Ethics of lying

Title separator

Speaking
class

lesson about lying

This is a standalone lesson but it can also be used as part of the set titled:

LESSON OVERVIEW

In this speaking lesson about lying, students watch a video, talk about the ethics of lying and discuss whether they would lie in some difficult situations.

C1 / Advanced45 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 & VIDEO

This lesson about lying starts with a warm-up activity. Students need to find a word or phrase in each set which does not go with the word ‘lie’. The task allows them to test their knowledge of collocations with the word ‘lie’ (e.g. blatant lie, lie convincingly, swallow a lie). Then, students look at some situations and decide whether lying is justified. The situations are, for example, in a job interview, when haggling, when receiving a gift. Then, students watch the first part of the video which describes a conundrum a person is faced with. They need to say what they would do in the situation. Next, they watch the second part of the video and explain why lying in the situation described might be morally wrong. The teacher might also ask students whether watching the video has changed their mind about what they would do. 

SPEAKING

In this part of this lesson about lying, students do four speaking tasks. First, they pick one of the approaches to lying mentioned in the video. They need to convince their partner that their approach is the most sensible. After that, students look at five situations and consider possible actions that would address the problems described. They also need to say which of the actions they would take. In the third task, students choose two sayings from a list and think of real-life situations in which they would be true. Finally, the teacher can use an extra task idea. Students think about a film or a TV show and present some moral dilemmas the characters faced. Then, they discuss whether the character’s decision was morally right or wrong and/or justifiable. 

WORKSHEETS

 

Comments

Title separator

Leave a Reply

  1. Adriana Chagas

    Lovely class, I will try it with my new student. She’s also a lae student and I thing it fits perfectly. I missed some extra after class homework on that though. I think I will ask her to write a composition about the pros and cons of lying to protect someone’s life.

    1. Ewa

      I’m glad you like the lesson 🙂 As this is a Speaking Class with no new language introduced, there isn’t a homework or revision task. But I really like your idea!

  2. Rachel Goldstein

    This was a big hit with my class! It really sparked a lot of discussion and quality class participation. Thank you!

    1. Ewa

      Thanks for your feedback, Rachel 🙂

Browse other materials recommended for you

Title separator
talk about accents
C1 / Advanced
Standard Lesson 60 min
Loading

This is why we have accents (pronunciation activities)

General

Engage in the exploration of accents and pronunciation! Students talk about how they feel speaking a foreign language, explore vocabulary to discuss accents and practise pronunciation skills.

talking about personality types
B2 / Upper Intermediate | C1 / Advanced
Speaking Class 45 min / 60 min
Loading

Lone wolf or social butterfly? Understanding personalities

General

With this lesson, students talk about personality types, revise adjectives to describe themselves and watch a video about how birth order affects a person. They also brainstorm why people change their personalities and discuss whether they agree with different opinions.

financial crimes vocabulary
C1 / Advanced
Standard Lesson 75 min
Loading

Financial crimes

General Global Issues

In this lesson, students practise vocabulary related to financial crimes and watch a video about money laundering. They also discuss real cases of financial fraud, read a film synopsis and talk about their personal opinions.

talking about money and finances
C1 / Advanced | C2 / Proficiency
Speaking Class 45 min / 60 min
Loading

Let’s talk money

General

With this speaking lesson, students talk about financial literacy, listen to excerpts from a podcast on the topic and discuss their experiences and perspectives. They also analyse money-related situations and come up with solutions.

ESL lesson on nepotism
C1 / Advanced | C2 / Proficiency
Speaking Class 45 min / 60 min
Loading

When familial meets professional

Business General

In this lesson, students reflect deeply on work-family dynamics, explore nuances of nepotism, and enrich vocabulary through engaging discussions. Students also listen to excerpts from a podcast to spark critical thinking.

Business English flipped lesson
C1 / Advanced
Flipped Lesson 60 min
Loading

What if we redefined ambition?

Business General

Embark on a thought-provoking exploration of ambition! This lesson encourages students to critically examine traditional notions of success and consider alternative perspectives on personal fulfilment and well-being.

Christmas speaking activities
B2 / Upper Intermediate | C1 / Advanced
Speaking Class 45 min / 60 min
Loading

It’s the cheesiest time of the year!

General

This lesson not only enhances language skills but also encourages students to think about cultural aspects of the holiday season while having fun getting in the Christmas spirit. Have a laugh together talking about cheesy Christmas films and activities!

ESL lesson on forensic science
C1 / Advanced
Standard Lesson 60 min
Loading

Cracking the case: exploring forensic science

General

A perfect lesson for those interested in crime investigations! Students work with collocations, share opinions and discover new facts about forensic science. They also watch an interesting video and make predictions.

C1 / Advanced | C2 / Proficiency
Flipped Lesson 60 min
Loading

Web design trends

General Technology

This practical but creative lesson about web design allows students to learn and practise design terms as well as more sophisticated language. Students watch a video, discuss web design trends and describe modern websites and applications.

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