-This is called "Press Conference" and it's great for small groups and classes of about six

people and up. It stresses listening, speaking, and overall conversation. nd it's fun!
"ivide the students into t#o groups$ the "compan%" and the "press." The compan%
should be about t#o to five people, an% more than five and %ou'll invariabl% have
some students dominating the discussion #hile other students remain silent. The
"press" is the rest of the class.
&ither %ou or the "compan%" come up #ith a fault% product 'or example$
o blonde hair d%e that turns %our hair blue
o a car that flips over if it takes a turn at over () mph
o a bike that loses its #heel after a #eek
o an action figure that breaks off into little pieces after %ou take it out of the
package
&xplain the product and its defect to the #hole class.
The goal of the game is for the "compan%" to keep as much of its profit and reputation
in tact, #hile the "press" tries to get the "compan%" to admit fault and promise refunds
and*or a recall of their product.
This is a fun game, and it could potentiall% go for an hour or t#o, depending on ho# into it
the students get. In m% experiences, the% love tr%ing to trip each other up. If the discussion is
lagging, %ou can al#a%s step in and ask the "compan% reps" a fe# +uestions %ourself.
nother helpful thing to do is to #rite do#n #ords or sentences the%'ve said incorrectl%, or
#ords %ou taught them that the% keep forgetting or getting #rong, and go over this at the end
of the "press conference."
The press is the best instrument for enlightening the mind of man, and
improving him as a rational, moral and social beingThomas Jeferson
Frankly, despite my horror of the press, I'd love to rise from the grave every ten
years or so and go buy a fe nespapers! "uis #u$uel
,The true pioneer of civili-ation is not the ne#spaper, not religion, not the railroad--but
#hiske%!.
/ark T#ain
%here the press is free and every man able to read, all is safe!
Thomas Jeferson
"In the real #orld, nothing happens at the right place at the right time. It is the 0ob of
0ournalists and historians to correct that."
T#ain, /ark
,I believe in e+ualit% for ever%one, except reporters and photographers..
1 /ahatma 2andhi
This classic conversation lesson is based on the idea of creating a ne# societ%. 3tudents must
decide #hich la#s #ill be follo#ed and ho# man% freedoms #ill be allo#ed. This lesson
#orks #ell for students of most levels - except beginners - as the sub0ect brings out man%
opinions.
Aim: 4uilding conversation skills, expressing opinions
Activity: 2roup activit% deciding on the la#s for a ne# societ%
Level: pre-intermediate to advanced
Outline:
5elp activate vocabular% b% asking students #hich la#s the% admire most and least in
their o#n countr% - and #h%.
"ivide students into groups of ( - 6. Tr% to include as man% different personalities as
possible in each group 7to provide for more stimulating discussion!8
&xplain the follo#ing situation to the class$
A large area of your country has been set aside by the current government for the
development of a new nation. This area will include an invited international
community of 20,000 men and women. Imagine that your group has to decide the laws
of this new country.
"istribute the #orksheet and ask students to discuss the +uestions.
ns#er the #orksheet as a class - ask the opinions of each group and leave ample
time for discussion of differing opinions.
s a follo#-up activit%, the class could discuss #hich la#s and customs the% #ould
like to change in their o#n countr%.
Populate Ideal Land
A large area of your country has been set aside by the current government for the
development of a new nation. This area will include an invited international community of
20,000 men and women. Imagine that your group has to decide the laws of this new country.
Discuss the following questions.
