WHAT'S INSIDE
- Real-World Context: Explore the rise and fall of WeWork, one of the most talked-about startup failures, and examine how vision, hype, and leadership decisions shaped its trajectory.
- Watching & Discussion: Watch selected extracts from the WeWork case study to follow the company’s journey from rapid growth to collapse, identifying key turning points and underlying issues.
- Vocabulary in Context: Learn natural, high-level idioms from the case (e.g. drink the Kool-Aid, peel back the curtain, keep the lights on, all over the place), using context to infer meaning and apply them in discussion.
- Psychological Insight: Analyse the concept of the "We Generation" and how emotional branding can create "cult-like" company cultures.
- Role-play & Real-World Simulation: Participate in a “Crisis Boardroom” task, making strategic decisions while balancing financial, cultural, and reputational factors.
Related Lessons
Learn to use natural, everyday excuses (e.g. I’m not really up for it, I'm tied up, It’s a bit of a hassle to get there, I’m not feeling it, I got held up at work) through interactive visuals, real-life role plays, and quick-fire tasks. By the end, students tackle realistic speaking challenges where they have to think on their feet and respond naturally in real-world situations.
FREE
Immerse learners in relatable travel dilemmas while mastering idiomatic expressions (e.g. I’m all in, Count me in, I’m down for that, I'd kill for..., That’s a dealbreaker). Through listening tasks, students analyse how speakers express interest, refusal, hesitation, and strong reactions, then build fluency with guided role-plays and decision-making challenges. A lesson that transforms passive vocabulary into confident, natural communication.
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Explore how cities build their identity through branding. Analyse real campaigns from cities like New York, Melbourne, Paris, and Amsterdam, and how logos shape global perception. Build natural vocabulary for describing experiences and impressions (e.g. a letdown, cash in on its image, rough around the edges, hit or miss, grow on someone). Finish with a City Brand Crisis Room role-play where students rebrand a city as consultants.