Sports: Talking about American football — ESL lesson

This lesson plan is designed to teach English language learners how to discuss playing American football at both basic and advanced levels. The goal is to equip learners with the vocabulary, phrases, and conversational skills needed to confidently talk about the sport, whether they are beginners or intermediate learners.

By focusing on practical, engaging activities, the plan introduces key football-related terms and sentence structures, tailored to each level, while incorporating visuals, role-plays, and cultural context to make learning interactive and relevant. The lesson progresses from simple vocabulary and phrases for beginners to more nuanced terms and detailed conversations for advanced learners, ensuring all students can express their interest in American football effectively.

Basic level: Teaching how to talk about playing American football

Start with simple, commonly used words related to playing American football that beginners can easily understand and apply.

Basic vocabulary

• Football: The sport (American football, distinct from soccer).
• Ball/football: The oval-shaped object used in the game.
• Field: The area where football is played (e.g., 100 yards long).
• Touchdown: Scoring by carrying or catching the ball in the opponent’s end zone (worth 6 points).
• Player: A person who plays football.
• Team: A group of players (e.g., 11 players per side).
• Game: A single football event.
• Score: The points in a game (e.g., 14-7).
• Throw/pass: To toss the ball to a teammate.
• Catch: To grab the ball thrown by a teammate.
• Win/lose: To succeed or fail in a game.
• Practice: Training to improve skills.
• Coach: The person who trains the team.
• Fan: A supporter of a team or player.
• Helmet: Protective headgear worn by players.

Teaching tips

• Use visuals like pictures of a football field, ball, or players in helmets to connect vocabulary to real contexts.
• Practice pronunciation of terms like “touchdown” (TUCH-down) or “helmet” (HEL-mit).
• Create flashcards with words on one side and images or definitions on the other for quick recall.

Basic phrases

Teach simple sentence structures for discussing playing American football. These should be easy to adapt for beginners.

Key phrases

1. Talking about playing football
   • “I play football with my friends.”
   • “My favorite sport is American football.”
   • “I’m on a football team.”
   • “We practice on the field.”
2. Describing the game
   • “It’s an exciting/tough sport.”
   • “I throw the ball to score a touchdown.”
   • “The game is [fun/long].”
   • “My team won/lost the game.”
3. Expressing opinions
   • “I like football because it’s [fun/exciting].”
   • “My favorite player is [name].”
   • “I don’t like [losing/practicing] because it’s [hard/tiring].”
4. Asking questions
   • “Do you play football?”
   • “What’s your favorite team?”
   • “Do you watch football games?”
   • “Who’s your favorite player?”

Teaching tips

• Write phrases on a board or handout and model their use (e.g., “I play football with my friends. It’s exciting!”).
• Have learners substitute their own teams or players into the phrases.
• Practice question forms to encourage interactive dialogue.

Basic example conversations

Provide short, realistic dialogues to model how to talk about playing American football at a beginner level.

Conversation 1: Basic exchange

Anna: Do you play football, Tom?
Tom: Yes, I play American football with my friends.
Anna: Where do you play?
Tom: On a field at school.
Anna: Is it fun?
Tom: Yes, it’s very exciting!

Conversation 2: Adding details

Sara: Do you like football, Juan?
Juan: Yes, it’s my favorite sport! I’m on a team.
Sara: Cool! Do you practice a lot?
Juan: Yes, we practice every weekend.
Sara: Who’s your favorite player?
Juan: Tom Brady. He’s awesome!

Teaching tips

• Role-play these dialogues with the learner, switching roles to practice asking and answering.
• Encourage learners to adapt the dialogues using their own experiences (e.g., their team or favorite player).
• In group settings, pair students to practice, prompting them to ask at least one follow-up question.

Advanced level: Teaching how to talk about playing American football

Introduce more specific and nuanced words related to American football for intermediate learners to discuss the sport in greater detail.

Advanced vocabulary

• Quarterback: The player who throws the ball and leads the offense.
• Running back: A player who runs with the ball to gain yards.
• Linebacker: A defensive player who stops the opposing team.
• Tackle: To bring down an opponent with the ball or a defensive play.
• Interception: Catching a pass meant for the opposing team.
• Field goal: Kicking the ball through the goalposts for 3 points.
• Down: One of four attempts to advance the ball 10 yards.
• Yard line: Markings on the field (e.g., 50-yard line).
• Referee: The official who enforces the rules of the game.
• Super bowl: The championship game of American football.

Teaching tips

• Use videos or diagrams of a football game to show positions like “quarterback” or actions like “tackle.”
• Practice pronunciation of terms like “interception” (in-ter-SEP-shun) or “quarterback” (KWOR-ter-back).
• Create a matching game where learners pair advanced words with their roles or actions (e.g., “running back” with “runs with the ball”).

Advanced phrases

Teach more complex sentence structures for discussing American football, suitable for intermediate learners to add depth to their conversations.

Key phrases

1. Talking about playing football
   • “I’ve been playing football for [number] years.”
   • “I play as a [position, e.g., quarterback] on my team.”
   • “We competed in a championship game last season.”
   • “I’m working on my [skill, e.g., throwing accuracy].”
2. Describing the game
   • “The game was intense because [reason].”
   • “The quarterback threw an interception in the third quarter.”
   • “We scored a field goal to tie the game.”
   • “The team advanced past the 50-yard line.”
3. Expressing opinions
   • “I think [team/player] is the best because [reason].”
   • “Playing football teaches me [teamwork/discipline].”
   • “I don’t like [aspect, e.g., tackling] because it’s [reason].”
   • “Watching the Super Bowl is so exciting!”
4. Asking questions
   • “What position do you play in football?”
   • “Have you ever watched the Super Bowl?”
   • “What do you think of [player/team]’s performance?”
   • “How do you improve your football skills?”

