Being a mum, being a dad

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Vocabulary - parenting

talking about parenting

LESSON OVERVIEW

The main objectives of this lesson are to:

  • engage in talking about parenting from different points of view;
  • practise useful vocabulary related to parent assistance;
  • watch a short video featuring children calling their mums.

In this lesson, students reflect on the joy and challenges of being a parent. They explore key verbs for discussing care and support (e.g. encourage, give someone advice, be there for someone), work with the pronunciation of the target vocabulary and talk about how parents assist children in various situations. They watch an ad where children turn to their mothers for help and discuss parental roles and modern parenting. Students also debate why kids might prefer external help to parental advice and compare parents from the past with those today.

A2 / Pre‐Intermediate
B1 / Intermediate
60 minStandard LessonPremium Plan

WARM-UP AND VOCABULARY

This lesson focuses on talking about parenting and starts with a warm-up. Students name two positive things and two challenges of being a parent. After that, they choose the correct ending in sentences on ways parents support and care for their children at different life stages. The sentences feature key vocabulary (e.g. feed, look after, comfort). Moving on, students answer questions about the pronunciation of different sounds (e.g. Which sound is used to pronounce the first ‘o’ in comfort? /ɒ/ as in sock OR /ʌ/ as in cup). Afterwards, they say what parents can do to help their child in various situations (e.g. A baby girl starts crying in the middle of the night.). Students use the vocabulary from the previous exercise. 

VIDEO AND DISCUSSION

In this part of the lesson, students watch an ad where children call their moms. They say what they think about it using adjectives (e.g. funny, cute, annoying). Then, students engage in talking about parenting and answer questions about parental roles and the challenges of raising children today. After that, they choose people or things (e.g. grandparents, teacher, AI) and say in what situations children might prefer to go to them for help and support rather than their parents. Finally, students compare parents in the past with parents today. They talk about different points (e.g. safety, free time, communication). Next, students say what they think parents will be like in 20 years.

HOMEWORK/REVISION

This lesson also includes an additional task that you can use as homework or revision. In the task, students look at sentence starters about care and encouragement in daily life. They complete the gaps with words for talking about parenting. Then, students think about what the people might say next. The task is available in the teacher’s version of the worksheet. You can print it and hand it out to your students. It’s also included in the e-lesson plan.

WORKSHEETS

Comments

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Leave a Reply

  1. Metodyk_2

    there’s a mistake in pronunciation – age is pronounced like cage, not luggage

    1. Kinga

      Hello! The point focuses on the pronunciation of the -age ending in the word ‘encourage’, not on the word ‘age’ itself.

      1. Metodyk_2

        you’re right, i missed it!

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