Lights, Camera, Idioms! Learn English Expressions with Movies

Learning a new language can at times feel like a Herculean task, especially when it comes to understanding everyday conversation that is peppered with idiomatic expressions. However, with the right resources and an engaging approach, the journey can be incredibly rewarding. This lesson plan focuses on leveraging the power of movies to make learning idiomatic expressions and conversational language both effective and enjoyable for intermediate B1 level ESL adult learners.

Summary

This lesson plan utilizes clips from popular English-speaking movies to teach idiomatic expressions and enhance listening comprehension. By discussing the scenes, learning new vocabulary, and practicing listening skills, students will gain a deeper understanding of conversational English as used in real-life contexts.

Lesson Focus

Students will benefit from improved listening comprehension and an expanded knowledge of idiomatic expressions. The activities are designed to foster an enjoyable learning environment where students can practice understanding and using English as it is naturally spoken, all while exploring the cultural nuances that movies can provide.

Lesson Content

Activity 1: Movie Clip Idioms

Approximate Time Needed: 30 minutes

Objective: To identify and understand idiomatic expressions used in a selected movie clip.

Materials: Clips from English-speaking movies (easily accessible from online platforms), a list of idioms found in the clips, projector/screen for class viewing.

Instructions:

Have the class watch a movie clip chosen by the teacher.
Discuss the plot and characters briefly to ensure understanding.
Play the clip again, this time stopping at instances where idiomatic expressions are used.
Discuss each idiom's meaning and usage in context.
Have students create sentences using the idioms.

Activity 2: Create Your Dialogues

Approximate Time Needed: 45 minutes

Objective: To use newly learned idiomatic expressions in creating dialogues that could fit in a movie scene.

Materials: Writing materials, list of idioms learned in Activity 1.

Instructions:

Divide students into small groups.
Each group selects one or two idioms to focus on.
Groups create a short dialogue or scene using those idioms in context.
Groups perform their scenes for the class.
Class discusses the use of idioms in each presentation.

Activity 3: Listening Comprehension Challenge

Approximate Time Needed: 40 minutes

Objective: To enhance listening skills through the identification of idioms in movie clips.

Materials: A variety of movie clips containing multiple idioms; paper and pen for taking notes.

Instructions:

Play several short movie clips, each containing one or more idiomatic expressions.
After each clip, have students write down any idioms they heard and their assumed meanings.
Discuss as a class, clarifying meanings and usages of each identified idiom.
For an added challenge, have students guess the movie or context of the scene based on the idioms used.

Wrap Up

Through the imaginative use of movie clips, this lesson plan offers a novel approach to learning idiomatic expressions and improving listening comprehension. By actively engaging with authentic language as spoken in a variety of contexts, students will leave the lesson with a greater appreciation for the richness of conversational English, better prepared to navigate real-world conversations.

For continued practice outside the classroom, ALULA, an AI-powered ESL app, can be a fantastic resource. With AI-driven conversation exercises and grammar lessons, ALULA complements this lesson by allowing students to reinforce their newly acquired idiomatic knowledge through interactive, personalized practice. This seamless blend of classroom and digital learning ensures that ESL learners can thrive in an English-speaking world.