Breaking News English Lesson: Fela Kuti

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Legendary singer Fela Kuti wins major Grammy (5th February 2026)

The Reading / Listening - Fela Kuti - Level 3

The legendary Nigerian musician Fela Kuti has been awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammys. He becomes the first African to be given the award. It is presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognise outstanding achievements in music. Kuti died in 1997, but he left behind an amazing legacy. Kuti's daughter, Yeni, told Al Jazeera that the award was "better late than never". She said "we still have a way to go" to recognise musicians from Africa. She added her father didn't care about awards. She said: "He played music because he loved music. It was to be acknowledged by his people – by human beings, by fellow artists - that made him happy."

Fela Kuti, born in 1938, was a visionary. He was a singer, musician, and bandleader. He revolutionized African music and global protest culture. He pioneered the Afrobeat music genre. This mixed traditional Yoruba rhythms, jazz, and funk to make a powerful, hypnotic sound. He was an amazing live performer. He toured the world in the 1960s to 1980s. His concerts were a celebration of rhythm, African identity, freedom, and resistance. Fela fought against corruption, military dictatorship, and colonial influence in Nigeria. Because of this, he was arrested, beaten, and imprisoned. However, his influence on African and international music is still alive today, especially through modern Afrobeat.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

Fela Kuti - Level 0, Fela Kuti - Level 1 or Fela Kuti - Level 2

Sources

https://www.okayafrica.com/fela-kuti-becomes-the-first-african-artist-to-receive-a-grammys-lifetime-achievement-award/1420138
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/2/1/fela-kuti-becomes-first-african-to-get-grammys-lifetime-achievement-award
https://www.france24.com/en/culture/20260131-fela-kuti-first-african-honored-grammys-lifetime-achievement-award-afrobeat

Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Warm-ups

1. MUSIC LEGENDS: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about music legends. Change partners often and share your findings.
2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?
musician / achievement / award / music / legacy / late / human beings / happy /
visionary / protest culture / music genre / rhythm / jazz / freedom / corruption
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. AWARDS SHOWS: Students A strongly believe there should be more awards shows; Students B strongly believe the opposite. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. AWARDS: Who would you give an award to in the categories below? What would the award be? Why? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

	Who	What	Why
Music
Influencer
Business leader
Actor
Sports star
Politician

MY e-BOOK

ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers

See a sample

5. AFRICAN: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "African". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. MUSIC GENRES: Rank these with your partner. Put the best at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

Afrobeat
Jazz
Rap
Blues
Soul
Classical
Country
Electro

Vocabulary

Paragraph 1

1.	legendary	a.	Very famous and known by many people for a long time.
2.	awarded	b.	Know who or what someone or something is.
3.	achievement	c.	Given a prize or honour.
4.	outstanding	d.	Something important left behind after a person is gone.
5.	legacy	e.	Something good or difficult that a person does.
6.	recognise	f.	Very good and much, much better than others or other things.
7.	human beings	g.	People; men and women.

Paragraph 2

8.	visionary	h.	Fighting or saying no to something you do not agree with.
9.	colonial	i.	Very interesting and hard to stop watching or listening to.
10.	pioneered	j.	Having big and good ideas about the future.
11.	hypnotic	k.	Bad or dishonest actions by people in power (who take lots of money).
12.	resistance	l.	About a country that is taken and controlled by another country.
13.	corruption	m.	The power to change how people think or act.
14.	influence	n.	Was one of the first to do something new.

