Lesson Type: Listening

Level: Upper-intermediate - Advanced

Lesson length: 60 - 90 minutes

Summary: This listening lesson is based on authentic material (a real news story from ABC News) about Michael Rotondo, a 30-year old man in the United States, whose parents are trying to evict him from their family home because he does not contribute to the household.

Since this context is a bit strange/ unexpected (parents evicting their own son!) it’s best presented in a light-hearted way to prompt students to share their opinions on and reactions to the situation, based on their own cultural contexts.

The video is not graded down for learners, so it should provide a good challenge for upper-intermediate to advanced students.

*Because of the context, this is probably not an appropriate lesson to use with refugees or asylum seekers who have a traumatic or complex relationship with leaving home.

This lesson includes a detailed lesson plan, the full PPT presentation, and any other necessary materials.

This lesson can stand on its own. However, if you and your students enjoy this context, there is also a Part 2 which can be taught in a subsequent lesson (or in the second 90 mins of a 3-hour lesson). Part 2 is a functional language lesson in which students will learn useful phrases for expressing their opinion on this topic and will practice writing YouTube-style comments on the video, as well as engage in a spirited debate about other issues related to home and family.