📖 Key Vocabulary — Pre-teach Before Class
Introduce or review these words with students before starting the lesson so they can use them during speaking practice.
1journalismthe activity of writing and producing news
2a headlinethe title of a news article, often attention-grabbing
3objectivitythe quality of not being influenced by personal feelings
4to report onto give an account of events, especially in the news
5misinformationfalse or inaccurate information spread regardless of intent
6a tabloida newspaper with a small format, often known for sensational stories
7a broadcasta program transmitted on television or radio
8a news outletan organization that publishes or broadcasts news
9censorshipthe suppression of information considered objectionable
10freedom of the pressthe right of journalists to report without government interference
11an editorialan article expressing the opinion of a publication
12clickbaitcontent designed primarily to attract attention and generate clicks
13a whistleblowera person who exposes secret or illegal activity within an organization
14propagandainformation used to promote a particular political cause or view
15a press conferencean event where officials answer questions from journalists
16impartialnot favoring one side over another
17mainstream mediawidely distributed, established news outlets
18an anchora person who presents a news broadcast
19media literacythe ability to critically analyze media messages
20transparencyopenness in how information is gathered and presented
✍️ Vocabulary Practice — Fill in the Blank
Complete each sentence below with the correct word or phrase from the 20 vocabulary words above. Use each word only once.
▼
a broadcast
a headline
a news outlet
a press conference
a tabloid
a whistleblower
an anchor
an editorial
censorship
clickbait
freedom of the press
impartial
journalism
mainstream media
media literacy
misinformation
objectivity
propaganda
to report on
transparency
- Younger audiences increasingly get their news from social media rather than the .
- The newspaper's criticised the new tax policy in strong terms.
- The prime minister's speech was shown live on a national .
- The who exposed the company's fraud later lost his job.
- Reporters in that country have long fought for greater .
- Viewers expect news presenters to remain instead of taking sides.
- Schools are starting to teach so students can tell real news from fake stories.
- The dramatic on the front page made the story sound far more serious than it actually was.
- Good reporters try to maintain even when covering emotional topics.
- The minister called a to answer questions about the scandal.
- Readers value news organisations that are known for their about how stories are sourced.
- In some countries, strict government prevents journalists from publishing certain stories.
- Serious newspapers rarely publish the kind of gossip you find in a .
- Readers should compare stories from more than one before forming an opinion.
- After university, she decided to pursue a career in rather than law.
- The evening news is presented by an experienced who has worked there for a decade.
- During the war, both sides used to shape public opinion.
- A young correspondent was sent to the flooding in the northern provinces.
- The article's title was pure , promising a shocking story that never really appeared.
- Social media platforms are working harder to remove before it spreads.
1.mainstream media
2.an editorial
3.a broadcast
4.a whistleblower
5.freedom of the press
6.impartial
7.media literacy
8.a headline
9.objectivity
10.a press conference
11.transparency
12.censorship
13.a tabloid
14.a news outlet
15.journalism
16.an anchor
17.propaganda
18.to report on
19.clickbait
20.misinformation
🕐 0'–10': Warm-up & Opening Question
Purpose
Help everyone relax, get comfortable speaking, and activate ideas.
Teacher asks👉 "How do you usually get your news?"
Follow-up questions- Do you trust the news you read or watch?
- How often do you check the news?
➡ Each student answers briefly (about 1 minute); the teacher asks 1–2 short follow-ups to keep it natural.
🗣️ 10'–45': IELTS Speaking – Part 2 Practice
Format: 1 minute preparation · 2 minutes speaking per student. Students choose or are assigned ONE of the topics below:
Topic 1
Describe a news story that had a strong impact on you.
You should say:
- What the story was about
- When you heard about it
- Why it affected you
- And explain how it changed your perspective
Topic 2
Describe a source of news or information you rely on.
You should say:
- What the source is
- Why you use it
- How reliable you think it is
- And explain how it compares to other sources
Topic 3
Describe a time you found out that a piece of news was false or misleading.
You should say:
- What the news was
- How you discovered it was false
- What you did afterward
- And explain how this affected your trust in the media
➡ Timing suggestion: 1 minute for preparation, then start speaking.
💬 45'–55': Follow-up Discussion (Part 3 style)
The teacher chooses questions related to the topics above, for example:
Media Literacy
- How can people tell the difference between reliable and unreliable news sources?
- Should social media platforms be responsible for controlling misinformation?
- Why do fake news stories spread so quickly?
News & Society
- How has the 24-hour news cycle changed the way people consume information?
- Do you think constant exposure to negative news affects people's mental health?
- Is objective journalism still possible today?
to fact-check – to verify that information is accurate
media bias – a slanted or one-sided way of reporting news
a credible source – a source that can be trusted to provide accurate information
information overload – the state of receiving too much information to process
➡ Students discuss briefly; the teacher adds ideas, vocabulary, and useful structures.
🌟 55'–60': Wrap-up & Closing
- Quick recap of interesting or strong answers.
- One student summarizes what they learned today.
- Thank the teacher for joining.