Explore our lesson plans
Standard Lesson 60 min
I wish I could but I don’t want to
GeneralIn this lesson students watch a video about strategies for saying ‘no’ in English and discover some useful phrases to say ‘no’ politely. They also put them into practice through a role-play.
Standard Lesson 45 min
Can you figure it out? ESL vocabulary puzzles
BusinessThis is a set of ESL vocabulary puzzles rather than a typical ESL Brains lesson plan. Each of the puzzles can be used separately as a time filler, a warm-up, etc.
Standard Lesson 60 min
What makes you laugh? (synonyms for laugh)
GeneralIn this lesson students study advanced synonyms for laugh, watch a video about laughter and discuss different aspects of laughter.
Standard Lesson 60 min
Will your future clothes be made like this?
Lifestyle TechnologyIn 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.
Standard Lesson 75 min
The right to rest and other employment laws
BusinessIn this lesson students learn vocabulary related to the topic of employment law, watch a video about a new law passed in Portugal and share their views on employment regulations around the world.
Standard Lesson 75 min
I’m afraid that’s outside the scope of this meeting
BusinessIn this lesson, students reflect on ways to make a business meeting more productive and practise some useful phrases for business meetings. They also act out typical workplace situations.
Standard Lesson 60 min
Behind every success there are dozens of failures
BusinessIn 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.
Standard Lesson 60 min
Closing the gender pay gap
Business Global IssuesWith this lesson plan, students talk about gender stereotypes, watch a video and discuss the factors driving the gender pay gap. They also reflect on solutions to this problem and discover some expressions with the word root.
Standard Lesson 60 min
Are emojis making us dumber?
GeneralIn this lesson about emojis students not only learn words to describe some common features of nonverbal communication, but they also watch a video and reflect on the role of emojis in digital communication.
Standard Lesson 90 min
Tackling the world’s most pervasive issues
Global IssuesWith this lesson plan on global problems students will learn some advanced language (adjectives and verbs) to talk about the world’s issues. They’ll also watch a video about reducing food insecurity.
Critical Reading Club 30 min
Why do we glamourise overwork more than ever
BusinessThis lesson plan about overwork is based on an article and gives students the opportunity to learn work-related language, while reflecting on the cult of overwork.
Critical Reading Club 30 min
Turning oranges into electricity. Crazy or genius?
Global IssuesIn this lesson, students learn five pairs of verb synonyms and collocations which can be used to talk about sustainable living. They also come up with and reflect on eco-friendly solutions.
Standard Lesson 45 min
When bad means good
GeneralIn this lesson students discover different meanings as well as expressions with good and bad. They also get an opportunity to put them into practice while reacting to some real-life situations.
Standard Lesson 60 min
The best shindig ever!
LifestyleIn this lesson students watch a video on how to host a party, learn and practise some informal party words and phrases and engage in a role-play. Just a friendly reminder – this is a lesson for adults.
Standard Lesson 60 min
Blockchain: there’s more to it than crypto
Business TechnologyIn this lesson about blockchain applications, students get an opportunity to practise their listening skills and learn some advanced collocations.
Standard Lesson 60 min
Today’s teens are going through a lot (cause and effect)
Grammar LifestyleIn this lesson, students learn and practise expressing cause and effect, discover new collocations and discuss problems faced by modern teenagers.
Standard Lesson 60 min
Would you like to work a four-day week? (listening for details)
BusinessIn this lesson students will watch a video on a four-day work week, improve their listening for details skills and and reflect on the positive and negative aspects of working four days a week.
Standard Lesson 60 min
Anxiety-free news
Global IssuesIn this lesson about anxiety-free news, students learn and practise positive and negative adjectives and reflect on the impact of news stories on our lives.