Teaching tips

• Model advanced phrases with examples (e.g., “I play as a linebacker. I’m good at tackling.”).
• Encourage learners to use specific details, like their position or a memorable game.
• Practice forming complex questions to promote deeper discussions.

Advanced example conversations

Provide more detailed dialogues to model how to talk about playing American football at an intermediate level.

Conversation 1: Detailed exchange

Mark: Hey, Lisa, do you play American football?
Lisa: Yes, I’ve been playing for two years. I’m a running back.
Mark: Nice! Do you score a lot of touchdowns?
Lisa: I scored one last game, but we lost on a field goal.
Mark: That’s tough. Do you practice a lot?
Lisa: Yeah, we train three times a week to work on passing and tackling.

Conversation 2: More advanced

Sara: Juan, have you ever played in a big football game?
Juan: Yeah, my team played in a regional championship last year.
Sara: How was it?
Juan: It was intense! I’m a quarterback, so I had to throw a lot. We had an interception, but we still won 21-17.
Sara: That sounds amazing! Do you watch the Super Bowl?
Juan: Every year! I love watching Patrick Mahomes. His throws are incredible.

Teaching tips

• Role-play these dialogues, emphasizing natural intonation and detailed responses.
• Encourage learners to incorporate advanced vocabulary (e.g., “interception,” “field goal”) into their dialogues.
• In group settings, have students create their own dialogues about a specific football experience.

Teaching strategy (Combined for basic and advanced)

Here’s a step-by-step lesson plan to teach both levels effectively (approximately 60 minutes to cover both).

Step 1: Warm-up (5 minutes)

• Ask: “Do you like American football? Do you play or watch it?” to spark interest.
• Show a short video clip or image of a football game (e.g., a touchdown or Super Bowl highlight) and describe it (e.g., “This is American football. Players throw the ball to score touchdowns.”).

Step 2: Vocabulary introduction (15 minutes)

• Basic (7 minutes): Present the basic vocabulary list using visuals (e.g., a football field or helmet). Practice pronunciation and play a quick game: Say a word (e.g., “touchdown”), and learners name a related word (e.g., “pass”).
• Advanced (8 minutes): Introduce advanced vocabulary with a diagram of player positions or a video clip showing actions like “tackle” or “field goal.” Practice pronunciation and match terms to their meanings.

Step 3: Phrase Practice (15 minutes)

• Basic (7 minutes): Display basic phrases and model them (e.g., “I play football with my friends. It’s fun.”). Have learners practice by filling in blanks (e.g., “My favorite sport is ____.”).
• Advanced (8 minutes): Display advanced phrases and model them (e.g., “I play as a quarterback. I’m good at throwing passes.”). Have learners practice with specific details (e.g., their position or a game).

Step 4: Conversation practice (20 minutes)

• Basic (10 minutes): Read a basic conversation aloud, emphasizing natural tone. Pair learners (or role-play) to practice, encouraging personalization (e.g., their favorite team).
• Advanced (10 minutes): Read an advanced conversation, focusing on detailed responses. Have learners practice and create their own dialogues using advanced vocabulary.

Step 5: Wrap-up and personalization (5 minutes)

• Have each learner share one or two sentences about football (basic: “I play football. It’s exciting”; advanced: “I’m a running back, and I scored a touchdown last game.”).
• Provide feedback on vocabulary and phrase use.
• Assign homework: Write 3-5 sentences about playing or watching football (basic) or a recent game/Super Bowl (advanced).

Additional tips

• Cultural sensitivity: Recognize that American football may be less familiar in some regions. Compare it to other sports (e.g., soccer or rugby) if needed, and allow learners to discuss local sports if relevant.
• Visual aids: Use images or videos of football games, player positions, or equipment (e.g., NFL highlights) to make the lesson engaging.
• Listening practice: Play a short audio or video clip (e.g., from YouTube or ESPN) of someone discussing football to expose learners to different accents.
• Adapt for level: Ensure beginners stick to simple vocabulary and phrases, while intermediate learners use advanced terms and complex sentences.
• Incorporate technology: If teaching online, share a screen with a football game clip or use a virtual whiteboard to highlight vocabulary.

Common mistakes to address

• Grammar: Beginners may say “I play football with friends” instead of “I play football with my friends.” Emphasize possessive pronouns. Advanced learners may struggle with the past tense (e.g., “We win” instead of “We won”). Review verb forms.
• Pronunciation: Terms like “touchdown” or “quarterback” may be mispronounced. Practice these explicitly.
• Word choice: Clarify “game” (a single event) vs. “Super Bowl” (championship) for advanced learners.

Example activity: “Football scenario”

For group classes, try this interactive activity.

• Give each learner a card with a scenario (e.g., “You’re a quarterback in a game. Describe what you did.” or “You watched a football game. Talk about the score.”).
• Learners share their scenario using appropriate vocabulary and phrases, while others ask questions (e.g., “Did you score a touchdown?” or “Was it a close game?”).

Homework or follow-up

• Writing:
  • Basic: Write 3-5 sentences about why you like American football or a time you played.
  • Advanced: Write a short paragraph about a football game you played or watched, using at least 5 advanced vocabulary words.
• Speaking: Record a 30-second audio or video describing your football experience (basic: favorite team; advanced: your role in a game).
• Research: Find a picture or video of an American football game and describe it in 2-3 sentences in English.