the king's speech lesson plan

Lesson Plan Using a Movie (The King’s Speech)

Authentic material lesson plan using a movie.

Aims: To teach descriptive adjectives (haughty, nervous, impatient, magnificent, fancy, elegant, poised, frantic); to practice predicting; to practice imagining and guessing; presentation of new language (see vocab list below); listening comprehension; note-taking skills

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Assumptions: At this level (High- Intermediate), students should already be familiar with many adjectives and be able to use them appropriately. Ss should also be familiar with making guesses and predictions, taking notes and listening to audio. Students will know most of the vocabulary presented in the film, save for the vocab listed below. Students are aware of the British Royal Family, but probably won’t know the story presented in the film.

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Vocabulary to Pre-Teach: (Scene 1) stammer, impediment, sublime, souvenir, shilling, wager, armchair (Scene 2) coronation, throne, Royal Highness, defective, audience, cue cards, saddled, crown

Time: Film is 100 minutes, but clips are approximately 10 minutes each.

Aids: DVD of the film “The King’s Speech”; handouts (vocabulary); handouts with activities (see Ss handouts following the teacher’s notes).

Problems and Solutions: Students might be unfamiliar/uninterested in a period drama about a British Royal. To counter this I would make the analogy that Bertie, like a language student, is learning to communicate in a new way. He is overcoming a language barrier much like they are. Also, the accents in the film (British and Australian) are different from the Canadian accent.

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Script of the Scenes: (Scene 1) Bertie (soon to be King George VI) meets Lionel Logue, the speech therapist, for the first time. (Scene 2) Lionel and Bertie prepare for the coronation.

Teacher: Today we are going to watch a part of a film called “The King’s Speech.” Has anyone seen or heard of this film? I will play the first part for you and you will have to listen for the main idea. You may hear words that you are not familiar with so make sure you take some notes as you are watching so that you can find the meaning of the unfamiliar words.

Scene 1: Bertie (King George VI) meets Lionel Logue, the speech therapist, for the first time

Listening Activity 1 Time: 10 minutes

Stage in the Lesson: Introducing the Topic-(speaking skill) Technique: brainstorming and guessing what will happen next

Interactive Patterns: T-S

Aids: Brainstorming Map (see handout at the end of lesson)

Teacher Activity: T will go through vocabulary list (at the end of the lesson) with the Ss and then will allow them to find the meaning of 5 words and use them in a sentence. Ss will guess what will happen in the film. T will fill in the brainstorming map on the board.

Student Activity: Ss read the vocabulary words and will fill in the activity sheet; they will choose 5 words from the list, write the meaning of each word and use it in a sentence. Ss will watch the video and when it stops, they will offer their guesses to a partner about what will happen next.

Scene 1: Bertie (soon to be King George VI) meets Lionel Logue, the speech therapist, for the first time (Introduce vocabulary before playing scene)

Listening Activity 2 Time: 20 min

Stages in the Lesson: Getting students involved in the scene- Listening for descriptive adjectives; Technique- Sentence completion

Interactive Pattern: S-S-S

Aids: Student handout activity “Sentence Completion”

Teacher Activity: T divides students in groups of 3. Ss will watch the scene again and will complete the activity “Sentence Completion” handout with their group. Play the scene, stop, and have them complete the activity. If needed, play the video again.

Student Activity: Ss will complete the handout with their group.

Scene 1: Bertie (soon to be King George VI) meets Lionel Logue, the speech therapist, for the first time

Listening Activity 3 Time: 20 min

Stages in the Lesson: Listening for the Gist: Technique-Note taking.

Interactive Pattern: T-S

Aids: paper and pencil

Teacher Activity: T plays scene 1 again, this time, Ss will take notes and will try and get the main idea out of it. 1) Watch and observe Lionel and Bertie’s attitudes. 2) What is going on in this scene? 3) Why is Bertie nervous? 4) How does he behave towards Lionel? 5) What do you think Bertie’s life is like? Predict what you think will happen next… (T writes these on the board)

Student Activity: Ss will take notes and try to answer the questions that the T has posted on the board. Ss get together in pairs to check answers before we take it up as a class.

