Learning a Language

Language level: Intermediate (B1) –

Upper Intermediate (B2)
Learner type: Teens and adults
Time: 90 minutes
Activity: Speaking about reasons for and
benefits of learning a language, and
watching a short film
Topic: Learning a language
Language: Vocabulary related to language
learning, present continuous and gerund
as subject of a sentence
Materials: Short film


Overview

This ELT lesson plan is designed around a short

film commissioned by Allegro, a Polish online
shopping auction platform and the theme of
learning a new language. Students discuss why they
are learning English, come up with reasons why
people learn a new language and the benefits of
learning a new language, watch a short film and
discuss ways to improve their language learning.

Step 1

Pair your students and ask them to explain to

their partner why they are learning English. Give
them some examples such as:

• I’m learning English to help me get a job.

• I’m learning English because I need it to get
into university.
• I’m learning English because I need it when I
travel.
• I’m learning English because I need it for my
job.
Learning a Language

Step 2

Hold a plenary discussion based on your students’

reasons for learning English.

Step 3

Put your students into small groups and ask them

to come up with as many reasons why people study a
new language as possible.

www.film-english.com by Kieran Donaghy 2


Step 4

Hold another plenary discussion on the reasons

people learn a new language.

Step 5

In their same groups ask your students to answer

the following questions:

What are the benefits of learning a new language?

Give them some example answers such as:

• Learning a new language helps you to

communicate with lots of different people.
• Learning a new language helps you to
understand other people and their cultures.
• Learning a new language makes you more open-
minded.

Step 6

Hold a plenary discussion based on the benefits of

learning a new language.

Step 7
Learning a Language

Tell your students they are going to watch a short

film in which they see a man learning a new
language. As they watch their task is to notice
the different strategies and techniques the man
uses to learn the language.

Show the film until 02:00.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tU5Rnd-HM6A

www.film-english.com by Kieran Donaghy 3


Step 8

Pair your students and ask them to compare their

answers.

Step 9

Get feedback on the techniques and strategies the

man uses (he reads grammar explanations, he
repeats the conjugation of verbs, he listens to
and repeats short expressions, he labels objects
with Post-it notes, he watches films and repeats
expressions).

Step 10

Ask your students how effective they think each of

these techniques and strategies are for learning a
new language. Ask them to come up with any other
strategies which they find useful when learning a
new language.

Step 11

Ask your students why they think the man is

learning English.
Learning a Language

Step 12

Tell them they are going to watch the rest of the

film in which they will see why the man is
learning English. Show the rest of the film.

www.film-english.com by Kieran Donaghy 4


Step 13

Elicit that the man is learning English because

his son lives in Britain and he has a
granddaughter he has never met before who he wants
to communicate with in English.

Step 14

Explain that the short film was commissioned by

Allegro, a Polish online auction shopping
platform.

Step 15

Ask your students to discuss the following

questions:

• What adjectives would you use to describe the

film?
• How does the film make you feel?
• What is the film’s message?

I hope you enjoy the lesson.

Film English is a labour of love, it takes

hundreds of hours and thousands of euros a year to
Learning a Language

sustain and provide free English language lesson

plans. Keeping it a free, clean, ad-free
experience means it’s subsidised by the generous
support of readers like you through donations. So
if you find any inspiration, joy and stimulation
in these lessons or if they help you teaching
English, please consider a modest donation —
however much you can afford.

www.film-english.com by Kieran Donaghy 5