B1 ESL Video Lesson Plan: How to Do Hard Things

This engaging ESL video lesson plan is built around the short video How to Force Yourself to Do Hard Things and explores the theme of doing hard things and overcoming mental resistance. Suitable for Intermediate (B1) to Upper Intermediate (B2) level students, the lesson is ideal for mature teens and adults. It features vocabulary-building, critical thinking, structured roleplay, article-based tasks, and multimodal reflection activities.

🧠 Learning Objectives

Students will:

• Explore the concept of doing difficult things and overcoming resistance

• Learn about motivation, self-discipline, and mental resilience

• Expand vocabulary related to habits, discipline, and persistence

• Develop listening, viewing, and reading comprehension skills

• Improve speaking through structured discussions and roleplay

• Strengthen writing through reflective and creative tasks

• Practise visual representing and multimodal composition in homework tasks

🎬 Lesson Activities

In this 90–120 minute ESL video lesson, students will:

• Reflect on a time they overcame mental resistance or procrastination

• Discuss strategies for building self-discipline and motivation

• Predict and watch a short video, then complete comprehension tasks

• Analyse how the video presents the idea of forcing oneself to act

• Read an article titled How to Build Discipline in Daily Life

• Answer comprehension questions and discuss key ideas from the article

• Engage in a roleplay about encouraging a friend to do something difficult

• Write reflectively about a personal goal and the mental barriers to achieving it

• Complete a multimodal homework composition

👥 Learner Type

Mature teens and adults at Intermediate (B1) to Upper Intermediate (B2) levels

📚 Language Focus

Vocabulary related to:

• Self-discipline and inner motivation

• Resilience and mental strength

• Habits, behaviour change, and persistence

Watch the short video.

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We hope you enjoy this ESL video lesson plan.

Thanks for being part of the Film English community, and happy teaching!
— The Film English Team

Transform Your English Classroom with the Multimodal Approach
This ESL video lesson plan is built around a thought-provoking short video and designed using the innovative Multimodal Approach, integrating listening, speaking, reading, writing, viewing, and representing. Engage learners with real-world themes, develop communicative competence, build vocabulary and foster critical thinking through dynamic, research-informed activities. Find out more about the Multimodal Approach and join thousands of teachers transforming their classrooms with Film English.