Scene 2: Lionel and Bertie prepare for the coronation

Listening Activity 4 Time: 10 min

Stages in the Lesson: Introducing the Scene. Technique: Who said what…

Aids: Who said What? Activity handout, pencils

Teacher Activity: T plays scene 2, Ss watch and take notes. When the scene is over, Ss complete the activity that follows.

Student Activity: Ss will take notes and try to answer the “Who said What? Activity sheet. Ss get together in pairs to check answers before we take it up as a class.

Scene 2: Lionel and Bertie prepare for the coronation.

Listening Activity 5 Time: 20 min

Stages in the Lesson: Listening for Details. Technique: Answer Questions

Aids: Paper, pencils

Teacher Activity: T separates Ss into groups of 3. T plays scene 2 while students watch and listen for details. One student in the group takes notes as they watch. Questions to answer: 1) Where are Lionel and Bertie going? 2) What do they talk about while there? 3) Who comes to meet them? 4) What do they start arguing about? 5) What does Lionel do that Bertie says is disrespectful?

Student Activity: Ss will take notes and try to answer the questions on the board. Possible answers: 1) They are going to see where Bertie will become King. 2) They talk about the upcoming speech. 3) Lang 4) Bertie is upset to find out that Lionel isn’t a doctor. 5) Lionel puts his feet up in the throne.

Scene 2: Lionel and Bertie prepare for the coronation Listening Activity 6 Time: 20 min

Stages in the Lesson: Listening for Details. Technique: Summarizing

Teacher Activity: T separates Ss into groups of 3. T plays scene 2 while students watch and listen for details. One student in the group takes notes as they watch. Ss work in their groups to write a summary of scene 2. Student Activity: Ss will take notes and then in their groups write a summary for the scene. Ss will then read their completed summary to the class OR Ss can exchange their summary with another group and read it and compare it to their own summary.

Optional Follow-up Activity

• Have students write a continuation of the film…what do you think will happen next? Encourage students to use as many descriptive adjectives as they can. Encourage them to use tenses correctly.

Activity 1- Predictions T fills this chart on the board as the students give their predictions.

Vocabulary Handout- Activity 1

Choose 5 new vocabulary words from the following list; find the meaning of the word and use the word in a sentence.

worship haughty nervous impatient magnificent fancy elegant poised frantic tacky

(Scene 1) Bertie (soon to be King George VI) meets Lionel Logue, the speech therapist, for the first time.

1. __________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________

2. __________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________

3. __________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________

4. __________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________

5. __________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________

Activity 2: Sentence Completion Choose the correct word(s) to complete each of these statements. Underline your choice.

1. Lionel’s son is named: Willy Paul James Colin

2. What pseudonym did Bertie and Elizabeth use? The Smiths The Johnsons The O’Briens The Franks

3. How did Bertie want to be addressed? Your King Your Highness Your Majesty Your Prince

4. How old was Bertie when he started to stammer? three years old four years old thirteen years old fourteen years old

5. Where is Lionel from? England Australia Canada the United States

Activity 4: Who said What?

Watch scene 2. Read each statement taken from the film script and decide who said the line. Circle your choice.

1. Who said, “You’ve saddled this country with a voiceless King!”? Bertie Lionel Elizabeth Lang

2. Who said, “Impressive armchair!”? Bertie Lionel Elizabeth Lang

3. Who said, “My concern is for the head on which I place the crown.”? Bertie Lionel Elizabeth Lang

4. Who said, “It’s easy. Four short responses, kiss the book, sign the papers”? Bertie Lionel Elizabeth Lang

5. Who said, “No training, no qualifications, just a great deal of nerve!” ? Bertie Lionel Elizabeth Lang

6. Who said, “It looks very beautiful, doesn’t it?”? Bertie Lionel Elizabeth Lang

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