Movie Segments for Warm-ups and Follow-ups

Eat Pray Love & Desert Flower: Arranged Marriages

2012-01-28T00:10:00.001-02:00

Desert Flower's dramatic story and the romantic Eat, Pray, Love have two completely different arranged marriages scenes. They're great to talk about this topic.

Arranged marriage, with its emphasis on compatibility in religious, educational, and financial backgrounds, is most convenient. It's also often pleasing to the parents, since they have approved or even decided on the choice of partner. In some cases, parents will arrange a marriage for business reasons. When a parent engineers a match for a child in order to grow or expand the family business, this is less convenient and compatible. These marriages may fail, being need based and not based in companionship. Often, people who agree to this option only do so because they feel they have no other options or they have previously failed in love.

I. Discuss these questions:

1. How are arranged marriages seen by you and your culture?

2. Would you consider having an arranged maariage for yourself or someone in your family? How so?

3. Why do you think the lowest divorce rates come from countries where arranged marriages are common practice?

4. Is love the most important reason for a couple to get married?

5. Do you consider a marriage in which one of the mates is looking for a better financial situation arranged? Explain it.

6. Do you consider arranged marriages are solutions for illegal immigrants to become legal citizens?

II. Read the statements below and decide if they are true about arranged marriages, according to your own opinion.

( ) There is a deeper trust among the boy and the girl.

( ) There is full family support from both sides.

( ) The bond is stronger and healthier if the families know each other4. Boy and the girl can concentrate on other important

( ) Issues in life, like career and studies, leave the decision on the parents, so the couple can dedicate themselves to their own professional lives while parents decide on the marriage.

( ) The parents take the risk and the most important decision in the boy's and girl's lives.

( ) Arranged marriages encourage caste system, seldom do they look for partners from different social backgrounds.

( ) Parents should choose who is supposed to be the most important person in their children's lives.

( ) It encourages the dependence of children on their parents and does not help in making an individual identity.

( ) They tend to be long-lasting and more stable.

( ) You're likely to develop a close friendship as well as a love relationship with time.

( ) There is the excitement of the unknown and uncontrollable.

III. Watch the segment from the movie Eat, Pray, Love and discuss the questions:

1. Describe the scene.

2. How are the couple's feeling towards their arranged marriage?

3. What is the wedding like?

4. What's your opinion about this marriage? How likely is it to succeed?

5. What do you think will happen to the couple in the future?

6. Why are they having this kind of marriage?

IV. Watch the scene from the movie Desert Flower and discuss the questions:

1. Describe the scene.

2. How do you know this marriage is arranged?

3. How common is this reason for an arranged marriage?

4. Would you consider this kind of marriage if you needed to move to another country for professional reasons? What about political reasons? And financial reasons?

5. Is it fair that social workers visit immigrants who have married native citizens' homes to check if the marriage is for real? Why (not)?

6. How likely to succeed is this kind of marriage?

Sex and the City 2: Cultural Differences

2012-01-21T00:06:00.002-02:00

The first movie is much better than this sequel, but it has its good moments too. The ladies visit to Abu Dhabi is perfect to talk about cultural differences.

I. Work in pairs:

1. When you think about Middle East cultures, what comes to your mind?

2. How different from your own culture do you think the items below are in Abu Dhabi?

- Men's clothes

- Women's clothes

- Viewpoints about beauty and cosmetic surgeries

- The purpose of the clothes people wear

- The use of the internet

- The food

- Family structure

3. Is your culture better than Middle East countries'? Or is it just different? Explain it.

4. How easily would you adapt to a such different culture? What would you change in order to be part of the society?

II. Watch the movie segment from the movie Sex and the City 2 and discuss the questions:

1. Describe the scene.

2. What can you say about the culture the American ladies are talking about? How do the American ladies see their culture?

3. How respectful are they?

4. What can you say about the items in exercise I #2, according to what you saw in te segment?

- Men's clothes

- Women's clothes

- Viewpoints about beauty and cosmetic surgeries

- The purpose of the clothes people wear

- The use of the internet

5. Would you adapt your habits if you had to visit or live in Abu Dhabi? What would you never accept adapting?

6. Is it easier for an American to adapt to the Middle East cultural behavior or for an Arab to adapt to the American way of life? Explain it.

7. Does it make any difference if you are a man or a woman? Why?

The Da Vinci Code: Symbols

2012-01-14T00:26:00.002-02:00

A great book, but not so great a movie. The messages in the film, though, are very good food for thought and discussion. I used these scenes to talk about symbols and what they represent.

A symbol is something such as an object, picture, written word, sound, or particular mark that represents something else by association, resemblance, or convention. For example, a red octagon may be a symbol for "STOP". On maps, crossed sabres may indicate a battlefield. Numerals are symbols for numbers or amounts. All language consists of symbols. Personal names are symbols representing individuals. (wikipedia)

Look at the symbols below and say what they represent:

Answers: handicapped, gay pride, male, poison, recycle, anarchy, solidarity for HIV positive and people living with AIDS, Vitruvian man symbolizes everything about Leonardo DaVinci’s calculated approach to both art and science and the beauty of the human form, peace, nuclear, no smoking area, justice, swastika - racism and the "white supremacy" of neo-nazis, and medical.

I. Work in groups. Which symbol could represent the following ideas? Use your imagination.

Wealth

Slum

Hospital

School

Danger

Attention

Airport

Restaurant

Pet shop

Information

Democracy

Wireless internet connection

II. Choose four of them and create posters with your own image. Make sure your friends will guess what it means from your drawings.

III. Share your posters with the class and let them guess what they represent.

IV. Watch the first segment from the movie The Da Vinci Code and answer the questions in pairs.

1. What does Professor Robert Langdon say about what symbols can help us understand?

2. What were both interpretations of the symbol he showed first?

3. What about the second symbol?

4. And the third one?

5. What message does he want to give with this presentation?

V. Watch now the second segment from the same movie and answer the questions in pairs.

1. What does the pentagon represent in this context of the segment?

2. What is your interpretation of the whole scene?

Four Christmases, How the Grinch Stole Christmas & The Polar Express: Christmas Eve, Santa Claus

2011-12-15T00:09:00.000-02:00

Talking about Christmas is always a referring topic, especially in the end of the year. I hope you enjoy this activity and Merry Christmas to you all!

I. Santa Claus Quiz. More than one answer is possible: Taken from the wonderful site tefltunes.com

1. Santa Claus is also Known as:

a. Saint Nicholas b. Father Christmas c. Santa

2. The image we have of Santa Claus nowadays was created in:

a. the 18th Century b. The 19th Century c. The 2oth Century

3. Santa Claus' traditional transport is:

a. a motorbike b. a sleigh pullde by reindeer c. horses

4. The annual Santa Claus World Championships are held in:

a. Switzerland and Sweden b. Austria and Australia c. Iceland and Itlay

5. Santa Claus gets into houses to deliver presents:

a. down the chimney b. Through a window c. Through the front door

6. Traditionally, the three kings bring children presents instead of Santa Claus in:

a. South Africa b. Spain c. Scotland

7. Santa Claus brings presents to well behaved children. What happens to badly behaved children?

a. He brings them coal b. They are caught and taken away c. They're whipped

Answer key: 1. a, b, c 2. b 3. b 4. a - races that include sledge racing, chimney climbing, karaoke. 5. a (possibly c, most cases don't have chimneys) 6. b - But Santa is becoming more popular nowadays 7. a, b, c - all are used to scare children into obedience.

II. Work in small groups. Do the comments below reflect your own opinion and experiences about Christmas and Santa Claus? Explain your ideas.

1. I used to believe in Santa when I was child and I believed it for a long time.

2. Santa Claus is an unfair tool for parents to make children behave well.

3. Making your children believe in Santa Claus is not fair because it means lying is okay.

4. The image of Santa Claus is just part of the commercialism of Christmas.

5. Santa Claus takes away the real meeaning of Christmas.

III. Vocabulary matching. Match the words related to Christmas andtheir definitions.

1. Mistletoe

2.Trimming the tree

3. White Christmas

4. Stockings

5. Reindeer

6. Sleigh

7. eggnog

8. Christmas carols

9. Christmas Eve

10. Carving the bird

11. Chestnuts

12. Wreath

( ) This is a plant. There’s a fun tradition that North Americans follow during Christmas. Mistletoe is often hung from a doorway between two rooms. If someone stands under the mistletoe, it is customary for someone else (usually a member of the opposite sex) to kiss him/her.

( ) are commonly eaten at Christmas.

( ) a Christmas with snow.

( ) literally, ‘socks.’ People hang them in front of a fireplace. Small presents are placed there and usually opened on Christmas morning.( ) a drink commonly served at Christmas parties.

( ) cutting the meat and handing it out to people is called ‘carving’ the bird

( ) Santa rides in a sleigh that is pulled by them. The most famous one is Rudolph.

( ) a ‘carriage’ that rides on snow.

( ) songs that are sung at Christmas.

( ) the evening of December 24, also called “The night before Christmas.”

( ) decorating the tree is called ‘trimming the tree’.

( ) a circular band of flowers or foliage twisted together, used as a symbol or decoration. It is usualy placed on the front door.

Answer key: 1, 11, 3, 4, 7, 10, 5, 6, 8, 9, 2, 12

IV. Take turns asking each other the following questions:

1. How do you celebrate Christmas?

2. Is Xmas time a good or bad moment in your life? Why?

3. Is shopping for Xmas a hassle or something fun?

4. What are the good and bad sides of Xmas time?

5. What do you usually eat during Xmas?

6. Do you celebrate Xmas on Xmas eve or on Xmas day?

7. Have you ever believed in Santa Claus? How did you find out he does not exist?

8. Is it fair that people help poor people during Xmas time, but not during the rest of the year? Why do they do it? What can be done about it?

V. Watch the first segment from the movie Four Christmases and discuss the questions that follow:

1. Describe the scene

2. How does this family celebrate Xmas?

3. Who still believes in Santa Claus?

4. What kinds of presents were given? Did the children like them? What about the adults? Explain how you know it.

5. What's your opinion about the way the children were told Santa does not exist?

6. What do you think about the boy's reaction to the news?

7. How similar is the gift exchange to the one you have at home?

VI. Now watch the segment from the movie How the Grinch Stole Christmas and answer the questions below:

1. Describe the scene.

2. What vocabulary in exercise III did you see during the scene?

3. What did the characters do to celebrate Xmas?

4. How similar is Xmas day in Whoville AND your town's Christmas celebration?

5. In your opinion, is this scene's the most perfect or the most boring Xmas time? Explain it.

6. What were some of the things you saw in the segment that don't take place in Christmas time where you live.

Watch the scene from the movie The Polar Express and discuss the questions:

1. Describe the scene.

2. What is the vocabulary in exercise III that you managed to see in the segment?

3. Who blelieves in Sabta Claus?

4. Describe Santa Claus' personality, according to the segment.

5. How do the children feel?

Breakfast with Scot: Idols x Fans

2011-12-11T00:08:00.001-02:00

This film is a nice way to see how different a family can be and how to respect differences. The initial scene is great to talk about the relationship between idols and fans in a world in which the celebrities' lives are exposed to the world practically instantaneously.

I. Take turns asking each other the questions below.

1. Do you have idols? Who are they?

2. Do you have celebrity idols? Do you follow their professional and private lives? Why (not)?

3. Are idols supposed to be role models? Explain it.

4. What's your opinion about news about celebrities that do not show their professional profile? For example, would you read the news about a famous person you admire that says: " X walks by the beach ith her son."

5. Are idols responsible for the happiness of their fans? Should they always make time to talk or correspond with their fans?

6. Why do some fans live for collecting information about their idols? What's your opinion about it?

7. Have you heard of stories about fans who want to hurt their idols? Why does it happen?

8. John Lennon was killed by a fan. Why do fans sometimes want to hurt their idols?

9. What does an idol do that hurts their fans feelings?

10. Why do fans change their idols so easily?

11. What would you do if someone you strongly admire treated you badly? Would you still be a fan?

12. What would you do if your child's idol were someone that should not be a model, in your opinion? For example, Hitler, a murderer, or a shallow pop star?

II. Watch the movie segment and answer the questions that follow.

1. Describe the scene.

2. Who's the idol and who's the fan?

3. Descibe the fan's and the idol's personality and feelings toward each other.

4. How did the sportsman react to his fans' requests? How do you assess his behavior?

5. How did the kid react to his idol's reaction? How do you assess his behavior?

6. How do you think the kid will see his idol from that moment on?

7. Have you ever asked for someone's autograph? Talk about it. Did you keep the autograph?

8. What would you do if you asked for an autograph and you were denied to receive it?

Hurricane Season: Hurricanes, Katrina

2011-12-04T00:27:00.002-02:00

I love the city of New Orleans and what happened to it because of hurricane Katrina really broke my heart. Whenever there is a natural catastrophe, talking about what happened is inevitable. This post is informative and a great conversation generator. Moreover, this is a wonderful under-rated movie. I. Divide the class in three groups. Group 1 reads WHEN A HURRICANE STARTS, group 2 reads WHEN A HURRICAN WATCH IS ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA, and group 3 reads WHEN A HURRICANE WARNING IS ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA.

