ESL WORKSHEET - British Culture

LESSON PLAN FOR ENGLISH TEACHERS

THE CORONATION OF KING CHARLES III*

LinguaHouse
May 7, 2023

Level: Mixed Levels (A1-A2; A2-B1; B1-B2; B2-C1; C1-C2; C2)
Type of English: General English
Tags: Breaking News; Historical Events; Celebrities and Historical Figures; British Culture; Family Members; Playing Games; 13-15 Years Old; 16-18 Years Old; 18+ Years Old; Vocabulary and Grammar; Video Talk
Publication date: 05/07/2023

On May 6th, 2023, King Charles III was officially crowned at Westminster Abbey, and in this lesson, students will learn all about it. They will start by doing a fun quiz on the British monarchy. They will then listen to a news report on the event and do some comprehension tasks. They will also read some opinions about the royal family and look at some grammar related to the text. They will also play a game on the topic of royalty. Finally, they will answer some questions about royalty.

* Please note that there are two audio files. Use one appropriate for the level you choose. Also note that this lesson reviews British culture and uses.

CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in American English (L2).
CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in American English (L3).
CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in American English (L4).
CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in American English (L5).
CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in American English (L6).
CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in American English (L7).
CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in American English (L2).
CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in American English (L3).
CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in American English (L4).
CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in American English (L5).
CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in American English (L6).
CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in American English (L7).
CLICK HERE to download/listen to the audio 1 in American English (lower).
CLICK HERE to download/listen to the audio 2 in American English (higher).
CLICK HERE to download/watch the video in American English (lower).
CLICK HERE to download/watch the video in American English (higher).
CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in British English (L2).
CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in British English (L3).
CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in British English (L4).
CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in British English (L5).
CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in British English (L6).
CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in British English (L7).
CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in British English (L2).
CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in British English (L3).
CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in British English (L4).
CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in British English (L5).
CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in British English (L6).
CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in British English (L7).
CLICK HERE to download/listen to the audio 1 in British English (lower).
CLICK HERE to download/listen to the audio 2 in British English (higher).
CLICK HERE to download/watch the video in British English (lower).
CLICK HERE to download/watch the video in British English (higher).

AUDIO TRANSCRIPT (lower)

Reporter: Thousands of people went to London last Saturday to see King Charles III receive his crown at Westminster Abbey. Others watched the coronation ceremony on television, or on more than 57 big screens spread around the whole country.
2,200 lucky guests, however, were able to watch the ceremony in person from inside the Abbey. Among these, Prince William, Princess Kate, and their children, George, Charlotte and Louis, as well as William’s brother Prince Harry.
Meghan Markle, however, stayed in California with their children. Other royals flew in to attend the ceremony, including Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko of Japan, and Prince Albert and Princess Charlene of Monaco. Politicians and leaders from all over the world also attended the event. One absence was US president Joe Biden, who was represented by the First Lady Jill Biden.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla left Buckingham Palace towards Westminster Abbey at 10:20 in the Diamond Jubilee coach, arriving just before 11:00. Inside the Abbey, in a traditional ceremony, Charles received St. Edward’s Crown and was officially declared king. Then it was the turn of Queen Camilla, who chose to reuse Queen Mary’s crown from 1911.
The couple then returned to Buckingham Palace. They were joined at the famous balcony by other members of the royal family to watch planes of the British armed forces fly over.

AUDIO TRANSCRIPT (higher)

Reporter: Thousands of people flocked to London on Saturday to witness a historical moment: the coronation of King Charles III. The event maintained traditions and symbolisms that are centuries old, but perhaps more significant were the changes made.
The British monarchy showed they are in tune with times and broke away from several long-standing traditions. One of the most notable changes was the inclusion of other faiths in the ceremony, reflecting the religious diversity in the UK.
The service at Westminster Abbey started with a procession of representatives of the Jewish, Sunni and Shia Muslim, Sikh, Buddhist, Hindu, Jain, Bahá’í and Zoroastrian faiths. Other modifications were brought about by the cost-of-living crisis.
The monarchy opted to have a slimmed down version of the coronation to show it is conscious of the cost involved. Even the day of the ceremony was chosen with that in mind – most past coronations took place on a weekday, but King Charles went for a weekend event to cause less disruption.
Another concern of King Charles III was the impact of the ceremony on the environment, which is reflected on his choice of clothing. Traditionally, while some garments like the Supertunica are worn in all coronation ceremonies, most items are usually made exclusively for the ceremony. However, the monarch, an environmentalist for many decades, decided to reuse a number of items from previous coronations, including the gloves and belt used by his grandfather George VI at his crowning in 1937.
Queen Camilla also opted to reuse Queen Mary’s 1911 crown, rather than commissioning a new one, as is traditional for a new queen. Another innovation added to the coronation ceremony was the participation of the public, who were invited to swear allegiance to King Charles III.
Whether watching the coronation live, on television or online, those viewers who wished to repeated the words “I swear that I will pay true allegiance to your majesty, and to your heirs and successors according to law. So help me God.” This “chorus of a million voices” was referred to as the Homage of the People.
After the ceremony at Westminster Abbey, King Charles and Queen Camilla returned to Buckingham Palace to watch on its iconic balcony, accompanied by other members of the royal family, the flypast of aircrafts from the British Armed Forces.

Adapted from: https://www.linguahouse.com/esl-lesson-plans/general-english/the-coronation-of-king-charles-iii. Accessed on May 8, 2023. © 2008–2023 LinguaHouse.com. All rights reserved.