Building relationships

 Imagine you are entertaining a visitor from another culture at work who you don't know very well. Put the topics in order from the one you would most likely talk about to the least likely. Would you add any other topics to the list?

• family
• food in your respective countries
• living and working conditions
• language similarities and differences
• current news stories
• the reason you are together that day
• sports teams
• tourist attractions in each other's countries

Breaking the ice

Do you hear crickets when in actual conversation with other people? Do you want to know how to break the ice? In this episode, Chad Littlefield will show you 3 key ingredients that you can use to break the ice in a conversation.

What are two pieces of advice you find helpful?

Discuss

Think of a time you have already built a relationship with someone with a different language identity than yours. What of the following advice is most useful to you?

1. Be open about who you are and where you come from. Be proud of your culture, your first language, and your accent.
2. Ask open questions to find out about the other person's background (What/How)
3. Look for things you have in common. Key moments come when you share experiences.
4. Celebrate the difference between you and show interest in understanding them.

OWN IT- Be ready to present!

Think of three words or phrases or cultural concepts from your first language or another language. Be ready to present them to the class in the next lesson. you can include

• a word or expression
• a festival, dance, or celebration
• a type of humour 
• an important place that isn't well-known abroad
• a dish that reflects the best food from home
• an aspect of the national character that you want people from other countries to know about
• a well-love TV show, film, or song that represents your country

How to combat stress at work

How often do you feel stressed at work compared to when you are relaxed?

What do you think are your personal triggers? 

What are the effects of stress at work? 

What are some mental health tips? 

GAME - The desert island

Imagine you are on a taught in the Caribbean sea and the boat has started to sink. You can only save 6 items. Be careful! The island has fresh water and coconuts but it can take weeks before another vessel comes by to rescue you!

1. Chose 6 items. Think why they are important

2. In groups, Agree on six. Discuss with arguments

3. Present to the class

Childhood friends, are they worth keeping?

Pairwork

Are you still in touch with any childhood buddies? 

How long have you known each other? 

What keeps you together? 

Do you think it's worth remaining in contact with friends from childhood?

This article may give you 6 more reasons to keep the bonds...

What do these words mean? 

bond                     permanent

dormant                to frequent

to reminisce          witness,

to subtract             current

engraved                to howl (with laughter)

sentimental            grounded

defects                   virtues

obligations            commitments

formative years

Now using the new vocabulary, explain one reason it is important to you to keep old friend bonds alive.

Game

Find someone who....

A. Form the questions 

B. Go around and interview as many people as you can in 10 min. Ask more details. eg When/ How, etc.

Language

LYRICS

Emotions at first glance

Game:  

Look at your partner and guess his /her emotion

Do you think facial expressions of emotions are expressed similarly by everyone?

How would it be helpful for work or life situations to be able to "read" people's emotions?

This video describes intriguing findings on the research of emotions.  

 

Questions...questions....  

A. Ask away.... 

Learn how to ask like ...a native (handout)

B.  How can you interact politely when you wish to pose some questions?

Some expressions you can use are...

I wonder…      I’d like to know…      Could you tell me…?

Can you tell me…?      Have you any idea…?      Can I ask…?

Do you know…?      Would you mind telling me…?

How do your questions change when you ask like that?

https://english-practice.net/english-grammar-exercises-for-b2-question-forms/

Empathic communication

 Andrea is the new team leader of a team working on a project. In a meeting she gets angry and shouts at you for delaying a piece of work. You had explained beforehand that you needed more info to complete the job. You remember times in the past when Andrea didn't finish her work on time. How do you react?

a. think about why she may be angry and talk to her afterward

b. remind her of times in the past when she didn't finish her work on time

c. decide she is a bad leader and complain to the other team members in the kitchen area

Here is a video about empathy by the well-known researcher Brene Brown.

As you are watching, note down

1. The characteristics of empathy

2. How it is different than sympathy

Here are 5 tips to increase empathic reactions

Listen actively. Practice active listening by reformulating the message to the person who just said it. ...
Consider how the other person may be feeling. ...
Focus on similarities ...
Practise mindfulness...
Listen actively. Speak less that you listen
Find a way not to judge. You may disagree and still understand why they feel differently. ..

Further practice
Now, with your AP partner, look at these situations and decide how you would react empathetically:

Questions and intonation

Were  you surprised? 

Adverbs of degree

Which adjectives of feelings can you spot?

What adverbs make them more/less strong in degree?

Now write your own stories in the activity sheet.

Reactions

Choose a person and describe him/her to your partner. Can they guess who it is?

Where are these people? Can you guess why these portraits were taken?

Read about   The Inside Out Project 

So, when do YOU feel ignored, annoyed, thrilled, petrified?

Questions...questions...

What emotions do these emoticons express?

Which one is the Greek favourite do you think?

Do you use emojis? Which ones?

Chose the correct option to complete these questions

1. Christine, you studied psychology, did/didn't you?

2. I'd like to know whether a smile does mean/means the same thing around the world.

3. You've noticed, you have/haven't you?

4. Don't you do it in the same way in your country?

5. At who do you smile? Who do you smile at?

https://www.worldvision.org/gender-equality-news-stories/seven-ways-empower-women-girls

Summer Book lovers

What's on your summer bucket list? Do you usually buy books? If yes, what kind?

Let's see some suggestions for this  year's beach moments!

Let's play around with our accent!

RE visiting

 

Accounting tips for flourishing businesses

 

What is it about each other's work that ....

• you know
• you find fascinating
• you think is grueling hard?

Discuss

Today we are learning about accounting and how we can keep a healthy business.

Countable or Uncountable?

1. Tell the difference

2. How to use in sentences

3. Much/many/few/ little

KAHOOT!

Back with a vengeance?

Have you ever stopped doing something and then wanted to do more of it?

What do you think people have missed more during the pandemic?

What do you think vengeance vacation means? 

Let's watch a video ...or two...

read the article to find out!

Now imagine you've been on your vacation vengeance destination together and you're writing a postcard to Iro, back at the office. 

Awesome Inc

What iconic buildings around the world would you like to visit?

 Here is one of them....

 

What do you know about it?

You can learn more here

Read the unexpected story of his architect here

What would you have done?

Boom!

 

What happens if/when a volcano erupts?

What would you do if a natural disaster happened in the area where you live?

Have you ever lived through a natural disaster? How did you react? 

What would you have done differently if you knew the area had been hit by a natural disaster in the past?

CONDITIONALS

Let's play!