The Danger of a Single Story, Chimamanda Adichie

I really enjoy using this video when teaching SpeakOut Upper Intermediate, Unit 4 and generally show it after 4.3.

I introduce it by highlighting the "six word story" (corresponding with 4.2) in the six words: The danger of a single story and I ask the students to tell me what they think that this might mean.

Then I point to her name and ask them where they think she may be from.  After eliciting that she may be from Africa, I get them to think about what she might have meant by giving this title to her presentation.

Then we watch the video.

Post video, I ask the students if she had met their expectations, if the talk was what they had anticipated it being and also what they thought her key message was.  Then I ask them to describe what else they found most interesting in the talk.

After that, I encourage the students to flick through the course book.  What single story do they think is being told?  Does this coursebook look like the course books they studied with in their own countries?  As a result, what perception did they have of life in England before coming here?  Is this the same view now that they are here?  What about the way that people look? Their personalities?  Had the message in their coursebooks influenced their views of what people look like or are like?