A2 ESL Video Lesson Plan: Paris and New York
This A2-level ESL video lesson plan is built around a thought-provoking video that explores the theme of cities. 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.
Check out the lesson planThis ESL video lesson plan is designed around a short film titled Paris / New York. In the lessons learn vocabulary related to cities, describe features of both cities and then compare them, and then watch the short film.
Language level: Pre-intermediate (A2) –Intermediate (B1)
Learner type: Teens and adults
Time: 60 minutes
Activity: Describing a city, comparing two cities, watching a short film, speaking and writing
Topic: Cities, Paris and New York
Language: Vocabulary related to cities and comparatives
Benefits for Teachers:
- Save hours of preparation with a fully developed, flexible lesson plan
- Engage students through compelling stories and real-world themes such as emotional intelligence, character, values, empathy, personal development, identity, relationships, global issues and social issues
- Build classroom routines that integrate multimodal literacy naturally and progressively
- Foster more inclusive and differentiated learning by using varied modes of input
- Rely on a trusted methodology backed by educational research and grounded in the theories of Vygotsky, Kress, Mayer and Krashen
Benefits for Learners:
- Develop communicative competence and confidence through integrated skill-building
- Expand vocabulary and improve listening and reading comprehension through repeated, meaningful exposure
- Think critically and creatively while exploring powerful social and emotional themes
- Strengthen emotional intelligence and intercultural awareness through affective engagement with multimodal texts
Watch the film.
Check out the lesson plan
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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.
Love it as always, Kieran.
Can I suggest a very minor improvement? Stop the video at 1’56” and don’t spoil the magic by telling anyone it’s an ad, which kind of ruins it 😉 !
I guess you could also do that, but then ask learners if knowing it’s an ad does spoil it for them…
Hi Tom,
Thanks a lot for commenting. I’m really happy your enjoyed the lesson. I deliberately decided to let the film run to the end, but stopping it before the credits does have its advantages.
All the best,
Kieran
It’s too bad that Vimeo is banned by the government in my country because of unreasonable excuses. I won’t able to open this website until the new minister of IT has a new regulation about it, hopefully since he just been inaugurated for a week. Would you give any suggestions how get this video in other way? I really like the ideas and would love to share it with my studs. Thanks
There are ways to bypass that known as VPN’s, such as the free program Hola Unblocker. It changes your IP address allowing you to access websites as if you were in the US, Canada, or anywhere.
Your website is really helpful. Thank you so much! But it’s too bad that both vimeo and Hola Unblocker are banned also in my country.
What an inspiring lesson! It seems such a coincidence – I’m working on a pre-intermediate lesson on comparatives with teens and was looking for something unusual for my lesson tomorrow. Thanks a ton!
Hi Ann,
Thanks for the kind words. I hope your students enjoyed the lesson.
Cheers,
Kieran
You gave a whole lesson, I will surely try it with my students
Hi Lina,
Thanks a lot for commenting. I’m really happy you like the lesson.
All the best,
Kieran
Hi Anatoly,
I hope your studetns enjoy the lesson.
Cheers,
Kieran
I found the structure very clean, simple and easy to read. Thank you. It is easy to follow and the video is a great idea, because they can discuss the differences having a better idea of the city, not putting students whom have never been to the cities at ill ease.
Thank you
Hi Judy,
Thanks a lot for commenting. I’m really happy like the lesson.
All the best,
Kieran
It is a beautiful way of teaching. I am not a teacher but will try it with my kids at home.I am sure they will enjoy it.
Hi Unch,
Thanks a lot for commenting. I’m really happy that you like the way of teaching and I hope your kids do too.
All the best,
Kieran