ESL ENGLISH LESSON (60-120 mins) – 15th November 2010

Social networking in today’s world

Hands up those of you who like to chat online? How many of you use
Facebook? Probably quite a few of you, as in today’s world we can’t seem to
live without it. So what is a social network? It is a way of communicating
with other people. Why do we use them? Because we like to communicate
with other people, especially our family and our friends. It is a good way to
keep in touch. There are many different forms of social networking.
Probably the most popular today are Facebook, Skype, MySpace, Twitter,
Google chat, Yahoo! Messenger and ICQ. All are different. So what is
Facebook? It is a network that allows users to communicate with others
using chat. It also allows you to upload photos etc. Skype allows users to
telephone each other for free – if using another computer. It allows us to
phone each other in different countries at a greatly reduced rate – the cost
of a local landline call, thus transforming how we communicate with each
other. Other similar networks allow one to telephone to far off countries at
an even lower telephone rate than Skype charges.

The ‘new’ Skype gives a better sound performance - whereas before the
sound quality was poor. Users today can see each other if they use a video
camera. ICQ network has also upgraded itself. However, it tends not to be
as popular today as it used to be. It depends on which country you are
living in and what your friend’s use, as to what you use and what is the
most popular form of communicating. Twitter is also very popular today.
People like to upload messages like “I just made a cup of tea.” However, it
came into its own during the Iranian election when the current government
cracked down on its own population. It denied them the freedom of
communication. Twitter users told the world what was really happening.
Other networks like Unister, for university students, are used. Social
networking sites like MySpace have rapidly evolved and will probably
continue to do so. While Facebook and Skype remain the most popular
today who knows what tomorrow’s new technology will bring us!

Category: Lifestyle / Social networking / Chat

Level: Intermediate / Upper intermediate

This ESL lesson is the copyright of www.newsflashenglish.com

 Social networking in today’s world – 15th November 2010
EXERCISES
1. Social networking: What is social networking? Can you give any examples
of social networking? What is your favourite social network? Go round the room
swapping details.

2. Dictation: The teacher will read four to six lines of the article slowly and
clearly. Students will write down what they hear. The teacher will repeat the passage
slowly again. Self correct your work from page two - filling in spaces and correcting
mistakes. Be honest with yourself on the number of errors. Advise the teacher of
your total number of errors. Less than five is very good. Ten are acceptable. Any
more is room for improvement! More than twenty - we need to do some work!

3. Reading: Get students to read the passage aloud. Swap readers every
paragraph.

4. Vocabulary: Students look through the article. Underline/highlight any

vocabulary you do not know. Look in dictionaries. Discuss and help each other out.
The teacher will go through & explain any words or phrases you do not understand.

5. The article: Students look through the article with the teacher.
a) What is the article about?
b) What do you think about the article?

6. Let’s think! Think of five social networks. Then add five reasons you might
use social networks. Write them below. Explain to your partner why you chose
these?
Five social networks Five reasons to use social networks
1 1
2 2
3 3
4 4
5 5
The teacher will choose some pairs to discuss their findings in front of the class.

7. Let’s think! Social networks: Think of three positive and negative

points about social networks. Write them below. Compare and discuss with your
partner.
Three positive points Three negative points
1 1
2 2
3 3
The teacher will choose some pairs to discuss their findings in front of the class.

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 Social networking in today’s world – 15th November 2010
8. Let’s talk! Social networking: In pairs. You are in a pub discussing the
best social networking sites. Discuss what sites you prefer and why you prefer to use
them. Also what are the pros and cons of using them. 5-minutes.

9. Let’s debate: In pairs. Students A think Facebook is best. Students B think

otherwise – you think another social network is better. Explain why.

10. Let’s do ‘The Article Quiz’: Have the students quiz each other in
pairs. They score a point for each correct answer and half a point each time they
have to look at the article for help. See who can get the highest score!
Student A
1) How many social networking sites are mentioned?
2) How did Twitter come into its own?
3) What does the new Skype give?
4) What happened in Iran?
5) What does Skype allow?
Student B
1) What is Facebook?
2) Why do we use social networks?
3) What is Unister?
4) What have rapidly evolved?
5) What has ICQ done?

11. Let’s think! Social networks: Swap partners. With your new partner
on the board write as many words to do with ‘Social networks’ as you can. One-
two minutes. Compare with other teams. Using your words compile a short dialogue
together.

12. Presentation on Social Networking: In pairs, groups or

individually: Prepare in class or at home a two minute presentation on: Social
Networking. Stand at the front of the class to give your presentation to the class.
The class can vote on the best presentation. Class – After the presentations go
through the good and weak points on each presentation. Learn from the results.

13. Let’s write an e-mail: Prepare and send a 200 word e-mail to your
teacher about: The best social network. Explain your reasons. Use bullet points to
help you. Your e-mail can be read out in class.