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

Fela is the second African to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award. T / F
The award is presented by a recording academy in Switzerland. T / F
The article says Fela left behind an amazing legacy. T / F
Fela's daughter said Fela played music because it was relaxing. T / F
The article says Fela revolutionized global protest culture. T / F
Fela combined many kinds of music to make a hypnotic sound. T / F
Fela was beaten and put in prison because of his political actions. T / F
The article says Fela's influence on music is disappearing. T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

legendary
award
recognise
loved
artists
revolutionized
pioneered
freedom
influence
especially

adored
musicians
liberty
prize
transformed
famous
power
started
particularly
acknowledge

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

The legendary
recognise outstanding
he left behind an amazing
the award was better late
human
He pioneered the
make a powerful, hypnotic
He toured
Fela fought against
he was arrested, beaten, and

than never
the world in the 1960s
beings
Afrobeat music genre
corruption
Nigerian musician Fela Kuti
imprisoned
legacy
sound
achievements in music

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

musicians
legacy
given
beings
legendary
care
late
outstanding

The (1) ______________________________________________ Nigerian musician Fela Kuti has been awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammys. He becomes the first African to be (2) ______________________________________________ the award. It is presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognise (3) ______________________________________________ achievements in music. Kuti died in 1997, but he left behind an amazing (4) ______________________________________________. Kuti's daughter, Yeni, told Al Jazeera that the award was "better (5) ______________________________________________ than never". She said "we still have a way to go" to recognise (6) ______________________________________________ from Africa. She added her father didn't (7) ______________________________________________ about awards. She said: "He played music because he loved music. It was to be acknowledged by his people - by human (8) ______________________________________________, by fellow artists - that made him happy."

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

traditional
imprisoned
visionary
freedom
culture
alive
live
military

Fela Kuti, born in 1938, was a (9) ______________________________________________. He was a singer, musician, and bandleader. He revolutionized African music and global protest (10) ______________________________________________. He pioneered the Afrobeat music genre. This mixed (11) ______________________________________________ Yoruba rhythms, jazz, and funk to make a powerful, hypnotic sound. He was an amazing (12) ______________________________________________ performer. He toured the world in the 1960s to 1980s. His concerts were a celebration of rhythm, African identity, (13) ______________________________________________, and resistance. Fela fought against corruption, (14) ______________________________________________ dictatorship, and colonial influence in Nigeria. Because of this, he was arrested, beaten, and (15) ______________________________________________. However, his influence on African and international music is still (16) ______________________________________________ today, especially through modern Afrobeat.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) He becomes the first African to be ______
     a. give the award
     b. giving the award
     c. given the award
     d. giver the award
2) Kuti died in 1997, but he left behind ______
     a. an amazing legacy
     b. an amazing agency
     c. an amazing legacies
     d. an amazing agencies
3) She said "we still have a way to go" to recognise ______
     a. musical from Africa
     b. musicians for African
     c. musicians from Africa
     d. musically from Africa
4) She said he played music because ______.
     a. he beloved music
     b. he lovely music
     c. he loved music
     d. he love music
5) It was to be acknowledged by his people - ______
     a. by humans beings
     b. by humane beings
     c. by humanly beings
     d. by human beings

6) Fela Kuti, born in 1938, was a visionary. He was a singer, ______
     a. musician, and bandleaders
     b. musical, and bandleader
     c. musicianship, and bandleader
     d. musician, and bandleader
7) He revolutionized African music and ______
     a. global protest culture
     b. globally protest culture
     c. global protests culture
     d. global protest cultural
8) This mixed traditional Yoruba rhythms, jazz, and funk to make a ______
     a. powerfully, hypnotic sound
     b. powerful, hypnotic sound
     c. powerful, hypnotic sounds
     d. powerful, hypnotism sound
9) Fela fought against corruption, military dictatorship, ______
     a. and colonial affluence
     b. and colonially influence
     c. and colonial influence
     d. and colony influential
10) However, his influence on African and international music is ______
     a. still life today
     b. still alive today
     c. still livelihood today
     d. still a life today

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The legendary Nigerian musician Fela Kuti (1) __________________________________________________ a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammys. He becomes the first African to be given the award. It (2) __________________________________________________ the Recording Academy of the United States to recognise outstanding achievements in music. Kuti died in 1997, but he left behind (3) __________________________________________________. Kuti's daughter, Yeni, told Al Jazeera that the award was "better (4) __________________________________________________". She said "we still have a way to go" to recognise musicians from Africa. She added her father didn't care about awards. She said: "(5) __________________________________________________ because he loved music. It was to be acknowledged by his people - by human beings, by fellow artists - that (6) __________________________________________________."

