The influencer effect: How marketing shapes our choices
This downloadable PDF lesson plan for English teachers explores the world of influencer marketing. This C1-level class material helps students critically analyze how social media shapes our choices, focusing on advanced vocabulary and persuasive grammar. This lesson engages C1 students with the modern phenomenon of influencer marketing. Activities begin with a warm-up discussion, followed by a vocabulary matching task to introduce key terms. Students will then complete a listening gap-fill exercise about this marketing paradigm shift. The lesson features a grammar section on using cleft sentences for emphasis and culminates in a dynamic role-play where students debate marketing strategies, applying all the new language in a practical context.
Activities
- Start by discussing their own experiences with influencers, then build a strong foundation by matching advanced marketing vocabulary like 'paradigm shift' and 'perceived authenticity' to their definitions, preparing them for deeper analysis.
- Complete a listening exercise challenging them to complete a text about consumer behavior, followed by comprehension questions. The lesson then introduces a key grammar point: using cleft sentences with 'what' and 'it' to add emphasis to their arguments.
- Learn and use phrases for expressing skepticism and analyzing strategy. Students then apply everything in a culminating marketing meeting role-play, debating the pros and cons of using influencers to promote a new product.
Vocabulary focus
This lesson introduces advanced vocabulary crucial for discussing marketing and media literacy. Students will learn and practice words such as: to sway, perceived authenticity, to morph into, fleeting, paradigm shift, obsolete, discerning, and undeniable. These terms enable a nuanced, C1-level conversation about modern advertising.
Grammar focus
The grammar focus is on creating emphasis using cleft sentences. Students will learn the structure and function of 'What-clauses' (e.g., What drives sales is...) and 'It-clauses' (e.g., It is authenticity that...). This advanced structure helps students highlight key information and make more persuasive arguments in both writing and speaking.