When a hurricane season starts -

The time to start your preparations is long before a hurricane watch is issued for your area. A good time to begin is during Hurricane Awareness Week, which occurs the week before hurricane season begins on June 1st. This is the time to make a hurricane plan or assess the one you have already formulated. Go through your hurricane supplies and replace any items that are outdated. Test your flash lights and other battery operated equipment. Check your shutters to ensure they're in good working condition. You may even want to deploy one or two to make sure they fit properly and you remember how they go up. Update any emergency numbers and phone numbers for family contacts outside the area. Pick up a hurricane preparedness brochure at the store and review it for pertinent tips and useful information.

When a hurricane watch is issued for your area -

Now is the time to double check your supplies, your shutters, and your plans. If there are any actions in your plan that need to be done long before you hunker down, now is the best time. You should get some cash from the bank or ATM and gas up your car. The longer you wait, the longer the lines will be, wasting your time.

When a hurricane warning is issued for your area -

Now is the time for action! Put up your shutters before the winds get too high. Clean up your yard and prep your pool. Lower your refrigerator temperature and fill up your bathtub and any extra jugs with water. If you are evacuating, prepare your property first then leave the area with plenty of time ahead since roads will become congested soon after the warning is issued.

Information taken from the informative site:

http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/K1.html II. Group up the students so you can have one student from each of the previous groups. They share what they have just read without referring to the original texts. III. Complete the blanks with the correct word:

1. A ________________is a giant whirlpool that covers land. A ____________ is a whirlwind. (HURRICANE/TORNADO)

2. ______________ form over land from thunderstorms. ______________ form over water and covers all sorts of spinning storms from a standard low pressure system to a ______________. (TORNADOS / CYCLONES / HURRICANE)

3. In themselves nothing, they are both the same thing. The distinction is that _________________ form in the Atlantic, and _________ form in the Pacific Ocean. (HURRICANES / TYPHOONS)

4. ____________ Hurricanes are LARGE scale weather systems that form over warm ocean waters near the equator due to the convergence of several factors, including LOW wind shear, warm ocean water, and the Coriolis force. They are large features that exist over time scales of many hours to days. ___________ form in supercell thunderstorms, which are rotating thunderstorms that form in conditions of HIGH wind shear and large atmospheric instability. They are small features that exist on small time scales of minutes to an hour. (HURRICANES / TORNADOS)

Taken from: What are the differences between a hurricane, a tornado, an typhoon and a cyclone? Answerbag http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/2314#ixzz1J5rP9BGl

Answer key: The alternatives are in the correct order.

IV. Read some of the facts about the hurricane Katrina, which destroyed New Orleans in 2005. Decide which ones you believe are true.

a. Hurricane Katrina was one of the deadliest hurricanes in the history of the United States, killing over 1,800 people.

b. The confirmed death toll (total of direct and indirect deaths) stood at 1,836, mainly from Louisiana (1,577) and Mississippi (238). However, 705 people remain categorized as missing in Louisiana, so this number is not final. Many of the deaths are indirect. It is almost impossible to determine the exact cause of some of the fatalities.

c. Katrina was the largest hurricane of its strength to approach the United States in recorded history, causing devastation over 100 miles (160 kilometers) from the storm's center.

d. New Orleans' levee failures were found to be primarily the result of system design flaws, combined with the lack of adequate maintenance.

e.Hurricane Katrina was the costliest hurricane in U.S. history, with $75 billion in estimated damages.

f. More than 70 countries pledged monetary donations or other assistance. Kuwait made the largest single pledge, $500 million; other large donations were made by Qatar ($100 million), India ($5 million), China ($5 million), Pakistan ($1.5 million), and Bangladesh ($1 million)

g. New Orleans new levees have been rebuilt and are able to prevent another catastrophe of the kind if it happens again.

Information taken from the Discovery Site:

http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/katrina/facts/facts.html

Answer key: All are true, except letter g, because the levees won't be ready before 2013.

V. Watch the segment from the movie Hurricane Season and talk about the questions that follow.

1. Describe the scene.

2. What were some of the consequences of the hurricane devastation that you managed to see in the segment?

3. What images shocked you most? Why?

4. Have you ever been caught by a natural disaster (earthquakes, tsunami, hurricane, flood, or others)? Talk about it.

5. Is your living area susceptible to natural catastrophes?

6. Why do some people insist in living in areas that are at risk of a catastrophe, such as the eruption of a vulcano, hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, etc?

Grown ups: Home Remedies

2011-11-26T12:07:00.000-02:00

This very funny scene is great to discuss the topic remedies. We usually talk about it in class, especially when we want students to practice giving advice.

Home remedies and natural cures or medicines made at home from natural ingredients such as fruits, vegetables, herbs are catching a lot of attention due to its very nature of cure: simple, no side effects, no chemicals, inexpensive, plus the pleasure of being able to cure yourself!

http://www.home-remedies-for-you.com/

A home remedy is a treatment to cure a disease or ailment that employs certain spices, vegetables, or other common items. Home remedies may or may not have medical properties that treat or cure the disease or ailment in question. Many are merely used as a result of tradition or habit. A significant number, however, have been demonstrated to effectively treat ailments such as headache, fever or the common cold.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_remedy

Class Discussion:

Do you agree with the statements above? Why (not)?

I. Discuss these questions in groups.

1. Are home remedies common place in the country you live? How so?

2. Have you ever used them? What for?

3. Why do you think people make use of home remedies?

4. What are the advantages and disadvantages of home remedies?

5. Do you know any home remedy that is popular in your country?

6. Do you always go to the doctor when you have a cold or a flu? What do you do to get better when you don't look for a doctor?

II. Try to match the remedy and the problem, according to the site Herbal Ayurveda Remedy

1. Cataract

2. Constipation

3. Wrinkles

4. Insomnia

5. Cold and Cough

6. Sunburn

7. Migraines

8. Snoring

9. Dandruff

( ) apply a cloth dipped in milk on the affected area.

( ) Eat papaya before breakfast everyday.

( ) Apply beaten egg whites, let it dry and then wash off.

( ) Grind fresh ripe grapes and drink without adding any water.

( ) Eat raw carrots regularly and also consume fresh carrot juice, twice a day.

( ) Take half a teaspoon of ginger juice with half a teaspoon of honey, three times a day (morning, noon and night). In winter, warm the mixture by mixing a teaspoon of warm water in it.

( ) Drink 2 glasses of orange with a table spoon of honey at bed time.

( ) Take 2 to 3 sips of olive oil before going to bed.

( ) Mix olive oil and almond oil in equal proportions. Leave it for about 5 minutes.

Answer key:, 6, 2, 3, 7, 1, 5, 4, 8, 9

III. Do you know any remedies for the problems above which are different from the ones in the exercise? Talk about them.

IV. Watch the movie segment from the movie Grown Ups and discuss the questions:

1. Describe the scene.

2. What is the old lady's problem?

3. What's the remedy she has been using?

4. Has the remedy worked? Why (not)?

5. Should she be treated with a home remedy or go to a doctor? Why?

V. Role-Play. Make sure you come up with an agreement in the end of the role-play.

Student 1: You're the old lady. Describe what your problem is and ask for advice, but you do not like taking traditional medication.

Student 2: You're a doctor. You believe the old lady's problem is serious and you don't agree with home remedies to treat certain diseases. Talk the old lady into joining a traditional therapy with medication

Mona Lisa Smile: Methodology Teaching

2011-11-20T00:01:00.004-02:00

This segment from the attractive movie Mona Lisa Smile is to be used with teachers of English or Methodology students, just like the previous post from the movie Temple Grandin. It is a great idea for reflections teachers should make so that they can reach all kinds of students.

I. Watch the scene from the movie Mona Lisa Smile. Then work with a partner and make a list of all the adversities the teacher faced in her first class with this group of students.

II. Work in small groups:

1. Describe the teacher's expectations before the class.

2. Describe her difficulty with the students.

3. Describe the group of students.

4. What are the advantages and disadvantages of such a group of students?

5. Describe the teacher's feelings during the class.

6. What would you do if you were in the teacher's shoes?

7. What would you do if you were one of the students?

8. How effective was this class? Was it well-planned? Why (not)?

III. What would you do to make these students interested in the content she is teaching? Think about a lesson plan and strategies to make the following class more effective. Share your ideas with the class.

IV. Watch the second segment from the same movie, Mona Lisa Smile, and answer the questions that follow in small groups.

1. How effective was her class? Why?

2. What were the teacher's strategies to make the class more effective this time? How successful was she?

3. How do you think the teacher's and students' relationship be from this class on?

4. Did you think about the same kind of strategy the teacher did? What did your ideas have in common and how different were they?

5. What kind of learners do you think they are? Visual, aural (auditory) or kinesthetic? Explain it.

Temple Grandin: Learning Styles, Methodology

2011-11-13T00:05:00.004-02:00

This is one of the best films I have seen recently and it teaches us, instructors, how to deal with different learning styles and disabilities. This is the story of an autistic woman who managed to have her Master's despite her unique learning style and disability. This activity is for Methodology students or teachers and students who are taking a Teacher Development Course.

What is a "learning style"?

An individual's natural, habitual, and preferred way of absorbing, processing, and retaining new information and skill (Reid 1995)

I. Read the techniques or strategies below and decide to which kind of learning style it is most suitable. Write the number before group of sentences.

1. auditory or aural (learning by hearing)

2. visual (learning by seeing)

3. kinesthetic (learning by doing)

- Listen to instructions and information given orally.

- Sit towards the front of the room so you can hear well and so that you won't be distracted by the noises other students make

- Sit away from doors, windows, and other sources of noise repeat information silently to yourself.

- "subvocalize" as you take notes - repeat information to yourself as a quiet "mumble" that's barely audible.

- watch for key words written on PowerPoint slides, or the board to help organize notes

- Choose a location where you can see the instructor and all visual aids well

- try to listen and write down what you hear; fill in your notes and check for understanding after each class

- Rehearse/repeat information either silently in your head, or out loud study with a partner and take turns reading to each other

- discuss key concepts.

- Work in quiet areas to minimize hearing music, television or other distractions.

- If you prefer to study with music playing, choose something with no lyrics, and keep the volume low.

- Take a small object (eg. stress-ball) to class to play with in one hand while the other takes notes

- Use class breaks to stand up and stretch.

- Do something physical before sitting down to read or study.

- Use your fingers or a piece of paper to help keep track of where you are break reading tasks into small chunks; stop after each chunk, think about what you learned, and write a brief summary

- If confused about a detail, ask the instructor for clarification, write down what she/he says, then review later to ensure you understand.

- Include a left margin with key wordslook for sketches, diagrams, or charts to help interpret information.

- practice re-drawing them to help remember.

- Make notes colourful; highlight notes so all information relating to one topic is in the same colour category

- Use rhymes or jingles to help remember important points

- Try to remember important terminology by thinking about how parts of the words sound

- Read instructions and questions out loud to yourself (or subvocalize in test situations)

- Personalize the information

- think about how the concepts apply to you or other people you.

- If you typically use your hands when talking to people, try using your hands when studying and explaining concepts to yourself.

Answer key:

Auditory: a, c, f

Visual: b, e

Kinesthetic: d, g

II. Watch the movie segment and discuss the questions that follow:

1. Describe the scene.

2. What kind of learner is Temple Grandin?

3. How does she process the information she is being exposed to?

4. What are the best ways to teach her?

5. What would you avoid doing, if you were her teacher?

6. What strategies would you make use of to teach her?

7. What are the difficulties a teacher will face if he/she had to teach her a foreign language?

8. What is the advantage and disadvantage of having a student like Temple in your class?

Love and Other Drugs: Overcoming Difficulties, Parkinson's Disease

2011-11-05T00:11:00.000-02:00

This scene from the movie Love and Other Drugs talks about overcoming difficulties and the Parkinson's disease difficult reality. It is important to use the language class to make students aware of issues that concern humanity. When you use the scene, make sure you check if the language used is appropriate for your learners.

I. Work with a partner and decide if you agree with the tips given here. Then select three suggestions you consider to be the most important ones.

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1. Accept full responsibility for the problem- accepting full responsibility for the problem is the first sign of making sure the problem gets solved. Do not blame people, events or circumstances for your situation. One way or another, your choices in life have brought you to this point. Seek to own the problem.

2. Define the problem exactly---Ask yourself: What is the problem exactly? How did it happen? Get the facts! Seek to state your problem in your own words. It helps to provide more clarity on the situation. Also ask, what else is the problem? You'll be surprised to know that what you initially thought was the problem, was in truth something very different.

3. Next ask yourself: what is the worst possible thing that could happen if this problem is not solved? Then proceed to accept the worst. Be prepared to cut your losses. It will calm your mind in such a way that you wont believe!

4. Now with a calmer mind ask yourself: What are the possible solutions to this problem? Make a list! Brainstorm! Evaluate all the possible solutions. You'll be surprised at all the answers that will come to you.

5. Choose the best solution. Then seek to take action immediately. You dont have to get it right, you just have to get it going. Be prepared to accept alternative solutions.

6. Turn over your problem to your higher power. Before you go to bed at night or before a meditation session, turn your problems over to God, the Universe, Divine intelligence or whatever you label your higher power. You'll be surprised at how many new insights you receive, especially in the morning when you wake up.

7. Every Solution has a Problem. Focus on what you desire to achieve and not on what you don't want. Your thoughts, feelings, intentions and actions create your reality. Make sure that you are always thinking of the solution. As long as your goal is clear, those problems will vanish in thin air. Persist until you succeed!