14. Sentence starters: Finish these sentence starters. Correct your

mistakes. Compare what other people have written.

a) ICQ __________________________________________________________

b) Twitter ________________________________________________________

c) Skype ________________________________________________________

d) Facebook ______________________________________________________

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 Social networking in today’s world – 15th November 2010
DISCUSSION
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS
1) Did the headline make you want to read the article?
2) How useful are social networks?
3) What benefits do you get by using a social network?
4) Do you like chatting on social networks? Why? Why not?
5) Do you use a web cam?
6) Do you prefer to chat, speak or both when online with your friends?
7) Which is the newest social network?
8) Which is the oldest social network?
9) Have you managed to contact any of your old friends using social
networks?
10) What business benefit is there for companies using social networks?

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS

1) What do you think about what you read?
2) What is your favourite social network? Why?
3) What is the worst social network? Why?
4) What social network do your friends use?
5) What would you do without a social network?
6) What three tips would you advise a newcomer to social networks?
7) How would you sell social networks to your friends to entice then to join?
8) Why do people use social networks?
9) Do you Tweet on Twitter?
10) Did you like this discussion?

SPEAKING

Let’s discuss! Social networks

Allow 10-15 minutes – As a class / small groups / pairs / 1 to 1

In small groups talk about the social networks listed below. How can you use them?
Choose a spokesperson who can present your ideas to the class at the end of your
preparation. Present it visually or use the board etc… Try to be imaginative!

1 ICQ 5 My Space
2 Facebook 6 Twitter
3 Skype 7 Yahoo! Messenger
4 Google-chat 8 Other social networks
The teacher can moderate the session.

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 Social networking in today’s world – 15th November 2010
GAP FILL: READING
Put the words into the gaps in the text.

Social networking in today’s world network

Hands up those of you who like to chat (1)_____? How many of
you use Facebook? Probably quite a few of you, as in today’s chat
world we can’t seem to live without it. So what is a social
network? It is a way of communicating with other people. Why online
do we use them? Because we like to communicate with other
people, especially our family and our friends. It is a good way landline
to keep in touch. There are many different forms of social
networking. (2)_____ the most popular today are Facebook, similar
Skype, MySpace, Twitter, Google chat, Yahoo! Messenger and
ICQ. All are different. So what is Facebook? It is a (3)_____
communicate
that allows users to communicate with others using (4)_____.
It also allows you to upload photos etc. Skype allows users to
telephone
(5)_____ each other for free – if using another computer. It
allows us to phone each other in different countries at a greatly
probably
reduced rate – the cost of a local (6)_____ call, thus
transforming how we (7)_____ with each other. Other
(8)_____ networks allow one to telephone to far off countries
at an even lower telephone rate than Skype charges.

The ‘new’ Skype gives a better sound performance - whereas

before the sound quality was poor. Users today can see each
rapidly
other if they use a video camera. ICQ network has also
upgraded itself. However, it tends not to be as popular today as users
it used to be. It depends on which country you are living in and
what your friend’s use, as to what you use and what is the current
most popular form of communicating. Twitter is also very
(1)_____ today. People like to (2)_____ messages like “I just students
made a cup of tea.” However, it came into its own during the
freedom
Iranian election when the (3)_____ government cracked down
on its own population. It denied them the (4)_____ of popular
communication. Twitter (5)_____ told the world what was
really happening. Other networks like Unister, for university upload
(6)_____, are used. Social networking sites like MySpace have
(7)_____ evolved and will probably continue to do so. While technology
Facebook and Skype remain the most popular today who knows
what tomorrow’s new (8)_____ will bring us!

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 Social networking in today’s world – 15th November 2010
PUT THE ARTICLE BACK TOGETHER
networking. Probably the most popular today are Facebook, Skype,
( )
MySpace, Twitter, Google chat, Yahoo! Messenger and ICQ. All are
different. So what is Facebook? It is a network that allows users to
communicate with others

( ) messages like “I just made a cup of tea.” However, it came into its own
during the Iranian election when the current government cracked down on
its own population. It denied them the freedom of communication. Twitter

( ) cost of a local landline call, thus transforming how we communicate with

each other. Other similar networks allow one to telephone to far off
countries at an even lower telephone rate than Skype charges. The ‘new’
Skype gives a

with other people. Why do we use them? Because we like to communicate

( ) with other people, especially our family and our friends. It is a good way to
keep in touch. There are many different forms of social

( ) used to be. It depends on which country you are living in and what your
friend’s use, as to what you use and what is the most popular form of
communicating. Twitter is also very popular today. People like to upload

users told the world what was really happening. Other networks like
( ) Unister, for university students, are used. Social networking sites like
MySpace have rapidly evolved and will probably continue to do so. While
Facebook

