Summary
This downloadable PDF lesson plan for English teachers provides C1 ESL students with the language needed to pitch to venture capitalists. This class material covers key business vocabulary, advanced grammar, and practical role-play for a complete learning experience.
This comprehensive lesson guides advanced English learners through the process of creating a business pitch. Activities include a discussion on successful startups, a vocabulary matching exercise, a listening comprehension gap-fill, and a reading task about a fictional company. The lesson culminates in a practical role-play where students develop and deliver their own 60-second elevator pitch, applying all the language and skills learned throughout the class.
Activities
- Students start by discussing successful startups and matching key investment terms to their definitions. This builds a solid foundation of business vocabulary before moving to more complex tasks.
- A listening gap-fill exercise helps learners practice their comprehension skills in a business context. They also complete a reading task about a successful funding round to see the language in action.
- The lesson culminates in a practical role-play challenge. After studying key pitching phrases and grammar, students prepare and deliver a 60-second elevator pitch for a fictional startup.
Transcript
0:00 Pitching to investors is tough. You really need to articulate your value proposition clearly. Investors hear so many ideas daily, so it's crucial to stand out. Always remember who your audience is. Their main goal is often a significant return on investment. If you can show a clear path to profitability, you're halfway there. A strong, cohesive team also plays a vital role. Ultimately, it's about confidence and conviction.
Vocabulary focus
The lesson introduces essential C1-level business and investment terminology. Key terms include "value proposition", "scalability", "return on investment (ROI)", "traction", "seed funding", and "due diligence". Students also learn phrases like "disrupt the market" and "go-to-market strategy" to sound more professional when discussing business ideas.
Grammar focus
The grammar section focuses on using advanced conditionals with inversion to create a more formal and persuasive tone, which is ideal for a business pitch. Students practice transforming standard "if" clauses into inverted structures using "Should...", "Were...", and "Had..." to elevate their formal speaking and writing skills.
