Tag Archives: listening

Lesson Plan: Immigration and Deportation

Today, I want to  share a lesson about a topic that affects real lives and stirs deep feelings: immigration and deportation. With recent events—like the thousands of deportations under Donald Trump’s policies—it’s clear that this issue is both timely and challenging. In this lesson, we’ll explore the language and ideas that help us discuss this subject respectfully and accurately.

What you will find in this lesson

  • warm-up
  • vocabulary
  • speaking: gallery walks
  • listening comprehension

Level:
C1 (Advanced)

Handouts

 

WARM -UP

We will kick things off by drawing a mind map on the board. I will ask students  to share any words or phrases that come to mind when they think about immigration and deportation.

What would you do if you had to leave your home country and start a new life somewhere else?

USEFUL VOCABULARY

Below is a list of useful vocabulary for discussing the topic of deportation and illegal immigration. This includes verbs, nouns, and phrases that will help students express themselves more precisely and fluently at a C1 level. I know the vocabulary list might seem a bit like a lot, but I’m pretty sure most of my students  already know many of these terms.

SMALL CHALLENGE

Moreover, most of these words are super similar in their own language. So, what I’ll do is say the word in Spanish and challenge them to give me the English equivalent. This way, they’ll quickly see that they already know most of these terms and don’t need to stress about learning them all from scratch.

Verbs

  1. Deport: To forcibly remove someone from a country.
    Example: “The government deported hundreds of illegal immigrants last year.”
  2. Detain: To hold someone in custody, often while their legal status is determined.
    Example: “Many immigrants are detained in centers near the border.”
  3. Overstay: To remain in a country longer than the visa allows.
    Example: “He overstayed his tourist visa and became an illegal immigrant.”
  4. Flee: To leave a place quickly to escape danger.
    Example: “Thousands of people flee their home countries due to war or persecution.”
  5. Seek asylum: To request protection in another country due to danger in one’s home country.
    Example: “She sought asylum after being persecuted for her political beliefs.”
  6. Integrate: To become part of a community or society.
    Example: “Successful integration programs help immigrants adapt to their new country.”
  7. Enforce: To ensure compliance with laws or rules.
    Example: “The government enforces strict immigration policies.”
  8. Repatriate: To send someone back to their home country.
    Example: “After the war, many refugees were repatriated.”

 Nouns

  1. Immigration: The act of moving to a new country to live permanently.
    Example: “Immigration policies vary widely between countries.”
  2. Emigration: The act of leaving one’s country to live in another.
    Example: “Emigration rates have increased due to economic instability.”
  3. Refugee: A person forced to leave their country to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster.
    Example: “Refugees often face dangerous journeys to reach safety.”
  4. Visa: An official document allowing someone to enter or stay in a country for a specific purpose.
    Example: “She applied for a student visa to study abroad.”
  5. Citizenship: The status of being a legal member of a country.
    Example: “He obtained citizenship after living in the country for five years.”
  6. Border: The line separating two countries.
    Example: “The border between the two countries is heavily guarded.”
  7. Detention center: A facility where immigrants are held while their legal status is determined.
    Example: “Conditions in some detention centers have been criticized by human rights groups.”
  8. Humanitarian crisis: A situation where people suffer due to war, famine, or disaster.
    Example: “The civil war has caused a humanitarian crisis in the region.”
  9. Policy: A set of rules or guidelines adopted by a government or organization.
    Example: “The new immigration policy has sparked widespread debate.”
  10. Xenophobia: Fear or hatred of foreigners or strangers.
    Example: “Xenophobia can lead to discrimination against immigrants.”

Useful Phrases and Expressions

  1. Illegal entry: Entering a country without proper authorization.
    Example: “Illegal entry is often punished with deportation.”
  2. Border security: Measures taken to protect a country’s borders.
    Example: “Increased border security has reduced illegal crossings.”
  3. Economic migrant: A person who moves to another country for better job opportunities.
    Example: “Many economic migrants risk their lives to reach developed countries.”
  4. Family reunification: The process of bringing family members together in one country.
    Example: “Family reunification is a common reason for immigration.”
  5. Human rights violations: Actions that abuse or deny basic human rights.
    Example: “Deporting refugees to war zones may constitute human rights violations.”
  6. Undocumented workers: People who work in a country without legal permission.
    Example: “Undocumented workers often face exploitation.”

Speaking Activity 1: GALLERY WALK WITH POSTERS

Click to see and print  the posters with the questions.

LISTENING COMPREHENSION

In this video you will see a snapshot of recent events in the United States, focusing on the actions of the Trump administration.

Watch it and anwer the questions below

1.What is the implicit reason behind the deployment of US troops to the southern border?

  1. To offer humanitarian aid to migrants crossing the border.
  2. To prevent further entry of individuals into the United States
  3. To facilitate the processing of asylum seekers.

2.What can be inferred about the relationship between Trump’s administration and the processing of asylum seekers?

