This is a lesson plan for a conversation lesson about problems and possible solutions, for A2+ level ESL classes.
BULLET POINTS:
Topic: Problems and solutions
Level: A2+
Time: 60 minutes
Materials: Whiteboard, marker
Preparation time: None
Skill: Speaking
Function: Giving advice (You should/could…, Why don't you…, You might want to consider V-ing…, etc., depending on the students' level)
Grammar/Vocabulary: Modals — should, might, could; I'd suggest that you…
Group size: 4+
Introduction
Years ago, I worked for a school that offered computer-dominated blended courses to its students. These learners spent hours, days — even weeks — in front of a screen, memorising the answers to repeated questions, until they could book a conversation lesson. Since there was no guidance from a class teacher (there were no fixed classes as such), it fell to the teachers running these conversation lessons to monitor and evaluate the students themselves. These were also the only lessons that required any preparation from the teacher, which is precisely why they were my favourites.
That said, we never really knew in advance what level the students would be, since anyone above a given level could book a conversation lesson — for example, anyone who had completed the first four units could book Conversation I, but so could higher-level students returning for a brush-up session at that lower level. This meant flexibility was essential — much like what's needed for any last-minute substitution. So this lesson idea, one of my most popular ones, might come in handy if you're ever covering a class at short notice.
Warm-up
Ask students whether they think problems are, on balance, positive or negative things. Explore how they use the word problem and what their general attitude towards problems is. With higher-level students, you could even discuss the word troubleshooting (finding solutions to problems).
Lead-in: Mind Map
Ask students what kinds of problems come up in their lives (without prying too much). As they respond, build a mind map on the whiteboard. Possible answers include: difficulties with English, unemployment, money problems, not having a partner, health problems, etc.
Main Part
Ask students to pick one problem area and give them two minutes to take notes on a possible — or real — problematic situation.
For example:
I work for an international company, which has its headquarters in Milan. Lately I've been forced to fly to Milan and stay there four days a week. I have a wife and two young children, who go to school in Palermo. I hate that I only see them at weekends, and even then I often have to work from home. I've considered leaving my job, but I hold a senior position, and in Palermo I'd never find work that could guarantee us the same standard of living — I might even struggle to find a job here at all.
As a trial round, gather some ideas from the students on what this person should do to solve the problem. Elicit and/or teach the target language according to the students' level, for example:
- A2: You should/could move to Milan with your family.
- B1: Have you considered moving to Milan with your family?
- B2: You might want to consider moving to Milan with your family. / I'd suggest that you move to Milan with your family.
- C1: What I would advise is moving to Milan with your family.
- C2: Your nearest and dearest are supposed to be close to you, so take the leap of faith and move to Milan with your family.
Then ask the students to arrange their chairs into two circles, one inner and one outer, facing each other so that each student sits opposite a classmate. The students in the inner circle tell their partners about their problems; those in the outer circle listen and try to suggest possible solutions.
After about three minutes, ask the students in the inner circle to move one chair to the right and repeat the exercise. This way, the "complaining" students get to retell their stories and gather further suggestions.
You can repeat the exercise once more if you like. While they're talking, monitor them to make sure they're on task, using the target language accurately, and maintaining a smooth flow of conversation.
Then ask the students to swap roles: those who previously gave advice now seek it themselves. Again, have them swap partners two or three times, this time moving to the left around the outer circle, so they get to speak to more than one "troubleshooter".
Wind-down: Feedback
Finally, ask the class, as a group, which problem they found the most original — or even the funniest. In one of my own lessons, I had a student with three children and five cats living in fifty square metres (yes, really), who had no idea how to handle the tension in his household.
Then ask for the most original pieces of advice they received for their own problems.
The takeaway message of the lesson is that every problem has at least one solution — we just need to look at it from different points of view.