Bonnie Tyler Is Back: Using Awesome Song Lyrics in 2025 ESL Lessons

Happy New Year and welcome to the first post of 2025!

What better way to kick off the year than with an exciting song-based lesson plan featuring none other than Bonnie Tyler? After making a huge impact with her iconic hits, Bonnie Tyler is back with a bang in 2025, bringing us powerful lyrics that are perfect for our ESL classrooms.

In this lesson plan, I’m diving into her empowering anthem “Yes I Can.” With themes of resilience, strength, and determination, the song is a fantastic fit for both teens and adults. Whether your students are looking to push past self-doubt or just need a boost of confidence, this song’s message is a great way to spark meaningful discussions and boost their language skills.

Join me as we break down these inspirational lyrics and use them to create a fun, engaging, and tech-friendly learning experience that will inspire your students to say, “Yes, I can!”

Quick Lesson Overview:

In this dynamic song-based lesson plan crafted for English language learners, students explore the lyrics and thematic visuals of “Yes I Can” by Bonnie Tyler. Through activities grounded in the chorus dialogue, learners anticipate key vocabulary from the song, engage in in-depth discussions about the song’s core messages, and hone their listening and interpretation skills with a specially curated video dialogue echoing the song’s sentiments.

Objectives of This ESL Song Lesson Plan:

• Enhance students’ listening and interpretative skills through dialogue comprehension and engagement with the audio extract.
• Boost students’ speaking and collaborative skills by facilitating discussion on the song’s themes and vocabulary exploration.
• Cultivate critical thinking and creative skills as students draw connections between the dialogue, song lyrics, and the visual elements of the music video.

How to Teach English with Bonnie Tyler’s Yes I Can: Instructions

STEP 1 (5 – 7 MIN)

Genially presentation LINK – slide 01

Quote: “Believe in yourself, and you can do anything.” – Unknown

• Have students read and discuss the meaning of the quote. Ask them to share if they agree or disagree with it and why. Encourage students to interact with each other’s ideas and explain their reasons.

Use the Genially Presentation below for this ESL Song-based Lesson:

STEP 2 (5 MIN)

VISUAL DICTIONARY LINK – Use the webpage below to warm the students up for the vocabulary exercise. Have students read the definitions and example sentences. Help them understand the vocabulary. Ask questions to ensure they grasp the meanings before moving to the vocabulary exercise.

Vocabulary Questions:

1. Curse (verb)
   • Question 1: When do people usually curse? Is it when they are happy or frustrated?
   • Question 2: Can you give an example of a situation when someone might curse?
2. Blind (verb)
   • Question 1: If someone is blinded, what can they not do? Can they see clearly?
   • Question 2: Can something blind you in a way that makes it hard to think or see the truth? What could that be?
3. Stare (verb)
   • Question 1: If someone stares at you, are they looking at you for a short time or a long time?
   • Question 2: Have you ever stared at something without moving your eyes? What were you looking at?
4. Fear (noun)
   • Question 1: When you feel fear, do you feel happy or worried?
   • Question 2: Can fear stop people from doing something? Can you think of an example?
5. Faith (noun)
   • Question 1: If you have faith in something, do you believe in it strongly, or do you doubt it?
   • Question 2: Can you think of a time when someone showed faith in you, even if things were hard?

STEP 2 (10 MIN)

Vocabulary – Matching Exercise – slide 02
Students match the expressions with their meanings. Give them some time to do the exercise, then correct them. Answers are in slide 03.

STEP 3 (10 MIN)

Listening – slide 04
Tell students they are going to watch a dialogue between Anna and Mike at a school. They use some expressions from the vocabulary exercise.

First Listening Questions:

• What is Anna talking about?
  (Answer: Anna feels like life is hard and things don’t work for her.)

Second Listening Questions:

• What does Anna say to herself when things are hard?
  (Answer: “Yes, I can.” She reminds herself she is a fighter.)
• What does Anna think about hope?
  (Answer: She thinks hope is like a tiger. It gives her strength to keep going.)
• How does Mike encourage Anna?
  (Answer: Mike tells Anna she’s doing great and has a great attitude.)

Use The Chorus Dialogue Video created for this ESL song-based lesson plan:

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Discussion Questions (After Listening):

• Do you agree with Anna? What helps you keep going when things are hard?
• What do you think about Anna’s idea that hope is like a tiger?
• Can you think of a time when you didn’t give up? What made you keep going?

Chorus Dialogue Transcript:
Anna: Life feels so hard sometimes. I try my best, but things don’t work.
Mike: I know what you mean. But you didn’t stop, right?
Anna: No. I told myself, “Yes, I can.” I know I’m a fighter.
Mike: That’s a great attitude! What helps you stay strong?
Anna: Hope. It’s like a tiger. It gives me energy to keep going.
Mike: I like that! So, what’s next for you?
Anna: I’m going to keep trying. I won’t give up.
Mike: That’s the spirit! You’re doing great.

STEP 4 (10 MIN)

CHORUS AUDIO EXTRACT – slide 05
Tell students they are going to listen to an extract of the song (only the chorus part) that is connected to the dialogue and expressions they studied before.

Before playing the audio for the first time, ask students what they think the song will sound like: fast, slow, happy, sad, etc., and explain their guesses.
Play it again.
Ask students: How does the song extract reflect the chorus dialogue?

STEP 5 (5 MIN)

Slide 6. Pairwork
Have students work in pairs and compare the dialogue and its context with the lyrics. How do they differ? How are they similar?

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STEP 6 (5 – 7 MIN)

Have the pairs share their ideas with the class. Have a mini discussion.

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STEP 7 (10 MIN) – Optional

Creative Exercise:
Ask students to imagine they are directing the music video. What scenes or visuals would they add or change to convey the message of the song? Let them sketch or describe their ideas.

Wrapping Up: Music, Motivation, and More for Your ESL Lessons!

As we’ve explored in this post, music isn’t just a fun classroom activity—it’s a dynamic tool that can elevate ESL learning. Bonnie Tyler’s “Yes I Can” is a perfect example of how powerful lyrics can spark deep conversations, boost confidence, and build critical language skills. This song’s message of resilience and self-empowerment can connect with students on both an emotional and linguistic level, making it an ideal addition to your ESL lesson plans.

By using songs like this in your lessons, you’re not only teaching vocabulary and grammar, but also fostering important life skills like perseverance, self-belief, and determination. The activities outlined here, from vocabulary exercises to discussions and listening activities, are designed to engage students in a way that traditional lessons can’t.

And there’s much more where that came from! Join the Exclusive Subscriber Club today to get access to even more song-based lesson plans, resources, and tips that will help make your ESL teaching more engaging, effective, and fun. It’s time to harness the power of music to inspire and motivate your students like never before!