The impact of technology on society — ESL lesson

This ESL lesson plan is designed to engage learners in exploring the role of technology in modern society. By focusing on essential vocabulary, useful phrases, and interactive conversations, students will build confidence in discussing how tools like smartphones, the internet, and social media shape communication, work, education, and daily life.

The lesson is structured to be accessible for beginner to intermediate learners, using visuals, role-plays, and personalized activities to make the topic relatable and engaging.

Through a step-by-step approach, students will practice key language skills—speaking, listening, reading, and writing—while reflecting on technology’s benefits and challenges in their own lives.

This 45-minute lesson fosters practical language use and encourages cultural awareness by connecting the topic to learners’ unique experiences.

Basic vocabulary

Start with essential words related to technology and its impact on society. These terms are straightforward and commonly used in everyday contexts.

Vocabulary list

• Technology: Tools or machines that help us, like phones or computers.
• Society: A group of people living and working together.
• Impact: A change or effect that something causes.
• Internet: A system connecting computers worldwide.
• Smartphone: A phone that uses apps and the internet.
• Social media: Apps or websites like Instagram or Facebook for sharing.
• Communication: Talking or sharing information with others.
• Work: Jobs or tasks people do.
• Education: Learning, often in school or online.
• Daily life: Everyday activities like shopping or traveling.
• App: A program on a phone or computer (e.g., WhatsApp).
• Screen: The part of a phone or computer you look at.
• Change: When something becomes different.
• Connection: Linking people or things, like through the internet.
• Information: Facts or details you learn.

Vocabulary for extension

• Online: Using the internet (e.g., online shopping).
• Video call: Talking to someone using video on a phone or computer.
• Job: Work you do to earn money.
• Learning: Gaining knowledge or skills.
• Problem: Something that is difficult or bad.
• Convenience: Making things easier or faster.
• Privacy: Keeping personal information safe.
• Digital: Related to computers or the internet.
• Update: New information or improvements.
• Addiction: Using something too much, like phones.

Teaching tips

• Use visuals like pictures of a smartphone, laptop, or social media icons to connect vocabulary to real life.
• Practice pronunciation of terms like “internet” (IN-ter-net) or “society” (suh-SY-uh-tee).
• Create flashcards with words on one side and definitions or pictures on the other for quick recall.

Useful phrases

Teach simple sentence structures for discussing how technology impacts society. These phrases are versatile and easy to use in conversations.

Key phrases

Talking about technology and society

• “Technology helps us [action].”
• “Society has changed because of [technology].”
• “For example, we use [technology] to [action].”
• “This is good because [reason].”

Describing impacts

• “Technology makes [communication/work/education] easier.”
• “One example is [technology/app].”
• “In the past, people [action]. Now, we [action].”
• “The problem is [issue].”

Asking questions

• “How does technology help society?”
• “What technology do you use every day?”
• “Is technology good or bad for [communication/work]?”
• “What’s one problem with technology?”

Teaching tips

• Write phrases on a board or handout and model their use (e.g., “Technology helps us talk to friends. For example, we use WhatsApp.”).
• Have learners substitute their own examples (e.g., “I use YouTube to learn.”).
• Practice question forms to encourage interactive dialogue.

Example conversations

Provide short, realistic dialogues to model how to discuss technology’s impact on society. These examples progress from basic to more detailed.

Conversation 1: Basic exchange

Teacher (Anna): Hello, everyone. Today, we’re talking about technology. What’s technology? Student (Tom): It’s things like phones or computers.
Anna: Yes! How does technology help society?
Tom: It helps us talk to people.
Anna: Good! For example, we use apps like WhatsApp. Let’s talk more about that.

Conversation 2: Adding details

Teacher (Sara): Hi, team. Let’s talk about technology and society. How does technology help communication?
Student (Juan): We can send messages or make video calls.
Sara: Great example! What app do you use for that?
Juan: I use WhatsApp and Zoom.
Sara: Nice. Is there a problem with technology?
Juan: Sometimes people use phones too much.
Sara: True. Let’s discuss another area, like work.

