Budgeting and Financial Management
ESL Lesson PlansBudgeting and Financial Management

Budgeting and Financial Management

This ESL lesson plan focuses on reading skills to help students explore effective budgeting and financial management strategies in a 60-minute individual lesson. Aimed at B2-level learners, the lesson covers essential financial concepts through dialogues, discussion questions, and exercises on discursive text structures like contrasting arguments, problem-solution, and cause-effect relationships. Students will engage with practical financial scenarios, analyze budgeting strategies, and apply learned techniques by creating a mock budget and sharing prioritization strategies.

Skills

  • Can recognise different structures in discursive text: contrasting arguments, problem–solution presentation and cause–effect relationships.
Online Interactive
Based on CEFR
Fully Customizable
1

Read the dialogue between Emily and Dave.

01:11
E
Emily
Hey, Dave. How was your trip to Europe? It sounded amazing from all the pictures and stories you posted.
D
Dave
Oh, it was incredible. I had such a great time. But now I just need to recover financially!
E
Emily
What do you mean?
D
Dave
Well, I didn't really budget or save money before going on the trip. So now I have quite a bit of credit card debt.
E
Emily
Yikes. That's not good.
D
Dave
Yeah, it's not my brightest moment. How about you? You've always been so good with managing your finances.
E
Emily
Thanks! I try. I actually recently started using a budgeting app that has been super helpful in tracking my expenses and setting financial goals.
D
Dave
Really? Which one is it? Maybe I should give it a try.
E
Emily
It's called Mint. It creates a budget based on your income and spending habits, and sends reminders for bills and savings goals too.
D
Dave
Wow, that sounds perfect. I need something like that. Do you set aside money for emergencies or big purchases too?
E
Emily
Definitely. I have different categories within my budget for those things. It helps me not overspend and have some savings for unexpected expenses.
D
Dave
Sounds like you have everything under control.
E
Emily
Well, I'm still learning. Budgeting and saving money are important skills to have.
D
Dave
I totally agree.
2

Answer the question about their conversation.

3

Discuss the following questions.

4

Read the text about effective tips to help you stay on budget and secure your financial future.

5

Choose the correct answer to the following questions.

6

Read the text to learn how to make complex topics, such as budgeting, more understandable.

7

Find three examples of the following topics in the text on budgeting (task 4).

8

Make a plan to manage your finances.

Other lessons in this category

A2-B1
Organize Your Fridge

This ESL lesson plan focuses on teaching food-related vocabulary and practical language skills for everyday life, making it ideal for teens and adults in a group setting. Through reading, vocabulary, and discussion exercises, students will learn tips for organizing a fridge and strategies for keeping food fresh. This 45-minute lesson emphasizes speaking practice and vocabulary building while encouraging conversations about daily routines and healthy habits.

B2
Alternative Medicine

This ESL lesson plan explores the topic of alternative medicine, targeting reading and speaking skills for adult B2 learners. Students analyze a detailed text, complete vocabulary exercises, and engage in discussions on the advantages and disadvantages of alternative therapies. The structured activities include scanning for key ideas, evaluating statements, and sharing personal viewpoints, promoting critical thinking and effective communication. Perfect for enhancing language skills through thought-provoking topics!

B1
Picture Story

This ESL lesson plan engages adult learners at the B1 level in narrating a story using visual prompts. First, students warm up by discussing images to practice vocabulary and storytelling skills. Next, they read a short romance story, filling in gaps with phrases that show the order of events. Then, they match sentence halves and create their own stories using the provided pictures, enhancing their ability to narrate a story effectively. This comprehensive lesson encourages speaking and vocabulary development while making learning enjoyable.

B1
Beyond the Shadows

This lesson plan engages B1-level ESL students in exploring mystical creatures and folklore. The lesson plan includes reading comprehension, vocabulary matching, and interactive speaking exercises. Students will practice describing creatures, use contextual clues to define features, and discuss the origins of myths. Writing homework further reinforces key vocabulary and language skills.

A2
The Day Everything Went Wrong

This ESL lesson plan focuses on teaching the past simple tense through the relatable topic of a bad day. Designed for adults and teens, this one-hour session includes warm-up discussions, a gap-fill reading activity, and engaging group tasks to practice grammar and storytelling skills. Students will match phrases, write short stories, and share experiences, building confidence in using the past simple to describe past events.

B2
Writing Effective Complaint Emails

This ESL lesson plan is designed for B2-level ESL learners to master composing structured, polite, and impactful complaint emails. Over the 60-minute lesson, students analyze real-life examples, identify key components of effective emails, and practice drafting their own using targeted vocabulary. The lesson plan focuses on developing formal tone, descriptive language, and actionable requests, helping students improve their professional writing skills in English.

A2
Snacks Around the World

This engaging ESL lesson plan on snacks around the world is designed for teens at the A2 level, focusing on listening and speaking skills in a group setting. The lesson includes brainstorming sessions on popular snacks, true/false statement activities, and a video discussion to enhance comprehension. Through structured exercises, students will explore cultural differences in snack preferences while improving their ability to follow and present information on familiar topics.

Free
A2-B1
Day of the Dead

This ESL lesson plan introduces adults and teens to the Mexican holiday Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) in a group setting. Over the course of 60 minutes, learners will practice speaking and reading skills by discussing cultural traditions, reading about Mexican celebrations, and completing comprehension exercises. This A2-B1 level lesson helps students expand their vocabulary and understand the significance of Day of the Dead, making connections between cultural practices and language learning.