Name of the Teacher Date Level of the class Length of lesson

Katherine Johnstone 18/03/2021 Upper-intermediate (B2) 60 minutes

Lesson Type:
Four skills – Listening
Lesson Topic:
The AstraZeneca vaccine
Lesson Aims: Lesson Outcomes:
By the end of the lesson, students will be better able to… By the end of the lesson, students will have…
Use the sub-skills (listening for gist and listening for specific information) in 1. Had a discussion in groups of three, using the predicting technique to
order to identify and relay information about the AstraZeneca vaccine. determine the gist of the material.

Key vocabulary: 2. Completed a listening comprehension worksheet to practice listening for

Vaccine; Blood clot; Recipient; Suspend; European Medicines Agency (EMA) key information in the video clip.

3. Participated in a further group discussion about their opinions and

reactions to the listening material.

Anticipated difficulties: Suggested solutions:

1. Provide and supportive and encouraging learning environment.

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1. Adults can be very self-conscious about making mistakes, which can
Ensure that they know that making mistakes is part of the learning
make them reticent to producing new or difficult language. They also
process.
tend to get frustrated and discouraged more easily. Participation may
be a struggle.
2. Pre-teach the more difficult or key vocabulary before listening to the
2. Some of the vocabulary in the listening material may be unfamiliar to material to ensure that the students have a basic understanding of
the students.
the language. Provide the phonemic script when teaching the key
3. Students differ in age, and may have different interests and vocabulary to help clarify pronunciation and form.
motivations, which will determine their level of participation.
3. I have chosen listening material that is relevant to every student, and
provided activities that focus on enhancing all-round proficiency.

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Authentic Text (insert reading text here or link to the listening recording)
https://www.independent.co.uk/tv/behind-the-headlines/should-you-worry-about-the-astrazeneca-vaccine-02ZDoSfe

Please include a rationale for why you have chosen this authentic material (approximately 100 words):

The authentic material I have chosen is a current affairs news video about the AstraZeneca vaccine for COVID19. The global pandemic has affected everyone
in one way or another, and the AstraZeneca vaccine is an important development in the fight against the pandemic.
The video contains interesting information about the fears surrounding the possible dangers of the vaccine, as well as the research and investigations that
are currently underway, how these fears have affected vaccine distribution and the possible effects it may cause in countries across in Europe. The
information is relevant to the students, not only because it covers essential facts about the new vaccine, but also because it is based on countries in Europe,
including Spain, which affects them directly. It is a challenging listening material, but it is suitable for the students level of proficiency.

138 words

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Stage Name Stage Aim Time Interaction Teacher’s procedure Students will…
Pattern
Lead-in To introduce 10 min T-S Show three pictures related to COVID19 (a map of The students will identify the
students to the infections in Spain, four illustrations relating to lesson topic, and activate their
theme of lesson S-S COVID19; a doctor shielding the woman and child pre-existing knowledge about
topic and create a standing with him with the vaccine). Ask students to COVID19.
general interest. discuss about what these pictures mean, they know
about viruses in general and what they’ve heard about
the coronavirus in the news, and how many (if any)
students have contracted the virus.
Pre-listening To help students 15 min T-S Introduce the students to some key vocabulary that The students will read the text
understand specific they may not know. Try to elicit the meaning of these provided about the context of
vocabulary used words before giving the definition. Inform the students the listening material. They
predict key concepts that before they listen to the material, they will be will practice their prediction
in the listening task. divided into groups of three, and read the material’s skills to decipher what they
description provided by the source. think the material will be
The students will then have a discussion about their about.
predictions, and write down three things that they
think will be mentioned in the audio.
General To provide students 10 min T-S Let the students know that the audio will be played Students will practice the sub-
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comprehension with a controlled twice. The first time will be used to listen for gist, and skill: listening for gist, and
activity (Listening practice activity that to if their predictions were true or not. Elicit and clarify measure their predictions
for Gist) requires the S-S any essential information, and go over difficulties that capabilities.
students to show the students may have.
they understand the
gist of the recording.
Specific For students to 15 min S-S Hand out comprehension worksheets. Read through Students will practice their
comprehension practice a more in- the questions with the students first to ensure they writing and listening skills.
activity (Listening depth understand what they need to listen for. Allow them to
for Specific understanding of listen again and complete the worksheet. (10 minutes)
Information) the material through
Go through the answers with the students. Ask
listening for specific
different students to give their answers for specific
information.
questions, and tell them to do their own corrections for
any questions they may have answered incorrectly. (5
minutes)