Fela Kuti, born in 1938, (7) __________________________________________________. He was a singer, musician, and bandleader. He revolutionized African music and global protest culture. (8) __________________________________________________ Afrobeat music genre. This mixed traditional Yoruba rhythms, jazz, and funk to make a (9) __________________________________________________. He was an amazing live performer. He toured the world in the 1960s to 1980s. His concerts were (10) __________________________________________________ rhythm, African identity, freedom, and resistance. Fela fought against corruption, military dictatorship, and colonial influence in Nigeria. Because of this, (11) __________________________________________________, beaten, and imprisoned. However, his influence on African and international music is (12) __________________________________________________, especially through modern Afrobeat.

Comprehension questions

How many Africans won the Lifetime Achievement Award before Fela?
What did Fela Kuti leave behind after he died?
What did Fela's daughter say about the timing of the award?
What did Fela's daughter say Fela didn't care about?
What did Fela's daughter say made Fela happy?
What does the article say Fela revolutionized besides African music?
What kind of performer does the article say Fela was?
What were Fela's concerts a celebration of?
What kind of influence did Fela fight against in Nigeria?
What does the article say about Fela's influence on music?

Multiple choice quiz

1) How many Africans won the Lifetime Achievement Award before Fela?
a) several
b) one
c) none
d) quite a few
2) What did Fela Kuti leave behind after he died?
a) an amazing legacy
b) his saxophone
c) millions of fans
d) millions of great songs
3) What did Fela's daughter say about the timing of the award?
a) It was good timing.
b) It should have been years ago.
c) It was too late.
d) It's better late than never.
4) What did Fela's daughter say Fela didn't care about?
a) the Grammys
b) awards
c) awards shows
d) having number-one hits
5) What did Fela's daughter say made Fela happy?
a) composing
b) writing
c) music
d) being acknowledged

6) What does the article say Fela revolutionized besides African music?
a) saxophone playing
b) rhythm
c) jazz
d) global protest culture
7) What kind of performer does the article say Fela was?
a) energetic
b) amazing
c) dynamic
d) hypnotic
8) What were Fela's concerts a celebration of?
a) saxophones
b) jazz
c) funk
d) rhythm
9) What kind of influence did Fela fight against in Nigeria?
a) colonial influence
b) technological influence
c) the influence of the media
d) the influence of misinformation
10) What does the article say about Fela's influence on music?
a) It should be celebrated more.
b) It is great.
c) We can hear it everywhere.
d) It's still alive today.

Role play

Role A – Afrobeat
You think Afrobeat is the best music genre. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their genres. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): rap, classical or electro.

Role B – Rap
You think rap is the best music genre. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their genres. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): Afrobeat, classical or electro.

Role C – Classical
You think classical is the best music genre. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their genres. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): rap, Afrobeat or electro.

Role D – Electro
You think electro is the best music genre. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their genres. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): rap, classical or Afrobeat.

After reading / listening

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words...

'legend'

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

and 'singer'.
________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

• Share your findings with your partners.

• Make questions using the words you found.

• Ask your partner / group your questions.

2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

•Share your questions with other classmates / groups. •Ask your partner / group your questions.

3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

legendary

first

behind

way

played

happy

culture

genre

mixed

celebration

because

alive

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion - Fela Kuti

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

What did you think when you read the headline?
What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'legend'?
Who is the world's most legendary musician or singer?
What do you know about Fela Kuti?
What do you think of music awards?
What do you think of African music?
How important is music to you?
What music have you been listening to recently?
Why does music make musicians happy?
What do you think the life of a superstar singer is like?

