A Letter from Fred Language level Learner type Time Activity Topic Language Materials

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Julian Williamson
5 years ago
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1 Language level: Intermediate (B1) Upper Intermediate (B2) Learner type: Teens and adults Time: 90 minutes Activity: Speaking, watching a short film, and listening to a song Topic: Relationships and love Language: Love and relationships Materials: Short film and song lyrics

2 Overview This EFL lesson plan is designed around a short film Green Shoe Studio and a song written by Fred Stobaugh. Students watch a short film, listen to song lyrics and talk about love and relationships. Step 1 Tell your students they are going to watch the start of a short film in which record producer Jacob Colgan describes a competition, as they watch the film they should answer the following question: What is the competition? Play the film until Link: Step 2 Pair your learners and ask them to discuss their answers to the questions. Answer the Green Shoe Studio Competition is a singer-songwriter competition in which contestants have to upload their song video to YouTube and send a link to the Green Shoe Studio. Step 3 Ask your students what they think Jacob means when he says they didn t expect any entry like Fred s. Ask them to focus on the images they see after Jacob stops speaking. Show the first part of the film again and then put the students in small groups to discuss their ideas. by Kieran Donaghy 2

3 Step 4 Get feedback from the whole class on how they think Fred s entry might be different. Step 5 Tell the students they are going to watch the rest of the film. As they watch their task is to say how Fred s entry was different and special. Show the film until 04:42. Step 6 Get feedback from the whole class. Answer Fred s entry is different as he didn t upload it to YouTube, but sent the lyrics in an envelope and explained that he wasn t a musician or singer, but he d written a song about his wife who had recently died. Step 7 Tell your students they are going to watch the second part of the film again; this time their task is to answer the following questions: 1. How did Fred meet Lorraine? 2. When did they meet? 3. How long did they date before they met? 4. How long were they together? 5. How did Fred write the song? 6. Why did Jacob decide to record the song? 7. Why was Fred surprised? by Kieran Donaghy 3

4 Show the second part of the film until 04:42 again. Step 8 Students discuss the questions in pairs and then go through the answers. 1. She was a car hop at a root beer stand and she brought the trays to their car. 2. In years years. 5. He was alone at home one night and the lyrics just came to him. 6. Jacob realised that Fred s wife had died recently and he was moved by the lyrics. 7. Fred was surprised when Jacob got in touch to tell him that his studio was going to record his song professionally for free. Step 9 Now tell your students they are going to watch the rest of the film in which they see the song being recorded and Fred listening to the song for the first time. Before they watch ask them the following question: How do you think Fred reacts when he hears the professionally recorded version of his song for the first time? As they watch the film they should answer the same question. Show the rest of the film. by Kieran Donaghy 4

5 Step 10 Ask the students to discuss how Fred reacts. Step 11 Give your students the lyrics to the song. Ask them to read the lyrics and ask you to explain any words they don t understand. Step 12 Show the part of the film in which Fred hears the song for the first time and ask the students to listen and read the lyrics at the same time. Step 13 Ask the students how the film and the song make them feel. Step 14 Write the expression the love of my life on the board and ask them if they know what it means. Explain that Lorraine was the love of Fred s life. Ask them to think of a couple they know (either among their family or friends) who have been together for a long time and are still in love. Ask them to tell their partner about the couple and what makes their relationship special. Step 15 Get feedback from the whole class on couples who have been in love for a long time. by Kieran Donaghy 5

6 I hope you enjoy the lesson. Film English is a labour of love, it takes hundreds of hours and thousands of euros a year to sustain and provide free English language lesson plans. Keeping it a free, clean, ad-free experience which is important to me and, I hope, to you means it s subsidised by the generous support of readers like you through donations. So if you find any inspiration, joy and stimulation in these English language lessons or if they help you teaching English, please consider a modest donation however much you can afford. by Kieran Donaghy 6

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