Guerna TS#16

Date/Time: August 21st, 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM EST
Location: Dirac Library
Topic/Skill: Speaking & Listening Lesson: Slang and Colloquial Language
Student: Wei Wang


This lesson focused on introducing Wei to the dynamic and constantly evolving world of modern slang and colloquial language in English. Since slang is deeply tied to culture, social media, and generational identity, the session emphasized both comprehension and usage, while also encouraging Wei to compare English slang to expressions in her own language. The goal was to help her feel more confident recognizing slang in authentic contexts (e.g., movies, TikTok, conversations) and to begin using it appropriately in casual interactions.

For this lesson began with a warm-up discussion where Wei was asked what slang terms she already knew in English. Examples like cap, bet, and slay were displayed, and she was asked if she had seen or heard them online or in media. This sparked a short conversation about how slang reflects generational culture and why certain words fade while others stick around (e.g., cool enduring from the jazz era, while rad is mostly outdated). Wei expressed interest in how younger generations, especially Gen Z, create words through internet culture.

I then presented a vocabulary Chart that included a wide range of popular expressions, acronyms, and internet terms, such as bussin, ghosted, GOAT, delulu, mid, POV, and spill the tea. Each slang word was explained with its meaning, origin, and generational context. For example, Wei learned that cap comes from African American Vernacular English (AAVE) and means “lie,” while bet is often used to show agreement or confirmation. She also noted the influence of TikTok trends in introducing slang such as girl dinner and glow up. During this stage, Wei asked clarifying questions and gave examples of slang expressions she has seen online but wasn’t confident using.

Practice activities gave her the chance to actively use these terms in short dialogues. For example, she practiced recognizing and responding to sentences like “This new taco place is bussin” or “He ghosted me after our date.” At first, Wei hesitated with certain phrases like mid and brain rot, but she quickly became more comfortable once she saw them in context. 

The lesson wrapped up with a short reflection on which slang words Wei felt most comfortable using and which ones she found amusing or confusing. She mentioned liking expressions like more practical acronyms like OTW and TTYL for texting. She also noted that acronyms like OTW and TTYL felt practical for texting.

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