This lesson is based on a beautiful short film called Signs by Patrick Hughes about communication. Students speak about communication, watch a short film and write a composition about improving their communication.
Language level: Intermediate (B1) – Advanced (C1)
Learner type: Teens and adults
Time: 90 minutes
Activity: Speaking about communication, watching a short film and writing a composition
Topic: Communication
Language: Vocabulary related to different types of communication
Materials: Short film and discussion questions
Downloadable materials: signs lesson instructions signs questions
Step 1
Write Communication on the board, and ask students what different forms of communication there are. Students may well come up with the following forms:
Oral communication
Written communication
Non-verbal communication
Visual communication
Step 2
Ask students to think of examples of each form of communication. You may like to elicit some of these examples:
Oral communication
Conversations, discussions, speeches, presentations
Written communication
Emails, text messages, letters, books, articles, reports
Non-verbal communication
Body language, gesture, motion, eye contact, touch, smell, clothing
Visual communication
Colours, drawings, pictures, signs, photos, graphic design, typography
Step 3
Ask your students the following question:
What are the advantages and disadvantages of each type of communication?
Step 4
Tell the students they are going to watch a short film about communication, and they should watch out for the different types of communication used. Show the film.
Step 5
Get feedback from students on the film. Ask students to discuss the questions about the film.
Follow up and homework
Write up the following sentence on the board:
How can we communicate more effectively?
Put students in small groups and get them to brainstorm ideas. Get feedback from the whole class. Ask students to write a composition titled:
How can we communicate more effectively?
I hope you enjoy the film and the lesson.
Hi,
I’ve used this Schweppes advertisement, its fun to pick the product placement.
Hi Jock, I have asked students to say what the product placing is, they often get it on the second viewing.
Cheers,
Kieran
This worked really well with my Advanced adults. Lots of discussion about different types of communication and you’re right, it is a beautiful film. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Steve, thanks a lot, I’m really glad your students liked it. It’s a great short film.
Cheers,
Kieran
Thanks for sharing your ideas. The film is really nice, I’m thinking of using with my students at the beginning of next year, to make them think about how we communicate.
Hi Saro,
Thanks a lot. Let me know how it goes. It’s worked really well with my students, and other teachers have told me it’s gone down well with their students.
Take care,
Kieran
Thank you so much for Your site! For the films, you find for your lesson plans! It’s hard to find the words to describe how I feel watching them. They are not just educating stuff, but a kind of delicious award for students, that should be gained!
Hi Elena,
Thank you for your lovely words. It’s great to know that you and your students find the less enjoyable and useful.
All the best,
Kieran
Hi Kieran,
Your blog looks absolutely incredible and very inspiring. – thank you. I am planning to use this video on communication with my advanced class (C2) and I’m adding a grammar angle using wish / if only. I will let you know my students’ responses and how the lesson goes. Many thanks and congratulations!
Rachel
There is a Chinese version (still with English signs though) which I am hoping will create even more discussion. Eg. What are the differences between the films? Which one do you prefer and why? Etc..
Hi Mike,
I’ll check out the video, thanks for letting me know.
Cheers,
Kieran
Hi Kieran,
I’m really excited about using this lesson tomorrow for my Upper Int/Advanced Special Topics class. The lesson plan looks brilliant and I know my students will love it.
Your site is amazing and I’ll be using it regularly,
Thanks you,
Suzi B, London.
Hi Suzi,
Thanks a lot for commenting; I’m really glad you like the site, I hope your students enjoy the lesson.
All the best,
Kieran
Kieran,
My students loved this video. I ended up using it with A1 students in a lesson that reviewed daily routines. The thrust of the lesson was to practice “to be going to” to predict what they will do next. In fact,I used this idea for the final project of an Internet tools class. My final project is at this link. Let e know what you think of it. http://chrisseceg.posterous.com/
Hi Chris,
I’m really happy yoor students enjoyed the video. I’ve checked out the final project and it’s really good. Congratulations!
All the best,
Kieran
Hello,
I’m teaching in China where your website is blocked. I see it through a proxy at home but have no way to access the film at school. I was wondering if there is a way to get a copy of the film so that I can use the entire lesson plan.
I’d appreciate your advice.
Thanks and regards,
John
Hi John,
You can download a video downloader such as this one:
http://anytubedownloader.com/
You download the software, install it and then you can download any video on the Internet and put it on a pendrive and use it in class. I hope that helps.
Cheers,
Kieran
Hi Rachel,
Thanks a lot for your kind comments. I’d love to hear how the lesson goes with your students.
All the best,
Kieran
Hi Kieran,
The lesson worked wonderfully! I ‘flipped’ the class posting the film on our class wiki and questions asking them to plot the emotional journey the protagonist undertakes and then asking them to formulate their ideas in terms of the grammar structures we were highlighting. When we came to the classroom all but one of the students had seen the film and prepared the tasks. One had written extensively about it. Everyone had strong feelings about the film: some thought it clever and cute, others very predictable and they were thrilled to learn the word gormless!!!!! By the following class everyone had seen the film and still more comments flowed. Most importantly the focus structures came out in the course of discussion very naturally. Another student posted a short film he found interesting and further discussion has ensued. I couldn’t have asked for more. A thousand thanks.
Hi Rachel, Thanks a lot for commenting. The way you’ve used the lesson sounds fantastic, your students seemed to have been really engaged and motivated. Well done! All the best, Kieran