Summary
This downloadable PDF lesson plan for English teachers explores the psychology of conspiracy theories. This ESL class material uses a video and discussion to teach advanced vocabulary and hedging language, perfect for a critical thinking lesson.
This lesson plan delves into why people believe conspiracy theories. Students start with a warm-up discussion, then learn key psychological terms before watching an engaging video. Comprehension questions check understanding, while a grammar focus on hedging language (e.g., "may," "tend to") helps students discuss sensitive topics cautiously. The lesson culminates in a group speaking activity where students apply their new knowledge to analyze famous conspiracy theories, promoting critical thinking and fluent discussion.
Activities
- Students prepare for the video by matching key psychological terms like "confirmation bias," "worldview," and "plausible" with their definitions. This pre-teaching ensures they can fully comprehend the concepts discussed in the video.
- Learners watch an insightful video explaining the psychological drivers behind conspiracy theories. They answer specific comprehension questions during two viewings to grasp the main ideas and detailed arguments presented by the speaker.
- A dedicated grammar section focuses on hedging language. Students learn to use modal verbs, adverbs, and phrases like "tend to" or "it seems that" to discuss theories and opinions in a more cautious and academic manner.
- The lesson concludes with a group speaking task where students analyze common conspiracy theories. They must use the new vocabulary and hedging language to explain the potential psychological reasons behind these beliefs.
Vocabulary focus
This lesson focuses on vocabulary related to psychology and reasoning. Key terms include prevalent, plausible, confirmation bias, worldview, contradict, exacerbated, and agency. These words are crucial for discussing why people are drawn to certain beliefs and how they interpret information.
Grammar focus
The grammar section teaches hedging and cautious language, which is essential for academic and nuanced discussions. Students practice using modal verbs (may, might, could), adverbs (often, potentially), and verbs (tend to, seem to) to soften claims and avoid making absolute statements.
