Summary
This ESL lesson delves into the fascinating world of podcasts, charting their evolution from a niche medium to a multi-billion dollar industry. Students will explore the business models, monetization strategies, and technological advancements shaping audio content. The class material covers key vocabulary related to media and business, phrasal verbs for discussing disruption, and the use of the passive voice in professional contexts. Through engaging activities including video comprehension, reading, and guided discussions, learners will develop their speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills, culminating in a creative podcast pitch.
Activities
Warm-up discussion: Students activate prior knowledge by discussing their personal experiences with podcasts, comparing them to radio, and considering why they've become so popular.
Reading and vocabulary: Learners read about the podcast industry's growth and economics, then match key business-related vocabulary like 'lucrative' and 'monetize' with their definitions.
Video comprehension: Students watch a video on the evolution of podcasts, taking notes on key milestones like Apple's role and the impact of "Serial," followed by comprehension questions.
Phrasal verbs practice: Learners complete sentences using phrasal verbs such as 'come about', 'break with', and 'roll out' to describe changes and developments in the digital landscape.
Grammar focus - Passive voice: Students learn about the use of the passive voice in business contexts to emphasize actions and results, then practice by rewriting active sentences.
Business model analysis: Learners analyze different podcast business models (ad-supported, subscription, crowdfunding, brand partnerships) by matching them with their main advantages and challenges.
Functional language - Describing trends: Students practice transforming simple observations about industry changes into more sophisticated business language using provided phrases.
Group discussion: In small groups, students discuss the future of audio content, considering AI's impact, exclusive content, and podcasts versus radio, using new vocabulary and discussion phrases.
Creative production - Podcast pitch: Students work individually or in pairs to develop and present a 2-minute pitch for a new podcast, outlining its concept, audience, format, and monetization.
Reflection and consolidation: Learners complete an exit ticket, writing a short paragraph about how technology and consumer habits have transformed the podcast industry, using lesson vocabulary and grammar.
Vocabulary focus
This lesson introduces key vocabulary related to the business of media and technology. Students will learn terms like lucrative, confluence, direct-to-consumer, on-demand, acquisitions, metrics, and monetize. Additionally, the lesson covers phrasal verbs essential for discussing disruption and change, such as come about, break with, draw in, reach out to, build up, roll out, and swap out.
Grammar focus
The primary grammar point is the passive voice, particularly its application in business and technology contexts. Students will understand how the passive voice (structure: be + past participle) is used to emphasize actions, processes, and results rather than the agent, lending a more objective and professional tone to descriptions of industry trends and developments. Practice involves transforming active sentences to passive.
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