Adult Conversational English Lesson Plan 2

Another view from the HSR station in Hsinchu (Jhubei) of the surrounding area. Taken with a Nikon D200 and a 18-35mm on the 16th of January 2007. Part of the HSR Hsinchu Series 2.

Here is the second lesson plan I used with success from the same thread on forumosa. Thanks to Fox. For this time, I only had time to use the first part of the worksheet, which was a modified version of truth or dare. The students really liked it and we got some good energy.

My wife, who was teaching an IELTS class next door, was wondering why my students were having such a good time. I find that the best way to work is to keep all of the lessons self contained, because new students might arrive as well.

With this lesson plan, you could probably do 3 classes of 90 minutes. The first part, about how credible you are, can easily last 90 minutes. To put the students at ease, I was the first to go.

* * * * *

Fear and Consumption

How credible are you?
Here is a small test to see how well you can get away with a lie.
a)Write down two truths about yourself and one lie.
b)Put a star next to the lie.
c)Don‘t show anybody.
d)After asking you three questions, we‘ll try to guess which statement is a lie.
1. _________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
3.__________________________________________________
___________________________________________________

 

We are all afraid of something. Sometimes we hide our fears because we are afraid of what people will think of us.
Now that‘s really being chicken!

Look at the quotes about fear.

“It’s all about fear and consumption, fear and consumption, fear and consumption”
Marylin Manson on American Life.
Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear – not absence of fear.
Mark Twain (1835 – 1910)
You can discover what your enemy fears most by observing the means he uses to frighten you.
Eric Hoffer (1902 – 1983)
You see what power is – holding someone else’s fear in your hand and showing it to them!
Amy Tan(1952 – )
Fear is a question: What are you afraid of, and why? Just as the seed of health is in illness, because illness contains information, your fears are a treasure house of self-knowledge if you explore them.
Marilyn Ferguson
No passion so effectually robs the mind of all its powers of acting and reasoning as fear.
Edmund Bourke (1729 – 1797),
Fear is the main source of superstition, and one of the main sources of cruelty. To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom.
Bertrand Russell (1872 – 1970)
Fear is the tax that conscience pays to guilt.
George Sewel
We have nothing to fear, but fear itself!
Anon

Fear Survey

Here is a long list of questions to ask your partner, now be honest because we have just checked whether you’re a great liar or not!

1. Are there any parts of the city where you live which you are afraid to visit after dark? Where? Why?
2. Are there certain weather conditions that scare people? What are they? Why do people become scared?
3. Are you afraid of flying?
4. Are you afraid of ghosts?
5. Are you afraid of giving a speech in public?
6. Are you afraid of going to the dentist?
7. Are you afraid of heights?
8. Are you afraid of scary movies?
9. Are you afraid to die? Why?
10. Do you fear certain insects/animals? Why?
11. Do you know anyone with a phobia?
12. Do you like horror movies?
13. Do you think young children should be allowed to watch horror movies?
14. How do you react when you see something frightening?
15. Is there any person you are afraid of?
16. Were you afraid of the dark as a child?
17. Were you afraid on your first day of school here in the United States? How do you feel now?
18. What animal do you think is the most scary?
19. What are some things which many people are afraid of? Why are they afraid of them?
20. What is the scariest movie you have ever seen?
21. What is your biggest fear in life? Are you afraid that it might come true?
22. What kinds of things make you nervous?
23. What was the most frightening experience you’ve had?
24. When you were a child, what things were you afraid of?
25. Do you ever have nightmares (bad dreams)?

Discussion

Some people think the media perpetuates our fears in order to sell us consumer products.

How does the media perpetuate our fears?

How does this relate to consumption?

Try to think of examples of how fear captures our attention to allow consumer product companies to sell us their goods.

What do you think of the idea of an annual NonShopping Day?