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II. Watch the scene from the movie Love and Other Drugs and discuss the questions:

1. Describe the scene.

2. What is the main character's problem?

3. What did she decide to do to overcome it?

4. How effective is this alternative to overcome a difficult situation?

5. What do you know about the Parkinson's disease now that you did not know before you saw this scene?

6. What are some of the difficulties her boyfriend will probably face if he continues dating her?

7. What would you do if you were in his shoes?

8. What would you do if you were in her shoes?

9. What would you do if you were the man in the conference? Would you tell the cruel truth about your relationship with your wife, remain quiet, or hide the shocking parts of the relationship? Why?

Due Date & New in Town: Travel Hassles

2011-10-29T00:35:00.001-02:00

It's great to talk about travel hassles. I used these great scenes to lead in the topic.

I. Work in pairs. Discuss and list some of the kinds of hassles that occur when people travel. Write the name of the hassle and describe a product or idea that might help in dealing with each problem.

1. With Language:

Ex:

Hassle: You don't know the language

Product: A foldable card in which you point to the pictures and you will be able to communicate with any people in any culture

2. In hotels:

Hassle:

Product:

3. On planes:

Hassle:

Product:

4. On Buses:

Hassle:

Product:

5. At airports:

Hassle:

Product:

6. With food:

Hassle:

Product:

II. Make a list of the kind of things that can cause problems when you travel.

Think about the following items and other ones too.

Luggage (carry-ons, security ...)

Documents (passports, visas, tickets...)

Valuables (jewelry, money, cameras, laptops...)

People (passengers, flight attendants, family, children...)

Reservations (hotels, flights, car rentals...)

III. Watch the segment from the movie Due Date and make a list of all the hassles Robert Downey Jr's character faced in the segment. Compare his hassles with the list you prepared in exercise II.

IV. Answer these questions. and make a list of all the hassles Renee Zellwegger's character faced in the segment. Compare his hassles with the list you prepared in exercise II.:

1. Describe the scene.

2. What were the most and least serious hassles he faced?

3. What would you do if you were in his shoes? How would you react to each of the hassles you had listed?

4. Have you ever faced a situation like his?

5. Describe some travel hassles you have experienced and how you dealt with the situation.

V. Now watch the segment from the movie New in Town and discuss the questions:

1. Describe the scene.

2. What were the most and least serious hassles she faced?

3. What would you do if you were in her shoes? How would you react to each of the hassles you had listed?

4. Have you ever faced a situation like his?

Hereafter: Tsunami, Natural Disasters

2011-10-22T00:03:00.000-02:00

After watching this scene and thinking about the consequences of tsunamis in Thailand and in Japan, I felt the urge to prepare an activity to talk about it. Tsunamis don't take place in Brazil, so it is very shocking and hard to believe that such a tragedy is always about to happen somewhere in the world.

I. Prepare small posters with the information presented in the items below and tape them around the classroom. Give each students (or pair / group of students) the questions below. Ask them to guess what the answers are. Finally, The students look for their answers by reading the information displayed in the posters and read the class what they found out about tsunamis.

1. What is a tsunami?

A tsunami is a series of waves with a long wavelength and period (time between crests) generated by a large, impulsive displacement of sea water.
Time between crests of the wave can vary from a few minutes to over an hour.
Tsunamis are often incorrectly called tidal waves; they have no relation to the daily ocean tides.

2. How are tsunamis generated?

Tsunamis are generated by any large, impulsive displacement of the sea level.
Tsunamis are also triggered by landslides into or under the water surface, and can be generated by volcanic activity and meteorite impacts.

3. How often do tsunamis occur?

On the average, two tsunamis occur per year throughout the world which inflict damage near the source.

Approximately every 15 years a destructive, ocean-wide tsunami occurs.

4. Can strike-slip (horizontal motion) earthquakes trigger tsunamis?

Yes, approximately 15% of all damaging tsunamis were triggered by strike-slip earthquakes.
This type of earthquake is less likely to trigger a tsunami than one with vertical motion.

The waves are likely generated by associated landslides or motion of a sloping bathymetric feature.
Tsunamis generated by strike-slip earthquakes normally affect regions near the source only.

5. What does the word tsunami mean?

Tsunami (soo-NAH-mee) is a Japanese word meaning harbor wave.

6. How fast do tsunamis travel?

Tsunami velocity depends on the depth of water through which it travels (velocity equals the square root of the product of the water depth times the acceleration of gravity).
Tsunamis travel approximately 475 mph in 15,000 feet of water. In 100 feet of water the velocity drops to about 40 mph.
A tsunami travels from the central Aleutian Is. to Hawaii in about 5 hours and to California in about 6 hours, or from the Portugal coast to North Carolina in about 8.5 hours.

7. How big is a tsunami?

Tsunamis range in size from inches to over a hundred feet.
In deep water (greater than 600 feet), tsunamis are rarely over 3 feet and will not be noticed by ships due to their long period (time between crests).
As tsunamis propagate into shallow water, the wave height can increase by over 10 times.
Tsunami heights vary greatly along a coast.� The waves can be amplified by shoreline and bathymetric (sea floor) features.
A large tsunami can flood low-lying coastal land over a mile from the coast.

8. What does a tsunami look like when it reaches shore?

Normally, a tsunami appears as a rapidly advancing or receding tide.
It some cases a bore (wall of water) or series of breaking waves may form.

9. How is a tsunami different from a wind-generated wave?

Wind-generated waves usually have periods (time between crests) between 5 and 20 seconds.� Tsunami periods normally range from 5 to 60 minutes.
Wind-generated waves break as they shoal and lose energy offshore.� Tsunamis act more like a flooding wave.� A twenty foot tsunami is a twenty foot rise in sea level.

Information provided by the informative site: http://wcatwc.arh.noaa.gov/characteristics.htm

II. Watch the segment from the movie Hereafter and discuss the questions in pairs: 1. Describe the scene. 2. What did you see in the segment that you learned during the previous task? 3. What happened to the character of the American woman in the segment? 4. What are the most famous tsunamis you have heard of? 5. What do you think should be done in order not to have so many casualties because of tsunamis? 6. Are you afraid of tsunamis where you live? Do you face any natural disasters threats?

Serendipity: Piracy

2011-10-15T00:17:00.001-03:00

This is a romantic movie for those who love happy endings. It is a well told story and perfect for romantic lovers. I used this scene to talk about piracy, a growing problem all over the world.

I. Work with a partner and discuss these questions: 1. Is Piracy (music, fashion, movies, software) a problem where you live? How so?

2. How do you assess this problem? Is it a governmental problem or is it the citizens' and manufactures', designers', and artists'?

3. What should be done about it?

4. Have you ever bought a pirate product? Talk about it?

5. What's your opinion about ilegal downloading of films, music and software from the internet? Have you ever done it? How concerned are you?

6. Do people buy pirate products because the original product's price is far more expensive than they should be, or is it because they do not have principles concerned about copyrights issues?

II. Work in groups and decide if you agree or disagree with the statements about several views about piracy.

1.Downloading music makes it readily available to the masses in minutes, which is great for new artists.

2. When you download music, you save on the costs that would be incurred if you would have decided to buy it because costs are unnecessarily high.

3. Music industry has profited with piracy because they have other ways of making money differently despite the decrease in sales.

4. The practice of downloading music leads to the diminishing of sales of music cassettes, CDs and DVDs. It reduces the sale figures of music companies. It has an adverse effect on the music industry.

5. By downloading music you lose its originality. When you use the copied versions of music; you indirectly encourage piracy. As you download music, you do not go for the purchase of the original copies of music, which may result in an indirect violation of copyright.

6. In the fashion industry, styles copied at lower price points flood the market with cheap imitations of higher end goods. Piracy permeates the industry; even copies are copied. The quality is not worth it.

7. Designers such as Gucci, Armani, Prada, Louis Vitton charge too much for their products. It is only fair that piracy makes them available to larger masses.

8. These materials are often of poorer quality than the more expensive resources used by the higher priced manufacturers and consumers need to replace their clothing more frequently, and so do retailers, making cheap become expensive.

9. The business of copying allows for greater employment opportunities in the apparel industry for both skilled and unskilled labor.

10. For a garment to become a fashion, it needs to diffuse to a large mass of people. Design piracy makest possible for cheap reproductions of fashionable goods to diffuse to women of all economic levels.

III. Watch the segment from the movie Serendipity and discuss the questions.

1. Describe the scene

2. How is piracy shown in the segment?

3. Who's selling and who's buying?

4. What are the consumer's feelings towards piracy?

5. How would you assess the quality of the purchased product?

6. Why did she decide to buy it?

7. Would you do the same as her? Explain it.

8. What should happen to a person who sells a pirate product? What about the person who buys it? And the person who makes the pirate product?

When in Rome & Made of Honour: Traditions

2011-10-08T00:11:00.001-03:00

We always talk about traditions in our classes. These funny scenes are wonderful to lead the topic in.

A tradition is a ritual, belief or object passed down within a society, still maintained in the present, with origins in the past. Common examples include holidays or impractical but socially meaningful clothes (like lawyer wigs or military officer spurs), but the idea has also been applied to social norms such as greetings. Wikipedia I. Read about some people talking about wedding traditions in their countries. Then make a guess to find out which country the traditions come from. Taken from Topic Online Magazine

Countries:

BRAZIL - TURKEY - BELGIUM - COLOMBIA - CHINA - SPAIN - IRAN - EL SALVADOR

1. Wearing White, Giving Flowers, and Throwing Rice In my country, the bride always, or almost always, wears a white dress. The man comes to the house of the bride and give her her bouquet of flowers (also in white or other light colors). They go to the church and the man is inside when the father of the bride brings her to her future husband. And at the end, when they come out, the family throws rice on them. Jolien Debonne

2. Important Details of the Wedding Ceremony The bridegroom can't see the bride wearing her wedding dress before the ceremony. The bride has to wear something old, something new, and something that is borrowed. One more detail is that the rings should be engraved: the name of the bridegroom on the bride's ring and vice-versa. María Celina Brandao

3. One of the Interesting Things in a Chinese Wedding Ceremony A couple always has jokes played on them by their friends or guests. For example, during the ceremony an apple is hung with a thread before the couple. Then people who attend their wedding ask the bride and groom to bite the apple at the same time in order to show they love each other. However, at the moment their lips touch it, one of their friends suddenly pulls it away and the couple's lips meet and they have a big kiss instead of biting the apple before them. Interestingly, this action or behavior always causes a loud laugh. Cheng Limin

4. The Candle Ceremony There is the "candle ceremony" after the ring ceremony where the groom has to light the candle on his left and the bride lights the candle on her right. When they both have their candles lit, they put them together and light the candle in the middle. Then they have to put out their own candles and this means they become just one body for the rest of their lives. Jimena Baquero

5. Seven When the wedding ceremony service starts, a group of seven men goes to the bride's home. The bride and her family are waiting for seven white cars which escort the bride's car until they arrive at the church. Finally, the bride enters the church and then the nuptial song starts playing. Walter E. Hernández

6. Tradition of the "Grinding Girl" On the night before the marriage ceremony, three or four unmarried girls hold a clean white cloth on the heads of the bride and bridegroom while they are sitting on a sofa or on the ground. Then one of the girls start to grind two big nuggets of sugar together. As she does that, she asks God to repel all evil spirits from the life of the newly married couple. Before this, the families of the girl and the boy should make sure that the "Grinding Girl" is very trustworthy and decent. This will also provides the young unmarried girls with the chance to get married in the coming years! Mahmood Azizi

7. Take Note if You're Getting Married - If a groom's friend cuts a piece of the groom's tie, he'll get married soon. - If the bride wears something blue, she'll have a happy marriage. - If the groom sees the bride's dress, she'll have bad luck during the ceremony. Carmen Caffarena

8. I Can't Read Your Name, So You're Next! When a girl gets married, all her female friends write their names inside her bridal shoes. After the wedding ceremony, if someone's name has been rubbed off and can not be read anymore, it means this person is going to get married next. Arzu Cimitay

Answer Key

1 Belgium 2 Brazil 3 China 4 Colombia 5 El Salvador 6 Iran 7 Spain 8 Turkey

II. Watch the movie segments from ythe movies When in Rome and Made of Honor and answer the questions about both of the segments.

1. Describe the scene.

2. Describe the tradition the segments show

3. What are the consequences of (not) following the tradition.

4. What went wrong? Did anything unexpected take place?

5.Do you have a similar tradition in your country? Talk about it if your answer is YES.

6. What's your opinion about this tradition?

SEGMENT 1 - WHEN IN ROME

]

SEGMENT 2: MADE OF HONOUR

Talk to a partner:

1. Do you have a family tradition ? Talk about it?

2. Are traditions imporant? Why (not)?

3. What are some strange traditions you can remember?

4. Would you rather live in a world without traditions or in one where traditions are followed very closely? Explain why.

Little Fockers: Parents Styles

2011-10-01T00:04:00.001-03:00

I like all the movies of the series, but this one is really special. I love this scene and so do my students.

I. There are four types of parenting styles commonly referred to by parenting experts. Match the styles and the descriptions:

1. Authoritarian

2. Permissive

3.Authoritative

4. Uninvolved

( ) Child is the boss.

( ) Parents are the boss.

( ) Also called rejecting or neglecting: Boss is out to lunch - permanently.

( ) Also called balanced or democratic: Parents and children are co-bosses.

Answer key: 2, 1, 4, 3

II. Now fill in the blanks with the kinds of style in exercise I.

In the ____________ household, the parents are the ultimate and supreme commanders. They require their children to obey at all times and to not question authority. Strict with discipline and punishment, these parents value compliance above all else. Many children who grew up in an authoritarian family are not socially capable, lack self esteem or may be openly defiant. They also have been found to be deficient in leadership abilities, be incapable of decision making and to not be innovative thinkers.

