OVERVIEW & OBJECTIVES

This ESL lesson plan on making new friends offers engaging activities, PDF worksheets, and digital materials designed for B1-B2 level students. In this lesson, students will:

• Discuss personal experiences and feelings about making new friends.
• Learn and practice vocabulary related to friendship and social interaction.
• Watch a short, humorous video about a young woman's journey to make new friends.
• Learn idiomatic expressions to describe friendship qualities and social relationships.
• Participate in role-plays and discussions using realistic friendship scenarios to develop conversational skills and give advice.

PREVIEW & DISCUSSION

Students begin this ESL lesson on how to make friends by imagining two women, Regina and Claire, becoming new friends in a painting class. They discuss where the two might have met and share if they have ever connected instantly with someone new. Next, they choose adjectives to describe how it feels for them to make new friends, such as “intimidating” or “rewarding,” and explain their choices. Then, students answer questions about typical ways to make friends, how they met most of their friends, and how to recognize a true friend. Finally, they suggest three simple steps for a new person like Sam to make friends, using verbs like “find,” “try,” or “start.” To close, students debate whether making friends becomes easier or harder as people grow older, sharing their personal thoughts.

VIEWING ACTIVITY

Students watch a short, honest, and funny video about Samantha, who feels nervous but learns four simple steps to make new friends: finding shared interests, making small talk, doing nice things occasionally, and taking things slowly. While watching, students match eight specific tips to each step in the friend-making process. After viewing, they answer questions about Samantha’s chosen hobby, her feelings at the painting class, and the kind of small talk she has. Students also complete an exercise with adjectives used in the video to describe what true friendship means, focusing on moments of honesty and comfort. 

DISCUSSION & IDIOMS

Students discuss the realism of the four steps and share opinions on whether friendships are found or formed. They debate if small talk is a necessary but awkward part of making friends. Then, students read short descriptions from different people about their views on friendship, including ideas about loyalty, balance, patience, support, and reconnecting with old friends. They try to explain idiomatic expressions in their own words and say which ideas they relate to the most. Finally, students choose from a list of topics about friendship, such as deep friendships, lending support, playing it cool, making plans, and friendships across age gaps, and discuss their personal experiences and opinions with a classmate or teacher.

FRIENDSHIP SCENARIOS: OFFER INSIGHTS & ADVICE

In pairs or small groups, students choose from several realistic friendship scenarios that involve complicated feelings or challenges, such as being stuck in the friend zone, struggling to make friends as an adult, maintaining a long-distance friendship, feeling a friendship is one-sided, or supporting a friend going through tough times. They share their insights and give advice on how they would handle each situation, practicing speaking fluently and using relevant vocabulary. As a bonus, students write and discuss their own friendship scenarios, real or imagined, to get advice from classmates or the teacher. 

BENEFITS OF USING THIS MAKING NEW FRIENDS ESL LESSON PLAN

This lesson plan encourages students to speak confidently about personal and social topics by discussing real experiences and feelings. It introduces practical vocabulary and useful expressions related to friendship and socializing in a natural context. The video and matching activities improve listening comprehension while exposing students to authentic language. Follow-up discussions and role-plays allow students to apply new language in meaningful ways, building fluency and interpersonal skills. Finally, the lesson helps learners develop cultural awareness and empathy by exploring different views on friendship, making it a well-rounded resource for teaching social communication.