Digital Wallets ESL Lesson Plan

OBJECTIVE & OVERVIEW

This ESL lesson plan on digital wallets and fintech (financial technology) offers engaging activities, worksheets, and digital resources tailored for advanced C1 students. In this lesson, students will:

• Discuss the benefits and challenges of using digital wallets compared to traditional payment methods
• Expand their vocabulary with terms related to fintech, digital transactions, and financial competition
• Watch a video analyzing the impact of tech companies like Apple on traditional banking systems
• Practice advanced subject-verb agreement in the context of fintech discussions
• Participate in debates and discussions on the evolving role of technology in the financial industry, exploring real-world scenarios and their implications

PREVIEW & DISCUSSION

Students start this ESL lesson plan on digital wallets by imagining themselves at a coffee shop, choosing between cash, a credit/debit card, or a digital wallet to pay for their coffee. They share their choices and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each payment method, focusing on safety, convenience, and privacy. The conversation expands to include the implications of using digital wallets, such as who benefits or loses from these transactions, including banks, merchants, credit card companies, and tech companies. Finally, students envision what a global bank owner might say about the rise of digital wallets, using specific vocabulary related to financial competition.

VIEWING ACTIVITY

The video introduces the growing popularity of digital wallets like Apple Pay and the concerns of traditional banks as tech companies gain a foothold in consumer payments. Students watch the video and begin by matching sentences with their correct endings, understanding key points about how Apple is impacting traditional finance. They then move on to answer questions about Apple Pay’s strategies, how banks are responding, and the challenges they face in launching their own digital wallets. The section concludes with students choosing the correct words in a quote, reinforcing their understanding of the ongoing competition between banks and tech companies.

DISCUSSION & GRAMMAR

Students engage in a discussion about the future of the financial battle between banks and tech companies, predicting how this competition might evolve over the next decade and comparing the situation in other countries with the U.S. market. The conversation then shifts to analyzing a comment exchange between two characters about digital wallets, focusing on advanced subject/verb agreement. Students identify the subjects of sentences, determine if they are singular or plural, and discuss the types of phrases used as subjects. They practice selecting the correct verbs for sentences, reinforcing their understanding of subject-verb agreement in complex sentences.

MODERN FINTECH SERVICES: DEBATE & DISCUSSIONS

Students participate in a debate on modern fintech services, choosing topics to discuss with classmates or the teacher. They express whether they agree with different statements on digital wallets, ‘buy-now-pay-later’ services, robo-advisory financial services, cryptocurrencies, and credit card rewards programs. During the debate, they justify their opinions and practice using gerund phrases with proper subject-verb agreement to deepen their grammatical accuracy while engaging in real-world financial topics.

BENEFITS OF USING THIS DIGITAL WALLETS ESL LESSON PLAN:

This lesson plan enhances students' understanding of modern financial technology and digital wallets, which are increasingly relevant in today’s world. The varied activities, from video analysis to debates, ensure that students practice critical thinking and language skills in a dynamic and engaging way. The focus on subject-verb agreement in advanced contexts helps students refine their grammar, making them more precise in their language use. The lesson encourages real-world application, enabling students to discuss and reflect on current financial trends, preparing them for informed decision-making.