The ______________ family allows the child to dictate behavior; some parents who adopt this style also subscribe to attachment parenting which promotes co-sleeping and "˜wearing' your infant in a sling close to your body. This style of parenting is often adapted by parents who were raised by authoritarians, and who wish to parent their own children in a completely opposite manner. Creativity and originality are highly prized in this family. Children from permissive parents are often impulsive, lack discipline and follow through, but score high when it comes to self esteem. These children are also often bored and expect others to take care of them, even when they reach adulthood.

____________ parents permit children to ask questions, but in the end the parents are the final decision makers of the household. As with authoritarian parents, authoritatives demand results from their children, but reach this end objective by guiding their children through discussion, caring direction and involvement. Usually these children are very social, do well in school and have high self esteem. Authoritative children are competent, have high leadership qualities, and do well with original thinking and concepts.

Children of ____________ parents do not have rules and are often the "˜parent' in the relationship. Sometimes this stems from parents that are substance abusers or in some other way incapacitated, including mental or physical illnesses and are not capable of being a good role model for their children. Frequently these children are resentful, have behavioral problems and do not do well in school. Depression is elevated with children of uninvolved parents.

Information from the great site http://www.essortment.com/quick-guide-pros-cons-several-popular-parenting-styles-34256.html

III. Talk to a partner:

1. What kind of parent are you (your parents)? Explain it.

2. What are your parents greatest qualities? And weaknesses?

3. How different would your like your parents to be? Explain it.

4. Describe the perfect parenting style in your own point of view.

IV. Watch the scene from the comedy Little Fockers and discuss the questions.

1. Describe the scene.

2. What is their parenting style? Justify your answers with examples from the scene.

3. What about the child? Is the boy responding well to that style? Explain it.

4. How would your father react in that situation, let's say, if you were playing with the food, but not eating it at all?

5. How would he react if you did the same thing as the boy did?

Animals United: Global Warming

2011-09-24T00:05:00.002-03:00

Global warming is a topic we should always address when talking about environment in the classroom. I used this good-humored segment to lead in this important topic.

The term ‘Global Warming’ refers to the rising temperature of the earth due to an increased amount of greenhouse gases. The scientific community as a whole has determined through all research that global warming is a problem caused by human influence. The burning of fossil fuels emits greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. These gases trap the heat from the sun and cause the temperature of our planet to rise. This warming of the globe could potentially alter sea level, crop yield and rain fall, and could increase the intensity and frequency of natural disasters such as tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, and droughts.

Explain what global warming is, using your own words.

Discuss:

1.How concerned are you and your family about global warming?

2.What do you do in order to change this situation?

3. What do you think about your country's stand on this issue?

4. Read the explanation about the Kyoto Protocol:

The Kyoto Protocol: 37 industrialized nations including Japan and several European countries have all committed themselves to cut their greenhouse gas emissions by 33%.

An American citizen viewpoint:

"The Bush Administration decided not to sign the Kyoto Protocol for one reason – the economy. President Bush has said on many occasions that the Kyoto Protocol sets unrealistic goals and would hurt the American economy. And so, we’ve become a country that intentionally lowers our expectations to increase our chances of meeting our goals. We’ve become a country that has made it a practice to do what’s profitable, what benefits our economy the most, rather than what’s right for the world. Most of all, we’ve become a country that seems to have more loyalty to ourselves than to the larger whole of which we should be a part – we care more about how we as a country are doing financially than we do about how our world is doing environmentally."

Group work:

What do you think of his opinion? Do you agree with it? Why (not)?

Decide whether the facts below are facts or fiction about global warming:

1. For centuries there has been a thick sheet of ice covering much of the Arctic, but recently it has been discovered to shrink at an increasing rate.

2. Fisheries are forced to move from one coast to another to keep up with the shifting marine life. For example, plankton and algae increase in certain areas, but disappear in others

3. Since the ice is melting, animals living in the region become endangered. This is also a threat for polar bears. The reason for this is that these animals need the thick ice sheet for their survival, as they often use it for traveling across and hunting for food. If there is less ice to walk on, quite simply, polar bears will have trouble finding food.

4. Experts claim that by the year 2050 the effects of global warming in Canada could actually make it a global superpower, while the rest of the world suffers.

5. Canada and global warming is not a new issue on the block, and it is little wonder. Canada has so much unused territory at the moment and it is just begging to be utilized in an efficient way. Canada is projected to have a growing population and a more developed north, as well as shipping lanes going through the Arctic Ocean, which was impossible before. Other effects of global warming in Canada include freeing up natural resources hidden in the north, such as fresh water, gas and oil. This will lead to building more infrastructure and attract more immigrants.

6. The tropics that are now considered “lungs of the planet” are projected to become complete desert, which will have catastrophic effects on the earth’s overall well-being.

7. The impact of global warming is greater in Antartica than anywhere else in the world. There has been an almost 5 degree F rise in temperature over the past 50 years in Antartica, and it is leading to a shrinking of the surface area thickness of the ice shelves

8. climate change and global warming have a largely negative impact on rainforest animals. Some tropical species like amphibians are already becoming extinct, and many more species of animals and plants are projected to be put on the danger lists of complete extinction in the 21st century.

9. There is a number of predicted effects of global warming, including extreme weather conditions like droughts, floods, hurricanes, wildfires, and heat waves. Melting ice caps are also among the predictions, with the consequent rising sea levels that will threaten the lives of millions inhabitants living along the coastlines.

Key: All the items are facts.

source : http://globalwarmingissues.wordpress.com/ Don't miss visiting the site. It is awesome. Also: http://www.bionomicfuel.com/the-impact-of-global-warming-on-forests/#more-2165

Watch the segment from the movie Animals United and discuss:

1. What is the viewpoint shown in the segment?

2. What is the message given?

3. How do you relate what was discussed in class with the segment?

27 Dresses: Unusual Weddings

2011-09-16T00:32:00.000-03:00

This is an attractive romantic comedy that talks about weddings, a perfect theme for our English classes.

I. Talk to a partner about the following questions:

1. Have you ever been to an unusual wedding? Describe it.

2. What are some of the ususual weddings you have heard of?

3. Would you like to be a guest of an extremely unusual wedding cerimony? Why?

4. What's your opinion about this kind of wedding?

5. Would you like your wedding not to be a traditional one? Why (not)?

6. Which kind of marriages last longer? Those in which cerimonies are traditional according to their culture or one in which the cerimony does not follow the usual conventions set by culture? Why?

You may have more warm-up questions about weddings and vocabulary related to it in these two posts published months ago here in the blog.

II. Watch the scene from the movie 27 Dresses. Work in teams. Make a list of all kinds of weddings you manage to remember from the segment.

YOU MUST NOT TAKE NOTES AS YOU WATCH THE SEGMENT.

II. Complete your list with the information collected by the other members from your group. Who scored more correct answers?

IV. Decide:

Which one is _________________?

the most unusual

the funniest

the most traditional

the most interesting

the craziest

Rio & Rise of the Planet of the Apes: Poaching

2011-09-09T00:04:00.000-03:00

Rio is an amazing movie and it addresses a serious topic, poaching, in a romantic, but informative way. Rise of the Planet of the Apes is too farfetched, but the original idea is clever and the movie breathtaking and thought-provoking. The information for the following exercises was taken from the wikipedia page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poaching

Poaching is the illegal taking of wild plants or animals contrary to local and international conservation and wildlife management laws. Violations of hunting laws and regulations are normally punishable by law and, collectively, such violations are known as poaching.

I. Explain poaching in your own words.

II. Talk to a firiend.

1. Does your country face problems with poaching? Which ones?

2. What are the problems poaching may bring to the society?

3. Here is a list of what makes hunting illegal - poaching. Decide if the reason is fair enough or if it not.

- It may be illegal and in violation because:

- The game or fish is not in season; usually the breeding season is declared as the closed season when wildlife species are protected by law.

- The poacher is illegally selling the animal, animal parts or plant for a profit.

- The animal is being hunted outside of legal hours.

- The hunter used an illegal weapon for that animal.

- The animal or plant is on restricted land.

- The right to hunt this animal is claimed by somebody.

- The type of bait is inhumane. (e.g. food unsuitable for an animal's health)

- The animal or plant is protected by law or that it has been listed as extinct or endangered and similar laws/treaties.

- The animal or plant has been tagged by a researcher.

Note that only wild animals can be poached. Stealing or killing domestic animals is considered to be theft, not poaching.

III. Watch the movie segment rom the movie Rio and answer the questions:

1. Describe the scene

2. What animal is being poached?

3. Why is it considered poaching? Take a look at the previous exercises to help you.

4. How serious is the situation shown in the segment? Explain it.

5. Are any of the characters commiting a crime? How innocent is a person who possesses a wild animal at home? What if this wild animal is very well-treated by the poacher? What if it is not well-treated? What should the punishment be, if any?

IV. Watch the scene from the movie Rise of the Planet of the Apes and discuss the questions.

1. Describe the scene

2. What animal is being poached?

3. Why is it considered poaching? Take a look at the previous exercises to help you.

4. How serious is the situation shown in the segment? Explain it.

5. Are any characters commiting a crime? What if the animal is being taken for animal testing, for example to find the cure of an uncurable disease, like Alzheimer?

The Queen & Paparazzi: Paparazzi

2011-09-02T22:59:00.003-03:00

The Queen is a wonderful movie which deals with Lady Diana's death and the Royalty's reaction to the press in a unique manner. Paparazzi is another interesting movie about Paparazzi, and these shocking scenes are food for thought. I used it to talk about paparazzi.

I. Match the vocabulary and its definition:

1. Footage

2. Inquest

3. be swarmed

4. Tip off

5. Onlookers

( ) an official process to discover the cause of someone's death

( ) a secret warning or piece of secret information

( ) large numbers of people moving around someone

( ) people who watch something that is happening in a public place but is not involved in it

( ) (a piece of) film especially one showing an event

Answer Key: 2, 4, 3, 5, 1

II. Now read the latest developments about Lady Diana's death and complete the paragraph with the words from exercise I.

Jurors at a London court have been shown previously unreleased video ___________ of the last moments of Diana, Princess of Wales, and her partner Dodi Al Fayed. The couple were seen rushing into the hotel on the evening they both died in a tragic car crash in a Paris tunnel. They _____________ by paparazzi and __________and dived into the hotel to avoid the photographers’ flashes. The new pictures reveal Diana and Dodi sharing intimate moments in the hotel’s elevator on the way to their fateful car journey. The focus of the ___________ is now on the actions of Henri Paul, the head of security at the Paris Ritz. There is speculation that he _____________ the paparazzi to exactly when and from where Diana would leave the hotel the evening she died.

Answer key: footage, were swarmed, onlookers, inquest, tipped off III. Watch the movie segment from them movie The Queen and discuss the questions that follow:

1. Describe the scene.

2. What were some of the moments that Lady Diana was caught by the paparazzi's cameras, according to the segment?

3. How did her death happen?

4. Was it an accident or murder? Explain it?

5. How responsible were the paparazzi?

6. Were the paparazzi important in Lady Di's life? Or were they only harmful to her? Why?

7. How could the accident be prevented from happening?

8. What are the celebreties that are mostly chased by paparazzi nowadays?

9. What would you do if you were a celebrity chased by restless paparazzi?

10. What are the limits for paparazzi?

11. Can paparazzi film famous people children and publish their photos/videos without the celebrities' permission? Why (not)?

12. Do celebrities depend on paparazzi? What are some celebrities you believe profit from the paparazzi's news?

13. What are the recent news you have seen that were published by paparazzi?

IV. Watch the segment from the movie Paparazzi and discuss the questions.

1. Describe the scene.

2. How would you describe the fans and their idol's (Bo's) contact?

3. What do you think about the picture in the newspaper? Do you think it is a worth-reading piece of news?

4. How would you describe the paparazzi?

5. What do you think about Bo's reaction?

6. Who's right? 7

. What would you do if you were in Bo's shoes?

8. What would you do if you were in the photographer's shoes?

V. Now watch the second scene from the movie Paparazzi and discuss these questions.

1. Describe the scene.

2. How do you compare this scene with the first one from the movie The Queen.

3. Was it an accident or murder?

4. How would you describe the actions of the paparazzi before, during and after the accident?

5. What should happen to the paparazzi?

6. What do you think will happen next?

The Ghost Writer: Ghostwriters

2011-08-28T00:09:00.002-03:00

Although this is not a typical topic for the L2 class, it can be a good source for conversation or warming a topic about reading/literature/writing. There are so many people releasing books as ghost writers that it made my class really meaningful.

"Ghost writing" is the art of writing for someone else. The Ghost Writer will write the final material and the client will take the credit for having written it. Most Ghost Writers are hired to do what the client wishes they could do if they had the time and ability. Then again some are hired as a service for people wishing to make a profit from the written word but who have absolutely no interest in writing. WIKIPEDIA

I. There are many people who may hire a Ghost Writer but the reasons for hiring one will usually fall into one of a two categories. Decide if you believe the reasons are fair enough and why:

1. Lack of time. A client who is particularly busy in their everyday life or business life may want to write something and may even have the research materials ready and the writing abilities to do it however it takes a lot of time to write anything and the client may not have the luxury of time.