Follow up (Post- To give students the 10 min T-S The students will discuss their opinions on the vaccine, The students will be given a
listening) opportunity to give if they know anyone who has received the vaccine, and chance to mingle and practice
their opinions on the S-S whether or not they would take the vaccine and their speaking skills.

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 material and react why/why not. The students will express
to the content in a personal opinions about the
communicative lesson topic, which will show
group activity. their level of understanding
and how well they listened.

Lesson Rationale (700-1000 words):

I have chosen a skills-based syllabus, because the lesson focuses on the specific listening abilities that the students need. The lesson will teach the students
how to effectively listen for gist and listen for specific information. Even though the lesson focuses mainly on listening skills, I have included activities that
practice all 4 skills – listening, reading, writing and speaking – that relate directly to the listening material. In addition to nurturing the students listening
capabilities, this will aid all-round development in language proficiency. The time allocated for each activity gives students enough time to complete the
tasks, but is short enough that the students will not have to worry about running out of vocabulary or spend time sitting around.

The lead-in activity will introduce the lesson topic in a personal and interesting way, as well as activate the student’s prior knowledge on the lesson topic.
The learners will engage in a group discussion about what they already know about the COVID19 pandemic, what they have seen in the news and if they,
or anyone they know, has had the virus. . The activity will focus on communication between students, in order to create a trusting and engaging class
environment.

In the pre-listening stage, I have included 5 key words with their definitions, phonemic scripts and a visual aid. This will verify that the students are able to
identify and understand these words when they are used in the listening material. I will elicit the definitions from the students before providing the
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answers, in order to further activate their pre-existing knowledge and to encourage them to engage in the lesson. I have provided some key vocabulary in
the pre-listening stage to help students understand some of the key vocabulary used that they may struggle with. The students are upper-intermediate,
which means they should have a firm foundation of the English language, and so I have only included 5 items of vocabulary. I have chosen a current affairs
topic because of its relevance to the students. It will challenge the students skills, but still meet their level of proficiency.

The students will then be divided into groups of three and asked to read a text that introduces the listening material. In order to practice the prediction
technique, they will have a discussion about their predictions, and write down three things that they think will be mentioned in the audio. This activity will
establish a reason for the students to focus on the listening material, so that they can identify whether or not their predictions were true, as well as forms a
base understanding of topic of the material.

The general comprehension activity will provide students with a controlled activity that practices listening for gist. This activity will meet the lesson aim that
requires the students to show whether they can identify and understand the overall focus of the listening material. They will also identify if their
predictions were true or not. I will then elicit and clarify their general understanding of the material, in order to make sure that the students have achieved
the skills in listening for gist.

The students will then complete a specific, more-in depth comprehension activity that provides practise in listening for specific information. The students
will have to fill out a worksheet consisting of 15 questions related to specific information in the listening material, which will help achieve the lesson aim of
listening for specific information. This activity will practice listening and writing skills. Following the activity, I will go over the answers with the students,
first eliciting and then giving the corrections. I will choose different students for each question to provide equal opportunity for student speaking time. The
students will mark their own work in order to identify their strengths and weaknesses and make any necessary corrections.
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As a follow up activity, the students will engage in a group discussion in which they share their personal opinions about the material. This will test how well
the students listened to the material, and give them an opportunity to express personal opinions on the material and react to the content in a
communicative group activity.

