wednesday 25 th 2018

Fashion

Would you like to be a fashion model? What are their lives like?

Could you date someone if they had a terrible sense of fashion?

Which country or city is the most fashionable in the world?

Is fashion important or not important? Why or why not?

Do you prefer functional or fashionable clothing?

What do you think of the fashion industry?

How does fashion affect people’s lives?

What are some of the silliest fashions you have seen?

Do you think fashions changed as quickly in the past as today? Why or why not?

If you were a fashion designer, what kind of clothes would you design?

wednesday july 18th 2018


Success and Failure

Success

Describe a successful person.

Is your idea of success the same as your parents’ idea of success?

Do you think people focus too much on appearing to be successful?

Why is money the most common way of judging success?

Can money buy happiness?

How much pressure do your parents put on you to be successful?

How much pressure will you put on your children to be successful?

Failure

Have there been any failures that made your life better?

Is there a right time to give up and stop trying? Or should you never give up?

Can you think of any famous people who failed spectacularly at something?

Talk about a time you failed at something you tried. Don’t talk about anything that will make you uncomfortable or embarrassed.

wednesday july 11th 2018


STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS
(1) What springs to mind when you hear the term ‘play time’?
(2) What do you learn from playing ?
(3) Do you prefer playing alone, or with / against friends?
(4) What is it about playing that makes people happy?
(5) Do people play enough in your country?
(6) How can play help you relax?
(7) Do you like to watch people playing?
(8) What’s the difference between play and fun?
(9) Should schools have more playtime in the schedule?
(10) What would you say if your parents told you to go out and play?
STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS
(1) Have you ever played in the rain?
(2) When is playing a waste of time?
(3) Does play time use to much energy?
(4) Can you remember the first games you played?
(5) What will playtime be like in the future?
(6) Is playing good for your health?
(7) “You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.” ― Plato. What do you think of this?

(8) is climbing a tree playing?
(9) How can you learn English through playing?
(10) Have young people forgotten or don’t know how to play?

july 4th 2018


hello All ,
please be ready to discuss this topic in class
here is the video

  1. How much of what you do is for yourself? How much is for other people?
  2. If you have something that you do not need or want anymore, do you consider giving it away? If so, what things have you given away?
  3. If you see a person that looks lost on the street, do you try to help them? Why or why not?
  4. Would you interfere if you saw a fight in public? In what scenario would you interfere?
  5. Have you ever hitchhiked? Have you ever picked up a hitchhiker? Why or why not?
  6. Do you give blood regularly? Why or why not?
  7. Would you consider donating an organ while you are alive, like a kidney or a lung?
  8. Have you ever done volunteer work? If so, describe the work you did.
  9. What do you think about giving money to charity?
  10. Do you trust charitable organizations? Which organizations are most trustworthy?
  11. Do you pass homeless people who are asking for money on the street? How do you feel in that situation? What do you do?
  12. Some people say that street beggars choose not to work and therefore do not deserve charity? What do you think about that idea?
  13. Can you imagine living on the streets? What would be most uncomfortable about that situation? How would you survive?
  14. What is more responsible for the rise in the number of homeless people? Government policies? Economic conditions? Poor mental healthcare? Individual failures?
  15. Has your family helped you in your life? In what ways?
  16. Among people who you are not related to, who has helped you most in your life?
  17. Do people help each other because it makes them feel good? If so, is helping others essentially a selfish act?
  18. When people are wealthy or successful, do they have a special responsibility to ‘give back’ and help others?

June 27 2018 Blog Post

Time for the battle of the sexes! Get your opinions ready.

Please read the article below and then read the questions too. Remember to read the article more than one time. The first time, do not use a dictionary or worry about unknown words. The second time, it is a good idea to look up the unknown words.
When you read the questions, please make sure you understand their meaning and are ready to discuss them on Wednesday.

Thank you!

Matthew

His and Her Diary from the Same Day

Her Diary:

Tonight, I thought my husband was acting weird. We had made plans to meet at a nice restaurant for dinner. I was shopping with my friends all day long, so I thought he was upset at the fact that I was a bit late, but he made no comment on it. Conversation wasn’t flowing, so I suggested that we go somewhere quiet so we could talk. He agreed, but he didn’t say much. I asked him what was wrong; He said, ‘Nothing.’ I asked him if it was my fault that he was upset. He said he wasn’t upset, that it had nothing to do with me, and not to worry about it. On the way home, I told him that I loved him. He smiled slightly, and kept driving. I can’t explain his behavior I don’t know why he didn’t say, ‘I love you, too.’ When we got home, I felt as if I had lost him completely, as if he wanted nothing to do with me anymore. He just sat there quietly, and watched TV. He continued to seem distant and absent. Finally, with silence all around us, I decided to go to bed. About 15 minutes later, he came to bed. But I still felt that he was distracted, and his thoughts were somewhere else. He fell asleep – I cried. I don’t know what to do. I’m almost sure that his thoughts are with someone else. My life is a disaster.

 

His Diary:

Motorcycle won’t start…can’t figure out why.

 

http://imgur.com/6icZ3

 

 

Discussion questions

  1. Do you think this was posted by a man or a woman? Why? What point do you think that he or she was trying to make?
  2. Who do you sympathize with most, him or her?
  3. Have you had similar misunderstandings with your significant other?
  4. Why are men and women so different?
  5. Is it possible for a men and women to really understand how the other thinks?
  6. Would you like to be able to think like a member of the opposite sex? Might there be any advantages in being able to do so?
  7. What does/did your significant other do that really infuriates you? What are the most frustrating habits that men/women have?
  8. Do you have any advice on how to understand and get along with the opposite sex better?
  9. Imagine you could switch gender for one day? Would you like to try it? What would you do? What would you like to find out?

 

June 13, 2018 Blog Post

Before you watch the video below, please think about these questions.

1) What dangerous things did you do when you were a kid?
2) What activities did your parents allow you to do when you were a kid?
3) Does doing dangerous, but fun, activities help children become better adults?
4) Is today’s world worrying too much about children’s safety?

Now please watch the video


http://www.ted.com/talks/gever_tulley_on_5_dangerous_things_for_kids#t-543649

5) Do you agree with this presenter?

6) Would you want your children to attend his camp?

7) Which activities do you really disagree with and think would be too dangerous?

See you in class!

Matthew

Wed, May 30/18 Blog Post

Hello Everybody!

This is the post for May 30th, 2018.

Here is the link for a video. I think it is a fun video. Enjoy!

https://vimeo.com/253334732

1) Do you take many pictures when you travel? What kind of pictures do you take? Why or why not?

2) Do you look at vacation pictures after the fact? Do you think others do?

3) When I see many people taking pictures, I often think that they are missing the real moment. What do you think?

4) Are there any original pictures anymore?

5) Why do you think people post pictures on sites like Instagram?

6) Do you recognize any of the places in the video?

7) Are you comfortable with the fact the pictures can never really be removed from the internet? Why or why not? Do you have any regrets?

Have a good week!

Matthew

 

May 16 2018 Blog Topic

Hello All,

Today we decide if this guy is a genius or a danger.

Please watch the video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9B0PaSznWJE

Please try to understand it the best you can (you can use subtitles).

I will provide the questions on Wednesday.

Good luck!

Matthew