2. Lack of ability. Writing is a skill and not everyone is in possession of it. What are the chances that the owner of 42 content based websites is also an accomplished web writer. What are the chances that a famous pop star also has the technical ability to pen an engaging autobiography. Not everyone is in possession of perfect grammar, spelling and story telling abilities and even those who do may not be able to write a best seller.

II. Decide with a partner if you believe the satements below are in favor or agains ghost writing.

( ) The drawback to ghostwriting is that you get no public credit. If you run a writing business that revolves around your personal reputation, you want as much credited work out there as possible.

( ) Freelance ghostwriting is a good source of additional income for you and your family. Although it doesn’t pay that well when you’re just starting out, it still provides a substantial income as you need not shell out any amount to get your ghostwriting career rolling.

( ) Depending on the project you take on, your skills and speed as a writer, as well as your own schedule, you can definitely work at your own pace. And you can work at the convenience of your home too.

( ) Since you have to write articles on the client’s chosen topic, you get to hone your skills in researching and writing for that topic.

( ) As you have no face-to-face interaction with your client, and your communication is mostly thru emails, defaults can easily occur. Some have delivered ghostwriting jobs which have remained unpaid as of this writing.

( ) Ghostwriting for online content pays quite low when you are just starting out. Project compensations can come as low $1 per 500-word article or even lower.

( ) You won’t be allowed to use the ghostwritten material in a portfolio (even a private portfolio sent directly to prospective clients). While some ghostwriting clients will allow you to do this, others require that you sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), meaning you can never claim involvement with the project, claim authorship, or imply the listed author isn’t in fact the author at all.

( ) Ghostwriting for online content pays quite low when you are just starting out. Project compensations can come as low $1 per 500-word article or even lower. Information taken from the informative sites below: Read more: http://webupon.com/money-making/the-pros-and-cons-of-online-ghostwriting/#ixzz1HMel4nE5 Read more at Suite101: All About Ghost Writing: The Pros, Cons and Facts About Writing for Others http://www.suite101.com/content/all-about-ghost-writing-a91132#ixzz1HMa566it

III. Watch the segment below and talk about the following questions in groups:

1. Who is the ghost writer in the segment? What will he write about and for whom?

2. How is the ghost writer seen by the person who is hiring him?

3. Why is he being hired?

4. Is the reason fair enough? Explain it.

5. What's your opinion about ghost writing?

6. Would you like to be or hire a ghost writer? For what reason?

Sex and the City 2: Coincidences

2011-08-19T00:14:00.000-03:00

This scene is wonderful. One of the best moments of the movie shows a huge, unfortunate coincidence, a topic we usually talk about in the EFL/ESL class.

Coincidence offers a non-religious, irrational explanation that is readily accepted by those that oppose any form of intelligent design. Its premise is found on the law of chance. Those that believe in coincidence usually believe in luck. http://hubpages.com/hub/Coincidence-or-Fate

Do you agree with this definition of coincidence? Explain it.

I. Work in small groups. Discuss these questions.

1. Do you believe in coincidence or do you think that everything is pre-determined by something we do not understand very well?

2. Can you remember a coincidence that has happened to you and that you have never forgetten?

3. When are coincidences good and bad? II. Read the quotes about coincindence. Explain what they mean, if you agree with them and why. Taken from http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/coincidence.html

1. Every single moment is a coincidence Doug Coupland, Novelist

2. When I think of some of my earlier work, it really seems a fortunate coincidence that I succeeded. Helmut Jahn, Architect

3. Coincidences are logical. Johan Cruyff, Soccer Player and Coach

III. Watch the movie segmnt from the movie Sex and the City 2 an answer the questions.

1. Describe the scene.

2. What is the coincidence in the segment?

3. Is this really a coincidence or was it likely to happen?

4. What would you do if you were in their shoes?

5. What should those actresses do?

6. How did they deal with the situation? Was it a wise decision?

Amish Grace: Amish People

2011-08-13T00:07:00.003-03:00

Talking about the Amish people in the language classroom enriches students' cultural knowledge, they get to know about people most of them have never heard of, and they learn to respect differences as well. This scene is great to get familiar with their lifestyle.

I. Work in small groups and decide if the statements are true or false about the Amish people. Information taken from http://www.amish.net/faq.asp

1. The Amish exchange gifts and Celebrate Christmas on December 25th and Old Christmas (Epiphany) on January 6th. They visit with family and friends. They do not, however, decorate their houses as English people do.

2. The Amish live in 5 states of the United States.

3. The Amish make their own clothes

4. The Amish don't file for a birth certificate.

5. Anyone can live in an Amish community by simply moving to where the Amish live in a specific area.

6. A person could visit an Amish area and talk to the Amish at roadside stands or stay in a Bed and Breakfast in an Amish area or where the Amish host visitors in their home.

7. An Amish person would not just "talk" on the phone. They would use the phone for a specific utilitarian purpose, i.e., to order supplies for the farm, to call the Doctor or notify a distant family member of a death or major illness in the family.

8. Amish groups do not wear colored clothes.

9. The Amish paint the front door of their homes blue to show that they have a daughter available to be wed.

10. Amish women who make quilts make an intentional error to show their humility.

1. T

2. F ( The Amish live in 28 states of the United States (Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, New York, Maine, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, Florida, Texas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Montana, Washington, Arkansas, Colorado, Mississippi and Nebraska) and the Province of Ontario, Canada)

3. T

4. F

5. T

6. T

7. T

8. F (They don't just wear white and/or black. Ladies wear shades of blue, green, red, brown, etc. Granted most colors are probably the darker tones of the color wheel but color nevertheless. Men also wear shades of all the above in their shirt color. Pants are brown, navy or black (generally).

9. F (The Amish live in large, comfortable houses that are painted white. They would not "decorate" their front door and they would not advertise that a daughter is available for marriage. Amish courtship is a rather private event).

10. F (Probably the "error" may have been a lack of the same material or color to finish the quilt, more so than the intentional piecing of an "error")

II. Watch the movie segment from the movie Amish Grace and discuss the questions.

1. Describe the scene

2. Describe their clothes

3. What are they discussing? What are their points of view?

4. What can you say about the Amish and their lifestyle based on the segment?

5. What's your opinion about the Amish?

6. Would you manage to adapt to their way of life? Explain it.

Hereafter & Dinner for Schmucks: Communicating with the Afterlife

2011-08-05T00:14:00.000-03:00

Hereafter is another Clint Eastwood's great moment as a director. The story is wonderfully intertwined and the subject is very well-explored. Dinner for Schmuck's scene is very funny and I had a blast watching it. The topic can be touchy, so make sure your audience is ready for it.

I. Discuss these questions with a partner:

1. Do you believe in the afterlife? Explain it.

2. Do you think it is possible to communicate with people who have already died? How does it happen?

3. Have you ever had such an experience? Do you know anyone who has? Talk about it.

4. If you could, would you like to communicate with someone who has passed away?

5. Is it healthy to try to communicate with the afterlife? Explain it.

6. How would you feel if someone you loved tried to communicate with you from the afterlife? What if it were someone you did not know?

7. Do you think most psychics or mediums are charlatans or hoaxes? Do they actually help or harm people who look for this kind of contact?

8. What are some ways you have heard of communicating with the afterlife?

II. Watch the movie segment from the movie Hereafter and discuss the questions:

1. Describe the scene.

2. How does the medium make contact with the afterlife?

3. Who is the medium making contact with? S1 talks about the middle-aged man and S2 talks about the boy.

4. What is the message given?

5. Is this kind of contact helping the characters? How do you think their lives will change after that?

6. Would you ask this medium to make contact for you? Who would you like to make contact with?

III. Watch the scene from the movie Dinner for Schmucks and answer the questions:

1. Describe the scene.

2. How does the medium make contact with the afterlife?

3. Who is the medium making contact with?

4. What is the message given?

5. Is this kind of contact helping anyone? How do you think their lives will change after that?

6. Would you ask this medium to make contact with someone for you? Why (not)?

Our Family Wedding: Interracial Marriages

2011-07-30T00:07:00.001-03:00

This is a really funny movie with lots of cultural capsules to explore. I used this one to talk about interracial marriages.

I. Work with a partner. Take turns asking each other the following questions:

1. How common are interracial marriages where you live?

2. Do you have anyone in your own family who married someone from another race? Talk about it.

3. Is there prejudice against this kind of marriage where you live?

4. What are the most common kinds of interracial marriages in your country?

5. Why do you think there is so much prejudice in families when a couple from different origins decide to get married?

6. What are some of the adversities couples may face when they choose to marry someone from a different race? Discuss how these issues may interfere in an interracial marriage. Think about concrete examples:

VALUES (good or bad, right or wrong, true or false, important or unimportant. )

EATING HABITS (Food and drink does not only consists of what is going to be consumed, it also takes into account how the meal is prepared, what time the meal is served, where the meal is eaten, and how it is eaten. )

SEX (contraception, menstruation, masturbation, number and importance of children, virginity and chastity, family honor, machismo and femininity, hygiene, premarital relations, marital fidelity, sexual practices, homosexuality, incest, dating, dancing, romance, holding hands, using cosmetics, and the way an individual dresses)

GENDER ROLES (each individual holds different beliefs about how the other person should behave)

FRIENDS (difficulties in finding friends can arise because our society is not completely tolerant of interracial marriages, our society would rather keep each race to them selves. Same race marriages may become uncomfortable having friends of multiracial marriages because they do not have the same type of background and they are not living through the same experiences, they have a difficult time understanding each other)

IN-LAWS (Disapproving in-laws are an issue in the majority of interracial marriages. The problem with in-laws is that depending on their race; they hold different views regarding what rights they have over their children, even after their children marry.)

RAISING CHILDREN (The models of upbringing children vary from race to race, and deciding which method to use will become a problem for many multiracial couples. )

II. Watch the movie segment from the movie Our Family Wedding and discuss the questions:

1. Describe the scene.

2. What are the couple's different races?

3. What were the couple's expectation for the relationship between each other's families?

4. How did the family react during the meeting?

5. Would this situation take place if the couple lived where you live? Explain it?

6. What's your opinion about their behavior?

Date Night, Bangkok Dangerous & The Others: Superstitions

2011-07-23T00:11:00.002-03:00

Talking about superstitions is fun and generates lots of discussions in the classroom. I used these scenes to illustrate the topic.

I. Work in small goups. Come up with a list of common superstitions people have where you live in.

II. Share them with the rest of the class.

III. Read the superstitions below, which are popular in different countries. In pairs decide if you have ever heard of them, if you believe them and if you have similar one where you live. This is taken from the curious site Paul Sparks, Online Business English Lesson Plans, Lesson Material and Ideas for Grade 1 Engl ish Conversation Lessons at Xiangtan Normal University...

1. YAWN - A yawn is a sign that danger is near. Cover your mouth when you yawn, or your soul can go out of your body along with the yawn.

2. BEE - If a bee enters your home, it's a sign that you will soon have a visitor. If you kill the bee, you will have bad luck, or the visitor will be unpleasant. A swarm of bees settling on a roof is an omen that the house will burn down.

3. BIRD - A bird in the house is a sign of a death. If a robin flies into a room through a window, death will shortly follow.

4. BRIDGE - If you say good-bye to a friend on a bridge, you will never see each other again.

5. BUTTERFLY - If the first butterfly you see in the year is white, you will have good luck all year. Three butterflies together mean good luck.

6. CAT - If a black cat walks towards you, it brings good fortune, but if it walks away, it takes the good luck with it. Keep cats away from babies because they "suck the breath" of the child.

7. ELEPHANT - Pictures of an elephant bring luck, but only if they face a door.

8. FOOT - If the bottom of your right foot itches, you are going to take a trip.

9. HAND - If the palm of your right hand itches it means you will soon be getting money. If the palm of your left hand itches it means you will soon be paying out money.

10. MILK - It's bad luck to let milk boil over.

11. PEPPER - If you spill pepper you will have a serious argument with your best friend.

12. UMBRELLA - Dropping an umbrella on the floor means that there will be a murder in the house. It's bad luck to open an umbrella inside the house, especially if you put it over your head.

IV. Watch the segment of the film DATE NIGHT and answer the questions that follow.

1. Describe the scene.

2. What exactly is the superstition shown in the movie segment.

3. Have you ever heard of this superstition?

4. Is there a similar superstition where you live?

5. What do you think will happen next?

V. Watch the segments from the movie BANGKOK DANGEROUS and discuss the questions that follow.

1. Describe the scene.

2. What exactly is the superstition shown in the movie segment.

3. Have you ever heard of this superstition?

4. Is there a similar superstition where you live?

5. What do you think will happen next?

1. Describe the scene.

2. What exactly is the superstition shown in the movie segment.

3. Have you ever heard of this superstition?

4. Is there a similar superstition where you live?

5. What do you think will happen next?

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World: Vegans

2011-07-16T00:03:00.004-03:00

This movie is awesome. Its innovative language makes it unusual and gripping. I simply loved it. I used this fantastic scene to talk about vegeterianism and veganism in the classroom.

Veganism is the practice of eliminating the use by human beings of non-human animal products. Ethical vegans reject the commodity status of animals and the use of animal products for any purpose, while dietary vegans or strict vegetarians eliminate them from the diet only. (Wikipedia)

Vegetarians do not eat meat, fish or poultry, but might eat dairy products such as cheese, eggs, yogurt or milk. Vegetarians are not as predictable in their beliefs, as there are many reasons to become vegetarian that don’t necessarily include altruism as a primary motive. For example, you may become a vegetarian becaus of health problems. (Wisegeek)

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A VEGAN AND A VEGETARIAN, ACCORDING TO THE DEFINITIONS ABOVE?

