You know that feeling. You’re tired, you’re looking for something to bring a little SPARK back into the classroom, and you find a great song. But then what? The clock is ticking, and out comes the gap-fill. Again.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. A song is SO MUCH MORE than words to be filled in. It’s a story. It’s an emotion. It’s a springboard for real thinking.
And that’s the whole idea behind this lesson plan for Ed Sheeran’s “Azizam.” I wanted to create something that does the heavy lifting for YOU, so you can focus on what matters. And how do we do that? We do it with the MUSIC+ Framework, a simple yet powerful guide designed to move beyond just the lyrics and unlock REAL skills.
This framework takes students on a journey through five core principles. In one 50-minute session, you’re not just covering a song; you’re taking them from initial curiosity to true creative output:
- We target Skills+ by practicing the ‘I wanna’ structure, helping them sound so much more natural!
- We use Motivation+ and Understanding+ to get them seeing with new eyes, boosting their visual literacy as they explore the video’s world.
- And we encourage Interaction+ and unleash their Creativity+ to fire up their creative thinking as they collaborate and build on the song’s story.
As teachers, our real goal is to create those “Aha!” moments, right? The ones that stick. This guide is your complete framework to make that happen. Let’s get our students thinking, feeling, and creating with music in a way that truly means something. Let’s move beyond memorization and into real connection.
Why Creative Song Activities Work Better Than Gap-Fills
Let’s be honest with ourselves, my dear teacher. There’s no shame in it! We’ve all been there, reaching for the familiar gap-fill because it’s quick and the clock is always ticking.
But our hearts know a song is so much more than its lyrics, don’t they? It’s pure ENERGY! When we get it right, it’s a beautiful win-win: your students are so busy having fun they don’t even realize how much they’re learning, and YOU get to be the guide on a truly creative journey.
Think about the possibilities this opens up in your classroom.
You start by igniting their engagement, capturing their full attention with something real, something alive with culture and feeling. But it goes deeper. From there, you guide them to look beyond the surface and find their OWN meaning—that’s when you’re developing true critical thinking.
The real magic happens when you foster their creativity, giving them that beautiful opportunity to not just repeat the language, but to USE it to write their own stories, their own verses! And all of this together—the collaboration, the communication, the creative problem-solving—means you’re teaching skills for LIFE.This is the beautiful purpose we are aiming for, and the MUSIC+ Framework is the tool that makes it possible. It’s designed to help you do EXACTLY that—to take a simple song and transform it into pure pedagogical GOLD for your classroom.
Time-Saving Song Activity for ESL Teachers: Lesson Overview
This lesson builds an immersive experience around Ed Sheeran’s surreal “Azizam” video. We spark curiosity with a single video still and a word cloud to get students predicting the theme, all while weaving in the target structure “I wanna…”. The journey culminates when they watch the full video, fully prepared to apply the language they’ve learned with real creativity.
- Language Level: A2 (Elementary) and above
- Learner Type: Teens and Adults
- Topic: Expressing wants and desires, dreams, parties
- Grammar Focus: Informal contractions (“I wanna…” for “I want to…”)
- Materials: Genially presentation
- Duration: 45-50 minutes
Core Objectives
By the end of this lesson, your students will be able to:
- Understand and use the informal structure “I wanna + verb” to express desires.
- Develop listening and visual literacy by interpreting a music video’s narrative.
- Enhance speaking skills through predictions, pair work, and group discussions.
- Foster creative writing by generating original sentences and story ideas.
The “Azizam” Lesson Plan: A Step-by-Step Guide
I’ve made it simple for you. Here’s everything you need to get started and bring this energy into your next lesson.
Step 1: Spark Curiosity with a Visual (5 min)
Motivation+ (M+)
First, show your students a still image from the music video (slide 1).
Ask guiding questions to get them thinking:
- “What do you think is happening in this picture?”
- “Why are the people frozen? Who are they looking at?”
Next, play a 30-second instrumental clip from the song. Ask, “Does this music match the picture? What do you predict will happen next?”
Expert Tip: This step immediately immerses students in the video’s surreal world. By placing them in the main character’s perspective, you spark curiosity and set the stage for discovery.
Step 2: Predict the Story with a Word Cloud (7 min)
Understanding+ (U+)
Display a word cloud made from the song’s lyrics (slide 2). Note. Azizam’ is a Persian word that means “my dear” or “my beloved“.
In pairs, have students discuss:
- “Based on these words, what could this song be about?”
- “Can you imagine a short story or scene using some of these words?” (e.g., A story about dancing tonight).
Have a few pairs share their ideas. This pre-listening task activates vocabulary and prepares students for what they’re about to hear.
Step 3: Practice the Target Structure (10 min)
Skills+ (S+)
Now, focus on the phrase “I wanna…“. Briefly explain that it’s the common, informal way to say “I want to…”
Practice the pronunciation of “I wanna” /ˈwɑːnə/. Have the class repeat it chorally, then ask a few individuals.
Challenge pairs to create 3 original sentences starting with “I wanna…” using the words from the cloud. For example:
- “I wanna move on the floor.”
