What is this lesson about?
This resilience ESL lesson plan helps learners explore how people cope with challenges, adapt over time, and build resilience in everyday life. Using a powerful video and guided discussion, students reflect on resilience as a human process shaped by mindset, habits, and relationships.
 
How do students develop their language skills?
Learners build fluency through a video-led, speaking-first sequence, including:
a warm-up exploring what resilience means to the learner
discussion of a key metaphor from the video
prediction of ideas before watching
video viewing with gist-focused and deeper discussion tasks
quote-and-react activities using direct quotes from the video
guided language work using expressions from the transcript
structured speaking tasks applying the language to real-life situations
a reflective closing task to consolidate ideas
 
Why is this lesson useful?
By the end of the lesson, students can:
talk fluently about resilience and coping with challenges
discuss setbacks and pressure in a thoughtful, balanced way
use natural expressions such as stiff upper lip, tools at my fingertips, and comes thick and fast
reflect on personal and social aspects of resilience in spoken English
 
What makes this lesson effective?
This lesson treats resilience as something learned and supported, not something people simply “have”. The video provides a strong emotional anchor, while the activities prioritise meaningful speaking and reflection.
 
Who is it for?
This lesson is ideal for adult B2–C1 learners who want to improve speaking fluency while exploring wellbeing, resilience, and personal growth in a realistic, conversational way.