Lesson Plans

Modern, engaging and inspiring ESL Video Lesson Plans for English language teachers which support students in building all key language skillsβviewing, listening, speaking, reading, writing and visually representing.
This ESL lesson plan is designed around a short film titled Touch by Joshua Neale, commissioned by Huawei. Students practise vocabulary related to senses, speak about senses, watch a short film, identify what is happening in each scene, and discuss the film.
Touchable Memories
This ESL lesson plan is designed around a short film titled Touchable Memories and the theme of photos, memories and 3D printers. Students talk about photos, describe a photo which is important to them and describe the memories it brings back, describe the character of five people in a photo, watch a short film and make notes, answer comprehension questions, speculate about how blind people βseeβ photos, analyse a short film, perform a roleplay, discuss different uses of 3D printers and reflect on the lesson.
Toxic Positivity
This ready-to-use ESL video lesson plan is built around the short film At What Point Does Optimism Become Unhealthy? and explores optimism, toxic positivity and emotional literacy. Designed for Upper Intermediate (B2) to Advanced (C1) learners, the lesson develops vocabulary related to emotional experience and habits while strengthening viewing, listening, reading, speaking and writing skills. Through guided discussion, quotation analysis, prediction tasks, roleplay and critical reflection, students deepen their understanding of emotional culture and build greater emotional literacy.
Travel
This ESL lesson plan is designed around a short film titled Rise Up and the theme of travel. Students talk about travel, plan a trip around the world, explain their world trip to a partner, watch a short film, describe places in a short film, analyse a short film and reflect on the lesson.
Two Strangers Who Meet Five Times
This ESL lesson plan is designed around a short film titled Two Strangers Who Meet Five Times by Marcus Markou and the themes of making conversation, strangers and racism. Students talk about making conversation, watch a short film, predict the end of a story, answer comprehension questions, discuss a short film and reflect on the lesson.
Ultra-Marathoner
This ESL lesson plan is designed around a short video titled Ultra Marathoner and the theme of marathons. Students learn vocabulary related to marathon and abstract nouns to describe qualities, talk about marathon, 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.
Umbrella
This ESL lesson plan is designed around a short film titled Umbrella. In the lesson students watch and discuss a short film, predict different parts of a story, and write a story.
Unconscious Bias
This ESL lesson plan is designed around a short video titled What is Unconscious Bias? and the themes of bias and unconscious bias. Students learn vocabulary related to bias and unconscious bias, talk about bias and unconscious bias, predict the content of a short video, watch a short video, answer comprehension questions, analyse a short video, write about what they have learned from viewing a short video, develop critical thinking skills by exploring issues raised in a short video, read an article, answer comprehension questions, discuss topics raised in an article, perform a roleplay, and reflect on the lesson.
Understanding Autism
This ESL lesson plan is designed around a short video titled Autism Spectrum Disorder: 10 Things You Should Know, a short film titled Can you make it to the end? and the theme of the autism spectrum and autistic people. Students learn vocabulary related to the autism spectrum, talk about the autism spectrum, read statements about the autism spectrum and decide if they are true of false, watch a short video to check their responses, predict the content of a short film, watch a short film, answer comprehension questions, analyse a short film and reflect on the lesson.
Understanding Visual Impairment
This ESL lesson plan is designed around a short film titled Accepting My Blindness and the themes of blindness and visual impairment. Students learn vocabulary related to blindness and visual impairment, talk about blindness and visual impairment, write a narrative, watch a short film, answer comprehension questions, analyse a short film, watch a second short film, summarise the message of a short film, and reflect on the lesson.
Unexpected Guest
This ESL lesson plan is designed around a short film titled Unexpected Guest and the theme of Christmas. Students learn vocabulary related to Christmas, talk about Christmas, predict the content of a short film, watch a short film, answer comprehension questions, discuss a short film and reflect on the lesson.
Unexpected Santa
This ESL lesson plan is designed around a Coca-Cola AI-generated Christmas ad titled Unexpected Santa and the themes of Christmas, Christmas ads and AI-generated media. Students learn vocabulary related to Christmas, talk about Christmas and Christmas ads, discuss quotations about Christmas, watch a Christmas ad, answer comprehension questions, analyse a Christmas ad, develop critical thinking skills by exploring issues raised in a Christmas ad, perform a roleplay and reflect on the lesson.
Universal Basic Income
This ESL lesson plan is designed around a short video titled Why the U.S. Should Provide Universal Basic Income and the themes of inequality and universal basic income. Students learn vocabulary related to universal basic income, talk about inequality in the USA, talk about universal basic income, predict the content of a short video, watch a short video, answer comprehension questions, analyse a short video, write about what they have learned from viewing a short video and reflect on the lesson.
Universities
This ESL lesson plan is designed around a short video titled A Time-Honored Achievement and the theme of universities. Students learn vocabulary related to universities, talk about universities, 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.
Visualisation
This ESL lesson plan is designed around a short video titled Can visualisation help you achieve a better future? and the theme of visualisation. Students learn vocabulary related to psychology and personal development, talk about visualisation, watch a short video, answer comprehension questions, analyse a short video, write about what they have learned from viewing a short video, develop critical thinking skills by exploring issues raised in a short video, perform a roleplay and reflect on the lesson.
Wanderlust
This complete ESL video lesson plan explores the themes of wanderlust, adventure, and risk-taking at C1βC2 level. Learners expand vocabulary related to travel, psychology, and risk, engage with a short video and article, practise discussion, comprehension, writing, and roleplay. A ready-to-use resource for advanced classrooms.