How to Teach an English Class About New Year’s Resolutions

As all good TEFL teachers are aware, making the most of holidays, celebrations and traditions in lessons helps teach not only language but cultural knowledge also. One such tradition is that of making New Year’s resolutions. Here’s how to teach and prepare a class on this subject.

New Year’s Lesson Plan

1. Elicit the meaning of “New Year’s resolutions” and ask students to come up with the most common ones. For example: taking up exercise, quitting smoking, learning a new skill etc.
2. Ask students to explain which of these are the most popular in their country and why, in their opinion.
3. Get students to choose one of the popular resolutions and in groups or partners come up with ways someone could achieve their goal.
4. Ask students to anonymously write down their resolutions on paper. Read them aloud and do one of a variety of activities such as: guess whose it is, advice on how to achieve it, would anyone like to also have this resolution (why/why not?).
5. Get students to write a pros and cons list as to whether resolutions are useful or not. If they struggle, start them off with a couple of ideas: people feel bad for not sticking to them, they’re expensive etc.
6. As an added extra optional activity, students could write down a resolution they hope to achieve by the end of the school year, this could also be made into a colourful display in the classroom to keep students motivated for the remainder of the year.

Wrap-up

So don’t let this New Year pass by without making the most of a great interactive classroom activity. All of the above mentioned activities get students talking and thinking about different vocabulary. It can also be combined with teaching grammar. For example:

• imperatives: go to the gym
• conditionals: If you go to French classes, you will learn faster
• phrasal Verbs: sign up to the gym, take up French classes, give up smoking

Making classes as interesting and dynamic as possible aids learning. This lesson can combine games, group work, drawing, conversation and debate. It can also be adapted for different age groups and levels. So I hope it inspires you. Happy New Year!

Image: iStock.com/fotosipsak

Useful resources at EnglishClub:

• My New Year’s Resolution for 2021
• Vocabulary of New Year’s Day