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Your Secret

Posted on September 7, 2011 by kierandonaghy

This lesson is based around a short film called Your Secret. What I like most about the film is that it involves the viewers and encourages them to take an active and creative part.

Language level: Pre-intermediate (A2) – Intermediate (B1)

Learner type: Teens and adults

Time: 60 minutes

Activity: Watching a short film, speaking and writing

Topic: Secrets and creativity

Language: Vocabulary related to secrets

Material: Short film, discussion questions and film transcript

Downloadable material: your secret lesson instructions     secrets discussion questions     your secret transcript

 

Step 1

Write Secrets on the board and ask students what comes to mind when they see the word.

 

Step 2

Pre-teach the following vocabulary:

to keep a secret

to reveal a secret

to confide in somebody

to confess

 

Step 3

Get your students to discuss the questions about secrets in the Scribd document below.

 

 

Step 4

Pre-teach the following vocabulary:

trendy

cheerful

colourful

wonderful

insignificant

 

Step 5

Tell your students they are going to watch a film called Your Secret in which they have to think about a secret. Ask them to follow the instructions in the film, and then when they have finished ask them how they feel.

 

 

Step 6

Show your students the transcript of the film in the Scribd document below. The transcript has some words missing, in pairs your students should try to complete from what they remember of the film. Show  the film a second time for students to check their answers. The complete transcript  is  on the second page of the document.

 

 

Step 7

Ask students what they think the message of the film is, and if they like this message.

 

I hope you enjoy the lesson.

40 thoughts on “Your Secret”

  6. Hi kieran! I’m new here your blog was recommended by the TeachingEnglish Newsletter. I have read this lesson and I think you have done a brilliant job. I like the way you planned this lesson and the video is very interesting. I’ll try it with my students and will let you know the result.
    Thank you very much for sharing.
    Kind regards,
    Jennifer

    Reply ↓

    • Hi Jennifer,
      I’m really happy that you like the blog. i hope your students enjoy the lesson, please let me know how it goes as it’s great to get feedback from other teachers.
      All the best,
      Kieran

      Reply ↓

  9. Hi Kieran,
    I can´t find words to say how much I enjoyed your secret video, indeed.
    Thanks for sharing it with all of us.
    You know what, I´ve always wanted to do great lessons like this one but I don´t know how to, first thing because I don´t know how to make a video which maybe isn´t the most difficult part, but……….well I don´t want to make this very long but before leaving I want to say a few words in Spanish.

    Qué bonito video!!. Precioso realmente. Me encantó y seguro que a los alumnos también. Y la lección, perfecta.

    Paloma

    Reply ↓

    • Hi Paloma,
      Thanks so much for your kind comments. I’m just happy that you’ve enjoyed the film and the lesson. The film works really well with students, and generates a lot of discussion, I’m sure you’ll students will reallly like it.
      ¡Que te vaya muy bien!
      Kieran

      Reply ↓

  10. Hi Kieran,
    Thank you for the film. My curiosity to know the secret remained till the end. Then the sudden realization that it’s the ‘secret’ between ‘you’ and ‘me’. Certainly students will enjoy it and moreover it may pave the way for introspection revealing some secrets.
    With regards,
    satheesh

    Reply ↓

  13. Hi Kieran,
    Congratulations, a wonderful job and effort!
    I would really like to use it with my students, but we do not have direct internet access in a classroom. Are there any ways to download it to a pendrive or DVD?
    Regards,
    Cholpon

    Reply ↓

    • Hi Choplin,
      Thanks a lot. I’ve just checked at Vimeo and this video is not available for download. However, there are many programmes which you can donload which allow you to do download videos from Vimeo, YouTube etc. Here’s a link to one, Clip Nabber:

      http://clipnabber.com/

      I hope you can download it and show it to your students, I’m sure they’d really like it.

      All the best,

      Kieran

      Reply ↓

  15. It’s VERY hard not to procastinate with ideas, films, emotions like these. I could happily spend all day going from one thing to another on your site, forgetting all the other “tasks” that await. But “taying” with your ideas will never be a waste of time, they are a source of constant inspiration, enjoyment and challenge to think differently and encourage our students to do the same. Thanks again for all Kieren

    Reply ↓

  16. Hi Kieran,
    I recently just started teaching and am finding your materials really useful for the parents’ class I am teaching. Thanks a lot for sharing the lesson plans!! I really appreciate all the effort you put into the lessons! Very interesting and inspirational! Thanks again! :)

    Reply ↓

  17. I did this lesson today with two boys, 12 and 14, and it was fantastic! They loved it. And when we finished watching the film and I asked them how they felt, they said (in German, I had to translate it for them) thoughtful and contemplative. Perfect. I began the lesson by playing Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark’s ‘Secret,’ and asked them simply, what is his secret? The whole thing clocked in at exactly 60 minutes. Great lesson. Thanks!

    Reply ↓

  18. I did this lesson with an ipad class today and all of the students loved it. Thanks a million for such a highly artistic and imaginative website; it’s very generous of you to share this with everyone. You should publish an EFL book on film cause it would sell by the truckload.

    Pat

    Reply ↓

    • Hi Pat,
      It’s a pleasure. Thanks a lot for your kind comments; it’s great to know you like the site so much. I have written a book on using film to teach medical English and I plan to write an ELT one soon. I’ll keep you posted : )
      All the best,
      Kieran

      Reply ↓

  19. This looks very interesting, Kieran.
    I’ve used quite a few of your ideas recently, such as Tick Tock, Paperman, The Benefits of Learning Languages, Time, etc, and they’ve always worked well.
    I’ll try this one very soon.
    Thanks,
    Simon

    Reply ↓

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