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
What do you think of when you hear the word 'singer'?
What do you think about what you read?
What musicians do you think are visionary?
Who do we all like different kinds of music?
What do you think of using music to protest?
Who do you think is amazing live?
What do you think of Fela for fighting corruption?
What three words best describe Fela Kuti?
What questions would you like to ask a music legend?

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

The legendary Nigerian musician Fela Kuti has (1) ____ awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammys. He becomes the first African to (2) ____ given the award. It is presented (3) ____ the Recording Academy of the United States to recognise outstanding achievements in music. Kuti died in 1997, but he left behind an amazing (4) ____. Kuti's daughter, Yeni, told Al Jazeera that the award was "better late than never". She said "we still have a (5) ____ to go" to recognise musicians from Africa. She added her father didn't care about awards. She said: "He played music because he loved music. It was to be acknowledged by his people - by human beings, by fellow artists - that (6) ____ him happy."

Fela Kuti, born in 1938, was a (7) ____. He was a singer, musician, and bandleader. He revolutionized African music and global (8) ____ culture. He pioneered the Afrobeat music genre. This mixed traditional Yoruba rhythms, jazz, and funk to make a powerful, hypnotic sound. He was an amazing (9) ____ performer. He toured the world in the 1960s to 1980s. His concerts were a celebration (10) ____ rhythm, African identity, freedom, and resistance. Fela fought against corruption, military dictatorship, and colonial influence in Nigeria. Because of (11) ____, he was arrested, beaten, and imprisoned. However, his influence on African and international music is still (12) ____ today, especially through modern Afrobeat.

Which of these words go in the above text?

(a) given (b) done (c) been (d) gone
(a) be (b) have (c) do (d) that
(a) up (b) by (c) down (d) of
(a) enemy (b) fever (c) zombie (d) legacy
(a) whey (b) weigh (c) way (d) why
(a) make (b) made (c) making (d) makings
(a) visionary (b) envision (c) envisioning (d) vision
(a) prohibit (b) protect (c) project (d) protest
(a) lives (b) livelihood (c) live (d) lived
(a) often (b) oft (c) off (d) of
(a) such (b) this (c) those (d) these
(a) alive (b) life (c) live (d) livelihood

Spelling

Paragraph 1

The legendary Nigerian cisaminu Fela Kuti
the first African to be given the rwaad
outstanding aecvtmshniee in music
he left behind an amazing aelycg
to be dloekeadnwgc by his people
human ensgib

Paragraph 2

Fela Kuti, born in 1938, was a yrvoiisan
He eonipered the Afrobeat music genre
His concerts were a benleioratc of rhythm
ltriamiy dictatorship
Because of this, he was eerdsrta
his cninfluee on African and international music

Put the text back together

(    )   amazing legacy. Kuti's daughter, Yeni, told Al Jazeera that the award was "better late than
(    )   becomes the first African to be given the award. It is presented by the Recording Academy of the United States
(    )   by his people - by human beings, by fellow artists - that made him happy."
(    )   care about awards. She said: "He played music because he loved music. It was to be acknowledged
(    )   Fela Kuti, born in 1938, was a visionary. He was a singer, musician, and bandleader. He revolutionized African
(    )   international music is still alive today, especially through modern Afrobeat.
(    )   jazz, and funk to make a powerful, hypnotic sound. He was an amazing live performer. He toured the
(    )   music and global protest culture. He pioneered the Afrobeat music genre. This mixed traditional Yoruba rhythms,
(    )   never". She said "we still have a way to go" to recognise musicians from Africa. She added her father didn't
(    )   resistance. Fela fought against corruption, military dictatorship, and colonial influence in Nigeria. Because of
( 1 )   The legendary Nigerian musician Fela Kuti has been awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammys. He
(    )   this, he was arrested, beaten, and imprisoned. However, his influence on African and
(    )   to recognise outstanding achievements in music. Kuti died in 1997, but he left behind an
(    )   world in the 1960s to 1980s. His concerts were a celebration of rhythm, African identity, freedom, and

Put the words in the right order

African The award be first given the to .
The amazing an behind legacy left music singer .
The award better late never than was .
We a go have still to way .
He because he it loved music played .
Afrobeat He genre helped music pioneer the to .
This funk make mixed powerful sound to a .
He 1960s the the toured world in .
His a celebration concerts of rhythm were .
His alive influence is music on still today .

Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

The legendary Nigerian musician Fela Kuti has been awards / awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammys. He becomes / becoming the first African to be taken / given the award. It is presented by / of the Recording Academy of the United States to / for recognise outstanding achievements in music. Kuti died in 1997, but he left behind / ahead an amazing legacy. Kuti's daughter, Yeni, spoke / told Al Jazeera that the award was "better late than ever / never". She said "we still have a way to go" to recognise musicians from Africa. She added her father didn't care about awards. She said: "He played music because he loved / lovely music. It was to be acknowledged by his people - by human being / beings, by fellow artists - that made him happy."

Fela Kuti, born in 1938, was a visionary / visor. He was a singer, musician, and bandleader. He revolutionized African music and globally / global protest culture. He pioneered a / the Afrobeat music genre. This mixed traditional Yoruba rhythms, jazz, and funk to make / made a powerful, hypnotic sound. He was an amazing live / life performer. He toured the world in the 1960s to 1980s. His concerts were a celebration of / up rhythm, African identify / identity, freedom, and resistance. Fela fought against corruption, military dictatorship, and colonial influential / influence in Nigeria. Because of this, he was arrested, beaten, and prison / imprisoned. However, his influence on African and international music is still alive today, especially though / through modern Afrobeat.

Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct. Look up the definition of new words.

Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

Th_ l_g_nd_ry N_g_r__n m_s_c__n F_l_ K_t_ h_s b__n _w_rd_d _ L_f_t_m_ _ch__v_m_nt _w_rd _t th_ Gr_mmys. H_ b_c_m_s th_ f_rst _fr_c_n t_ b_ g_v_n th_ _w_rd. _t _s pr_s_nt_d by th_ R_c_rd_ng _c_d_my _f th_ _n_t_d St_t_s t_ r_c_gn_s_ __tst_nd_ng _ch__v_m_nts _n m_s_c. K_t_ d__d _n 1997, b_t h_ l_ft b_h_nd _n _m_z_ng l_g_cy. K_t_'s d__ght_r, Y_n_, t_ld _l J_z__r_ th_t th_ _w_rd w_s "b_tt_r l_t_ th_n n_v_r". Sh_ s__d "w_ st_ll h_v_ _ w_y t_ g_" t_ r_c_gn_s_ m_s_c__ns fr_m _fr_c_. Sh_ _dd_d h_r f_th_r d_dn't c_r_ _b__t _w_rds. Sh_ s__d: "H_ pl_y_d m_s_c b_c__s_ h_ l_v_d m_s_c. _t w_s t_ b_ _ckn_wl_dg_d by h_s p__pl_ - by h_m_n b__ngs, by f_ll_w _rt_sts - th_t m_d_ h_m h_ppy."

F_l_ K_t_, b_rn _n 1938, w_s _ v_s__n_ry. H_ w_s _ s_ng_r, m_s_c__n, _nd b_ndl__d_r. H_ r_v_l_t__n_z_d _fr_c_n m_s_c _nd gl_b_l pr_t_st c_lt_r_. H_ p__n__r_d th_ _fr_b__t m_s_c g_nr_. Th_s m_x_d tr_d_t__n_l Y_r_b_ rhythms, j_zz, _nd f_nk t_ m_k_ _ p_w_rf_l, hypn_t_c s__nd. H_ w_s _n _m_z_ng l_v_ p_rf_rm_r. H_ t__r_d th_ w_rld _n th_ 1960s t_ 1980s. H_s c_nc_rts w_r_ _ c_l_br_t__n _f rhythm, _fr_c_n _d_nt_ty, fr__d_m, _nd r_s_st_nc_. F_l_ f__ght _g__nst c_rr_pt__n, m_l_t_ry d_ct_t_rsh_p, _nd c_l_n__l _nfl__nc_ _n N_g_r__. B_c__s_ _f th_s, h_ w_s _rr_st_d, b__t_n, _nd _mpr_s_n_d. H_w_v_r, h_s _nfl__nc_ _n _fr_c_n _nd _nt_rn_t__n_l m_s_c _s st_ll _l_v_ t_d_y, _sp_c__lly thr__gh m_d_rn _fr_b__t.

