Summary
This downloadable PDF lesson plan provides B2-level ESL class material on how to run effective brainstorming sessions, ideal for students learning business communication skills. It equips students with the language and skills needed to lead a successful brainstorming meeting, covering warm-up discussions, a vocabulary matching task, and video comprehension from "Secrets to a successful brainstorm." Students will practice grammar for instructions and suggestions, learn useful phrases for managing discussions, and apply their knowledge in a structured role-play activity to simulate real-world scenarios.
Activities
- Video comprehension questions where students watch an engaging video about the secrets of a successful brainstorm and answer targeted questions. This activity develops listening skills and introduces best practices for facilitating creative meetings and generating ideas.
- A grammar exercise focusing on imperatives and modal verbs, where the grammar section focuses on imperatives for giving clear instructions and modal verbs (could, should) or phrases ("Let's...") for making suggestions. Students complete a sentence rewriting exercise to master this key functional language.
- Guided role-play scenarios where students work in pairs to lead a mock brainstorming session. They must apply the vocabulary, grammar, and useful phrases from the lesson to state a goal, set rules, and encourage participation from their partner.
Brainstorming can be a great way to come.
Up with new ideas but it can quickly get.
Out of control learn the secrets to run.
A successful brainstorming session and.
Get your creative juices flowing I'm.
Chris and I've been leading design.
Workshops for companies and clients for.
The past five years but I've noticed.
People run brainstorming sessions all.
Wrong let's address the problem with an.
Example when you thought your team would.
Generate great new ideas and Creative.
Solutions during brainstorming sessions.
But you quickly realize the session is.
Failing miserably limitations such as.
Chaotic agenda fear of being judged loud.
Mouse dominating the session.
Participants struggling to generate.
Thoughts or ideas being criticized by.
One person can turn your brainstorming.
Session into a club.
So how do you ensure smooth and.
Productive session that can get creative.
Juices flowing.
The answer is by planning carefully put.
Together a well-stated problem and use.
The right framework and strategies that.
Work for your team I will tell you the.
Most common mistake Junior designers.
Make when running brainstorming sessions.
Later in the video but first let's.
Define brainstorming brainstorming.
Allows people to explore new ideas by.
Thinking outside of the box it's a handy.
Way to encourage genuine collaboration.
And interaction with your team here's.
How I run brainstorming sessions step by.
Step first decide whether a group or an.
Individual brainstormer session would.
Work best for the problem during a group.
Session feel free to break up the groups.
Into teams and mix up the people within.
Those teams to alter interpersonal.
Dynamics then select your brainstorming.
Method the ones I recommend are brain.
Writing and brainwalking but there are.
Many other methods that you can explore.
Such as the five wise mind mapping.
Ground rubbing small analysis crazy AIDS.
And a lot more three you want to gather.
The right team who needs to be in the.
Room and who can help you come up with.
Interesting Solutions four you want to.
Set the agenda and be clear about the.
Time constraints time constraints.
Actually promote creativity five you.
Want to define the problem and set.
Boundaries for the solution what are we.
Working on what aren't we working on six.
Do brainstorming warm-up exercises to.
Help your teams and mental gears get.
Moving before ideation sessions use.
Relatable topics like describe your.
Dream home name as many basketball teams.
As you can think of as many uses for.
Paper kits as possible those are just.
Some examples you could use step 7 set.
Ground rules be clear and don't hesitate.
To remind the team about these rules.
Some rules I like to use is welcome.
Unusual ideas remove criticism from the.
Equation avoid praising and treat each.
Idea equal.
Focus on quantity over quality keep it.
Short and simple and finally be.
Respectful step 8. summarize the.
Brainstorming session digitally and only.
Share the most critical information this.
Will make the information easier to.
Digest too tools that I typically use.
Are figma rural Google Slides or notion.
The ideal brainstorming session should.
Produce as many ideas as possible and.
Participants are able to form their.
Ideas freely without fear or judgment.
But sometimes things just don't go.
According to plan so what are the most.
Common mistakes that inexperienced.
Designers face when they facilitate a.
Brainstorming session inexperienced.
Designers often fail to set expectations.
And control the room what happens most.
Often is that senior outspoken.
Stakeholders takes over the entire.
Session they start to give their.
Feedback and opinions on why those ideas.
Are bad and start selling why their.
Ideas are good and that is a huge number.
Setting up a few well thought out.
Brainstorming rules can help a session.
Go from dud to achievement my favorite.
Brainstorming sessions are ones that.
Promote ideas that are unexpected look.
At the problem from a different.
Perspective or completely reframe my.
Thinking from this emergence productive.
Conversations interesting non-obvious.
Solutions and they clear a path to.
Exploration in summary brainstorming can.
Promote creative thinking bring a team.
Together and help you generate.
Incredible new ideas that can.
Potentially solve a business problem.
Make sure that you actually do something.
With your brainstorming session that.
You've created commit to some follow-up.
Actions as a team and see how far these.
Ideas can take you just don't let it go.
To waste if you're interested in.
Learning more about brainstorming with.
Detailed guides and templates check out.
The link in the description or or or or.
Hit the big red button for another.
Play-by-play a breakdown of ux.
Frameworks bye.
Vocabulary focus
This lesson introduces essential vocabulary for discussing idea generation and meeting management. Key terms include verbs like "to facilitate" and "to dominate", nouns such as "ideation" and "constraints", and the adjective "outspoken". Exercises ensure students understand these words in a business context.
Grammar focus
The grammar section concentrates on the functional language used to lead a group. It contrasts the use of the imperative form for giving direct instructions (e.g., "Define the problem") with the use of modal verbs and phrases like "Let's..." for making collaborative suggestions (e.g., "We could try brainwriting").
