LESSON OVERVIEW

With this speaking lesson plan, students watch a video about growth and fixed mindsets and get plenty of opportunities to discuss them. They also learn some collocations referring to challenges and development, as well as practise word formation. 

WARM-UP & VIDEO

The speaking lesson plan starts with a brainstorming activity in which students come up with some possible connections between four words: ability, challenge, improve, fail. Then, they read what a mindset is and discuss how a person’s mindset can change. They also try to figure out the difference between a growth mindset and a fixed mindset with the help of an image representing the two. Next, students complete gaps in a short paragraph and watch the first part of a video to check their answers. Before the second viewing, students create collocations by matching their halves (e.g. take a risk, avoid challenges, be likely to succeed). Then, they read five statements (e.g. sees life as a journey of improvement) and decide if each of them describes a growth mindset or a fixed mindset. Finally, they watch the second part of the video and check their answers to the previous exercise. 

WORD BUILDING & DISCUSSION

This part of the speaking lesson plan starts with a multiple choice task in which students choose the correct form of a word (e.g. developed, development, develop). Then, they discuss the questions from the previous exercise. The questions refer to the video and students’ own experience related to mindset. After that, students use what they learned from the video, as well as the vocabulary from the lesson, to do one of two speaking tasks. In the first one, they choose a company or an institution, and discuss if they have a growth mindset by answering five questions (e.g. How does the organization see achievement and failure?). In the second exercise, students discuss which of the images and slogans are suitable for a campaign to support pupils who face learning challenges. Finally, they choose an image and a slogan and explain their decision to the rest of the class.