Summary
This downloadable PDF lesson plan for ESL classes helps students discuss imposter syndrome. This English class material includes a video, vocabulary exercises, grammar practice, and a role-play activity to build confidence and fluency in conversation.
This lesson plan helps students explore the topic of imposter syndrome through engaging activities. The class begins with a warm-up discussion about personal achievements and self-doubt. Students then watch a TED-Ed video and complete comprehension questions. The lesson includes vocabulary matching, a fill-in-the-blanks exercise, and a grammar focus on gerunds and infinitives. It culminates in a practical role-play activity where students practice expressing self-doubt and offering reassurance in a professional context, using useful phrases provided.
Activities
- A warm-up discussion prompts students to reflect on their achievements and feelings of self-doubt, activating personal experiences and relevant vocabulary before diving into the main topic of the lesson.
- Students watch an insightful TED-Ed video about the causes and effects of imposter syndrome and check their understanding with a true-or-false comprehension exercise that targets key ideas from the video.
- A grammar practice section focuses on the distinction between verbs followed by gerunds and those followed by infinitives, with a targeted fill-in-the-blanks exercise for reinforcement and context.
- The lesson concludes with a structured role-play where students act out a scenario between a nervous, newly promoted manager and a supportive colleague, using practical phrases learned in the class.
Vocabulary focus
The vocabulary section introduces key terms for discussing psychology and personal achievement, such as 'insecurity', 'fraud', 'syndrome', 'competent', and 'alleviate'. Students also work with words like 'prestigious', 'unwarranted', and 'combat' to describe the nuances of feeling like an imposter and ways to overcome it.
Grammar focus
The grammar point in this lesson is verb patterns, specifically distinguishing between verbs that are followed by a gerund (-ing form) and those followed by a to-infinitive. Students practice this through a gap-fill exercise using verbs like 'avoid', 'decide', 'keep', and 'fail' in the context of imposter syndrome.
