B2 FCE

B2 – Listening Part 2 – Puffins

The beauty of being an ESL teacher is that you have an endless list of topics you can have a lesson on, no matter how niche or unusual they may seem. The other day, one of my B2-level students mentioned that his dream is to go to Iceland to see puffins, and wouldn't you like… Continue reading B2 – Listening Part 2 – Puffins

B2 FCE

B2 – Writing Part 1 (Essay) – The effects of fashion on people’s lives

Love it or hate it, fashion is a topic that sparks conversation and creativity, making it perfect for the classroom. In this post, I’ll share fashion-themed FCE lesson that engage students while helping them excel in Writing Part 1 of the Cambridge B2 First exam. From discussing trends to analysing essay structures, this lesson covers… Continue reading B2 – Writing Part 1 (Essay) – The effects of fashion on people’s lives

B2 FCE

B2 Listening Part 3 – The meaning of happiness

Happiness is one of the feelings that we all understand a bit differently. Listen to five speakers talking about happiness, and discuss what it means to you. Is it being with your family, making everyone else around you happy, or being by yourself? Occasionally, I like to look at Cambridge sample papers and oftentimes find… Continue reading B2 Listening Part 3 – The meaning of happiness

B2 FCE, Christmas

Christmas-themed B2 speaking

It has become somewhat of a tradition on this blog that for every bigger holiday you can count on a Cambridge-style themed speaking. Last year I prepared a speaking class for the B1 level. This time it's time to focus on FCE students and let them enjoy Christmas while practising English. If you have used… Continue reading Christmas-themed B2 speaking

B2 FCE

B2 – The bizarre world of perfume ads

Christmas time is already here, and what goes with it - the many perfume ads on TV. They stand out and have a different feeling from your typical Christmasy ads. They are often shot in the style of professional movies and more often than not, leave us questioning the meaning behind them. During one of… Continue reading B2 – The bizarre world of perfume ads

B2 FCE

What makes you nostalgic? – B2 Listening Part 3

The other day, I posted a lesson plan based on a short scientific podcast The Healing Power of Nostalgia. I felt immediate motivation when I saw short extracts of speakers talking about what makes them nostalgic. It made me think of a typical FCE Listening Part 3 exam task, in which students listen to five… Continue reading What makes you nostalgic? – B2 Listening Part 3

B2 FCE

B2 – Let’s get nostalgic (podcast)

The older you get, the more you realise the emotional sadness and sense of longing for the past. You start appreciating all the summers you spent in your grandparents' countryside, running around carefree, worrying only about making it on time to watch your favourite TV show. This podcast-based class should make your B2 adult student… Continue reading B2 – Let’s get nostalgic (podcast)

B2 FCE

B2 – Separating the art from the artist (guided reading)

Recently the whole world united, as we all witnessed twists and turns in the biggest trial of the 21st century between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard. Even though there was one clear (public) winner of this case, I can't help but feel rather disappointed that such a great actor had so many skeletons in his closet. It… Continue reading B2 – Separating the art from the artist (guided reading)

B1 PET, B2 FCE

B1/B2 – Job interview – Soft skills

During my time teaching online, one of the most commonly asked things was to have a pre-job interview class. This happens frequently, especially on online platforms, such as Preply. The demand for these lessons made me sign up for a Preply webinar, "Preparing students for job interviews", which served as an inspiration for this lesson… Continue reading B1/B2 – Job interview – Soft skills

B2 FCE

B2 – Greenwashing – Reading and Speaking

I'm a few days late to the party, but it's never too late to celebrate Earth Day! This B2 lesson focuses on authentic material on greenwashing, different ways of spotting it and techniques for avoiding it. The best part of it is that the topic is timeless and can be discussed whenever. It's never a… Continue reading B2 – Greenwashing – Reading and Speaking