Get your students talking about one of the most debated topics of the year – the UK government’s controversial decision to ban social media for anyone under 16. This ready-to-use lesson plan is inspired by the BBC News report “Which social media platforms will be banned for under-16s in the UK?” which covers the ban on major platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, Facebook, and X.
From Elon Musk calling the UK “a police state” to young people saying they’d rather go outside than “doom scroll,” this news story is packed with strong opinions, real-life consequences, and meaningful debate. Your students will explore age restrictions, online safety, government control, and personal freedom – all while developing essential language skills.
What skills will your students develop?
- Listening Skills – Students will develop gist and detailed listening skills through two staged viewing tasks. They will follow the overall structure of an authentic BBC News report and extract specific factual information such as names, dates, and key arguments.
- Speaking and Discussion Skills – Students will engage in structured discussion at three key stages. They will express and justify opinions, agree and disagree with peers, and move from personal reflection to critical evaluation of complex social and political issues.
- Grammar Accuracy and Awareness – Students will develop a solid understanding of the passive voice through three practice stages. They will identify passive structures, complete gap-fill exercises using time markers as clues, and transform active sentences into passive ones across multiple tenses.
- Critical Thinking – Students will analyse multiple perspectives on a complex social issue, evaluate arguments for and against the ban, reflect on the balance between protection and freedom, and form their own informed opinions.
- Vocabulary Building – Students will acquire and actively use topic-related vocabulary from the news report.
Take your students beyond the headlines – get them thinking, speaking, and mastering the passive voice with this engaging news-based lesson.
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Teach English through social media, online safety, and the debate over age restrictions.
