ESL Uncaged

Advanced lesson plan (B2 and above): What can science tell us about queuing? -   BUY ME A COFFEE if you like my FREE ESL content Social scientists have found queuing behaviour is governed by "the rule of six". On average, we will wait six minutes in a queue before giving up in frustration. In addition, people are unlikely to join a queue that has more than six people in it. Finally, six inches (15cm) of personal space is the minimum distance required between participants in a queue to avoid stress.  In this B2+ worksheet, students will  Study a video about the science of queuing Learn six line-related  idioms Discuss six phrasal verbs based on WAIT (to WAIT around, to WAIT on someone, to WAIT up for someone, etc.) See  advanced adjectives  to describe people waiting in line Read and answer questions about the "rule of six" in queuing Differentiate between  negative modal verbs of obligation (mustn't, shouldn't, to not have to) Educational material...

Advanced lesson plan (B2+): How to win friends and influence people -  BUY ME A COFFEE if you like my FREE ESL content In 1937, arguably the most influential self-help book ever was published: How to Win Friends and Influence People , by American author Dale Carnegie.  But how relevant are its lessons in the modern world? Decide for yourself in this week's worksheet, which also introduces six friend-related idioms and phrasal verbs, as well as a mountain of advanced vocabulary. Educational materials shouldn't be paywalled. Show your support for my ESL content by  buying me a coffee! Lesson activities: 1) To warm up, students will complete five quotes from Carnegie's best-seller, using vocabulary from a list. They will then discuss their thoughts about the advice.  Key vocabulary: to dangle, bristling, temper, shun, vanity, rattlesnakes, to be fond of, incessantly. 2) Students will watch a video (9:00) entitled "How to win friends and influence people - a summary of C...

Advanced lesson plan (B2): Why are we afraid of clowns? -  BUY ME A COFFEE if you like my FREE ESL content Give your students a fright this Halloween with a creepy lesson plan about clowns! In this B2/C1 worksheet, students will learn how clowns morphed from friendly sideshow goofballs to the terrifying villains of blockbuster horror films.  Educational materials shouldn't be paywalled. Show your support for my ESL content by  buying me a coffee!   Lesson activities: 1) To warm up, students will match six pun-ny jokes about clowns with their punchlines. They will discuss their earliest memories of clowns and their own feelings about them.  Key vocabulary: juggler, to crack someone up, to have big shoes to fill.  2) Students will watch a video (10:37) entitled "Why are we afraid of clowns?" and answer the comprehension questions.  Key vocabulary: slapstick comedy, trope, down-and-out, steep price.  3) Next, students will see  six clown-rela...

Flipped lesson plan (B2 and above): How do police interrogations work? -  BUY ME A COFFEE if you like my FREE ESL content Learn how cops subtly manipulate suspects to extract a confession. In this worksheet, students will watch a video about the psychological techniques used by police to interrogate suspects. They will also read a case study, involving a woman who murderered her baby step-son. (WARNING: not suitable for young learners.)  Educational materials shouldn't be paywalled. Show your support for my ESL content by  buying me a coffee! Lesson activities: Explain in your own words the interrogation techniques detailed in the video  Read an interrogation transcript and analyse how the psychological techniques have been applied  Learn idioms/phrases related to interrogations (spill the beans, guilt trip, to talk one's way out of something, to grill someone, like talking to a brick wall, spit it out) Match descriptions of guilt, anguish and anger with pictur...

Flipped lesson plan (B2 and above): How does the Rorschach inkblot test work? -    BUY ME A COFFEE if you like my FREE ESL content Learn about the dark and mysterious Rorschach inkblot test, a psychological tool used for decades to expose hidden demons in the unconscious mind. In this worksheet, students will take the Rorschach inkblot test for themselves and read about how the test was used on captured Nazi war criminals to give insight into their evil minds. In addition, students will learn six paint-related idioms (paint oneself into a corner, paint the town red, paint with the same brush, etc.) Educational materials shouldn't be paywalled. Show your support for my ESL content by  buying me a coffee! Lesson outcomes:  Use descriptive vocabulary to complete the Rorschach inkblot test (phrases like 'it reminds me of a lobster', 'it looks a bit like an animal hide') Watch and discuss a video about the origin of the Rorschach inkblot test. This will expose students ...