  1.  The administration has streamlined the asylum process to efficiently manage the flow of migrants.
  2. The administration has halted the processing of asylum claims as part of its deportation strategy.
  3.  The administration is providing additional resources to handle the increased number of asylum applications.

3.What is the primary intention behind Trump’s social media message to Russian President Vladimir Putin?

  1. To establish a collaborative partnership between the US and Russia.
  2. To express his solidarity with Russia and their actions in Ukraine.
  3. To compel Russia to stop the conflict in Ukraine by using threats of sanctions.

4.How does the video portray the views of Trump’s administration versus the views of those protesting border policies, such as those holding vigils and protesting in Las Vegas?

  1. Both groups are in agreement that current immigration policies are well-justified and humane.
  2. The groups are in direct opposition, with Trump’s administration initiating a hardline deportation operation and protesters resisting these measures
  3. The groups share a belief in the current laws but differ in their methods of supporting them.

5.What implication can be drawn from the information about Trump’s pardon of the Proud Boys leader, within the broader context of the video?

  1.  It suggests a policy of leniency for all political offenders and those who have been convicted of violent crimes.
  2.  It highlights a disregard for the legal process, particularly concerning those who were involved in actions that challenged the established government.
  3.  It shows Trump’s preference for granting clemency to those who committed very minor crimes.

Lesson Plan: Going Vegan?

For over 30 years, I’ve been a proud pescatarian—a semi-vegetarian, if you will—happily skipping steak. Let me tell you, being “the one who doesn’t eat meat” in a region, Asturias,  famous for its chuletones and fabada can make for some hilarious and eyebrow-raising moments: from explaining my choices at barbecues to finding the right food for me in a menu full of meat choices, I’ve collected plenty of anecdotes along the way.

So, in this lesson aimed at B2 + students,  we’re going to explore the fascinating world of vegetarianism—a topic that sparks some seriously interesting conversations.

Ingredients of this lesson plan.

  • Warm-up: speaking and a fun video
  • Introducing Vocabulary with a home-made IAnized 🙄 video: Vegan vs Vegetarian
  • Vocabulary
  • Speaking: two corners
  • Scattergorix Game
WARM-UP: Speaking and one of my Favourite Videos

To kick things off, I’ve got a video I’ve been using for years to introduce this lesson. Now, I’ll admit that the quality is terrible. It’s grainy but it’s absolutely hilarious, and I just can’t bring myself to part with it. Before we jump into it, though, let’s set the scene with a couple of thought-provoking questions:

  • Have you ever gone on a date with someone who was vegan? How did it influence your choice of restaurant or food?
  • Do you think food choices (like being vegan) should be a factor when choosing a partner? Why or why not?

LISTENING:Note-taking: Vegan vs Vegetarian

Time to clear up the terms vegan vs. vegetarian, often confused! I’ve made a quick video using AI magic to explain the basics.

Students watch the video and jot down the key differences. In retelling the main differences, make a point of writing key vocabulary on the board.

 Differences between de cristina.cabal

Vocabulary

Do we need a vocabulary exercise? Absolutely! The more words we know, the more we can express ourselves—plain and simple.

 

Speaking Practice

Let’s get moving with an expressing opinions activity! It’s all about taking a stand—literally.

Step 1. I’ve kept it simple—just grabbed three plain sheets of paper, and wrote I agree, I disagree, and I can’t decide, and stuck them in the corners with blue tack.

  1. I agree
  2. I disagree
  3. I can’t decide (optional, if you have a larger group).

Step 2. I display the first statement, Being a vegetarian is the best choice for both personal health and the planet . Once students decide whether they agree or disagree with the statement, and before they stand up, I offer some guidance by suggesting ideas they can use to explain their position on the statement.

So, if they AGREE, they can use these reasons;

  • Reduces risk of chronic diseases (heart disease, diabetes)
  • High in nutrients like fibre, antioxidants, and vitamins
  • Avoids animal cruelty in factory farming
  • Lower carbon footprint and reduced resource use (water, land)
  • Helps combat deforestation and biodiversity loss

If they DISAGREE, they can use these

  • Risk of B12, iron, and protein deficiencies without careful planning
  • Limited food options in some cultures or regions
  • Costly and hard to access plant-based substitutes
  • Large-scale plant production can also lead to deforestation and water use

Step 3.  they are ready now.  Sudents move to their corner and discuss with like-minded peers for about 5 minutes.

Step 4. After about 5 minutes, they’ll pair up with someone from a different corner and try to change their mind—debate time!

For the next statements, they’ll have a moment to prepare their reasons before standing up and choosing their corner.

Going vegan? – Presentación de cristina.cabal

Game: Scattergorix

After hard work comes the reward—this time in the form of a game! Have you ever played Scattergorix? In this round, the list of categories is all about food. Hey!!! And yes, I got a little help from ChatGPT. Sometimes, it’s not so easy to come up with something for every category.

