How to Give Teenagers Advice Lesson for ESL

In this lesson plan, students will have the opportunity to practice offering advice to teenagers. This can be an especially fun activity to do with high school students. Lesson Plan - Giving Advice to Teenagers Aim: Building reading comprehension and advice giving skills / focus on modal verb should and modal verbs of deduction Activity: Reading about teenage problems followed by group work Level: Intermediate - Upper Intermediate Outline: Start off the lesson by asking students to suggest what type of problems teenagers typically may have.Use one of the problems mentioned and inductively review modal verbs of deduction by asking questions such as, What must have happened to the boy?, Do you think he might have lied to his parents?, etc.Ask students for advice on what the person should do (reviewing the modal verb should).Have students get into small groups (four or five students).Distribute the handout with the various teen problems taken from real life. Assign one (or two) situations to each group.Have the students answer the questions as a group. Ask students to use the same forms as given in the questions (i.e. What might he have thought? - ANSWER: He might have thought it was too difficult.)Students should then use the sheet to report back to the class actively using the modal verb should to give advice.As a follow-up exercise or homework:Ask students to write about a problem they have had.Students should not writ e their names on their short problem descriptionDistribute the problems to other studentsHave students answer the questions about the situation described by on of their classmatesAsk students to verbally give recommendations Teenage Problems - Giving Advice ​ questionnaire: Read your situation and then answer the following questions What might the relationship be between the person and his / her parents?How must he / she feel?What cant have happened?Where might he / she live?Why might he / she have this problem?What should he / she do? (Give at least 5 suggestions) Teenage Problems:Sample Texts Should I Marry Him? I have been with my boyfriend for almost four years, We are going to get married next year but, there are a couple of concerns I have: One is the fact that he never talks about his feelings - he keeps everything inside of him. He sometimes has trouble with expressing his excitement about things. He never buys me flowers or takes me out to dinner. He says that he doesnt know why, but he never thinks of things like that. I dont know if this is a side effect of depression or, maybe, he is sick of me. He says that he loves me  and that he wants to marry me. If this is true, what is his problem? Female, 19 For Friendship or Love? Im one of those guys who have the quite normal problem: Im in love with a girl, but I dont know what to do. I have already had a crush on some girls, never with any success, but this is something different. My problem is actually that Im too cowardly to tell her anything. I know that she likes me and were very, very good friends. Weve known each other for about three years, and our friendship has constantly become better. We often get into quarrels, but we always make up. Another problem is that we often talk about problems with each other, so I know she is having problems with her boyfriend (who I think is no good for her). We meet almost every day. We always have a lot of fun together, but is it really so difficult to love someone who has been a good chum until now? Male, 15 Please Help me and My Family My family doesnt get along. Its like we all hate each other. Its my mom, my two brothers, a sister, and I. I am the oldest. We all have certain problems: My mom wants to quit smoking so she is really stressed out. I am really selfish — I just cant help it. One of my brothers is too bossy. He thinks he is better than the rest of us, and that he is the only one who helps my mom. My other brother is kind of abusive and depressed. He always starts fights and hes really spoiled. My mom doesnt yell at him for doing things wrong and when she does, he laughs at her. My sister — whos 7 — makes messes and doesnt clean them up. I really want to help because I dont like being upset all of the time and having everyone hate everyone else. Even when we start to get along, someone will say something to upset someone else. Please help me and my family. Female, 15 Hates School I hate school. I cannot stand my school so I skip it almost every day. Luckily, I am a smart person. Im in all of the advanced classes and dont have a reputation as a rebel. Only the people who really know me know about my strange feelings. My parents dont care — they dont even mention it if I dont go to school. What I end up doing is sleeping all day and then staying up all night talking to my girlfriend. I get behind in my work and, when I try to go back to school, I get a bunch of crap from my teachers and friends. I just get so depressed when I think about it. I have given up on trying to go back and am considering dropping out altogether. I really dont want to do that because I realize it would ruin my life. I dont want to go back at all, but I also dont want it to ruin my life. I am so confused and I have really tried to go back and just cant take it. What should I do? Please help. Male, 16