Category Archives: Intermediate

Here is a list of intermediate ESL lesson plans on a variety of topics for English conversation class. Note that there are over many lessons at this level, so be sure to click the ‘older posts‘ link at the bottom of the page to see more. If you’d prefer to see a list of lesson plan topics, please view the topic list.

Friendship Today (Intermediate Lesson)

A lesson on friendship, loneliness, and the friendship recession that includes speaking & vocabulary activities for B1/B2 ESL levels.

2023 News in Review (Intermediate Lesson Plan)

An intermediate (B1/B2) lesson on the top news stories of 2023. Topics include AI, Ozempic, and the Israel-Hamas war.

Waitress Wins the Lottery (Intermediate Lesson Plan)

An intermediate conversational English lesson about how waitress Tonda Dickerson’s life changed after winning the lottery (ESL/EFL).

The Argument Against University (Intermediate Lesson Plan)

A lesson on the arguments against getting a college/university degree. Speaking, vocabulary, and listening activities are included.

Streaming Wars: The New Age of Television & Entertainment (Intermediate)

An intermediate lesson on streaming platforms (Netflix, Disney+, etc.) and the battle for attention spans. Includes ESL speaking activities

Four Secrets from Sports Psychology (Intermediate)

An intermediate lesson based on a short BBC video about tips from sports psychology that people can use in everyday life. (B1/B2 ESL)

Mystery Travel Destinations (Intermediate Level)

Explore the world with this intermediate (B1) lesson focused on travel & destinations. Includes vocabulary and speaking activities for ESL.

The Milestones of Life (Intermediate Lesson Plan)

Teachers, use this lesson on life’s milestones with intermediate (B1-level) ESL students. It includes speaking activities, reading, & idioms.

Unsolved Crimes (Intermediate Lesson)

ESL/EFL Level: Intermediate (B1/B2) Lesson Topics: the 300 million yen robbery, the D.B. Cooper hijacking, unsolved crimes Skill Focus: Speaking, Reading, Vocabulary Approximate Class Time: 1.5 hours Lesson Plan Download: unsolved-crimes-intermediate-lesson-082023.docx Lesson Overview: The lesson begins with warm-up questions and a pre-reading task that asks students to predict the content of two stories based on wordclouds. Next, […]

The Case against Pet Ownership (Intermediate Lesson)

A discussion of the ethics of pet ownership. The lesson includes speaking activities (role-plays & debates) about adopting and keeping a pet.

Scams & Fraud (Intermediate Lessons Plan)

A lesson based on two stories about scams (AI voice cloning & a romance scam). After reading, students do several speaking activities.

A Day Like No Other (Intermediate Lesson Plan)

This story-based lesson describes a hurricane hitting a town. The student must complete speaking activities as the story unfolds. (B1 level)

Family Travels the World (Intermediate Lesson Plan)

A lesson on a Canadian family that traveled the world to create memories for their children. Includes role-plays and speaking activities.

Health & Wellness (Intermediate Lesson Plan)

A lesson on nutrition, exercise, and mental health for intermediate ESL/EFL class including speaking, reading, and vocabulary activities.

Crime & Punishment: Bobby Bostic’s Story (Intermediate Lesson)

This intermediate lesson is about the release of juvenile offender Bobby Bostic. The ESL lesson includes speaking and grammar activities.

Middlebury Language Schools (Intermediate)

An intermediate lesson on the immersion programs at Middlebury Language Schools. The lesson includes activities for conversational ESL class.

The Paradoxes of Life (Intermediate Lesson Plan)

This intermediate lesson focuses on life’s paradoxes. It includes a role-play, the prisoner’s dilemma, and other speaking activities.

2022 News in Review (Intermediate Lesson Plan)

Review the top 2022 news stories (Covid lockdowns, Iranian protests) with this intermediate EFL lesson that includes many speaking activities.

Climate Change (Intermediate EFL Lesson)

An intermediate lesson on climate change/global warming, energy, and protesting. Includes speaking activities for ESL conversation class.

A Christmas Miracle from the Korean War (Intermediate Lesson)

An intermediate EFL lesson on a Christmas miracle from the Korean war. Includes a section on lifeboat ethics & other speaking activities.

Ethical Problems at Work (Intermediate EFL Lesson)

Intermediate lesson on ethical problems in the office, including reading, vocabulary & speaking activities (e.g. BINGO) for EFL class.