Topic: Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Time: 60 minutes

Level:   Upper-Intermediate

Introduction:

This lesson is based around Covid-19 pandemic and deals with its nature and impact on human lives. It provides learners with four language skills practice. It also provides practice of using ICT.

Aims:

• To raise students’ awareness about pandemic;
• To develop learners’ vocabulary of coronavirus;
• To develop critical thinking;
• To develop reading, listening, writing and speaking skills through different assignments;
• To give practice of discussing specific topic;
• To give practice of working in groups;
• To give practice of using ICT.

Materials and resources:

1. Online-dictionaries: http://www.multitran.ru, https://www.macmillandictionary.com;
2. Google Docs;
3. WordItOut;
4. Padlet Wall;
5. Tricider;
6. Online encyclopedia: https://en.wikipedia.org ;
7. Vocaroo;
8. Coggle (a collaborative mind-mapping tool);
9. Hot Potatoes;
10. Hotlist: https://www.who.int https://www.frontiersin.org https://www.vontobel.com
11. https://childdevelop.ru
12. http://www.cambridgeblog.org
13. https://www.eslvideo.com

Procedure

1. Lead-in

Look at the wordcloud, please, and find out the theme of our lesson today. Try to formulate the aim of our lesson, answer the question: “Why is it important to learn?”

2. Elicitation

Look at the words written below, put the stress and complete the table. Model a word, e.g. ‘coronavIrus’. Elicit number of syllables (5), and the 4-th syllable is the strongest. Use Vocaroo to record themselves saying the target words and email the result to your teacher. Then use online dictionary and write down new words in your vocabulary books.

3. Presentation

Follow the link, watch the video and answer the questions. Group work:

Divide into 4 groups (A, B, C, D) and discuss the following question:

• • What possible impact of the COVID-19 pandemic can you name? Think about positive and negative impact of coronavirus. Each group discusses a specific sphere of human life.

Follow the link and complete the mind map. Be ready to present your ideas for your colleagues. You can use Wikipedia to help you.

Coronavirus had a great influence on all spheres of human life, including language. Recently, a huge number of coronavirus neologisms have appeared. After months of stuffing the brain with complex public health information, people should free up some space for a more colorful vocabulary that makes reality seem less threatening.

Answer the question:

• • Do you know some of these neologisms? Give some examples.

Go to the Padlet wall and read the article written by David Crystal.

4. Practice​​​​​​​

matchcovoc.htm - Interactive web-exercise created in Hot Potatoes.