Tag: Psychology

Nervous vs. Excited

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Do you feel nervous during an interview or presentation or just generally feel anxious? There are plenty of moments that can make us nervous. The good news is that you can overcome your fears with the simple technique of training your mind to perform under pressure.

Watch as Simon Sinek explains this technique further.

Discussion Questions:

1. Is there a difference between nervous and excited?

2. In what situations are you often nervous and excited about?

3. How would you turn nervousness into excitement? Give examples.

The Language of Lying

C1 – Advanced

How do we recognize deception? When a person looks you in the eye, does that mean he is being truthful? When one stutters, does that mean he is telling a lie?

Watch the video and find out about some telltale clues that could help you to identify when someone is lying to you.

 

 

Discussion Questions:

1.  According to the video, what are the four clues we can use to determine a lie?

2. Is it completely wrong to tell a lie? When is it acceptable to do so?

3. Can you tell when you’re being lied to?

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.

The Imposter Syndrome

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Have you ever landed a job that you felt you didn’t deserve? How about a score on a term paper that you think you got out of luck despite all the hard work you put in?

Watch the video and find out why we sometimes doubt what we accomplished.

 

 

Discussion Questions:

1. What is the imposter syndrome?

2. How does it hinder one from reaching his full potential?

3. How can one overcome these feelings of inadequacy?

4. Have you ever doubted your capabilities?

 

Personality Types

B2 – Upper intermediate

In the world of business and even in our day to day interactions, we will meet with and talk to people with different personalities. Understanding other people’s personality traits can completely transform your communication skills with others in any setting.

Learn about the four personality traits in the video below.

Discussion Questions:

1. Explain the four personality types and how to deal with them in a business transaction.

2. What personality do you think you have?

3. What personality type/s do most of your clients have?

4. How can we de-escalate or resolve personality clashes with a friend, family, and co-worker?

Narcissism

C1 – Advanced

One of the tested rules to success is to love and trust one’s self but when is loving or admiring one’s self excessive?

Narcissism is the extreme interest and admiration in oneself.

The video below explores narcissism’s history, types of narcissistic disorder, and how the way we live now tends to foster it.

 

 

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are the dangers of narcissism?
  2. How has social media multiplied self-promotion?
  3. What are two kinds of narcissistic disorder according to the video?
  4. In what ways is narcissism beneficial?
  5. Talk about your own experience dealing with a person/people who you believe suffers from narcissism.

Can Envy Be Good?

C1 – Advanced

Envy is defined by Cambridge dictionary as the feeling that you wish you had something that someone else has.  Do you ever feel envious when you see someone like a neighbor getting a new furniture? Do you ever wonder why this feeling overwhelms you? Is it normal to have an impulse of comparing yourself to others?

https://www.newyorker.com/science/maria-konnikova/can-envy-be-good-for-you

Discussion Questions:

1. Is there something we need to learn about envy?
2. How are envy and admiration different?
3. When is envy good?
4. How do you deal with envy?

 

What Do You Buy When You’re Sad

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Retail therapy is the act of shopping and spending to improve one’s mood. Often seen in people during periods of depression or transition, it is normally a short-lived habit. Items purchased during periods of retail therapy are sometimes referred to as “comfort buys”.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-171207

Discussion Questions:

1. What do you do to feel better when you are sad?

2. Do you believe in retail therapy or is it just an excuse to go binge shopping?

3. When is retail therapy unhealthy?

Toxic People

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Has anyone stripped you of your happiness before? As the saying goes ‘Don’t let the silly little things steal your happiness’. Similarly, we should not let toxic people drag us down. Take note of these negative people and avoid interacting with them.

Read this article on different kinds of toxic people you could encounter on a rather regular basis.

https://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/8-types-of-toxic-people-you-should-always-avoid.html

Discussion Questions:

1. Share your experience about an interaction with a toxic person.

2. What could be best ways to deal with these eight types of toxic people?

3. Among these eight types of toxic people, which do you consider the most crippling?

Work Burnout

B2 – Upper Intermediate

One of the most common and serious work issues is work burnout. It is often confused with stress. But there is a big difference between the two.

Listen to the audio and read the transcript to find out more about occupational blues.

https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/business-english/podcasts-for-professionals/work-burnout

Discussion Questions:
1. What’s the difference between stress and burnout?
2. What are ways to fight work blues?
3. Share any story about being burned-out.