C1 ESL Video Lesson Plan: Regaining Our Focus

Lesson Summary:
This Advanced (C1) to Proficient (C2) ESL lesson plan is built around a thought-provoking video that explores the theme of focus and regaining our focus in the attention economy. 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. Students analyse David Epstein’s ideas about attention, multitasking, digital interruption, structure, ritual and creativity, then reflect on how to protect deep focus in their own lives.

Learning Objectives:
• To introduce students to the concept of focus in the attention economy
• To expand students’ vocabulary related to distraction, concentration and productivity
• To develop students’ viewing, listening and reading comprehension skills
• To improve students’ speaking skills through pair work, group discussion and roleplay
• To develop students’ writing skills through reflective and analytical tasks
• To practise critical thinking about technology, autonomy and modern work
• To improve students’ visual representing skills through multimodal homework tasks

Lesson Activities:
• Lead-in activity using word association around the theme of focus
• Pre-viewing discussion questions on focus and digital distraction
• Viewing task based on David Epstein’s talk
• Chronological comprehension questions with answers
• Advanced Video Glossary and Article Glossary vocabulary work
• Follow-up article on protecting deep focus in a distracted world
• Post-reading discussion and writing activities
• Roleplay on designing a workplace focus policy

Learner Type:
Advanced (C1) to Proficient (C2) ESL learners, particularly adults and young adults who want to discuss technology, attention, productivity, creativity and well-being.

Language Focus:
• Attention, concentration and deep focus
• Digital distraction, notifications and multitasking
• Productivity, work routines and mental well-being
• Structure, ritual, boundaries and autonomy
• Critical discussion, negotiation and reflective writing

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
• Promote social-emotional learning (SEL)
• 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 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.