Tag: Family and Relationships

Caring for Aging Parents

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Aging can be challenging for elderly parents and children alike. It is depressing for an aging parent to have to face their physical and mental downturn. On the other side of the fence, children of elderly people also have to take on the very challenging job of looking after their aged parents.

Read the article below on this real crisis on taking care of aging parents.

https://www.thetimesinplainenglish.com/a-real-crisis-caring-for-aging-parents/

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are the effects of aging on a person, their children or family, caregivers, and workers and employers?
  2. How are old people’s lives like in your country?
  3. How are you preparing for and what are your plans for your twilight years?
  4. Talk about your experience caring for elderly members of your family. How was it like?
  5. Do you think you have enough family-friendly policies in your country? If yes, tell us about some of them. If not, what do you think are some policies needed?

Once Bitten, Twice Shy

B2 – Upper Intermediate

When we get hurt, it’s normal to cut off ties with the people who inflicted harm on us. It is human nature when we try to avoid a harmful situation to happen again. Oftentimes, we build armor around us to prevent ourselves from getting hurt again. But is it always good to react in such way?

Let’s watch the video and find out more about this expression.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/course/experiment/unit-1/session-6

Discussion Questions:

  1. What does the expression ‘once bitten, twice shy’ mean?
  2. What cases of ‘once bitten, twice shy’ have you had in the past? Has it brought you better results or did you miss out on certain opportunities?
  3. What other languages have a similar expression as mentioned in the video? How are they translated into English?
  4. Do you have a similar expression in your language? How do you say it?

The Charms of Unavailable People

C1 – Advanced

Love can be very tricky. Most of us grew up watching movies of amazing love stories with perfect endings. Thus, making us want someone who is too good to be true. But then again, not everyone is like that, a lot of us often fall in love with the wrong person or get attracted to someone in a complex situation. More or less love is love and no one can predict who we fall in love with.

Let’s learn more about it by watching the video below.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Have you experienced any of the sample scenarios that we have in the video?
  2. Are you more interested in people who are in a complicated situation? Why?
  3. What are the reasons why people tend to be in an impossible love affair?
  4. How would you describe your relationship now with your current partner or ex?
  5. Do you believe in happily ever afters? What are some keys to a flourishing romance?
  6. Do you agree or disagree that ‘love is fated to be unrequited or incomplete’?

Brothers Conquer Ironmans as a Team

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The bond between siblings goes beyond consanguinity. It is forged through a lifetime of shared experiences replete with triumphs and tribulations, characterized by fraternal affection in all circumstances. The Pease brothers, each extraordinary in their own right, epitomize such indefatigable love.

Watch the short feature and be inspired by their story of inclusiveness and unfettered determination.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What activities do you enjoy doing with your siblings? What are your common hobbies, passions, or interests? If you have no siblings, you can think of other family or friends whom you think of as siblings.
  2. When was the last time you’d proven people wrong? What did they say you couldn’t accomplish, and how did you confound their expectations?
  3. How do you motivate yourself to take on challenges?
  4. How would you describe the attitudes in your country towards people with disabilities?
  5. Some people have likened life to running a race. Is this an apt comparison?

Should You Trust Your First Impression?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

There is this saying that “First impressions are lasting impressions”. You never get a second chance to make a good first impression. Positive first impressions can lead to a good relationship with people especially in business and negative first impressions can set in stone for an entire relationship and leads to lesser opportunities. That is why people try to put their best foot forward as much as possible during first encounters because most of us want to be liked.

Let’s watch the video below to learn more.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Are your first impressions of people long-lasting or do you believe in second chances?
  2. What are examples of first positive impressions that you know? How about negative impressions?
  3. Have you met anyone who had a first bad impression to you? How was your second encounter?
  4. How about meeting someone who had a first bad impression of you? Did you try to change it?
  5. Is it hard to change people’s impressions especially if it is negative? How do you cope with that?

Bad Dates – Mobile Phone Addict

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Dating is a selection process for most people. At this stage in a relationship, one spends time with the other to check if they could be a compatible match. It could be an exciting as well as tiring phase in one’s life. What’s even worse is when you have to endure bad dates.

Let’s watch the video and find out what happened to Daniel’s date.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/course/experiment/unit-1/session-18

Discussion Questions:

  1. How did Daniel start the conversation? Do you do the same when you are on a date?
  2. Who is Daniel’s date and how would you describe her?
  3. Did she make a good impression on Daniel?
  4. What annoyed Daniel? Would you feel the same if you were him?
  5. Feel free to share your best and worst date ever.

Tips for Parents Coping with Kids at Home

B2 – Upper Intermediate

How can we turn self-isolation into family bonding time? During this difficult time of quarantine, we have learned how to adapt to living, working, and educating from home. What are some of the important things parent should know to stay creative as a family during a lock down?

Listen to the conversation and learn some tips to cope with kids at home.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-200430

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is the country described in the audio that has the longest school summer holidays?
  2. Did your daily routines change when lock down started? What are your normal routines during isolation?
  3. Explain how you help your kids cope with the lock down.
  4. How do you keep your kids happy during the lock down?
  5. What advice can you give other parents so they can survive this unprecedented situation?

Children’s Allowances

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Some parents now take a different tack when giving their children an allowance, making it an early form of financial literacy. They hope their kids will use the money they’ve been given responsibly and set aside a fair sum for the rainy days.

Let’s take a closer look at how parents get their money’s worth by reading the article below.

https://www.thetimesinplainenglish.com/childrens-allowances-getting-your-moneys-worth/

Discussion Questions:

  1. When you were a child, what was considered a reasonable allowance? How did you spend this amount and did you have some amount left for savings?
  2. What is the average allowance given to children in your country nowadays? What factors do parents consider in figuring out the right amount?
  3. How are children expected to spend their allowances?
  4. What values do parents hope their children will exhibit in terms of how they use the money entrusted to them?
  5. Imagine explaining financial management to a child. How would you go about it?

Japan’s Independent Kids

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Parents all over the world have different values and ways of rearing their children. And most parents want their child to grow into happy, confident, and independent adults. For the Japanese however, some might say that their parenting skills are a step away from the traditional.

Take a look at this video to have some ideas about what parents and children are like in the Land of the Rising Sun.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Talk about the video in your own words.
  2. What are the differences between Japanese and Spanish parenting styles?
  3. Talk about the pros and cons of each.

Boarding School at An Early Age is Child Abuse

B2 – Upper Intermediate

A boarding school provides education for pupils who live on the premises. Traditionally, pupils stayed at the school for the length of the term; some schools facilitate returning home every weekend and some welcome day pupils.  The United Kingdom has  a rich history of such schools.

Increasing numbers of children are being educated at boarding schools in the UK.  According to George Monbiot, who still struggles with the emotional impact of being sent away at the age of eight, we must protect children from the damage they can cause. He says if working-class parents did this, there would be an outcry. So why are upper-class parents getting away with what has become a form of acceptable cruelty?

Watch the video and be able to express your position on this topic.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How do you feel about the video? Do you agree with George Monbiot’s argument?
  2. What do you think about boarding schools? Do you know anyone who was boarded or boarding schooled?
  3. Cite some of the pros and cons of sending a very young child to boarding schools.