Punctuate the text and add capitals

the legendary nigerian musician fela kuti has been awarded a lifetime achievement award at the grammys he becomes the first african to be given the award it is presented by the recording academy of the united states to recognise outstanding achievements in music kuti died in 1997 but he left behind an amazing legacy kutis daughter yeni told al jazeera that the award was better late than never she said we still have a way to go to recognise musicians from africa she added her father didnt care about awards she said he played music because he loved music it was to be acknowledged by his people by human beings by fellow artists that made him happy

fela kuti born in 1938 was a visionary he was a singer musician and bandleader he revolutionized african music and global protest culture he pioneered the afrobeat music genre this mixed traditional yoruba rhythms jazz and funk to make a powerful hypnotic sound he was an amazing live performer he toured the world in the 1960s to 1980s his concerts were a celebration of rhythm african identity freedom and resistance fela fought against corruption military dictatorship and colonial influence in nigeria because of this he was arrested beaten and imprisoned however his influence on african and international music is still alive today especially through modern afrobeat

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

ThelegendaryNigerianmusicianFelaKutihasbeenawardedaLifetimeA
chievementAwardattheGrammys.HebecomesthefirstAfricantobegiv
entheaward.ItispresentedbytheRecordingAcademyoftheUnitedStat
estorecogniseoutstandingachievementsinmusic.Kutidiedin1997,bu
theleftbehindanamazinglegacy.Kuti'sdaughter,Yeni,toldAlJazeerat
hattheawardwas"betterlatethannever".Shesaid"westillhaveawayto
go"torecognisemusiciansfromAfrica.Sheaddedherfatherdidn'tcarea
boutawards.Shesaid:"Heplayedmusicbecausehelovedmusic.Itwast
obeacknowledgedbyhispeople-byhumanbeings,byfellowartists-tha
tmadehimhappy."FelaKuti,bornin1938,wasavisionary.Hewasasinge
r,musician,andbandleader.HerevolutionizedAfricanmusicandglobal
protestculture.HepioneeredtheAfrobeatmusicgenre.Thismixedtradi
tionalYorubarhythms,jazz,andfunktomakeapowerful,hypnoticsoun
d.Hewasanamazingliveperformer.Hetouredtheworldinthe1960sto1
980s.Hisconcertswereacelebrationofrhythm,Africanidentity,freedo
m,andresistance.Felafoughtagainstcorruption,militarydictatorship,
andcolonialinfluenceinNigeria.Becauseofthis,hewasarrested,beaten
,andimprisoned.However,hisinfluenceonAfricanandinternationalmu
sicisstillalivetoday,especiallythroughmodernAfrobeat.

Free writing

Write about Fela Kuti for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Academic writing

Music and movie awards are very important. Discuss.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Homework

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about this news story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MUSIC LEGENDS: Make a poster about music legends. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
4. AWARDS: Write a magazine article about having more music awards. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against this.
Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).
5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on music legends. Ask him/her three questions about them. Give him/her three of your opinions on who the biggest music legend us. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

A Few Additional Activities for Students

Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

Also...

Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

News
Warm ups
Pre-reading / Post-reading
Using headlines
Working with words
While-reading / While-listening
Moving from text to speech
Post-reading / Post-listening
Discussions
Using opinions
Plans
Language
Using lists
Using quotes
Task-based activities
Role plays
Using the central characters in the article
Using themes from the news
Homework

Buy my book

$US 9.99

Answers

(Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

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