The Future, According to 1989

This C1 lesson invites students to step into 1989 and explore how people back then imagined the homes and technologies of the future. Using an authentic BBC video, learners analyze real predictions about smart homes, automation, and environmental design, comparing them with today’s reality. Through creative speaking tasks and thought-provoking prompts, students connect past expectations with modern innovations, and even imagine life in 2060. Activities include table analysis, collocation discovery, story-building with target vocabulary, and future-themed discussions supported by futuristic speaking prompts. The lesson challenges students to think critically about human progress, imagination, and the surprising ways technology reflects our values and habits.

💡 Teaching tip: Send your students a podcast recap after class. Listening to the material again feels way less like studying and way more like a friendly review that actually helps them remember and feel more confident.

Lead-in
This advanced (C1) lesson on technology opens with four thought-provoking questions to spark curiosity and activate students’ background knowledge. Begin by asking whether they’ve ever read an old book or article that accurately predicted today’s world. Next, invite them to describe what they think life was like in 1989 — what technology people used, what music they listened to, and what daily life looked like. Then, together, visit the Merriam-Webster website to explore words first recorded in 1989. Ask which words surprise them or seem out of place for that time. Don’t worry if they don’t recognize them all — discuss the ones they do and use this as a natural opportunity to build vocabulary and set the scene for the lesson.

Vocabulary Preview, Definitions
Before watching the video, go through the target vocabulary. Ask students to explain any words they already know, then clarify the rest using the definitions or example sentences on the next page. There are ten key words in total. Encourage students to guess meanings from context before confirming with examples — this activates prior knowledge and builds confidence.

Video, Comprehension
Students then watch a short BBC video from 1989 in which researchers predicted what homes might look like by the year 2020. Their task is to make a list of the technologies and ideas mentioned in the video — things people believed we would have today. After watching, compare their notes with the comprehension table provided. Students fill in the table with (1) the prediction, (2) its intended purpose or function, and (3) the reality — whether it came true, partly true, or not at all. This stage develops listening for detail, critical thinking, and comparison skills.

Comments, Writing
Next, move on to the comment section. Short, real or sample online comments about the video. Discuss tone, humor, and opinions. Encourage students to share which comments they agree or disagree with and why. Then, follow up with a short creative writing task: If you could send a text message back to 1989, what would it say? This task combines imagination, language production, and concise writing.

Practice
The practice section contains two engaging activities using target vocabulary.
Collocations: Students read sets of three collocations and identify the one that sounds unnatural. You can extend this by asking them to make example sentences or short dialogues using the correct ones.
Story Connection: Students are given pairs of unrelated sentences containing new vocabulary. Their task is to write a short story or paragraph that connects the two ideas logically. This creative exercise encourages flexible thinking and deeper understanding of word meaning and use.

Quote Discussion
The next page features a quote about technology and laziness: “All of the biggest technological inventions created by man – the airplane, the automobile, the computer – say little about his intelligence but speak volumes about his laziness.” Discuss the meaning, tone, and possible interpretation. Encourage students to agree or disagree and, if possible, share other quotes or proverbs about technology and human behavior.

Speaking
The lesson concludes with a forward-looking discussion. Using the prompts provided, students make predictions about life in 2060 — considering areas such as AI, the environment, health, education, and daily life. Encourage both realistic and imaginative ideas. This final stage is ideal for open discussion, speculation, and fluency practice, and can be extended if time allows.

Podcast
The podcast is AI-generated audio discussion centered on the lesson topic. Featuring clear, high-quality voices, it’s designed as an optional study tool. Students may listen before class for preview purposes or after class for reinforcement, based on their learning preferences.