Bring Your Characters to Life! - Improve Your Students' Descriptive Abilities

Summary

This lesson plan is designed for intermediate B1 level ESL adult learners who want to improve their ability to describe people and characters effectively. By the end of the lesson, students will be equipped with an enriched vocabulary and various linguistic structures which are crucial when detailing someone's appearance and personality. With a blend of speaking and writing exercises, learners will engage in creating detailed character profiles, expanding their descriptive writing skills, and participating in group discussions that aim to build confidence and fluency in the English language.

Lesson Focus

Students will gain proficiency in describing people and characters, improving both their speaking and writing skills. By concentrating on these areas, learners will learn to paint vivid pictures with words, craft comprehensive descriptions, and participate in dynamic conversations centered around characterization.

Lesson Content

Activity 1: Creating Character Profiles

Approximate Time Needed: 30 minutes

Objective: To compile a thorough character profile using descriptive language.

Materials: Students will need a worksheet with guided questions for character creation. This can be created by the teacher or found online on various teaching resource sites.

Instructions:

Provide each student with a character profile worksheet.
Review the meaning of key descriptive terms for physical appearance and personality traits as a class.
Students work independently to create a detailed profile of a character, imaginary or from a known story.
Encourage students to share their profiles with a partner and discuss the choices they made.

Activity 2: Descriptive Writing Exercise

Approximate Time Needed: 40 minutes

Objective: To enhance descriptive writing skills by crafting a short paragraph about a person or character.

Materials: Pen and paper, or a computer/tablet for each student. A selection of images depicting various people for students to describe.

Instructions:

Distribute or display images of different people.
Each student selects an image and spends a few minutes brainstorming descriptive words and phrases for their chosen individual.
Instruct students to write a paragraph describing the person in the image, incorporating physical and personality descriptions.
Facilitate a peer-review session where students swap papers and provide feedback on each other’s work.

Activity 3: 'Guess Who' Discussion Game

Approximate Time Needed: 30 minutes

Objective: To practice oral descriptive skills in a dynamic, interactive setting.

Materials: Small cards with names of well-known public figures or characters from books/movies, a timer.

Instructions:

Distribute the cards and ensure students keep their character's identity secret.
Students take turns describing their character to the group without saying the name.
The rest of the group asks yes or no questions to guess the identity of the character being described.
Use a timer to limit each student's turn, increasing the challenge and engagement.

Wrap Up

This lesson plan offers a comprehensive approach to mastering the skill of describing others. Starting with crafting character profiles, moving through descriptive writing, and culminating in a 'Guess Who' game, students are guided through a variety of activities that elevate their speaking and writing abilities simultaneously.

In addition to the activities in this lesson plan, ALULA, an AI-powered ESL app, can serve as a supplementary resource for students. ALULA’s conversation exercises, divided into topics, and speaking exercises focus on specific grammar topics, perfect for reviewing and practicing outside of class. Furthermore, grammar lessons within ALULA allow students to learn autonomously and come to class better prepared, saving valuable lesson time for more practical, conversational activities. This integrated approach combines classic classroom learning with modern AI technology, providing a balanced and immersive language learning experience.