Beginner
● Task 1: Describing a Feeling. Students are shown a picture of a person who looks angry or stressed. They have to describe the feeling using simple vocabulary from the video , such as angry, pissed, or stressed. This task helps them connect new vocabulary to a visual cue and express a simple emotion.
● Task 2: Giving Simple Instructions. Students will be asked to give one or two simple instructions based on the speaker’s advice. For example, “What can you do instead of getting angry in traffic?” The student should reply with a phrase like, “You can notice your feelings.” This focuses on using new verbs and vocabulary in a directive context.
● Task 3: Role-Play: Offering a Simple Solution. In pairs, one student acts out a negative feeling (e.g., “I’m so mad!”). The other student offers one piece of simple advice from the video , such as “Try to notice what’s happening in your head.” This task helps them practice using target language in a practical, conversational scenario.
Intermediate
● Task 1: Explaining a Core Concept. Students are asked to explain the difference between reacting blindly and responding wisely as described in the video . They should use their own words and examples from the text, like the person who gets cut off in traffic. This task requires them to summarize and explain a complex concept using specific terminology.
● Task 2: Creating a Scenario. Students are given a difficult situation (e.g., “You get a bad grade on a test”). They must create and act out a short scenario where they describe their feelings and then explain how they would use mindfulness to manage their reaction. This promotes creative application of the language.
● Task 3: Discussion: A Public Health Revolution. Students will work in a small group to discuss the speaker’s claim that mindfulness is the “next big public health revolution.” They should prepare to state their own opinion and use at least two key phrases from the videoto support their view, such as “it’s going to join the pantheon of no-brainers” or “it’s like brushing your teeth.”
Advanced
● Task 1: Delivering a Short Presentation. Students will prepare and deliver a short talk (2-3 minutes) on one of the main topics in the video , such as the benefits of mindfulness or how it can be a “superpower.” They must use the target vocabulary accurately and present the information in a clear, well-structured way.
● Task 2: Debating a Topic. Students will work in pairs to debate the speaker’s claim that we don’t need to get angry as much as we think. One student will argue for the speaker’s position using evidence from the text, while the other will argue against it, using their own knowledge and critical thinking. This task requires high-level argumentative and discourse skills.
● Task 3: Role-Play: A Philosophical Conversation. In pairs, one student will act as a person who is skeptical about mindfulness. The other student, acting as a coach or friend, will have a conversation with them, using language from the videoto explain why mindfulness is not about becoming a “lifeless non-judgmental blob” but about responding wisely. This task requires a high level of empathy and sophisticated use of language in a nuanced social context.
Beginner
1. Listening for Key Words. Students listen to the monologue and identify key vocabulary. For example, they’re given a list of words like mindfulness, traffic, angry, meditation, and running and must check them off as they hear them. This task helps learners recognize core vocabulary in a complex spoken context.
2. Simple True/False Statements. After listening to a specific section (e.g., the part about the driver), students are given a series of statements and decide if they’re true or false. For example: “The speaker says mindfulness will solve all your problems” (False) or “The speaker says a mindful person doesn’t get angry” (False). This activity helps learners extract specific, explicit details.
3. Simple Question Answering. Students listen to short, distinct sections and answer simple “wh-” questions. For example: “What is the word the speaker defines?” (Mindfulness) or “What is one example of a ‘no-brainer’?” (Brushing your teeth). This task focuses on identifying and retrieving basic facts.
Intermediate
1. Listening for Definitions. Students listen for the speaker’s definition of mindfulness. They must write down the key phrases he uses to define it: “the ability to know what’s happening in your head at any given moment without getting carried away by it.” This task helps them understand how a speaker defines a complex, abstract concept.
2. Explaining an Analogy. Students listen to the analogy of running in the 1940s. They must summarize the analogy, explaining why people thought running was strange and how it later became a common practice. This task requires learners to understand a concept and its underlying mechanisms.
3. Summarizing a Scenario. Students listen to the traffic example. They must summarize the two different ways of reacting: a normal reaction (getting pissed) versus a mindful response (noticing feelings without acting on them). This task requires synthesizing information from a structured narrative.
Advanced
1. Analyzing an Argument. Students listen to the speaker’s main argument about mindfulness. They should identify the central thesis (that mindfulness is a “superpower” and the “next public health revolution”) and the evidence he provides to support it (the traffic example, the running analogy, and the list of “no-brainers”). This task demands a high level of comprehension and the ability to follow a complex, multi-point argument.
2. Listening for Nuance. Students listen for the speaker’s distinction between reacting blindly and responding wisely. They must then explain this nuance and provide an example from the video to illustrate the difference. This task requires students to understand a subtle but important distinction.
3. Critical Evaluation. Students listen for the speaker’s claims and examples. They then write a short essay that evaluates the effectiveness of his argument. For example, they can discuss whether they find the “unicorns and rainbows” analogy effective or if they think his claims about meditation being a “no-brainer” are an oversimplification. This task requires students to not only understand the content but also to form and articulate a critical opinion.