I. Take turns asking each other the questions below:

- Do you know any vegetarians? How different are their eating habits from yours?

- Do you think restaurants should offer one or two vegetarian dishes on their menu?

- Could you try vegetarianism for a month, for a week or for a full day?

- If someone eats cheese and drinks milk, are they vegetarian?

- If someone wears leather shoes or a fur coat, can they call themselves "vegetarian"?

- What is the difference between a vegan and a vegetarian?

- What is the most logical reason for becoming a vegetarian?

- What meal would you miss the most if you became vegetarian?

- What would be more difficult to eat, a strange new vegetable, or an exotic piece of meat?

- Have you ever considered becoming a vegetarian?

- What is a better reason for becoming a vegetarian; health reasons or animal rights?

- Do you think there is prejudice or discrimination against vegans? Explain it.

I. Read the arguments pro vegeterianism in green and decide if they are true and if/why you (dis) agree with them. Then read the arguments against the idea that people should go vegetarian in red. Then decide if they are true and if/why you (dis) agree with them. Material taken from one of my favorite sites for conversation classes, Procon.org http://vegetarian.procon.org/

1.Humans evolved to be primarily vegetarian. Humans do not have the large mouth or long, pointed teeth of carnivores. Human teeth are short and flat for chewing fibrous food.

2.It is cruel and unethical to kill animals for food. Animals are sentient beings that have social structures and emotions.

3.A vegetarian diet reduces the chances of developing kidney and gallstones. Diets high in animal protein cause the body to excrete calcium, oxalate, and uric acid - the main components of kidney and gallstones.

4.A peer-reviewed 2004 study from Harvard researchers found that eating meat increases the risk of getting type 2 diabetes.

5.Vegetarians live longer. A peer-reviewed 2003 study found that adherence to vegetarian diets or diets very low in meat for 20 years or more can increase life expectancy by 3.6 years

6.A vegetarian diet can help alleviate world hunger. Over 10 pounds of plant protein are used to produce one pound of beef protein. [24] If these grains were fed to humans instead of animals, more food would be available for the 925 million people in chronic hunger worldwide

7.A vegetarian diet conserves water. It takes about 2,500 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef, and about 660 gallons to make a pound of chicken. It only takes about 220 gallons to make a pound of tofu and 180 to make a pound of wheat flour.

8.Many food animals in the US are not slaughtered humanely.

9.Consuming fish can be unhealthful. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, "nearly all fish and shellfish" are contaminated by methylmercury (a potent neurotoxin) from industrial pollution.

1.Eating meat is not cruel or unethical. Every organism on earth dies, at some point, so others can live. There is nothing wrong with this cycle; it is how nature works.

2.Humans have been eating meat for 2.3 million years and it has been an essential part of our evolution.

3.Meat is the most convenient protein source since it provides all 10 essential proteins (amino acids), as well as essential nutrients such as iron, zinc, and the B vitamins, in one serving. Most plant foods do not provide adequate levels of all 10 essential proteins.

4.A meat-centered diet can help with weight loss. It takes fewer calories to get protein from lean meat than it does from vegetarian options.

5.Vegetarian diets are not necessarily better for the environment. About 90% of US cropland, for example, suffers from top soil loss at 13 times the sustainable rate.

6.Becoming vegetarian will not help alleviate world hunger. The 925 million people in chronic hunger worldwide are not hungry because people in wealthy countries eat too much meat. The problem is one of economics and distribution.

7.Eating fish, especially fatty fish like tuna and salmon, provides the body with the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA which are important for brain function.

8.Modern slaughter techniques minimize the suffering of animals. US slaughterhouses must conform to the Humane Slaughter Act (HMSA) which mandates that livestock be stunned unconscious before slaughter.

9.There is nothing inherently cruel about raising animals for food.

10.The right to eat what we want, including meat, is a fundamental liberty that we must defend. Animal-rights and health groups are attempting to control personal behavior Material taken from one of my favorite sites for conversation classes, Procon.org http://vegetarian.procon.org/

- What is your conclusion, after having read all these arguments? II. Watch the segment from the movie Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World and discuss the questions.

1. Describe the scene.

2. According to the segment, how do vegans see themselves?

3. Are vegans actually better people because of their altruistic values? Explain it.

4. Do vegans actually keep an eye on each other's eating habits? Is it a good way to control each other?

5. Should vegans be so strict to their habits and not allow any moments of animal consumption?

6. Human beings have been carnivorous since prehistoric periods. Isn't being a vegan against the human nature?

Exit through the Gift Shop: Graffiti, Street Art

2011-07-09T00:03:00.004-03:00

This is a polemic documentary with different viewpoints about graffitti. I used the initial scene to brainstorm the topic. Graffiti (singular: graffito; the plural is used as a mass noun) is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property. Graffiti is any type of public markings that may appear in the forms of simple written words to elaborate wall paintings. (Wikipedia)

I. Work in pairs and discuss these questions:

1. What do you know about graffiti, street art? Do you like it?

2. Is it popular in your city?

3. Do you consider it art or vandalism?

4. What should happen to someone caught doing it?

5. How would you react if your walls were painted with graffiti without your consent?

II. Read the statements below and decide which ones you agree with and justify your answers.

1. This is kind of art, this could enhance the creativity of street painters.

2. They make a dirty environment with paintings that are not useful.

3. This is identical with crime, they should put in the jail.

4. It is definitely art and it should be celebrated.

5. It is definitely vandalism and creators should be sent to jail.

6. It is art, but there should be specific places to create it.

7. It is art, but I don't want it on my wall, thank you.

8. Some of it is art, but most of it is trash.

9. It reflects the culture of youngsters in the society.

10. I don't look at them on the walls, I just ignore them.

11. If it's art, why not put them on canvas and frame them?

III. Watch the segment below and discuss the questions.

1. What were some of the places artists created art with graffiti?

2. What do you consider art and what do you consider vandalism?

3. Should anyone be punished?

4. What were some of the risks these artists faced?

5. Should all the artists receive the same treatment by the police? Explain it.

ART OR VANDALISM?

The next worksheet was developed by my reader Alexandra Duarte, a reader from Portugal. She prepared these creative slides to lead in the topic. Thanks, Alexandra, for sharing and developing such great activities.

SLIDES - Alexandra Duarte.

Alexandra Duarte has been an EFL teacher for about 20 years, most of them at MartinhoÁrias Secondary School in Soure / Portugal. For the last 3 years she has been involved in adult teaching.

http://www.clubeinglesoure.blogspot.com/

The Invention of Lying: Lies

2011-07-02T00:11:00.005-03:00

This movie's great and original idea makes us believe how terrible life would be if everyone told the truth all the time. It's great to talk about lies in the classroom, so this scene is a great warm-up tool.

I. Take turns asking each other questions about the following questions. Student 1 asks the questions in BLUE and Student 2 asks the questions in BROWN.

- Why do people lie?

- When is it OK to tell a lie?

- What was the biggest lie you have ever told?

- Have you ever lied in a job interview or to your boss? Why/How did you do it?

- Who lie more? Men or Women?

- Who lie more? Children, teens or adults?

- Has anyone ever told you a lie that hurt you?

- Do you think white lies are ok? Explain it.

- What would you do if someone spread out lies about you?

- Would you tell someone to their face if you realized they are lying to you? Justify it.

II. Read the statements below about lying and decide if you agree with them and why.

1. Lying is okay when the truth can be hurtful.

2. Lying helps avoid unnecessary conflicts.

3. Lying can avoid hurting others.

4. Lying is okay because the truth hurts.

5. Lying may lead to endless arguements.

6. Lies destroy trust and creates distance.

7. It's difficult to contain a lie.

8. Lying, when well-told, can make your life better.

III. Watch the movie segment from the movie The Invention of Lying and discuss the questions.

1. Describe the scene.

2. How do you think life would be if everyone told the truth all the time?

3. What did the characters say that people do not usually do?

4. What would they say in a real life situation?

5. Would life be better or worse if everyone told the truth all the time?

Thinner: Curses

2011-06-25T00:16:00.004-03:00

Most people have not seen this scary movie, but it is great and based on a Stephen King's story, so you must trust it. King is a genius and this movie is terrifying. The scenes here, though, are ok for classroom use. Make sure your culture allows this kind of discussion in class.

I. Talk to a partner:

1. What do you know about curses?

2. Do you believe them?

3. How are curses seen your culture?

4. Have you ever heard of a curse that has affected someone you know (or someone famous)?

5. Do you think curses are commonplace in sports?

6. Are there curses that people make use of to hold a partner or break up other people's loving relationship? Why do you think that happens?

II. Read the definition of a curse below and discuss the questions that follow.

A curse, from a biblical perspective, is any undesirable matter that emerges from an utterance, statement, pronouncement, invocation, oral or written vocabulary that expresses ill will or misfortune to an individual, animal or object. This is a definition based on biblical analysis. It won’t be found in a dictionary because secular dictionaries do not use the bible for definitions.

Definition provided by this religious site.

Work with a partner and decide if your beliefs match with what characterizes curses:

1.What distinguishes a curse from other unpleasant matters is in its expressive nature. It needs to be uttered whether verbally or in writing.

2. It’s not just a bad thought, feelings of anger or hatred towards someone.

3. Curses are not telepathic or psychical.

4. Curses can't be received through a dream, vision, apparition, or any spiritual phenomena.

5. Curses can only be expressed in the physical or earthly realm, not spiritual realm.

III. Watch the segment from the movie Thinner. Then discuss the questions about it.

1. Describe the segment.

2. What did the gypsy do to the Caucasian man? How did he curse him?

3. What happened to the fat man in the next days of the week?

4. What do you think of this curse?

5. What do you think has happened for the gypsy to do that?

6. What do you think will happen next?

IV. Watch the second segment from the same movie and discuss the questions:

1. Describe the scene.

2. How different is the main character now? How does he feel?

3. What is the other curse the gypsy throw?

4. What are the consequences of this curse?

5. How does the cursed man's wives react to it? Does she believe in curses now?

6. Do you think these kinds of curses are possible?

7. Do you think the segments show prejudice against gypsies? Explain it.

8. How different/similar are both curses shown in the segment?

9. According to what was described as curses in exercises I and II, are they actually curses? What are some of the lacking characteristcs of curses?

Love and Other Drugs: Sales Techniques

2011-06-18T00:14:00.000-03:00

This is a nice movie with food for thought. It is funny and dramatic too. Very well-balanced drama and humor. I used this scene to have student talk about sales techniques.

Sales technique is a method used by a salesperson to persuade costumers to buy. It is a presentation of goods, and closing of sales. glossary of marketing.com

I. Watch the movie segment from the movie Love and Other Drugs. Observe the main character's selling strategies and techniques. Then read the skills and attributes a salesperson must have and check the items you think he has. Make sure you give examples that you saw in the segment that support your viewpoint. If you can't spot the skill in the segment, say it. Then check the DONT's items he commited.

MUST HAVE QUALITIES

l. Job satisfaction.

2. Product knowledge.

3. Enthusiasm.

4. Formal and up-to-date sales technique training.

5. The ability to ascertain the customer's needs.

6. The ability to fit the product to the customer.

7. The ability to recognize the customer's problems, e.g. shortage of money, shortage of time.

8. The ability to recognize the time to close the sale.

9. A likeable and friendly manner

10. Last, but by no means least, a clean and smart appearance.

DON'Ts

l. Don't be aggressive, avoid the hard sell.

2. Don't talk about yourself, it holds no interest for the customer.

3. Don't approach the customer smelling of alcohol, cigarettes or anything that the customer may find the slightest bit offensive.

4. Don't ever argue with the customer, simply ask questions.

5. If you get a positive buying signal from the customer, cease your sales presentation - to continue can lose you the sale.

6. Don't criticize others.

7. Don't criticise other manufacturers' products.

II. Discuss the questions that follow:

1. Can a salesperson be actually trained? Explain it.

2. What's your opinion about Pfizer's workshop?

3. What are some of the techniques they teach there?

4. How motivated are the participants?

5. What are the company's main goals?

6. How does Pfizer motivate their salespeople?

7. Do you consider the main character an effective salesperson? Why (not)?

8. Do you think you are a good salesperson? Why (not)?

9. Would you like to join workshops like the one in the segment? Why (not)?

Bangkok Dangerous, The Blind Side, The Last Song, Breakfast with Scot & Wimbledon: Sports

2011-06-11T18:29:00.004-03:00

We always talk about sports in EFL/ESL classes. These segments are all great and perfect to brainstorm the topic.

I. Talk to a friend.

- Do you play any sports? Are you a good soccer player? Basketball player? Baseball player? Tennis player? Swimmer?

- Do you like to exercise? How often do you do it?

- Do you like to watch sports on TV? Which ones?

- Do you like watching car races?

- Do you think athletes earn enough money, not enough money or too much money?Explain it.

- Do you think everybody should practice sports?

- What do you think is the most popular sport in the world?

- What is the most dangerous sport?

- What is the most expensive sport?

- What sports do you hate to watch?

- Which sport would you not let your child play? Why?