These are the rules of the game and below, the home-made game I created for my students.

scattergorix de cristina.cabal

 


Food Scattergorix de cristina.cabal

 

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A Mind-Blowing Free Tool for Student Speech Recordings: Transcriptions, Audio, Summaries and Easy Sharing with the Teacher

Oh wow! This is quite a long title but I’ve stumbled upon an absolute gem of a website that I have to share with you all. If you’ve ever struggled with deciphering student recordings, trying to make sense of mumbled words, or spending precious time replaying audio to catch what they said—those days are officially over!

This incredible tool (it’s a website, no downloads needed!) lets students record themselves, whether it’s a presentation, a speech, or just a spoken reflection. The best part? it doesn’t just capture the audio. Nope, it goes way beyond that and also provides a full transcription of what the students said.

This amazig webiste is called Spacebar.fm .

Do students need to register?

They’ve got two options to choose from, depending on their needs:

  1. No registration needed: You can speak for up to 10 minutes per recording with a total of 5 interactions.
  2. Register for a free account: If you sign up, you get 200 minutes of recording time, with each individual recording lasting up to 90 minutes
How do you start the recording?

Easy, click on Tap and Talk and start recording.

What do you get after the recording?

Now, here’s what happens after a student records. You ‘ll get,

  • A beautiful image of the memory shared. (I know, not very useful but nice)
  • A summary of what the student shared, highlighting the main points and key ideas.
  • The full accurate transcription of what the student said, right there for you to read through or skim as needed.
  • The original recording, so you can listen if you want, but you’re no longer reliant on just the audio.
How Do Students Share Their Recordings? 

Very easy! After the recording is done, students just need to click on Copy Shareable Link. and send it straight to their teacher’s email. If you want to access your previous recordings, you’ll find them in the Memo tab.

Why I think this tool is a must-keep

Can you imagine? No more:

  • Playing back a recording ten times trying to catch every word.
  • Frantically jotting down notes as you listen.
  •  Worrying that you missed an important detail.

With this tool, you get a clear, written record of what each student said. This makes it so much easier to:

  • Provide detailed feedback.
  • Check for content understanding.
  • Highlight areas for improvement without struggling to hear what they meant.

I really think this could be a fantastic way to assess student speaking skills. It’s also a brilliant option for remote learning or when students are working on independent projects.

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Challenge 3. Magic! from a YouTube Video, Create a Quiz on Google Forms or a Presentation on Google Slides

Before I start, let me tell you that I’ve officially dubbed myself “The Free App Teacher” because every tool I share with you is either 100% free or comes with a super generous free version—perfect for teachers like us.

And you know how we’re always on the lookout for the next tool that can make our teaching lives easier and more dynamic, right? Well, this is Challenge 3, but hold on… it’s got a little twist. We’ve got two challenges using the SAME tool! Yes, that’s right. We’re about to take on two challenges with one amazing Chrome extension: Brisk Teaching.

Brisk Teaching is about to blow your mind with how easy it makes creating resources from just a YouTube video. In the quick and easy video (yes, it’s in Spanish, but trust me, you’ll follow along with no problem), I walk you through how in under 1 minute, you can generate either

1. A fully editable presentation in Google Slides
or
2. A fully editable quiz in Google Forms

And it’s all with just one click—seriously. It’s like magic!

How It Works

The first thing you need to do is install the Brisk Teaching Chrome extension. Don’t worry, I’ll show you how in the video. It’s super simple!

1.  Open the YouTube video of your choice (find something that’s relevant to your lesson).
2.  Open up the Brisk Teaching Chrome extension.
3. Now comes the fun part—choose what you want to create:
– If you need a presentation, click the “Presentation” button.
– If you’re in quiz-mode, hit Quiz instead.

And BOOM!  In seconds, you’ll have either an editable Google Slides presentation or a Google Forms quiz ready to give your students

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Stop Typing: Transcribe your Audio and Video Files for Free

Freemium but with a robust free version, transcribing audio or video, downloadable in different formats and much more.  This little, easy-to-use speech-to-text AI tool is making my life way easier!!

Picture this: in one of your folders in your computer desktop or Google Drive, you find the perfect audio/ video that fits like a glove in the lesson you are teaching, but…. no transcript available. It sucks, huh??

No sweat! I got you covered! TurbosScribe.ai is just what you need!!!

Important:  Although it might look like a paid ad, it is not. None of my posts are sponsored. I just write about what works for me.

Why I like it
  • Freemium, but with a robust free version: 3 transcriptions/day
  • It transcribes and translates with amazing accuracy 98 languages
  • You can upload video or audio files from your device or paste the URL from YouTube and other platforms
  • Transcripts can be downloaded in various formats: PDF, DOCX, TXT, and even subtitle formats (SRT).
  • You can enable and disable timestamps in the transcript view. This will hide or show the timestamps in the transcript document.

Watch the video tutorial below if you feel like you need some extra help getting started.

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