Slang and Informal Language

Active learning works well here because slang and informal language thrive on interaction, curiosity, and real-world relevance. Students need to test terms in different contexts to see how language shifts with audience and purpose, making hands-on tasks essential for internalizing these nuances.

• Year 7
• English
• 4 activities
• 35 min–50 min

Learning Objectives

1. Analyze the origins of at least three distinct slang terms, tracing their initial usage and spread.
2. Explain how specific slang or jargon terms function to create a sense of belonging within a particular social group.
3. Evaluate the appropriateness of using informal language in three different communication scenarios, justifying choices based on audience and purpose.
4. Compare the social functions of slang versus formal language in establishing group identity and social boundaries.

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⏱ 45 min·Pairs

Group Hunt: Slang Origins

Pairs brainstorm 10 slang terms they use, then research origins using dictionaries or online clips from UK sources like BBC youth slang archives. Groups compile findings into a shared class timeline showing spread from subcultures. Present one term's journey to the class.

Prepare & details

Explain how slang terms emerge and gain popularity within specific social groups.

Facilitation Tip: During Group Hunt, circulate with a clipboard to jot down surprising origins students uncover, so you can highlight these in the final class share-out.

Setup: Large wall space covered with paper, or multiple boards

Materials: Butcher paper or large poster paper, Markers, colored pencils, sticky notes, Section prompts

• Remember
• Understand
• Create
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

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⏱ 50 min·Small Groups

Role-Play: Context Switch

Small groups script and perform dialogues using slang in three contexts: mates chatting, job interview, school assembly. Switch roles to rewrite formally. Class votes on effectiveness and discusses why changes matter.

Prepare & details

Analyze the role of slang in establishing group identity and social boundaries.

Facilitation Tip: For Context Switch role-plays, give each group a scenario card and a timer to pressure-test their language choices under realistic constraints.

Setup: Large wall space covered with paper, or multiple boards

Materials: Butcher paper or large poster paper, Markers, colored pencils, sticky notes, Section prompts

• Remember
• Understand
• Create
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

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⏱ 35 min·Small Groups

Workshop: Invent Slang

Individuals invent three slang terms for everyday objects, tied to a fictional group identity. Small groups vote on favourites, test in mock conversations, and track 'popularity' via class poll. Reflect on what makes slang catch on.

Prepare & details

Evaluate the appropriateness of using informal language in different communication contexts.

Facilitation Tip: In the Workshop, provide a word bank of prefixes and suffixes students can use to invent slang, so they focus on meaning and rhythm rather than starting from scratch.

Setup: Large wall space covered with paper, or multiple boards

Materials: Butcher paper or large poster paper, Markers, colored pencils, sticky notes, Section prompts

• Remember
• Understand
• Create
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Formal Debate

⏱ 40 min·Whole Class

Formal Debate: Slang Boundaries

Whole class divides into teams to debate 'Slang strengthens or weakens group bonds?' Use evidence from personal examples and researched cases. Rotate speakers and tally persuasive points.

Prepare & details

Explain how slang terms emerge and gain popularity within specific social groups.

Facilitation Tip: During the Debate, assign one student per team to track points on the board as they arise, keeping the discussion focused on evidence about language use.

Setup: Two teams facing each other, audience seating for the rest

Materials: Debate proposition card, Research brief for each side, Judging rubric for audience, Timer

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Decision-Making

Teaching This Topic

Teachers approach this topic by treating slang as a living archive of cultural exchange, not just a list of trendy words. They avoid dismissing student examples as ‘wrong,’ instead using them to trace patterns and discuss appropriateness. Research suggests framing slang as a tool for social bonding helps students see its value and reduces resistance to formal alternatives.

What to Expect

Successful learning looks like students explaining where slang comes from, adapting their language appropriately in role-plays, creating original slang that follows observed patterns, and debating boundaries with clear reasoning. They should demonstrate both curiosity and critical thinking about language variation.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During Group Hunt: Slang is random nonsense with no real origins.

What to Teach Instead

During Group Hunt, ask groups to cluster examples by origin (e.g., sports, music, online gaming) and present one ‘family tree’ per cluster, showing how terms evolve and spread through communities.

Common Misconception

During Role-Play: Slang means the same to everyone.

What to Teach Instead

During Role-Play, have students swap scenarios mid-scene and restart their conversations using the new context, so they immediately notice how the same term can confuse or offend different audiences.

Common Misconception

During Debate: Informal language is always wrong in school.

What to Teach Instead

During Debate, provide a ‘rules of appropriateness’ checklist and ask teams to argue for or against slang use in three school contexts, using the checklist as evidence in their responses.

Assessment Ideas

Discussion Prompt

After the Context Switch role-plays, present the three scenarios and ask students to choose the most appropriate context for slang. Have them justify their choices in pairs before a class vote, using language registers they practiced.

Quick Check

During the Group Hunt, collect students’ origin maps halfway through the activity. Review them to see if groups can trace at least two slang terms back to their communities, then return maps with one probing question per map.

Exit Ticket

After the Workshop, ask students to write one invented slang term on a slip and explain its meaning and intended audience. Collect these to check if their slang follows logical patterns and targets a specific group.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge: Ask students to research a slang term’s journey across three decades and present a mini-timeline showing how media and migration influenced its spread.
• Scaffolding: Provide sentence starters for the Workshop, such as ‘We call a messy room a _____ because…’ to help students generate ideas.
• Deeper: Invite a local musician or social media creator to guest-speak about how they use or avoid slang in their work, then have students prepare interview questions in advance.

Key Vocabulary

Slang	Very informal words and phrases, often used by specific groups of people, that are not considered appropriate for formal speech or writing.
Jargon	Special words or expressions used by a particular profession or group that are difficult for others to understand. It often serves to create an in-group.
Informal Language	Language that is conversational and casual, used in relaxed settings and often includes contractions, slang, and simpler sentence structures.
Register	The level of formality in language, which changes depending on the context, audience, and purpose of communication.
Social Group	A collection of people who interact with each other and share similar characteristics, interests, or identities.