Other considerations
I considered using a video clip from the sitcom Friends, but I chose not to use it because I did not think it was challenging for the students language level,
and they may not have understood some of the humour because it is based on American lifestyle.

Possible issues
Dominant students may take over in the discussion tasks in the lesson. In order to combat this, I will elicit answers from other students. Because adults can
be very self-conscious, I have made sure that I have included group discussions to help them feel comfortable with their peers and interact on a personal
level. If an activity does not go as planned, I will move on with the lesson and extend the discussion timings.

Bibliography (if needed):

- Americanenglish.state.gov. n.d. Teacher's Corner – Teaching with Authentic Materials. [online] Available at:
<https://americanenglish.state.gov/resources/teachers-corner-teaching-authentic-materials> [Accessed 18 March 2021].

- Independent TV. 2021. Should you worry about the AstraZeneca vaccine?. [online] Available at: <https://www.independent.co.uk/tv/behind-the-
headlines/should-you-worry-about-the-astrazeneca-vaccine-02ZDoSfe> [Accessed 18 March 2021].

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 - Peachy, N., n.d. A framework for planning a listening skills lesson. [online] TeachingEnglish | British Council | BBC. Available at:
<https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/a-framework-planning-a-listening-skills-lesson> [Accessed 19 March 2021].

- ESL Speaking. n.d. How to Teach Listening to ESL Students: A Lesson Plan Template to Try. [online] Available at: <https://eslspeaking.org/how-to-
teach-listening-to-esl-students/> [Accessed 19 March 2021].

- Mayo Clinic. n.d. Blood clots. [online] Available at: <https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/blood-clots/basics/definition/sym-20050850#:~:text=Blood%20clots

%20are%20gel%2Dlike,and%20don't%20dissolve%20naturally.> [Accessed 19 March 2021].

- All images were taken from Google

Materials (include all physical copies of the materials you plan to use in your lesson, referenced):

Lead in: Visual aids for discussion

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Pre-listening activity:
Key words to introduce:
Vaccine (noun)
/ˈvaksiːn,ˈvaksɪn/
A vaccine is made from very small amounts of weak or dead germs that can cause diseases — for example, viruses, bacteria, or toxins. It prepares your
body to fight the disease faster and more effectively so you won't get sick.

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Blood clots (noun)
/blʌd /klɒt/
Blood clots are gel-like clumps of blood. They are beneficial when they form in response to an injury or a cut, plugging the injured blood vessel, which stops
bleeding. Some blood clots form inside your veins without a good reason and don't dissolve naturally.

Suspend (verb)
/səˈspɛnd/

To stop something from continuing, either temporarily or permanently.

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Recipient (noun)
/rɪˈsɪpɪənt/

A person who is receiving something, such as someone who is receiving the vaccine.

European Medicines Agency (EMA)

An organisation of the European Union whose goal is to promote and protect human and animal health.

Read the following text and predict three things that may be mentioned in the listening material:

Should you worry about the AstraZeneca vaccine?

As more and more countries in Europe suspend the rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccine, fears have

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 been raised over the jab and a potential link to dangerous blood clots. As it stands the European
Medicines Agency and World Health Organisation have stated that there is no link between the
vaccine and blood clots. But how did these fears arise, and what could a delay in the vaccine rollout
mean in the fight against Covid-19? The Independent's science correspondent Samuel Lovett explains
exactly what is going on with the AstraZeneca vaccine.

(Provided by Independent TV)

Specific comprehension activity (Listening for Specific Information)

Answers:
1. Germany, Italy, France and Spain.
2. “Jab”.
3. Blot clots.
4. 17 million doses.
5. No.
6. Strokes and heart failure.
7. (1) Older people/ the elderly, (2)
inactive people, (3) people with
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existing health problems.
8. European Medicines Agency.
9. a. True.
Worksheet made by Katherine Johnstone

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