II. Watch the movie segmemts below. Then answer the questions about each of the segments you will see.

1. What is the sport in the segment?

2. How many players does each side have?

3. Describe, using your own words, how the sport is played.

4. Describe the scene?

5. What are the most exciting and the least interenting features of the sport?

6. Have you ever played it? Would you like to play it (again)?

7. How popular is this sport in your country?

8. Do you know any famous athlete who plays it?

SEGMENT 1: Bangkok Dangerous: Muay Thai (Thai Boxing)

SEGMENT 2: The Blind Side: Football

SEGMENT 3: Breakfast with Scot: Ice Hockey

SEGMENT 4: The Last Song: Beach Volleyball

SEGMENT 5: Wimbledon: Tennis

The Curse of the Jade Scorpion: Hypnosis, Unusual Situations

2011-06-04T00:04:00.003-03:00

This is Woody Allen's funniest movie, in my opinion. This scene is great and it is very nice to talk about unusual experiences and hypnosis.

I. Work in pairs Check the alternatives in which you believe is true about hypnosis.

1. It is a form of mind control

2. It is capable of taking over other people's free will.

3. It is brainwashing.

4. It is capable of controlling a person's behavior and judgment.

5. It is caused by the hypnotist's power.

6. Hypnosis is possible only upon weak-minded individuals.

7. Hypnosis is used to treat obesity, anxiety, depression, phobias, fears and habits, such as quitting smoking.

8. Hypnosis is used to alleviate the pain associated with cancer and other chronic illnesses.

9. Hypnosis is used to alleviate the pain associated with cancer and other chronic illnesses.

10. Hypnosis is also used in dentistry to decrease anxieties and make patients feel more comfortable with the dental experience.

11. Hypnosis is used to treat skin diseases.

12. Hypnosis is used in the educational field to increase memory and learning capacity as well as focus and energy.

13. Hypnosis is also used to improve self-esteem and confidence.

II. Divide the class in two big groups. Group 1 reads the text in blue and group 2 reads the text in red. taken from the amazing, resourceful site- Hypnosis Fact and Fiction - from Articles Base - The Free online Articles Directory

I will start by addressing the misconceptions of hypnosis and tell you WHAT HYPNOSIS IS NOT. Hypnosis is not a form of mind control despite its portrayal in movies as such… you know, the guy dressed in the black tuxedo with big, bushy eyebrows that can swing his pocket watch as a pendulum before people’s eyes to make them cluck like chickens upon the snap of his fingers… No, hypnosis is not capable of taking over another’s free will. Hypnosis is not brainwashing and is not capable of controlling a person’s behavior and judgment. Hypnosis is not caused by the hypnotist’s “power”, as this would allude to the possibility of “mind control” of which there is no hard scientific evidence. It is also a big misconception that hypnosis is possible only upon weak-minded individuals. In actuality the ability to enter a hypnotic state has nothing to do with one’s intelligence. The hypnotic state can be reached by any individual through self-hypnosis techniques however the ability to be hypnotized by an outside party (hypnotist) is dependent more upon genetic factors. Neither is hypnosis dependent upon individuals with vivid and overactive imaginations.

Now I will delve into what hypnosis is and real world applications of hypnosis. There is a plethora of ways in which hypnosis has been and still is used today in treating mental, physical and social problems. Hypnosis is used to treat obesity, anxiety, depression, phobias, fears and habits such as quitting smoking. Hypnosis is used to alleviate the pain associated with cancer and other chronic illnesses. Hypnosis is also used in dentistry (hypnodontia) to decrease anxieties and make patients feel more comfortable with the dental experience. Hypnosis is used to treat skin diseases through a practice known as hypnodermatology. Hypnosis is used in the educational field to increase memory and learning capacity as well as focus and energy. Hypnosis is also used to improve self-esteem and confidence. Altered states of consciousness such as relaxation, meditation and sleep have been achieved through hypnosis.

III. Each student from group 1 pairs up with one student from group 2. They tell each other what they read and check the answers to exercise I.

IV. Watch the movie segment from one of Woody Allen's funniest movies The Curse of the Jade Scorpion and answer the questions that follow.

1. Describe the scene.

2. Which items in exercise II apply to the segment?

3. According to the reading you have just done, do you think the hypnosis is real? Explain it.

4. Do you believe it is possible to hypnotize someone like it happened in the segment? Why (not)?

5. Would you like to be hypnotized? Why (not)?

6. If you could be hypnotized, what would you like to happen?

7. In your opinion, is hypnosis really possible? Why?

The Social Network: Social Networks, Facebook

2011-05-28T00:01:00.002-03:00

The Social Network is an amazing film. Talking about Facebook, twitter, orkut, linkedin, etc is always attractive to learners because everyone has opinions about them.

I. Work in pairs. Interview each other and prepare a profile of your interviewee to share with the class.

- Do you have social networks accounts, such as facebook, orkut, my space, linkedin, twitter? Which ones? Which one is your favorite?

- Do you have a Facebook account? How often do you check your Facebook account?

- How many friends do you have on Facebook? Are they actually your friends? - What do you do on Facebook? - What's the best and worst thing about Facebook? - What's something you don't like about Facebook?

- Have you ever had a problem on Facebook?What happened? Do you know anyone who has had a problem on Facebook?

- Do you chat on Facebook? How often do you do it? Do you like chatting on the internet? Why (not)?

- Do you know any story about a problem because of Facebook?

- Do you accept any friend request? How do you do it?

- Is it okay to have your boss as a friend on Facebook? Why (not)? What about your parents? And teachers?

- Do you have any private album that none of your friends can see? - How do you protect your album privacy on Facebook?

- What are some privacy concerns when using Facebook?

- Do you follow celebrities on Facebook?

- How different are Facebook and Twitter?

- How different are Facebook and Orkut?

- Why is Facebook so popular?

II. Now prepare a speech about your partner and talk about his/her social networking profile.

III. Watch the segment from the movie The Social Network and discuss the questions in pairs.

1. What are the main ideas that the creator of Facebook and his partner had in mind that makes the concept successful?

2. Why is Facebook different from other sites, according to the segment?

3. What suggestions would you give to make Facebook even better?

4. What is the future of Facebook?

Tooth Fairy, The Princess and the Frog, Ella Enchanted & Shrek: Fairy Tales

2011-05-21T00:06:00.007-03:00

Talking about Fairy tales is great because there is a lot to connect with reality. The final activity about the movie Shrek was provided by the reader Rodigo Tiago Mendonça. Check his info out in the end of the post. Thanks, Rodrigo.

Watch three movie segments. One is from the movie Tooth Fairy, another one is from the animated movie The Princess and the Frog, and the last one from Ella Enchanted. Then look at the characteristics of a fairy tale, which follow the segments, and write T if it applies to the movie Tooth Fairy, E for Ella Enchanted, P if it applies to The Princess and the Frog, A if applies to ALL and N if it applies to none of them.

T - Tooth Fair

P - The Princess and the Frog

E - Ella Enchanted

A - All

N - None

Tooth Fairy:

The Princess and the Frog

Ella Enchanted

1. ( ) It takes place in a vague period of time (Once upon a time... / A long time ago... / etc)

2. ( ) The plot usually includes magic or fantastic forces.

3. ( ) The inhabitants of this magical land sometimes visit the world of humans.

4. ( ) Some events have rule-breaking consequences.

5. ( ) The hero or heroine is often looking for something (a home, a love, wealth, wisdom) and everything turns out for the best, but sometimes with sad, dark endings.

6. ( ) Girls often marry princes and boys overcome adversaries to be successful.

7. ( ) There is a presence of magical, unreal, incredible events.

8. ( ) Spells are important elements.

9 . ( ) Magic and the supernatural permeate everyday life, showing that everybody can live happily ever after.

10. ( ) Fairy tales deal with real problems that can be easily identified by the children in the tale.

B. Form three groups: One groups is responsible for the Tooth Fairy, another one about the Princess and the Frog, and the third one about Ella Enchanted. Each group talks about the questions about their own fairy tales:

GROUP 1: The Tooth Fairy

1. Describe the scene.

2. What is the fairy tale about?

3. What is the magical element in the fairy tale?

4. Why does this tale exist? What lesson does it teach?

5. Did you use to believe in the tooth fairy? is it a common fairy where you live? If so, how different is it from the way it is shown in the movie?

6. How interesting is this tale?

GROUP 2: The Princess and the Frog

1. Describe the scene.

2. What is the fairy tale about?

3. What is the magical element in the fairy tale?

4. Why does this tale exist? What lesson does it teach?

5. Did you use to believe in the marrying a price (princess)? is it a common fairy where you live? If so, how different is it from the way it is shown in the movie?

6. How interesting is this tale?

Group 3: Ella Enchanted

1. Describe the scene.

2. What is the fairy tale about?

3. What is the magical element in the fairy tale?

4. Why does this tale exist? What lesson does it teach?

5. How interesting is this tale?

C. Group discussion:

1. Are fairy tales important or lies that make children believe the impossible can happen?

2. Why are fairy tales so popular until today?

3. Do you know other fairy tales? Talk about the ones you know.

4. What is your favorite one? Why?

5. Do you think fairy tales can be harmful? Why (not)?

This activity was shared by one of this blog's reader, Rodrigo Tiago Mendonça. Check out his biodata and views in the end of the post. Thanks, Rodrigo. Here is a space for sharing, so if you have activities to share, email them to me at claudioazv@gmail.com

1) Match the following vocabulary to their corresponding definitions. A. Knights

B. Keep

C. Lovely

D. Dreadful

E. Enchantment

F. Fearful

( ) Having beauty that appeals to the emotions as well as to the eye.

( ) A mounted warrior in Europe in the Middle Ages

( ) Magic or spell.

( ) Causing or capable of causing fear; frightening.

( ) Extremely unpleasant; distasteful or shocking

( ) The stronghold of a castle or a jail.

2) Now use the words to complete the following story: Once upon a time there was a ________________ princess. But she had an _______________ upon her of a _________________ sort which could only be broken by love's first kiss. She was locked away in a castle guarded by a terrible fire-breathing dragon. Many brave ________________ had attempted to free her from this _______________ prison, but none prevailed. She waited in the dragon's ____________ in the highest room of the tallest tower for her true love and true love's first kiss.

3) Listen to Smash Mouth’s song – “All stars”. Fill in the gaps:

Somebody once told me the world is gonna roll me

I ain't the _______________ tool in the shed

She was looking kind of dumb with her finger and her ____________

In the shape of an "L" on her ______________________

Well the _________________ start coming and they don't stop coming

Fed to the rules and I hit the ground ______________

Didn't make sense not to live for fun

Your brain gets smart but your head gets ________________

So much to do so much to _________________

So what's wrong with_______________________ the back streets

You'll never know if you don't go

You'll never___________________if you don't glow

Hey now you're an All Star get your __________________ on,

Go play Hey now you're a____________________

Star get the show on.

Get paid And all that glitters is gold

Only shooting stars __________________ the mold

It's a cool place and they say it gets ___________________

You're bundled up now but _________________ 'til you get older

But the meteor men beg to differ

Judging by the hole in the________________ picture

The ice we _____________, is getting pretty ___________

The water is getting __________

So you might as well ____________

My wolrd’s _____________________

How about yours? That’s the way I like it But I never get _____________________

4) Match the following expressions to their meanings

A. I ain't

B. hit the grond running

C. break the mold

D. get your game on

E. all that glitters is gold

F. the sharpest tool in the shed

( ) the smartest in the group

( ) negative of verb to ve in the present (am not, is not, are not)

( ) everything that looks great is really great (sarcastic meaning)

( ) get better at something

( ) to start successfully

( ) to be innovative

5) What Fairy Tales Characters can you identify in the scene you’ve just watched?

Answer key in the WORKSHEET

My name is Rodrigo Tiago Mendonça, I'm 28 years old and I live in São Paulo, SP. I've been a teacher for 8 years now, 4 of those for Yazigi (morumbi branch), the school I'm currently at. As a teacher I'm an ideologist, I believe that teaching gives me the opportunity to make a remarkable change in the future, so I try to provide open, meaningful dialog whenever possible. I'd like to thank Claudio for the great initiative in sharing his ideas with us.

Bangkok Dangerous & The Joy Luck Club: Ethnic Food

2011-05-14T00:05:00.009-03:00

Talking about ethnic food is something students like doing. You can also connect it to cultural issues in the classroom. Since I had a group full of foreigners, this activity was fun and instructive. In the following class, my students brought typical dishes from Korea, Indonesia, Poland, etc. It was great - but fattening!

Ethnic food is typical food from countries which are not from where you live. It is often called world food. But the definition of ethnic food varies according to where and who you are. Defining it is difficult. In a multi-cultural society like the U.S., one tends to perceive more and more cuisines as ethnic. Also, over time, items that used to be distinctly ethnic, like tacos and pizza, have become part of the mainstream American diet.

From the discussion: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070815112313AAhxFMD

I. Work in pairs:

1. What is your favorite ethnic food? Can you describe it to your partner?

2. What ethnic food have you ever tried? Where is the dish originally from?

3. Have you ever tried the following cuisines? What's your opinion about them?

- Italian

- French

- German

- Brazilian

- Indian

- Moroccan

- Argentinian

- Chinese

- Japanese

- Mexican

4. Which of these cuisines have become mainstream in your country? Do you consider them ethnic?

5. Take a look at the pictures below. Can you identify where the food come from? They're from the countries in exercise 3. 1.

10.

