Summary
This downloadable PDF lesson plan for English teachers explores the "cringe" culture of LinkedIn. This ESL class material uses a video to discuss professional networking, authenticity, and online personas, perfect for an advanced business English lesson. It helps students critically analyze the culture of LinkedIn through a warm-up matching social media platforms to their use, vocabulary exercises on terms like 'cringe' and 'thought leadership', a video comprehension task about LinkedIn's algorithm, a grammar focus on comparatives, and a final discussion about what is appropriate to share on a professional network. Students also learn useful phrases for connecting and commenting online, making this a practical business English lesson.
Activities
- Start with a matching activity where students connect popular social media platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok to their primary functions, leading into a discussion about their own social media usage and professional networking habits.
- Watch a short video exploring why LinkedIn content can sometimes be seen as 'cringe'. Students answer true/false comprehension questions about the platform's algorithm, viral posts, and the concept of online authenticity in a professional setting.
- Engage in a final discussion about professional boundaries online. Students debate whether it's appropriate to share personal stories, achievements, or political opinions on a platform like LinkedIn, using phrases to express their opinions.
Vocabulary focus
This lesson focuses on modern vocabulary related to social media and professional life. Key terms include 'network', 'cringe', 'algorithm', 'thought leadership', 'parody', 'go viral', and 'authentic'. Students practice using these words in matching and gap-fill exercises, preparing them to discuss online trends.
Grammar focus
The grammar section revisits comparatives and superlatives. Students practice forming and using these structures to compare different social media platforms and professional behaviors (e.g., 'LinkedIn is more formal than Instagram,' 'What is the most useful platform for job hunting?'). This reinforces essential grammar for making comparisons.
