – extended, nuclear, chosen

Global Issues Lifestyle

In this advanced speaking lesson students will practise some vocabulary and watch a video about the history of the nuclear family. They will also discuss some statistics and talk about the changing family model.

multiple-choice cloze task
C1 / Advanced | C2 / Proficiency
Standard Lesson 75 min

Has cancel culture gone too far?

Global Issues

In this lesson students learn vocabulary useful to talk about cancel culture, do a CAE multiple-choice cloze task, watch a video, and get the opportunity to discuss cancel culture and freedom of speech in depth. 

talking about fear in English
C1 / Advanced
Standard Lesson 90 min

Why do we like horror films?

General

In this lesson, students learn vocabulary useful when talking about fear or relief, watch a video about horror films, and describe situations in which they felt uneasy or scared. 

C1 / Advanced
Critical Reading Club 30 min

AI supporting mental health therapy

Technology

In this lesson students discuss using AI in areas such as mental health therapy and the justice system, complete the summary of the article they read at home, and share their thoughts on the future of AI.

write an essay in English
C1 / Advanced
Flipped Lesson 60 min

Where are all the aliens? (writing an essay)

Global Issues Technology

In this lesson,students discuss alien life and the possible first contact scenario and write an essay about different aspects of space exploration. The lesson also includes two videos about extraterrestrials.

warehouse stores vocabulary
B2 / Upper Intermediate | C1 / Advanced
Standard Lesson 60 min

Unconventional business model

Business

In this lesson, students learn about furniture retailer IKEA and discuss its business model. Then, they come up with their own business idea for a shop.

people with question marks
B2 / Upper Intermediate | C1 / Advanced
Critical Reading Club 30 min

Curious questions about curiosity

General

In this lesson, students discuss the topic of curiosity in humans, practise collocations from the article, and reflect on how curiosity has shaped their lives. 

phrases for giving and receiving feedback
C1 / Advanced | C2 / Proficiency
Standard Lesson 75 min

The art of giving feedback

Business

In this lesson, students discover a formula to help them give great feedback and learn some useful phrases for giving and receiving feedback in English. They also watch a video about giving feedback and learn vocabulary related to it. 

C1 / Advanced
Critical Reading Club 30 min

Could a bossless workplace work?

Business

With this lesson plan, students discuss how they feel about a bossless workplace. They also learn some useful vocabulary related to worker cooperatives and the hierarchical structure of a traditional workplace.

B2 / Upper Intermediate | C1 / Advanced
Critical Reading Club 30 min

To shuffle or not to shuffle?

Lifestyle

In this lesson students discuss the article they read at home about Adele’s request to remove the shuffle button on her album. They also study collocations with the words album and track. 

C1 / Advanced
Critical Reading Club 30 min

Why do people cheat in online games?

Lifestyle

In this lesson, students practise some language related to breaking and following rules, and discuss the reasons behind cheating in online games.

synonyms for laugh
C1 / Advanced
Standard Lesson 60 min

What makes you laugh? (synonyms for laugh)

General

In this lesson students study advanced synonyms for laugh, watch a video about laughter and discuss different aspects of laughter. 

phrasal nouns lesson plan
C1 / Advanced | C2 / Proficiency
Standard Lesson 60 min

Layoffs and cutbacks can lead to start-ups (phrasal nouns)

Business

In this lesson, students read a short article about a start-up surge and learn some phrasal nouns by working out their meaning from the context. They also use the phrasal nouns in a discussion and a crossword.

advanced synonyms for make
C1 / Advanced
Standard Lesson 60 min

Will your future clothes be made like this?

Lifestyle Technology

In this lesson students practise their listening skills while watching a video about 3D printed clothes. They also work with advanced synonyms for make and discuss the implications of 3D printing technology.

lesson plan on zero waste
C1 / Advanced
Flipped Lesson 60 min

Lying in your garbage

Global Issues Lifestyle

In this lesson plan on zero waste students learn new vocabulary related to the word garbage while reflecting on small changes they could make to live a more eco-friendly life. They also watch two videos and practise their listening skills.

synonyms
C1 / Advanced
Critical Reading Club 30 min

Who should tackle misinformation on social media?

Global Issues

With this lesson plan students learn and practise some useful news language and reflect on the problem of misinformation on social media.

C1 / Advanced
Standard Lesson 60 min

Behind every success there are dozens of failures

Business

In this lesson about success and failure students watch an interview with Jeff Bezos and learn a few idioms related to failure. They also put them into practice through a role-play activity involving different aspects of business failures.

Top plastic waste-generating country is not in Asia
B2 / Upper Intermediate | C1 / Advanced
Critical Reading Club 30 min

Dealing with plastic waste

Global Issues

This lesson gives students the opportunity to discover some language related to plastic pollution, discuss the problem of plastic waste and reflect on some eco-friendly ways to deal with other types of waste.

C1 / Advanced
Critical Reading Club 30 min

Is being creative enough to succeed in innovation?

Business Technology

In this worksheet, students look for synonyms of some advanced phrases, practise word formation and reflect on what it takes to succeed in innovation.

class debate in English
C1 / Advanced
Standard Lesson 60 min

Is science denial worse than it’s ever been?

Global Issues Technology

With this lesson plan, students reflect on a video about the role of science in the modern world, expand their vocabulary and hold a lively class debate.

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