Move beyond the medals and podium moments! Dive deep into the high-stakes, multi-billion-dollar dilemma facing the Olympic movement with this compelling, video-based lesson plan. Inspired by the acclaimed Newsthink video, “Why No One Wants to Host the Olympics Anymore,” this resource transforms a current global issue into a dynamic 90-minute language immersion.
Your upper-intermediate and advanced students won’t just practice English – they’ll become city planners, IOC critics, and financial analysts. They’ll unpack the stark realities of soaring costs, abandoned stadiums, and crippling debt that have led cities worldwide to drop their bids.
Students will:
- Listen for specific data and nuanced arguments in authentic, fast-paced documentary content.
- Discuss & Debate the ethics, economics, and prestige of mega-events, formulating and defending sophisticated opinions.
- Build Vocabulary with two focused sessions on high-impact topic nouns and essential phrasal verbs (legacy, maintenance fees, saddle down with debt, break the bank, and white elephant).
- Collaborate & Create in the standout “Sustainable Bid Proposal” extension activity, where they synthesize everything they’ve learned to design a financially viable Olympic plan for their own city.
It’s a relevant, thought-provoking package that develops critical thinking, persuasive language, and advanced comprehension skills through a topic that matters. Give your students the language to talk about the world behind the headlines.
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Teach English through economics, ethics, and the real cost of mega-events.
