Teach English. Explore global issues. Inspire change.

Twelve ready-to-use, SDG-inspired lesson plans for the ESL classroom

Bring meaningful global issues into your English lessons with this practical collection of 12 complete lesson plans inspired by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Designed for B1 and B2 learners, the lessons help students develop their English while exploring important topics such as health and well-being, education, gender equality, cultural heritage, responsible consumption, food waste, peace and social justice.

Each lesson combines clear language-learning objectives with engaging, communicative activities that encourage learners to think critically, express their opinions and connect global themes with their own lives and communities.

More than a book of lesson plans

This resource does not simply give learners information about the Sustainable Development Goals. It uses the goals as a starting point for purposeful language learning.

Across the 12 lessons, students develop a wide range of skills, including:

• listening for gist and specific information
• reading through skimming and scanning
• speaking with greater fluency and confidence
• improving pronunciation and word stress
• writing coherent and descriptive texts
• developing vocabulary in meaningful contexts
• using grammar for real communication
• discussing, analysing and solving problems
• collaborating through pair and group activities

The lessons draw on communicative, task-based and learner-centred approaches. Activities include role-plays, discussions, quizzes, storytelling, creative writing, problem-solving tasks, games, presentations and collaborative projects.

Save preparation time with downloadable materials

Every lesson is supported by a collection of downloadable digital teaching materials.

Depending on the lesson, these include:

• presentations
• printable worksheets and handouts
• audio recordings
• reading texts
• vocabulary resources
• role-play and discussion cards
• interactive quizzes
• images and visual prompts
• grammar activities
• classroom games

The materials are ready to use and can also be adapted to suit your learners, teaching context and available technology.

Clear, structured and classroom-friendly

Each lesson provides teachers with:

• the lesson level, duration and main language focus
• clear aims and learning objectives
• a complete list of materials
• assumptions about learners’ existing knowledge
• anticipated classroom challenges
• step-by-step teaching procedures
• suggested interaction patterns
• guidance for teachers and learners
• follow-up or homework activities

Most lessons are designed to fit into a 40-minute class, making them easy to integrate into an existing course or use as stand-alone lessons.

Develop language and global citizenship together

Today’s learners need more than grammatical accuracy. They also need opportunities to evaluate information, consider different perspectives, collaborate with others and communicate about the issues shaping their world.

These lessons help teachers create a classroom in which learners use English to:

• explore real-world challenges
• share personal experiences
• question assumptions
• develop and defend opinions
• imagine possible solutions
• connect local experiences with global concerns
• become more informed and responsible global citizens

Rooted in authentic contexts

Developed through a collaborative materials-writing project involving undergraduate authors from The English and Foreign Languages University in India, the collection brings young voices and locally relevant perspectives into global discussions.

Although many examples draw on Indian contexts, the lesson structures, activities and resources can be adapted for ESL and EFL classrooms around the world.

Ideal for

• secondary-school English teachers
• teachers of teenagers and young adults
• B1 and B2 ESL or EFL classes
• teachers interested in global citizenship education
• educators introducing sustainability into the curriculum
• teacher trainers and materials developers
• teachers looking for engaging, ready-to-use digital resources

What you receive

• 12 complete SDG-inspired ESL lesson plans
• activities covering all the major language skills
• grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation practice
• critical and creative thinking tasks
• downloadable digital materials for every lesson
• adaptable ideas for creating your own SDG-based lessons
• guidance on lesson planning, digital tools and Open Educational Resources

Make English learning meaningful

Help your learners improve their English while discussing topics that matter.

With clear lesson procedures, engaging activities and downloadable teaching materials, this book gives you everything you need to bring language development, critical thinking and global citizenship together in your classroom.

Download your copy and start teaching meaningful, globally relevant English lessons today.