Standard English VS Slang Lesson Plan

Standard English Vs Slang Lesson Plan

Title: Standard English VS Slang Lesson Plan

Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Materials:

  • Whiteboard and markers
  • Handout with examples of slang language
  • Matching task handout
  • Pens/pencils

Objective: By the end of the lesson, students will be able to recognize and understand the difference between standard language and slang in English conversation.

Standard English VS Slang Lesson Plan

This standard English vs slang lesson plan is designed to raise students’ awareness of the different registers of language use. The lesson follows a PPP Procedure (Presentation, Practice, and Production):

Presentation (10 minutes):

  1. Greet the students and engage them in a brief discussion about their experiences with understanding English in movies or real-life conversations.
  2. Lead a brainstorming session to identify reasons why they might find it challenging to understand native speakers, focusing on differences between formal classroom English and informal spoken English.
  3. Introduce the concept of slang as informal language used in everyday conversations, not typically found in textbooks.

Practice (30 minutes):

  1. Divide the class into small groups and distribute handouts with examples of slang language.
  2. Instruct the groups to read through the examples and discuss their meanings based on context clues or prior knowledge.
  3. Conduct a whole-class discussion where each group shares their interpretations of the slang phrases.
  4. Present the matching task handout and explain that students will match the slang vocabulary with their corresponding explanations.
  5. Allow time for students to complete the matching task individually or in pairs.
  6. Review the answers together as a class, providing explanations and discussing any misunderstandings.

Examples of Slang:

  1. What an awesome sunset today.
  2. He had to barf because he drank too much alcohol.
  3. Your ideas about politics are all wet.
  4. You cannot get a girlfriend if you act dorky.
  5. Shut up! You are such a big mouth.
  6. Her ex-boyfriend was dirt / a dirt bag.
  7. The whole idea was a bust.
  8. He’s an ace reporter who always gets a good story.
  9. This is a really cool place to work.
  10. I need more time to cram for the test.
  11. If you make another boo boo like that, you won’t have a job.
  12. He is really a chicken.
  13. He has a really cushy job.
  14. Investing in the stock market can be dicey.
  15. At the wedding he had a flashback of his old girlfriend.
  16. More than twenty companies in the district went bust during the last three months.
  17. That guy is a zero.
  18. The company received a kickback from the politician during the recent elections.
  19. His salary is thirty grand.
  20. Do you want rice or spuds for dinner?

The Matching Exercise:

Match The slang With The Corresponding definition:

Slang VocabularyExplanation
1. acea. great
2. all wetb. very good
3.  airheadc. vomit
4. boo bood. a stupid person
5. awesomee. completely wrong
6. chickenf. talk too much
7. big mouthg. mistake
8. barfh. good
9. crami. coward
10. coolj. study hard
11. grandk. easy
12. zerol. risky
13. flashbackm. awful person
14. spudsn. memory
15. go busto. forced to close because it is financially unsuccessful
16. kickbackp. strangely
17. dorkyq. money paid illegally for favorable treatment
18. dirt or dirt bagr. potatoes
19. diceys. unimportant person
20. cushyt. thousand dollars
Standard English VS Slang Lesson Plan (Matching Exercise)

Production (Survey):

Using a survey is a fantastic idea for engaging students in using slang realistically and interactively. Here’s how you can implement it:

Instructions:

  1. Preparation (5 minutes):
    • Prepare a set of questionnaires for each student, containing slang questions related to various topics such as hobbies, preferences, experiences, etc.
    • Each questionnaire should include names of individuals for respondents to answer about.
    • Arrange tables or desks to facilitate pair or small group discussions.
  2. Survey Activity (15 minutes):
    • Distribute the questionnaires to each student and explain the activity.
    • Instruct students to pair up or form small groups and take turns asking each other the slang questions from their questionnaires.
    • Encourage students to engage in natural conversations, using slang expressions appropriately and responding to each other’s answers with further questions or comments.
    • Monitor the activity, providing assistance and guidance as needed, and ensure that students are actively participating and using slang language effectively.
  3. Report Writing (15 minutes):
    • After completing the survey activity, ask students to individually write a report summarizing their findings.
    • The report should include:
      • A brief introduction describing the survey activity and its purpose.
      • A list of the slang questions asked and the corresponding answers received from their partners or group members.
  4. Sharing and Discussion (10 minutes):
    • Invite students to share their reports with the class, either by reading them aloud or summarizing key points.
    • Facilitate a brief discussion on students’ experiences with using slang in the survey activity, encouraging them to share memorable interactions or insights gained.
    • Emphasize the value of practicing slang in realistic conversations and the benefits of being able to understand and use slang effectively in everyday communication.
Slang QuestionsStudent 1Student 2Student 3
What’s your go-to strategy when you need to cram for a test?
Have you ever had a cushy job where you didn’t have to work too hard?
Can you think of any businesses in your neighborhood that recently went bust?
Have you ever felt dorky in a social situation, like when meeting new people or attending a party?
Can you think of a time when someone’s big mouth ended up revealing a secret??
Have you ever had to leave a party early because you felt like you were going to barf?

The above survey activity provides students with an opportunity to actively engage in conversations using slang language, thereby enhancing their communication skills and cultural understanding.

Encourage students to continue exploring and incorporating slang into their language practice, both inside and outside the classroom, to become more confident and proficient English speakers.

Closing (10 minutes):

  1. Summarize the key points discussed during the lesson, emphasizing the importance of understanding slang for effective communication with native speakers.
  2. Encourage students to continue exploring and learning slang in their everyday interactions with English speakers.
  3. Provide additional resources or suggest activities for further practice with slang language outside of the classroom.

Homework: Ask students to find and bring examples of slang from movies, TV shows, or online sources for discussion in the next class.

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