Gossip

Gossip

Choose your level

Pre-Intermediate - Intermediate

Intermediate - Advanced

objectives

By the end of this lesson, you will...

Be able to discuss why people gossip and what functions it serves in society

Be able to evaluate different perspectives on gossip through examples and group discussion

Be able to reflect on how gossip influences behavior, trust, and group dynamics in real life and professional settings

continue

warm

up

continue

discuss

Why do you think people gossip?

Do you think gossip, in general, is harmful?

How does gossip influence our decisions?

continue

vocab

ulary

continue

match

Match the terms to their definition.

hearsay

moral judgment

hear through the grapevine

rumor

gossip

whistleblowing

behind someone's back

conversation that's light, informal, and usually about other people's business

a story or statement in general circulation without confirmation or certainty of truth

information that you have heard but do not know to be true

without someone's knowledge, in secret

the act of exposing unethical or illegal behavior

a personal opinion about what is right or wrong

to hear news from someone who heard the news from someone else

continue

let's

watch

continue

discuss

Did the video change your perspective on gossip?

How do you think you'd act in the game proposed in the video?

Do you think gossip is more about information or connection?

What does the experiment suggest about how trust is built in groups—even among strangers?

continue

agree or

disagree

continue

Agree

disagree

Gossip helps us create stronger social bonds.

Gossip is another form of bullying.

We can’t build a society without talking about others.

Talking about people behind their back is always wrong.

Gossip is a way of enforcing group norms.

Avoiding gossip completely can isolate people from valuable social insights.

continue

discuss

continue

discuss

What social functions does gossip seem to serve, based on what you’ve seen today?

How might gossip influence inclusion or exclusion within a group?

When, if ever, is gossip ethically justified?

What patterns or motivations behind gossip stood out to you most?

continue

thank you

for participating!

hey, teacher!

Enjoyed teaching this lesson? ...or maybe not? Your feedback is valuable! Click on the icon or scan the QR code to answer a few questions.

objectives

By the end of this lesson, you will...

Be able to talk about what gossip is and why people do it

Be able to give your opinion about gossip and listen to other points of view

Be able to describe how gossip can affect people and group behavior

continue

warm

up

continue

discuss

Why do people talk about other people?

Do you think talking about others is good or bad? Why?

Have you ever heard gossip? How did it make you feel?

continue

vocab

ulary

continue

match

Match the terms to their definition.

rumor

hearsay

moral judgment

gossip

whistleblowing

behind someone's back

conversation that's light, informal, and usually about other people's business

a story or statement in general circulation without confirmation or certainty of truth

information that you have heard but do not know to be true

without someone's knowledge, in secret

the act of exposing unethical or illegal behavior

a personal opinion about what is right or wrong

continue

let's

watch

continue

discuss

What is the game in the video about?

What did the people say about other players?

What happened when people gossiped more?

Do you think gossip can be helpful?

continue

agree or

disagree

continue

Agree

disagree

Gossip helps people feel closer.

Gossip is another form of bullying.

Gossip is always a bad thing.

Gossip can help people understand social rules.

It’s okay to talk about people if it’s true.

continue

discuss

continue

discuss

Is gossip always bad?

Can gossip make people feel included or excluded? How?

Do people gossip in your workplace or friend groups?

What reasons for gossip were most interesting to you?

continue

thank you

for participating!

hey, teacher!

Enjoyed teaching this lesson? ...or maybe not? Your feedback is valuable! Click on the icon or scan the QR code to answer a few questions.

Teacher Notes

• Tell students this is a chance to wrap up with deeper thinking and apply what they've learned to real-life contexts. Divide the class into two breakout groups. Assign 2 questions to each group and ask them to choose a few key takeaways to bring back to the main room.

• Back together, prompt a short whole-class discussion based on what each group shared. Encourage students to challenge or build on each other's ideas.
• Time: 10–12 minutes

Teacher Notes

• Tell students this is a chance to wrap up with deeper thinking and apply what they've learned to real-life contexts. Divide the class into two breakout groups. Assign 2 questions to each group and ask them to choose a few key takeaways to bring back to the main room.

• Back together, prompt a short whole-class discussion based on what each group shared. Encourage students to challenge or build on each other's ideas.
• Time: 10–12 minutes

Teacher Notes

• Briefly introduce the goal: to clarify key terms they’ll need for the video and upcoming discussions. Students can work independently or in pairs to match terms with definitions. After they finish, go over the answers as a class and clarify any confusing terms with examples.
• Drag the definitions to the terms according to students answers. If they give an incorrect answer, allow them to complete the matching to give them the opportunity to correct themselves.

• Time: 8 minutes

Answer Key

Teacher Notes

• Play the video once. Pause to check comprehension if needed. Use gestures and short paraphrasing to support understanding.
• Move students into small breakout groups to discuss the five questions. They may watch the video again if they need, so share the link with them. Encourage them to reference specific moments or findings from the video in their responses. Back in the main room, ask a few groups to summarize what they talked about.

• Time: 12–15 minutes

Teacher Notes

• Ask students to look at the photos and consider what’s happening in each scene. Then have them discuss the three questions in pairs or small groups. Encourage them to share personal observations or cultural differences around gossip.
• Prompt a few volunteers to share interesting takes with the whole group.
• Time: 7–10 minutes

Teacher Notes

• Put students in pairs or small groups. Allow them time to understand the questions. Encourage use of simple past and feelings vocabulary (e.g., surprised, happy, confused). If needed, model one example.
• Time: 10 minutes

Teacher Notes

• Briefly introduce the goal: to clarify key terms they’ll need for the video and upcoming discussions. Students can work independently or in pairs to match terms with definitions. After they finish, go over the answers as a class and clarify any confusing terms with examples.
• Drag the definitions to the terms according to students answers. If they give an incorrect answer, allow them to complete the matching to give them the opportunity to correct themselves.

• Time: 8 minutes

Teacher Notes

• Have students read the statements and decide how much they agree or disagree with each one. Drag the statements onto the "agree" or "disagree" side according to what students decide.
• Follow up by having students justify their placement with a partner or in small groups. Push them to reflect on personal experiences or workplace dynamics. If time allows, spotlight one or two controversial statements for full-group discussion.

• Time: 10 minutes

Teacher Notes

• Play the video once without pausing. Then give students a moment to reflect on what stood out.
• Move students into small breakout groups to discuss the five questions. Encourage them to reference specific moments or findings from the video in their responses. Back in the main room, ask a few groups to summarize what they talked about.

• Time: 12–15 minutes

Teacher Notes

• Have students read the statements and decide how much they agree or disagree with each one. Encourage the use of thumbs up/down reactions on Zoom. Drag the statements onto the "agree" or "disagree" side according to what students decide.
• Follow up by having students justify their placement with a partner or in small groups. Push them to reflect on personal experiences or workplace dynamics. If time allows, spotlight one or two controversial statements for full-group discussion.

• Time: 10 minutes