Category: Class

TGI Thursday!

B2 – Upper intermediate

Fridays are awesome. Fridays are the best. It reminds us that we survived the week and that the weekend is coming. Yet, for some employees, Thursdays are what they look forward to.

Read the article then express your thoughts about different work schedules.

Although the workweek varies from country to country, the majority of people in the majority of places around the globe work five days per week. Some cultures maintain an older, six-day workweek. A few countries and/or businesses have reduced the number of days work to four, but instead require employees to work longer hours. The four-day workweek has begun to demonstrate massive positives. This suggests that people may soon say, “TGIThursday!”

With a four-day workweek, companies immediately reduce energy costs. The buildings are closed for three days. This saves millions of dollars for the largest employers. Employees also feel more refreshed after longer weekends, which lead to less stress, fewer health problems, and a drop in absenteeism. Productivity increases too.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “TGI” stand for in “TGI Thursday“? “This suggests that people may soon say, “TGI Thursday!” Use the expression in a sentence.
  2. What does “around the globe” mean? “Although the workweek varies from country to country, the majority of people in the majority of places around the globe work five days per week.” Give two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and use ‘around the globe’ in your own sentence.
  3. What does “absenteeism” mean? “Employees also feel more refreshed after longer weekends, which lead to less stress, fewer health problems, and a drop in absenteeism.” Use this word in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your thoughts on a four-day workweek?
  2. What are the positives and negatives of a four-day workweek?
  3. Would a four-day workweek likely be adopted in your country? Would it work? Why or why not?
  4. For you, what is the ideal number of working days a week and why?
  5. Do you think longer days off could help decrease absenteeism and increase productivity? Share your opinion.

Education Woes

B1 – Intermediate

Education is something that every citizen should have. It is important and beneficial to the future of a child. But, some powerful countries are starting to have a little bit of problem in this area.

Read the article below and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

More than 10% of high schools in the US are “dropout factories.” This insulting nickname applies to schools where less than 60% of students graduate.

Most of these schools are in large urban centers which also have a lot of poverty. The neighborhoods may have high rates of crime, drugs, and violence. However, some dropout factories are also located in areas with numerous blue-collar jobs. These neighborhoods and towns often haven’t traditionally emphasized the importance of high school graduation.

Many of the students at these dropout factories enter with poor reading, writing, and math skills. For example, some kids may enter ninth grade with a fifth grade reading ability. Because of these difficulties, so many of these children don’t have opportunities as adults.

Japan faces a different problem. Private high schools are available to many kids who don’t have academic or social skills for traditional schools. These private high schools are expensive, but very easy to enter. Students can fail tests, skip homework, text friends, and even sleep in class, yet they will still graduate. These schools have been called “degree mills.”

Additional education woes come out of England. Although the government has supported a massive program to raise reading rates, there hasn’t been much change. The reading rates are the same as the rates in the 1950s.

Source: headsupenglish.com

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is/was your high school like? Please explain.
  2. How important is education for success? Why do you think so?
  3. What can be done to improve education and graduation rates?
  4. Are there similar problems in your country? Are there different problems?
  5. Will children receive a better or worse education in the future? Why?

8 Home Maintenance Skills to Master

C1 – Advanced

Persistent little home problems are the bane of every homeowner’s existence and can be very costly, so here are some skills to master:

8 Home Maintenance Skills Every Homeowner Should Master

Discuss:

1. What do you think of the tasks mentioned in the article?
2. What are some common repairs or home improvements people do in and around their apartments or houses?
3. What home improvements would you like to do at the place where you live now? Would you do them yourself, or have someone else do them?

12-Year Old Scores College Acceptances

B2 – Upper Intermediate

12-year old Tanishq Abraham is just like any other young boy his age. He goes on Twitter and plays video games. But what makes him different is that, by age 11, he had already received a college degree.

Read the article below to find out more about child prodigy, Tanishq Abraham.

http://www.nbcnews.com/feature/college-game-plan/tanishq-abraham-12-scores-college-acceptances-uc-davis-uc-santa-n578056

Discussion Questions:

1. If you were Tanishq’s parent, would you allow him to go to college at a very young age?
2. What are the benefits and drawbacks of entering college at an early age?
3. How would you feel having a college classmate who is 12 years of age?
4. Would you give up your job to support your child when you see that they are gifted? Why or why not?
5. Would you allow your child to give up college education for a career (e.g. sports, modelling or entertainment)? Why or why not?

Bad Day at the Office

B2 – Upper Intermediate

When you accidentally send a text message to your boss but was meant for your boyfriend or girlfriend, what do you think is the best way to deal with it?

BBC asked the question, “What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you at work?” via Quora, a question and answer website. Below are some of the interesting answers.

http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20150402-bad-day-at-work-top-this

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is the most embarrassing moment you’ve ever had at work? How did you recover from the humiliation?
  2. What do you think are the benefits and setbacks of painfully losing one’s pride in the office?
  3. How would you describe your office? Do people get along well or is distance kept?

Keep Your Goals To Yourself

C1 – Advanced

According to Psychology,  announcing our goals makes us less motivated to accomplish them. This video shows  why people who talk about their ambitions may be less likely to achieve them.

Discussion Questions:

1. Give a summary of the talk.
2. According to psychologists, what is “social reality”?
3. Do you agree with the speaker? Discuss your answer.
4. Do you usually talk about your goals or do you keep them to yourself?

Why True Coincidences Are Hard to Find

TOPSHOT-BRITAIN-MUSIC-OBIT-BOWIE

C1 – Advanced

When you try to read the papers or browse through news headlines, it seems that the same kinds of news are popping up over and over again.

Read the article below to get a better understanding of coincidences.

Why True Coincidences Are Hard to Find

Discuss:

1. What are the reasons why same stories happen at one given point in time?
2. Do you believe the saying “Bad luck comes in threes”?
3. Share a story when things happened to you and it seemed to be ‘pouring’ at that moment.
4. What are some recent news/headlines that are of the same nature?

Speaking Activity: Talking Business

B1 – Intermediate

This speaking activity will give you phrases and dialogues you can use when on the telephone, during meetings, while having a presentation and making negotiations.

For every topic, there are recorded audios and scripts.  Remember the phrases that are useful for conversations.

Talking Business 

Tech Support Scams on the Rise

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Nowadays, we seem to rely highly on technology to go about our daily lives. Because of this, there are some people who take advantage of this to dupe people. How dependent are you on technology?

Read the article below to learn of the new threat where technology is involved.

http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/1606/160624-tech-support.html

Discussion Questions:

1. What do you think about what you read?
2. How worried are you about Internet security?
3. What do you do to keep your computer safe? What risks are there of being online?
4. Who do you think are most at risk from scams like this?

Chile Bans McDonald’s Happy Meals

B2 – Upper Intermediate

With hopes of reducing the growing number of overweight children, Chile’s government bans marketing of toys in children’s food. McDonald’s Happy Meal and Kinder Surprise Egg are some, among others, affected by this measure.

Read this article about Chile banning Mc Donald’s Happy Meals.

https://www.telesurenglish.net/news/War-on-Fat-Chile-Bans-McDonalds-Happy-Meals-and-Kinder-Eggs-20160525-0045.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your thoughts on this ban? Should this policy be adapted on a global scale? Why or why not?
  2. What are your thoughts on unhealthy food being passed off as something that could make kids happy?
  3. What are other ways to keep children from becoming overweight?
  4. What are things that the health authority in your country is doing to keep children healthy?
  5. Were you fond of fastfood as a kid? Why or why not?