Beliefs & Opinions

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LESSON PLAN

 

 

Conversation class

 Topic: Beliefs & Opinions

Language level: Intermediate

Duration: 1 hour

Language skills:

·         Speaking: express beliefs and personal opinions; express agreement and disagreement

·         Listening: identify and understand specific details/information

Objectives: By the end of this lesson, students will be able to share personal opinions, express agreement and disagreement, ask for clarification.

Language:

·         Vocabulary: opinions (asking for, supporting, stating, agreeing or disagreeing)

·         Grammar: prepositions, present tense

·         Pronunciation: topic-related vocabulary

Materials / Resources:

·         Handouts provided by the teacher

Procedure:

  1. Warm-up
  • Ask students : Are you passionate about your beliefs?
  • Explain the difference between believe and belief
  • Ask students: Do you have strong opinions on things? What things do you feel strongly about?
  • Elicit as many answers as possible
  • Introduce the topic: Beliefs and Opinions
  • Write examples on the board: stating an opinion, supporting an opinion, asking for an opinion, agreeing with an opinion, partially agreeing or disagreeing with an opinion.
  1. Class or group discussion
  • Discuss the following questions as a class / Put students in groups, give them a handout and ask them to discuss:
  1. Do you ever try to impose your beliefs on others?
  2. Does anyone ever try to impose their beliefs onto you?
  3. Have you ever been afraid to share your beliefs with anyone?
  4. How do you feel when someone disagrees with something you believe to be true?
  5. Do you ever get into arguments with people who have different beliefs or opinions as you?
  6. Are there any politicians or famous people whose opinions you strongly disagree with?
  7. What is the best way to deal with different opinions in the workplace?
  8. Do you consider other people’s opinions before making a decision?
  9. At work do you ever share your opinions on controversial issues? What type of response do you get?
  10. Do you always give your honest opinion or do you sometimes tell a white lie to avoid upsetting someone?
  11. Whose opinion do you value most?
  1. Pair/Group Activity
  • Divide students in pairs or groups of 3, or 4 depending on the class size
  • Write the following list of controversial topics on the board:
  1. Extraterrestrials
  2. Traditional medicine
  3. Telepathy
  4. TV causes violence
  5. Life after death
  6. Men are smarter than women
  7. Alcohol should be illegal
  8. Ghosts
  9. Reincarnation
  10. Vampires
  11. Dogs are the best pets
  12. Dreams have messages
  13. Drugs should be legal
  • Ask students to answer the following question in their groups: Which of the following do you believe in/agree with? Why?
  • Encourage students to practice stating an opinion, supporting an opinion, asking for an opinion, agreeing with an opinion, partially agreeing or disagreeing with an opinion.
  • Monitor the groups and provide help when necessary.
  • Go over the list of controversial topics as a class.