Even though Family Day has already passed, family-related topics are truly evergreen and can work at any point during the year. Discussions about living with parents, moving out, rent prices, and independence are highly relatable for many adult learners, especially today when more young adults are returning to the family home. That is exactly why I decided to create this Empty Nesters ESL Lesson focused on the boomerang generation and modern family life.
The inspiration behind this lesson came from another class. While I was looking for authentic materials for Family Day, I found a very interesting video for a B2 lesson based on the topic of the boomerang generation from Loose Women and wrote a lesson plan B2 – Boomerang Generation: Moving Back Home. The discussion about adult children moving back home felt modern, engaging, and perfect for speaking classes. After more searching, I came across a simplified infographic video from Australian Seniors that explored the same topic in a much more accessible way.
What makes this material interesting is that nobody speaks in the video. Instead, information appears gradually on the screen in the form of moving text and statistics. Even though the language is simplified, following moving written information creates a small challenge for A2 learners.
If this Empty Nesters ESL Lesson sounds useful, scroll to the end of the post to download the presentation, worksheet, and teacher’s notes.
Warmer: Find Someone Who…
Begin the lesson with a Find Someone Who… activity – a classic in the ESL classroom. Students walk around the classroom and find classmates who match statements such as …lives with their parents, …helps with chores at home, or …wants to move out. This stage personalises the topic and encourages movement and speaking from the beginning of the class.
Topic Prediction: Empty Nesters and the Boomerang Generation
Next, present students with two illustrations (yes, they were created by AI🙈) and predict the meanings of the terms Empty Nesters and Boomerang Generation. Instead of giving direct definitions, students choose between two options for each concept. I thought that the visuals can help learners understand the ideas before reading the infographic and make the topic more accessible for lower-level students.
Reading for Gist: Completing the Missing Numbers
Move on to the infographic text based on The Australian Seniors Series: Empty Nesters. The text contains missing numbers and percentages. Students complete the gaps using numbers from a box. As the information is presented visually and in short sections, the task feels manageable even for A2 learners. At the same time, students are exposed to authentic statistical language and real-life family situations.
After completing the infographic, students watch the original video and check their answers. Since the video contains moving text, they need to carefully follow the information as it appears on screen. This creates a slightly different type of listening.reading challenge and keeps students engaged. Students should be surprised by some of the statistics, especially how many parents are happy to welcome adult children back home and how many expect them to contribute financially.
Reading for Detail: True or False
Continue by reading true/false statements connected to the infographic. The statements do not repeat the wording from the text directly, so learners need to think carefully about the meaning of the statistics.
Vocabulary in Context: Moving Back Home
Students complete statements written from the perspective of young adults who have moved back in with their parents. Some speakers feel positive about the situation, while others feel embarrassed, frustrated, or dependent. Afterwards, they decide which speakers sound positive and which sound negative, and discuss which situations they relate to most and least.
Discussion: Agree or Disagree?
Then, the lesson becomes more interactive with an agree/disagree line activity. Students read statements such as Adult children should pay rent. or Living with parents is better than living alone. and move around the classroom depending on their opinions. This task can be adapted to an online classroom, for example, by asking students to write in the chat whether they agree (A), disagree (D), or are neutral (N), and then dividing students into groups and asking them to explain their opinions.
Giving Advice
Next, students work in pairs and give advice about different situations connected to moving back home. For instance, one person cannot afford rent anymore, while another feels embarrassed about living with parents at age thirty. Students practise using should and shouldn’t in a meaningful context while discussing realistic modern situations.
Discussion: Family Life in Your Country
The lesson finishes with a group discussion about family life and independence in students’ own countries. Students discuss whether it is common for young adults to move back home, and the age at which people usually move out. As the topic is connected to students’ own experiences and cultures, the final discussion should feel natural and engaging.
This Empty Nesters ESL Lesson combines a bit of everything, reading, video, vocabulary, movement, and discussion, into an engaging class about modern family life. The lesson works especially well with adult learners because the topic is realistic and relevant. By the end of the class, students should be able to discuss family relationships, independence, and modern living situations.
Do you think young adults today have a more difficult time becoming independent than previous generations?
