Lesson overview:
This lesson introduces students to courtroom English through realistic cases, video work, grammar practice, and a final mystery task. Students learn key legal vocabulary, follow a court hearing from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and practise the passive voice across several tenses. They finish by exchanging evidence and deciding who committed a fictional crime.
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
- use essential vocabulary for trials and court proceedings;
- form and recognise passive structures in different tenses;
- discuss evidence and explain their theory about a criminal case.
Lead-in:
Students start by discussing their experience with courts and legal dramas, including memorable courtroom scenes from films or television. They then read a short fictional robbery case, which introduces the setting and gives them their first encounter with the target legal vocabulary in context.
Teaching Tips
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