Conversation 3: More advanced

Teacher (Mark): Welcome, everyone. Let’s discuss how technology changes society. How does it help education?
Student (Lisa): We can learn online with videos or apps.
Mark: Good! Can you give an example?
Lisa: Yes, like YouTube or Khan Academy for math.
Mark: Perfect. What’s one good thing about this?
Lisa: It’s easy to learn anywhere.
Mark: Right. But is there a problem?
Lisa: Some people don’t have computers.
Mark: Good point. Let’s talk about daily life next.

Teaching tips

• Role-play these dialogues with the learner, switching roles to practice both teacher and student perspectives.
• Encourage learners to adapt the dialogues using their own examples (e.g., apps they use).
• In group settings, pair students to practice, prompting them to ask at least one follow-up question.

Teaching strategy

Here’s a step-by-step lesson plan to teach this topic effectively (approximately 45 minutes).

Step 1: Warm-up (5 minutes)

• Ask: “What technology do you use every day?” to spark interest.
• Show a picture or video of a smartphone, laptop, or social media app to introduce the topic.

Step 2: Vocabulary introduction (10 minutes)

• Present the vocabulary list using visuals (e.g., a phone or a screenshot of a social media app).
• Practice pronunciation, especially for terms like “smartphone” or “communication.”
• Play a quick game: Say a word (e.g., “internet”), and learners explain what it means or use it in a sentence.

Step 3: Phrase practice (10 minutes)

• Display key phrases and model them with your own example (e.g., “Technology helps us learn. For example, we use YouTube.”).
• Have learners practice by filling in the blanks (e.g., “Technology helps us ____.” or “The problem is ____.”).
• Correct pronunciation and grammar gently, emphasizing clear communication.

Step 4: Conversation practice (15 minutes)

• Read one example conversation aloud, emphasizing natural tone and clarity.
• Pair learners (or role-play with them) to practice the dialogues, encouraging personalization.
• Ask learners to create their own short dialogue about how technology helps or changes society.

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

• Have each learner share one or two sentences about technology (e.g., “Technology helps me talk to my family. I use WhatsApp.”).
• Provide feedback on their use of vocabulary and phrases.
• Assign homework: Write 3-5 sentences about how technology changes society or practice a dialogue with a friend.

Additional tips

• Cultural sensitivity: Be aware that access to technology varies by region or culture. Discuss examples relevant to the learner’s background (e.g., local apps like WeChat in China).
• Visual aids: Use a short video clip (e.g., from YouTube) showing people using technology (like video calls or online shopping) to make the lesson engaging.
• Listening practice: Play an audio or video of someone talking about technology’s impact (e.g., an ESL resource or TED Talk excerpt) to expose learners to different accents.
• Adapt for level: For beginners, focus on simple phrases (e.g., “Technology helps us talk.”). For intermediate learners, encourage details (e.g., “Smartphones help us work from home, but they can cause screen addiction.”).
• Incorporate technology: If teaching online, share a screen with images of technology or use a virtual whiteboard to highlight vocabulary.

Common mistakes to address

• Grammar: Learners may say “Technology help” instead of “Technology helps.” Emphasize singular verb agreement with “technology.”
• Pronunciation: Terms like “internet” or “society” may be mispronounced. Practice these explicitly.
• Word choice: Clarify differences like “communication” (talking) vs. “connection” (linking people or devices).

Example activity: “Plan a discussion about technology”

For group classes, try this interactive activity.

• Give each learner a blank sheet and ask them to list 3-4 ways technology helps society (e.g., communication, education, daily life).
• Learners take turns presenting their list, explaining one example (e.g., “I use apps to study English.”), while others ask questions (e.g., “What app do you use?” or “Is there a problem with that?”).
• Alternatively, create a “Find Someone Who” game (e.g., “Find someone who uses social media every day”).

Homework or follow-up

• Writing: Write a short paragraph (5 sentences) about how technology helps or changes society (e.g., in communication or work).
• Speaking: Record a 30-second audio or video acting out a conversation about technology’s impact.
• Research: Look at a website or app (e.g., YouTube or WhatsApp) and write down three new related words (e.g., “video,” “message,” “share”).