Kent, M.

(2014) 100 Listening & Speaking Lesson

INTO CSU 100 Listening & Speaking Lesson Plan
This lesson plan was created and successfully implemented in my 100 Listening &
Speaking class at INTO CSU. INTO CSU is an Academic English Program that students from
around the globe can attend to help improve their English and prepare them to succeed at an
English-speaking university. In this class, I taught 16 students (4 female and 12 male) for this
class from various L1 backgrounds: 2 Japanese, 5 Chinese and 9 Arabic L1 speakers. Students
had learned about giving their opinions, using correct pronunciation for /a/, schwa, /I/ and /iy/,
syllables, stress, and taking notes on topics while listening to a speaker (their peers, a recording
or the teacher). In addition, students were beginning to be asked to perform more free-speaking
activities using less scaffolding than previously provided in the course to allow them to produce
with creativity and individuality.
English language area: Listening & Speaking
Students: lower-intermediate, 12-16 international students
Time: 80 - minute class
Lesson topic: Advantages and Disadvantages
Pre-lesson inventory:
Overview of goals:
1. Language the students will define advantages and disadvantages then apply those
definitions in a discussion as they begin to use strategies for expressing opinions.
2. Content students will be exposed to cultural traditions around the world such as
piercings/tattoos or oil/coal and they will discuss these traditions and the advantages and
disadvantages of each.
Materials: chalk board, chalk, computer, projector, image PowerPoint.

Kent, M. (2014) 100 Listening & Speaking Lesson

Introduction: (5 minutes) Purpose: To convey todays lesson plan and objective to students.
Procedure: The teacher will write the schedule for todays lesson on the board, collect and return
any previous work.
Warm-up: Kahoot (15 minutes) Purpose: to give students a chance to review pronunciation
differences stressed and unstressed syllables in words.
Procedure: Using the teacher-made Kahoot game located at URL:
https://create.kahoot.it/#quiz/4ff6b99e-83d7-4e68-9e86-6d94ef0849aa, students will use their
cell phones to access the game through a code provided them via the website. Using the projector
and computer, this game will be projected on a screen for the whole class.
-

Each student will chose a username.

The teacher will say each word out loud two times. For example, for the first question,
the teacher will say the word Monday out loud twice.

The students will receive 10 seconds per question to input their answers. On their cell
phones, students will need to choose which syllable carries the stress, the first or the
second.

Through this technology, students answers will be automatically calculated. The five
fastest, most accurate students usernames will be projected onto the screen. Also, the
number of students who answered correctly and incorrectly will be shown on the screen
(usernames are not included in this, but it does let the teacher know how well the class as
a whole is doing).

Through this exercise, students will be able to practice discerning stress differences in
words.

Kent, M. (2014) 100 Listening & Speaking Lesson

Activity 1: (15 minutes) Purpose: to give students practice listening to/producing reductions in
English and allow them to recall vocabulary and grammar from previous lessons through partner
discussion.
Procedure: Teacher will dictate a sentence using American reductions such as Whaddya think
about pizza? Students will write the formal form of the sentence they hear. The teacher will
check classroom understanding by having the formal sentence dictated back to her and written on
the board by a volunteer student. The teacher will then ask for possible follow-up question
options and write them on the board. Then students will get into pairs and ask each other this
question and discuss their answers.
Transition: The teacher will ask for class attention and then ask them what they talked about
things they like and dislike about pizza.
Activity 2: Introducing advantages and disadvantages (25 minutes) Purpose: to let students
become familiar with new vocabulary and cultural differences
Procedure:
-

Teacher writes advantages and disadvantages on the board and asks the class to

define these words. Definition will be written on the board.

Teacher will show a picture of a woman with her nose pierced from India, a man with

full-body tattoos from Japan and a woman with many facial piercings from America.
Students will be asked to guess which country each person might be from.
After this, students will get into groups of 3 or 4 and discuss three advantages and three

disadvantages to having piercings or tattoos.

Two columns will be made on the board (one for advantages and one for disadvantages)
Groups will be assigned advantage or disadvantage and asked to pick one they wrote,

explain it to the class and then list it on the column on the board.
During discussion, teacher will help students express opinions with phrases such as I

think, I feel, I disagree/agree

As a class, we will decide if piercings and tattoos are good or bad and why or why not?

Kent, M. (2014) 100 Listening & Speaking Lesson

Activity 3: Class debate (15 minutes) Purpose: encourage students to think beyond right/wrong
or advantageous/disadvantageous and let them discuss a topic they are familiar with through
debate.
Procedure:
-

Students will get into two groups: advantages group and disadvantages group

The advantages team will discuss the advantages of having oil and coal-run cars and
lights in their group. The disadvantages team will discuss the pit-falls of oil and coal-run
cars and lights. Each group will take notes on talking points they would like to address.

After each team has constructed a list of three-five points, the teams will present their
opinion to the class. Teacher will help students with opinion phrases again.

The class will then discuss and decide if oil and coal-run cars and lights are good or bad
and why/why not.

Closing/Homework: (5 minutes) Purpose: to wrap up the lesson and assign homework.

Procedure: let students know its okay to agree to disagree. Their homework will be to write a
short paragraph on the advantages and disadvantages of being famous and why or why not they
would like to be famous.

Kahoot Stress quiz review Answer Sheet for Teachers

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Monday (stress = 1st syllable)

Message (1st)
Mistake (2nd)
Fifty (1st)
Before (2nd)
People (1st)
Moriah (2nd)
Different (1st)

Kent, M. (2014) 100 Listening & Speaking Lesson

9. Students (1st)
10.
Receive (2nd)
Activity URL:
https://create.kahoot.it/#quiz/4ff6b99e-83d7-4e68-9e86-6d94ef0849aa

100 L&S

Names:_________________________________________________
ADVANTAGES

Based on our conversation in class, what are the advantages of using coal and oil? In your group,
come up with five advantages and make notes about why they are advantages.
Advantages and why:
1

Kent, M. (2014) 100 Listening & Speaking Lesson

2
3
4
5

100 L&S

Names:_________________________________________________
DISADVANTAGES

Based on our conversation in class, what are the disadvantages of using coal and oil? In your
group, come up with five disadvantages and make notes about why they are disadvantages.
Disadvantages and why:
1
2
3

Kent, M. (2014) 100 Listening & Speaking Lesson

4
5