- “I wanna meet you tonight.”
- “I wanna show you my dancing.”
Step 4: Share Your Creative Sentences (5 min)
Skills+ (S+)
Ask each pair to share their favorite sentence. Write a few of the most creative ones on the board, offering gentle corrections but focusing on praising their effort.
Step 5: First Listening and Viewing (5 min)
Skills+ (S+)
Tell your students it’s time to see the real story. Give them two tasks while they watch the “Azizam” music video for the first time:
- Visual Task: Notice the different rooms the singer goes into.
- Listening Task: Listen for the “I wanna…” lines you practiced.
Expert Tip: Assigning specific tasks transforms passive viewing into an active comprehension activity. It reinforces the target language in a real, contextualized way.
Step 6: Connect the Video to the Lyrics (7-8 min)
Interaction+ (I+)
After the video, check comprehension.
- “Where did the singer go?” (studio, party, kitchen, etc.)
- “What was strange about the story?” (Guide them to the idea of a loop or dream.)
Now, connect the visuals to the lyrics. Ask, “Did you hear any ‘I wanna’ lines? Were they like your sentences?” Lead a discussion on how the video’s looping story visualizes the feeling of the lyrics.
Teacher’s Guide: “Azizam” Music Video Narrative: The “Azizam” video is such a journey into the heart of creative inspiration! It all starts with Ed Sheeran, a blocked artist in a quiet studio, who literally trips on a Persian rug and plunges into a surreal, looping dream.
He finds himself at a vibrant, chaotic party—a whirlwind of dancing in a sunlit atrium, fast-paced encounters in hallways, and joyful kitchen scenes full of food and music. With every loop, the energy builds and we see him transform from a confused outsider into a joyful participant. And who is guiding this beautiful celebration? We see wonderful Iranian cultural icons like Googoosh and Andy welcoming him into the creative energy.
Just as suddenly, he’s back in his studio, but everything has changed. The experience has left its mark—he’s even wearing the festive clothes from the dream! The legendary Googoosh appears and urges him in Farsi to write a hit song. The creative spark has been lit. The whole video is this beautiful metaphor, showing us that to rediscover our own inspiration, sometimes we just have to surrender to the joy, the culture, and the wonderful, chaotic music of LIFE.
Step 7: Apply the Language Creatively (6-8 min)
Creativity+ (C+)
In small groups, let students choose one final creative task:
- Option 1: Write a New Verse. Create a short, new verse for the song using 2-3 original “I wanna…” lines.
- Option 2: Describe a New Scene. Imagine you are the director. What new room does the singer get pulled into? Describe it using an “I wanna…” sentence.
- Option 3: Explain the Story. Write 2-4 sentences explaining what you think the video means.
Invite volunteers to share their creations. This final step moves students from comprehension to true creation, solidifying their learning.
Did you enjoy this creative approach? This lesson is a real-world example of the principles from my complete methodology. To dive deeper into the MUSIC+ Framework and discover more strategies, check out my complete guide: How To Use Songs To Teach English.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How do I teach grammar with a song creatively?
You can teach grammar creatively by moving beyond gap-fills. Focus on the song’s context. Have students identify how the grammar structure (like “I wanna”) reveals the singer’s feelings or story, then use it to create their own original sentences or stories.
How can song activities engage reluctant ESL students?
Songs are powerful motivators for reluctant students. Use a prediction activity with a music video still to create curiosity. Collaborative tasks, like writing a new verse in a group, lower anxiety and make participation feel more like a game than a test.
What’s a good song activity for teaching pronunciation?
For pronunciation, focus on connected speech in lyrics. In this lesson, practicing the contraction “wanna” helps students hear and produce more natural, fluid English. Have them repeat the phrase from the song to mimic the artist’s rhythm and intonation.
Can I use this ESL song activity for online classes?
Absolutely. This lesson is perfect for teaching online. Use screen sharing for the video and word cloud, breakout rooms for pair work, and a collaborative tool like Google Docs or Jamboard for students to share their creative sentences and ideas.
How does this lesson plan save teachers time?
This is a time-saving song activity because all the steps and materials are laid out for you. The MUSIC+ Framework provides a clear structure that you can apply to other songs, eliminating guesswork and reducing your planning time significantly.
What CEFR level is this “I wanna” lesson for?
This lesson is designed for the A2 (Elementary) level, as it focuses on expressing simple desires and uses vocabulary related to themes like free time and hobbies. It can be adapted for B1 by discussing the dream-like story in more detail or for B2 by analyzing the song’s metaphorical meaning.
How does this develop more than just listening skills?
This plan integrates all four language skills. Students practice listening (for lyrics), speaking (in discussions), writing (creative sentences), and even reading (the word cloud). It also builds 21st-century skills like creativity and collaboration.
Author Bio:
About the Author:Márcia Bonfim is an ESL/EFL teacher and creator of the Song Activity Factory. She helps educators create engaging lessons using her signature BEAT+ Method, which features the MUSIC+ Framework. You can discover her complete methodology summary here.
Song Activity Factory 
One comment