B1 ESL Video Lesson Plan: The Case for Optimism
This B1-level ESL video lesson plan is built around a thought-provoking video that explores the theme of the case for optimism. It is designed to help learners develop key language skills—listening, viewing, speaking, reading, writing and visually representing—through guided discussion, roleplay, vocabulary building, and engaging classroom activities.
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This ESL lesson plan is designed around a short video titled Steven Pinker Makes the Case for Optimism and the themes of optimism and pessimism. Students learn vocabulary related to optimism and pessimism, discuss quotations about optimism and pessimism, talk about optimism, predict the content of a short video, watch a short video, answer comprehension questions, analyse a short video, perform a roleplay and reflect on the lesson.
Language level: Upper Intermediate (B2) – Advanced (C1)
Learner type: Teens and adults
Time: 90 minutes
Activity: Learning vocabulary related to optimism and pessimism, discussing quotations about optimism and pessimism, talking about optimism, predict the content of a short video, watching a short video, answering comprehension questions, analysing a short video, performing a roleplay and reflecting on the lesson
Topic: Optimism and pessimism
Language: Vocabulary related to optimism and pessimism
Watch the short video.
Check out the lesson plan
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