C1 ESL Video Lesson Plan: The Value of Work

Lesson Summary:
This Advanced (C1) to Proficient (C2) ESL lesson plan is built around a compelling short video in which David Graeber explores the value of work and what makes work meaningful. Through viewing, discussion and creative activities, learners examine competing ideas about labour, social value and caring work. The lesson is enriched by an in-depth article titled Why Caring Labour Is Undervalued and What That Costs Society, encouraging learners to think critically, reflect deeply and express complex ideas with confidence.

Learning Objectives:
• To introduce students to competing ideas of what makes work valuable.
• To expand students’ vocabulary related to labour and social value.
• To develop students’ viewing, listening and reading comprehension skills through guided tasks.
• To develop students’ writing skills through reflective and argumentative responses using new vocabulary.
• To improve students’ speaking skills through structured discussion and roleplay using new vocabulary.
• To improve students’ visual representing skills through multimodal composition homework tasks.

Lesson Activities:
• Introducing the concept of meaningful work through discussion.
• Predicting themes and ideas before watching the video.
• Viewing and analysing a short video on the value of work.
• Answering comprehension and interpretation questions.
• Taking part in structured discussions and a roleplay.
• Reading and responding to an article on caring labour.
• Writing reflective and critical responses.
• Completing multimodal homework tasks.

Learner Type:
Advanced (C1) to Proficient (C2) mature teens and adults

Language Focus:
• Vocabulary related to labour and social value
• Language for critical thinking and evaluation
• Argumentative and reflective writing language

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.