(1 ) Hands up those of you who like to chat online? How many of you use
Facebook? Probably quite a few of you, as in today’s world we can’t seem to
live without it. So what is a social network? It is a way of communicating

using chat. It also allows you to upload photos etc. Skype allows users to
( ) telephone each other for free – if using another computer. It allows us to
phone each other in different countries at a greatly reduced rate – the

and Skype remain the most popular today who knows what tomorrow’s new
( ) technology will bring us!

better sound performance - whereas before the sound quality was poor.
( ) Users today can see each other if they use a video camera. ICQ network
has also upgraded itself. However, it tends not to be as popular today as it

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 Social networking in today’s world – 15th November 2010
GRAMMAR
Put the words into the gaps in the text.

Social networking in today’s world how

Hands up those of you who like to chat online? (1)__ many of
you use Facebook? Probably quite a few of you, as in today’s an
world (2)__ can’t seem to live without it. (3)__ what is a social
network? It is a way (4)__ communicating with other people. all
Why do we use them? Because we like to communicate with
other people, especially our family and our friends. It is a good of
way to keep in touch. There are many different forms of social
networking. Probably the most popular today are Facebook, for
Skype, MySpace, Twitter, Google chat, Yahoo! Messenger and
ICQ. (5)__ are different. So what is Facebook? (6)__ is a
we
network that allows users to communicate with others using
chat. It also allows you to upload photos etc. Skype allows
so
users to telephone each other (7)__ free – if using another
computer. It allows us to phone each other in different
it
countries at a greatly reduced rate – the cost of a local landline
call, thus transforming how we communicate with each other.
Other similar networks allow one to telephone to far off
countries at (8)__ even lower telephone rate than Skype
charges.

The ‘new’ Skype gives a better sound performance – (1)__

before the sound quality was poor. Users today can see each
which
other if they use a video camera. ICQ network has (2)__
upgraded itself. However, it tends not to be as popular today as whereas
it used to be. It depends on (3)__ country you are living in and
what your friend’s use, as to (4)__ you use and what is the other
most popular form of communicating. Twitter is also (5)__
popular today. People like to upload messages like “I (6)__ what
made a cup of tea.” However, it came into its own during the
them
Iranian election when the current government cracked down on
its own population. It denied (7)__ the freedom of just
communication. Twitter users told the world what was really
happening. (8)__ networks like Unister, for university students, also
are used. Social networking sites like MySpace have rapidly
evolved and will probably continue to do so. While Facebook very
and Skype remain the most popular today who knows what
tomorrow’s new technology will bring us!

7
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 Social networking in today’s world – 15th November 2010
SPELLING TEST

The teacher will ask the class individually to spell the following words that are in the
article. Afterwards, check your answers with your teacher, using the following
ratings: Pass = 12, Good = 15, Very good = 18, Excellent = 20
1 communicate 11 because
2 probably 12 especially
3 technology 13 upload
4 university 14 transforming
5 freedom 15 similar
6 popular 16 however
7 current 17 really
8 government 18 remain
9 evolved 19 rapidly
10 quality 20 tomorrow

ANSWERS
GAP FILL: Social networking in today’s world: Hands up those of you who like to chat
online? How many of you use Facebook? Probably quite a few of you, as in today’s world we can’t seem
to live without it. So what is a social network? It is a way of communicating with other people. Why do
we use them? Because we like to communicate with other people, especially our family and our friends.
It is a good way to keep in touch. There are many different forms of social networking. Probably the
most popular today are Facebook, Skype, MySpace, Twitter, Google chat, Yahoo! Messenger and ICQ. All
are different. So what is Facebook? It is a network that allows users to communicate with others using
chat. It also allows you to upload photos etc. Skype allows users to telephone each other for free – if
using another computer. It allows us to phone each other in different countries at a greatly reduced rate
– the cost of a local landline call, thus transforming how we communicate with each other. Other
similar networks allow one to telephone to far off countries at an even lower telephone rate than Skype
charges.
The ‘new’ Skype gives a better sound performance - whereas before the sound quality was poor. Users
today can see each other if they use a video camera. ICQ network has also upgraded itself. However, it
tends not to be as popular today as it used to be. It depends on which country you are living in and what
your friend’s use, as to what you use and what is the most popular form of communicating. Twitter is
also very popular today. People like to upload messages like “I just made a cup of tea.” However, it
came into its own during the Iranian election when the current government cracked down on its own
population. It denied them the freedom of communication. Twitter users told the world what was really
happening. Other networks like Unister, for university students, are used. Social networking sites like
MySpace have rapidly evolved and will probably continue to do so. While Facebook and Skype remain
the most popular today who knows what tomorrow’s new technology will bring us! (V1)

Created by David Robinson. This ESL lesson is the copyright of www.newsflashenglish.com

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