Is the dollar’s 80-year reign coming to an end?
For eight decades, the US dollar has been the undisputed king of global finance – the world’s preferred currency for trade, savings, and investment. But today, cracks are appearing. With rising US debt, unpredictable policy, and ambitious rivals waiting in the wings, many are asking: Can the dollar be dethroned?
This thought-provoking lesson, inspired by The Economist’s insightful video, takes students on a journey through the past, present, and future of the world’s most powerful currency.
What’s inside?
Students will explore why the dollar became so dominant, investigate the growing threats to its position, and evaluate potential alternatives – from the euro and the yuan to gold and cryptocurrencies. Through engaging discussions, authentic video for listening comprehension, vocabulary-building exercises, and two dynamic extension activities, learners will develop:
- Listening comprehension – authentic video from The Economist with guided tasks
- Critical thinking skills – analysing economic trends and forming evidence-based opinions
- Financial vocabulary – mastering essential terms like safe haven, volatile, diversify, entrenched, and more
- Discussion and debate skills – expressing and defending views on a global issue:
- Extension Activity 1 – Group Presentation: students research and present a potential alternative to the dollar (euro, yuan, Bitcoin, CBDC, or gold)
- Extension Activity 2 – Currency Trader Simulation: students build and justify a $1,000,000 investment portfolio using real economic predictions
Ready to challenge your students’ thinking about the money in their pockets?
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Teach English through global finance, economic power, and the future of the US dollar.