Answer key: 1. Argentine 2. German 3. Brazilian 4. Chinese 5. French 6. Moroccan 7. Japanese 8. Indian 9. Mexican 10. Italian

6. How does typical or ethnic food reflect the culture of a country?

7. Can you cook typical dishes from your country?

8. Do you like the typical food from your own country? Why (not)?

9. Can you write down the ingredients for a local food from your country?

10. Do foreigners usually like or reject the typical food from your country? Why ?

11. Is there a special way to eat typical food from your country?

II. Watch the first segment from the movie THE JOY LUCK CLUB and answer the questions that follow.

1. Where is the ethnic food from?

2. Have you ever seen/eaten that dish before?

3. Would you like to have it one day? Why (not)?

4. What would you do if you were asked for dinner whose main dish is the one in the movie segment? Would have it? If not, how would you react?

5. Describe the scene.

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - THE JOY LUCK CLUB

III. Now watch the movie segment from the movie BANGKOK DANGEROUS and discuss the questions that follow.

1. Where is the ethnic food from?

2. Have you ever seen/eaten that dish before?

3. Would you like to have it one day? Why (not)

4. What would you do if you were asked for dinner whose main dish is the one in the movie segment? Would have it? If not, how would you react?

5. Describe the scene.

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - BANGKOK DANGEROUS

Gamer & Tron Legacy: Video Games

2011-05-07T00:05:00.003-03:00

Gamer is a very creative and gripping movie. I like its original idea about video games. I used this scene to warm-up this recurrent topic in ELT classes. TRON is not as good as Gamer, but the visual effects are wonderful. Both illustrate the topic pertinently.

I. Work in pairs:

1. What is opinion about video games?

2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of playing video games?

3. Do you like playing video games? Why (not)?

4. How have vide games changed throughout your lifetime?

5. What do you think video games will be like in the future?

6. Do you learn anything playing video games? Explain it.

7. Would you control the amount of time you (or your children) dedicate to playing video games? How would you do it?

8. What's your opinion about video games with extreme violence and racist or other kinds of discrimination? Should they be prohibited?

II. Work individually now. Write A if you agree and D if you disagree withe the statements below about video games. Explain why.

( ) 1. Video games are dangerous for teenagers.

( ) 2. Video games develop high reflexes with advanced eye and hand coordination.

( ) 3. The player's peripheral vision is improved quite significantly.

( ) 4. Can teach people more about life. Virtual games, for example, can help teach people about what is involved in raising animals on a farm.

( ) 5. Video games can help improve problem solving and logic skills.

( ) 6. They increase attention span.

( ) 7. They are fun.

( ) 8. Some people can become completely addicted to video games.

( ) 9. People become desensitized to violence when they play a lot of violent video games.

( ) 10. They can give people false expectations of real life, as real life cannot be perfectly simulated by video games.

( ) 11. Violent games should be prohibited, since some teenagers have killed people imitating the actions of certain video games.

( ) 12. Time spent on video games affect academics.

III. Work in small groups now. Check and justify your answers. Use all your arguments to talk your partners into agreeing with you.

IV. Now watch the segment from the movie GAMER and answer the questions that follow:

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - GAMER

1. Describe the scene.

2. What kind of games will there be in the future, according to the segment?

3. Describe the games presented in the segment.

4. What kind of game is Slayer? What's your opinion about this kind of game?

5. Are there similar games nowadays?

6. Do you think there will be games like those ones in the future? Why (not)?

7. Should video games designers be considered celebrities? Why (not)?

8. Would you like to play Slayer? Why (not)?

V. Watch the segment from the movie TRON Legacy and discuss the questions

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - TRON LEGACY

1. Describe the scene.

2. Do you think it will be possible to be part of a viseo game just like it is pictured in TRON? Explain it.

3. Compare TRON's video game to the one in Gamer.

4. Do you thonk life will be better or worse if video games were like the one in TRON?

5. What do you think the objective of the game shown in TRON is?

The Back-up Plan & Gattaca: Assisted Insemination

2011-04-30T00:08:00.006-03:00

Completely different approaches for the topic Assisted Insemination. Both generated a lot of discussion.

Sometimes known as Intrauterine Insemination (IUI). Assisted Insemination may be recommended an initial treatment choice for unexplained fertility. The treatment involves placing prepared (or ‘washed’) sperm into the uterus just prior to the time of ovulation. This is a simple procedure, similar to a pap smear. The process may be supported by fertility medications that increase the chance of pregnancy. (Next Generation Fertility)

A. Work in pairs to discuss these questions:

1. Do you think that it is fair that women who can not get pregnant make use of assisted insemination to have babies? Why (not)?

2. What about women who are healthy, but want a certain donor's semen to have a baby?

3. Is it okay to choose for artificial insemination in order to have children with selected genes and, consequently, healthier babies? Explain it.

4. Do you think that in the future humans will have babies with assisted insemination rather than the traditional way in which couples make love to have children? What are the consequences of such a behavior?

B. Work in groups. Read the statements below and decide whether the group agrees or disagrees with them. Make sure you prepare a brief speech explaining the group's beliefs.

1. Assisted Insemination is tampering with nature, and God’s plan for the world. The process of insemination to be purely sexual, and natural between two people without any outside influence whatsoever.

2. If a man is infertile, and a couple cannot have children, this was God’s or nature’s plan for them, and they should remain childless for some mystic, destiny-related purpose.

3. Assisted insemination is a gift from science to help an infertile couple, lesbian partners, or a single woman experience parenthood whereas they would not be able to.

4. Men who have been donors or plan to be believe that in some way, because they are donating semen, that they are responsible for the child produced.

5. The child who is born after their parents make use of this technique should know how he/she was conceived and who the donor is.

III. Watch the movie Segment from the movie Back-up Plan and discuss the questions that follow:

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - BACK-UP PLAN

1. Describe the scene.

2. Describe the main character's feelings and the process she is being submitted to.

3. Do you think she has taken the right decision?

4. What could go wrong?

5. What are the advantages of doing it, in her case?

6. Do you think this is a fair case for this kind of fertilization?

7. The main character is healthy, young and beautiful. Should this kind of people be eligible for assisted insemination? Why (not)?

IV. Now watch the segment of the movie Gattaca, a fabulous film. Then answer the questions.

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - GATTACA

1. Describe the scene.

2. According to the movie, technology has developed so much that you can prevent parents from having unhealthy babies with assisted insemination. What are the consequences of such advancement in technology?

3. If you lived in this period of the future, would you risk having an unhealthy baby by not making use of the available technology, or would you play safe and use technology to help you? Explain it.

4. Will life be the way it is shown in the segment? Why (not)?

5. What are the similarities and differences between the two situations pictured in both segments. Explain them to your partners.

It's Complicated: Cosmetic Surgery

2011-04-23T00:09:00.003-03:00

Great actors in this funny romantic comedy. I used this scene to talk about the popular topic, cosmetic/plastic surgery.

Plastic surgery is also known as reconstructive surgery. This type of surgery involves fixing a body part or facial feature that is abnormal and reconstructing it to appear normal. Often a person seeks reconstructive surgery due to a malformation that they would like to have corrected. Others need plastic surgery because of health complications due to the abnormal body part of facial feature.

Cosmetic surgery differs from plastic/reconstructive surgery because the purpose of this procedure is to take a normal body structure and improve it to make it look better and improve the person’s self-esteem. Cosmetic surgery is not needed due to a deformity or health issue - the person simply wants to appear more attractive in most cases. Breast implants and breast reductions are seen as a cosmetic surgery procedure because the surgeon is enhancing the already normal body structure. Anti-aging procedures such as facelifts, tummy tucks, and hair replacement treatments are also common cosmetic procedures.

Taken from the great informative site Carefair

I. Half the class reads the first paragraph about plastic surgery. The other half reads the 2nd paragraph about cosmetic surgery. Then the students pair up to tell each other what they read and answer the question. Work in pairs:

1. Explain in tour own words the differences between plastic and cosmetic surgeries.

II. Students A ask questions in red; students B ask the questions in blue.

1. Would you consider having a cosmetic surgery? Why (not)? If so, in which cases?

2. Do you think cosmetic surgeries are more popular among man or women? Why does is happen?

3. What are the dangers of cosmetic surgeries?

4. What parts of your body or face would you like to change?

5. Why are cosmetic surgeries so popular in some countries, like the USA and Brazil, and not so popular in others, like Japan and China?

6. Do you think there should be an age limit for someone to have a cosmetic surgery? How young or old must one be to have a cosmetic surgery?

7. How happy are people with the cosmetic surgery results?

8. What advice would you give someone willing to have a cosmetic surgery?

9. Is cosmetic surgery playing with the way that God made us? Explain it.

10. Do you know anyone famous (or not) whose cosmetic surgery was not satisfactory? Talk about what happened.

11. Is it okay to have a cosmetic surgery to completely change the way your face looks like, creating a new identity, for example ? Why (not)?

12. If you could have a cosmetic surgery for free with the best surgeon in the world, what would you change?

II. Decide if the statements below are Risks or Benefits of cosmetic surgeries.

Collected from: Mayoclinic Smartskincare

1. Plastic surgery is expensive. In the US, a facelift costs from $6,000 to $15,000.

2. Any surgery is potentially dangerous, including plastic surgery. Complications are rare but they do occur, ranging from scarring to fatalities. Plastic surgery may be particularly risky if you have certain health conditions (e.g. diabetes).

3. Everyone is different. Some people do much better than others, even when treated by the same plastic surgeon.

4. It may take several weeks or months before your face fully recovers from plastic surgery.

5. Plastic surgery might adversely affect the physiology of your skin and underlying tissues, speeding up the aging process.

6. Dissatisfaction is possible after any type of cosmetic surgery. Surgical complications are possible, too — including excessive bleeding or infection at the surgical site.

7. Your self-esteem might improve after cosmetic surgery, but cosmetic surgery isn't likely to relieve depression or other mental health conditions.

8. Individuals who undergo cosmetic surgery find themselves emotionally more confident.

9. Blending in is sometimes quite important to people who decide to have plastic surgery, especially when they have grown up teased because of their features.

10. There are many cosmetic surgeons available in the market. Some of them we don't know much about, but many others are efficient doctors.

III. Watch the movie segment from the movie It's Complicated and answer the questions that follow:

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - IT'S COMPLICATED

1. Describe the scene.

2. What are her feelings about cosmetic surgery?

3. How confident is she?

4. Why do you think she wants to have the surgery done? 5. Do you think she needs a cosmetic surgery? Justify your answer.

6. What's your opinion about the doctor? Would you trust him?

7. Do you think that the doctor motivated her to have the surgery? Why (not)?

8. What advice would you give her?

Capitalism, a Love Story & The Boy in the Striped Pajamas: Propaganda

2011-04-16T00:05:00.004-03:00

Both movies are excellent, especially The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. The concept of propaganda is usually misunderstood by students, especially Brazilian ones, because the word "propaganda" in Portuguese means Advertisement. That is why I decided to have this post right after the previous one - Advertising.

Divide the class in half. S1 reads the explanation given by the site http://www.deceptology.com/2011/02/is-propaganda-good-or-bad-it-depends.html to explain PROPAGANDA.

Propaganda is the executive arm of the invisible government. The mechanism by which ideas are disseminated on a large scale is propaganda, in the broad sense of an organized effort to spread a particular belief or doctrine. I am aware that the word "propaganda" carries to many minds an unpleasant connotation. Yet whether, in any instance, propaganda is good or bad depends upon the merit of the cause urged, and the correctness of the information published.

S2 read the explanation given by the site: suite101.com

Propaganda is an enigma that has defied historians to this day. Its definition is broad and it affects every aspect of life and has been used since ancient times.Not all propaganda is hateful and it is not good or bad (per se). It is manipulation and deceit in whatever manner that may be. It could be through radio, films, newspapers, magazines, posters, rallies, public speeches, staged demonstrations, protests or whatever other outlet is available. It can be as simple as a commercial by a politician attempting to sway his audience to vote for him or it could be as complex as the institution of the Hitler Youth and the state-controlled churches of Nazi Germany. Propaganda can be described and defined in many ways, but one aspect of it remains constant: It is a distortion of truth or an outright lie and it is the most powerful political and social tool ever employed.

II. Pair up S1s with S2s. Students tell each other what they understood from the explanation, examples or anything else they can remember. Then they decide what there is in common and what is different from each other's passages.

III. Now watch the segments from the movies Capitalism: a Love Story and The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Then answer these questions about both segments.

1. What is the propaganda in the segments?

2.How do you know it is propaganda?

3. How effective is it?

4. What are the principles or messages behind it?

5. What do both segments have in common?

6. How different are they?

7. How different is propaganda and advertisement?

8. Do you think that advertisements can be propaganda too? Explain it.

SEGMENT - CAPITALISM: A LOVE STORY

DOWNLOAD VIDEO - MOVIE SEGMENT: CAPITALISM, A LOVE STORY - PROPAGANDA

SEGMENT 2 - THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS

DOWNLOAD VIDEO - MOVIE SEGMENT: THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS - PROPAGANDA

Good News: Direct Links to the Movie Segments

2011-04-14T17:31:00.003-03:00

I'm glad to say that the NEW posts will come with direct links to the movie segments. Now you won't depend on other softwares to download the videos. This will be a test, though. I hope to have some feedback whether it works better this way, or if it really does not matter to you. Uploading the videos is extremely time consuming, so I will keep on doing it only if the outcomes are worth it. Unfortunately, this will be done from the next post on - Propaganda: Capitalism - a Love Story & The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. The posts before this date won't have the links. Sorry about that. This is a thank you gift for the 85,000 visitors of this blog!