Summary
This downloadable PDF lesson plan for English teachers explores the complex topic of tipping culture in the USA. This ESL class material is perfect for intermediate to advanced students, providing video comprehension, vocabulary building, and practical role-plays.
This complete ESL lesson helps students navigate tipping in the USA. The class material includes warm-up discussion questions, a key vocabulary exercise, and a video comprehension task about the history and psychology of tipping. Students will also practice expressing cause and reason with a focused grammar section, learn practical phrases for real-life scenarios, and put their knowledge to the test with three engaging role-play activities covering common tipping situations.
Activities
- Students watch a video explaining the history and psychology behind America's tipping culture, answering both general and detailed comprehension questions to check their understanding of concepts like 'price partitioning' and the tipped minimum wage.
- A grammar section focuses on expressing cause and reason using phrases like 'on account of' and 'contributed to'. Students practice by rewriting sentences related to the lesson's topic, moving beyond simple connectors like 'because'.
- The lesson culminates in practical speaking practice with three role-play scenarios. Students will navigate situations like explaining tipping to a tourist, handling a payment screen at a coffee shop, and discussing how to split a tip with a friend.
Vocabulary focus
This lesson introduces key vocabulary for discussing tipping and service culture. Students will learn and practice terms such as 'gratuity,' 'customary,' 'ingrained,' 'substandard,' 'rely on,' and 'upfront,' using them in a gap-fill exercise to solidify their understanding within a relevant context.
Grammar focus
The grammar section is dedicated to expressing cause and reason in a more sophisticated way. Students will learn and practice using structures like 'on account of + noun/gerund,' 'contribute(d) to,' and the gerund form 'relying on' as alternatives to more basic connectors, enhancing their analytical language.
