Yes Man & Love Happens: Self-Help Workshops

This is one of Jim Carrey's best movies. I like the message and this scene is really funny. Talking about self-help workshops is a common topic in ELT and these scenes illustrate it.



A. Work with a partner:


1. What is a workshop?

2. What is a self-help workshop?

3. Have you ever attended a self-help workshop? Talk about it.

4. What did you learn there?

5. What's your opinion about this kind of workshop?


B. Match the title of the workshop with the descriptions:

1. Get Organized Now

2. Say Good-bye to Procrastination

3. Make it Happen

4. Test Like a Champion

5. Boost Your Self-Esteem

6. Bite Your Tongue

7. Sedentary No More

8. End to Insomnia


( ) Identify the problems of your sleep problems and learn techniques for coping with them.

( ) Are you a couch potato? Get out of that chair and get active today.

( ) Learn how to get along with people and manage difficult relationships.

( ) Tips from the experts will help you overcome test-taking jitters and achieve success.

( ) Discover how to achieve success by taking small, realistic steps that will help you reach your goals.

( ) Discover how getting organized can help you increase your productivity many times over.

( ) Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today. Eliminate time wasters.

( ) If you lack self-confidence, learn a simple and effective technique you can perform daily to turn your life around.


Answer Key:
8, 7, 6, 4, 3, 1, 2, 5


C. Discuss these questions:

Which of these workshops seem to be the most interesting in the following situations. Justify it.


1. If you were the one to attend one of these workshops? Why?

2. Someone is applying for a new position, but isn't sure they are smart enough.

3. Because someone's desk is such a mess, they have sometimes difficulty finding important files and information.

4. Someone has trouble getting started on big projects.



D. Watch the movie segment from the movie Yes Man and answer the following questions:





1. Describe the scene.

2. What kind of workshop is it?

3. What is its main message?

4. Do you believe this message? Why (not)?

5. Is this workshop effective? Explain it.

6. What's your opinion about the presenter?

7. How can someone's life change if they follow the presenter's recommendation?

8. Would you like to attend that workshop? Why (not)?

9. What kind of people is this workshop aiming at? Explain it.




 E. Work in pairs. Watch the scene from the movie Love Happens and discuss the questions.


1. Describe the scene.

2. What kind of workshop is it?

3. What is its main message?

4. Do you believe this message? Why (not)?

5. Is this workshop effective? Explain it.

6. What's your opinion about the presenter?

7. How can someone's life change if they follow the presenter's recommendation?

8. Would you like to attend that workshop? Why (not)?

9. What kind of people is this workshop aiming at? Explain it.


MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - YES MAN

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - LOVE HAPPENS