Building connection through conversation
Why do we dream of traveling? When you daydream, do you ever find yourself on top of a mountain, among the great pyramids, or meandering in the streets of New York? There are many reasons we dream of being on vacation: it could be the different environment, a new experience,…
Why I Choose Uplifting Topics in my Classroom I don’t know if you noticed, but given that this blog is dedicated to prompting discussion, most of my topics centre around uplifting positive subjects. It’s not that I am a “positivity shaman” who closes her eyes to the stressful realities in…
Turn off the lights and get the flashlights out.–it’s time for some ghost stories! When I was a teenager, we used to break out the Ouija board and pretend that spirits were floating around us, trapped in a silent world desperate to make contact. The room would be hushed, someone…
What is your comfort food? I dare you to NOT think of the answer. Too late? I bet your favourite dish is already in your mind. Maybe you are even seeing a memory or a person attached to this dish. Is it something your mother made when you were sick?…
Level: B1, B2, C1 Handout on TPT Media: Video Language focus: beliefs, superstitions, conspiracy theories, fake news, disinformation. Why do we believe weird things? Fake news, misinformation, disinformation, these concepts are all over the media. We all know it’s out there, but how can we tell what is true and…
Level: A1, A2, B1, B2 Handout: Free on TPT Media: Video Language focus: emotions, actions, comparisons Do you believe in luck? I once introduced one of my girlfriend’s to a boy that seemed to be a good match for her. When I asked if things had worked out, she said…
“A woman’s place is in the home” “Immigrants should go back to their country” “No doesn’t always mean no” Did I trigger you? Do you want to tell me? Well then my rage bait trap worked. Rage bait is internet slang for when someone says something (usually online) in hopes…
Let’s talk about gratefulness: the good, the bad and the ugly. Is it me, or does gratefulness seem to be the miracle serum of the millennium? Everywhere I look, someone is singing its praises. Instagram posts, articles, scientific and not-so-scientific, books, shorts, reels, TED talks, you name it, and there’s…
Level: B2, C1 Questions embeded in the activity Language focus: adjectives, descriptors, personal traits Media: interactive quiz (reading) How would you describe yourself? Tell us about you? Why hire you rather than someone else? Could you tell the class a few things about yourself? From job interviews to cocktail parties,…
I know, I know, pretty cheesy. But if there is one thing I learnt from teaching overseas, the television series Friends is everywhere. So if you need a relaxing frivolous lesson, here it is. Pre discussion Which Friends character do you relate to most? Which is your least favourite and why? What…