Beginner
● Task 1: Vocabulary Matching. Students read a list of simple words from the videoand match each to a provided definition or simple synonym. Words could include: mindfulness, traffic, angry, meditation, and running. This task helps build foundational vocabulary.
● Task 2: Basic Comprehension Questions. Students read a short, coherent section of the videoand answer simple “wh-” questions to find explicit information. For example, “What is a ‘buzz phrase’?” or “What is a ‘no-brainer’?” This focuses on literal comprehension and detail extraction.
● Task 3: Simple True/False Statements. Students read a series of statements based on a short segment of the videoand decide if each is true or false. For instance, “Mindfulness is a simple word” (False) or “The speaker says you should never get angry” (False). This practice reinforces reading for explicit details.
Intermediate
● Task 1: Explaining an Analogy. Students read the section about the running analogy. They then write a short paragraph explaining the comparison, detailing what running was once thought of and how it became a popular habit. This task helps learners understand and articulate a concept through a comparison.
● Task 2: Analyzing a Scenario. Students read the section about the driver getting cut off in traffic. They write a paragraph explaining the difference between the two reactions described: reacting blindly and responding wisely. They should use specific details from the text to illustrate the distinction. This task requires students to analyze a narrative and extract key information.
● Task 3: Summarizing a Key Idea. Students read the entire videoand write a paragraph summarizing the speaker’s main argument about why mindfulness is a “superpower.” They should include at least two pieces of evidence from the text to support their summary. This task requires synthesizing information from the entire video .
Advanced
● Task 1: Analyzing an Argument. Students read the entire videoand write a detailed outline of the speaker’s main arguments. They should identify his central thesis (that mindfulness is the “next big public health revolution”) and the evidence he provides to support it (the traffic example, the running analogy, and the list of “no-brainers”). This task requires a high-level understanding of the monologue’s overall structure and logical flow.
● Task 2: Examining a Nuanced Claim. Students read the section where the speaker claims mindfulness is not about becoming a “lifeless non-judgmental blob.” They then write an essay (2-3 paragraphs) that explains the nuance of this claim and analyzes how it relates to the speaker’s overall message. This task requires a deep understanding of a subtle philosophical distinction.
● Task 3: Summarizing and Critiquing a Scientific Argument. Students read the entire videoand write an essay that summarizes the speaker’s core argument. They should also include a brief critique of the argument, discussing its strengths (e.g., use of relatable analogies) and weaknesses (e.g., potential oversimplification of a complex topic) from a critical reading perspective.
Beginner
● Task 1: Vocabulary Matching and Writing. Students read a list of key words from the videolike mindfulness, angry, and meditation. They match each word to its simple definition from the text (e.g., angry is feeling mad) and then write a simple sentence using each word. This task helps build foundational vocabulary and reinforces spelling and sentence structure.
● Task 2: Simple Summary. Students read a short, specific section of the video , such as the example of what happens when you get cut off in traffic. They then write a few simple sentences to summarize the speaker’s advice. This task helps learners practice summarizing a key idea in their own words.
● Task 3: Sentence Completion. Students are given a short passage from the videowith key words missing (e.g., “Mindfulness is the ability to know what’s happening in your head at any given moment without getting carried away by it.”). They read the video and write in the missing words to complete the sentences. This task helps learners practice spelling and writing specific words in a meaningful context.
Intermediate
● Task 1: Explaining a Core Concept. Students are asked to write a short paragraph explaining the difference between reacting blindly and responding wisely, using the traffic example from the text. This task requires them to summarize and synthesize information from the text.
● Task 2: Writing a Personal Response. Students write a short journal entry or reflective paragraph about a time they felt angry. They should then write about how they could have used mindfulness to respond more wisely, using at least three words or phrases from the video , such as superpower, notice, or not getting carried away. This task encourages them to connect the video ‘s ideas to their own lives.
● Task 3: Explaining an Analogy. Students read the section about the running analogy. They then write a short paragraph explaining the comparison, detailing what running was once thought of and how it became a popular habit. This task helps them practice writing about figurative language.
Advanced
● Task 1: Argumentative Essay. Students write a short argumentative essay (e.g., 200 words) in which they agree or disagree with the speaker’s claim that mindfulness is the “next big public health revolution.” They must support their opinion with evidence from the videoand their own ideas. This task requires a high level of critical thinking, organization, and persuasive writing.
● Task 2: Analyzing a Nuanced Claim. Students write a short essay explaining the speaker’s claim that mindfulness is not about becoming a “lifeless non-judgmental blob.” They should analyze the nuance of this statement and explain its importance to the overall message. This task requires sophisticated analytical skills.
● Task 3: Creating a Persuasive Text. Students are asked to imagine they are creating a pamphlet or a social media post to promote mindfulness. They must write a persuasive text that summarizes the speaker’s key ideas and encourages others to try mindfulness. This task requires a high level of creativity and the ability to adapt a message for a specific audience.
Related items