9. :hich political s%stem #ill the countr% have;
<. :hat #ill the official language7s8 be;
=. :ill there be censorship;
(. :hat industries #ill %our countr% tr% to develop;
>. :ill citi-ens be allo#ed to carr% a gun;
6. :ill there be the death penalt%;
?. :ill there be a state religion;
@. :hat kind of immigration polic% #ill there be;
A. :hat #ill the educational s%stem be like; :ill there be compulsor% education to a
certain age;
9). :ho #ill be allo#ed to marr%;
Topics&
Complaining
Is it al#a%s necessar% to complain;
:hen is it appropriate to complain in a restaurant;
:hat do %ou think of the sa%ing, "The customer is al#a%s right.";
:hat do %ou sa% to someone to complain about bad service in a store or restaurant;
5ave %ou ever gotten angr% at a #orker in a store or a restaurant;
:hat are some reasons #h% #e might need to complain in a store or restaurant;
:hat are some reasons #h% %ou #ould not complain about bad service;
"o %ou prefer to make a complaint over the telephone or in person;
:hen is it necessar% to #rite a letter of complaint;
Is it common in %our countr% to complain about bad service;
Feas
re there an% parts of the cit% #here %ou live #hich %ou are afraid to visit after dark;
:here; :h%;
re there certain #eather conditions that scare people; :hat are the%; :h% do people
become scared;
re %ou afraid of fl%ing;
re %ou afraid of ghosts;
re %ou afraid of giving a speech in public;
re %ou afraid of going to the dentist;
re %ou afraid of heights;
re %ou afraid of scar% movies;
re %ou afraid of the dark;
re %ou afraid to die; :h%;
re %ou afraid of getting old; :h%;
re there an% numbers that people are afraid of in %our culture;
"o %ou fear certain insects or animals; :h%;
"o %ou kno# an%one #ith a phobia;
"o %ou like horror movies;
"o %ou think %oung children should be allo#ed to #atch horror movies;
5o# do %ou react #hen %ou see something frightening;
Is there an% person %ou are afraid of;
:ere %ou afraid of the dark as a child;
:ere %ou afraid on %our first da% of school here in the Bnited 3tates; 5o# do %ou
feel no#;
:hat animal do %ou think is the most scar%;
:hat are some things #hich man% people are afraid of; :h% are the% afraid of them;
:hat is the scariest movie %ou have ever seen;
:hat is %our biggest fear in life; re %ou afraid that it might come true;
:hat kinds of things make %ou nervous;
:hat #as the most frightening experience %ou've had;
:hen %ou #ere a child, #hat things #ere %ou afraid of;
"o %ou ever have nightmares 7bad dreams8;
o :hat are the% about;
o 5o# often do %ou have nightmares;
5ave %ou ever seen an% realit% TC sho#s #here people face their fears for mone%;
o :ould %ou ever face one of %our fears for mone%;
o "o %ou find this kind of sho# interesting to #atch;
:hat is %our biggest fear;
5ave %ou overcome an% of %our fears;
re %ou afraid of being ill; :hat disease are %ou most afraid of; :h%;
"o %ou believe people can be cured of phobias b% h%pnosis;
re %ou afraid to fl%;
-re %ou afraid to ride a motorc%cle;
-re %ou afraid of death, of d%ing;
5o# do %ou cope #ith %our fears;
re %ou afraid of being ill; :hat disease are %ou most afraid of; :h%;
:hat is %our biggest fear for %ourself;
:hat is %our biggest fear for the #orld;
5o# often do %ou feel afraid;
5o# #ould %ou help someone to get over their fear;
"o %ou have an% form of phobia or paranoia;
:hat #ere %ou afraid of as a child;
:hat facial expressions accompan% fear;
If %ou 'put the fear of 2od into someone,' ho# do %ou think that person feels;
re %ou afraid %ou might get sick;
re %ou afraid of speaking &nglish;
o foreign language;
o In front of man% people;
o t official functions;
re %ou afraid of germs;
Fashion
Delated$ 'ads and Trends, Clothes E 'ashion
re %ou a fashionable person;
:hat is fashion;
:ho is fashionable that %ou kno#;
"o %ou read fashion maga-ines;
:hich season is it the easiest to be fashionable;
Can %ou be fashionable #ithout spending mone%;
:ho is the most fashionable in %our famil%;
o :h% do %ou think so;
:here is a fashionable cit% in %our countr%;
"o %ou think %our friends are fashionable;
re %ou dressed fashionabl% toda%;
:h% do some people ignore fashion;
:ho is the most fashionable teacher %ou kno#;
5o# much do %ou spend getting read% to go to school;
o College
o :ork
o Fut #ith friends
o To a part%
o "o the times var% much;
:hen and #here did %ou bu% an article of clothing %ou're #earing right no#; :h%
did %ou choose it;
5ave %ou ever gotten an item of clothing tailored;
!hite Lies
Delated$ 5onest% and Truthfulness, Cheating
re #hite lies good or bad;
Can %ou lie #ith out l%ing;
Is a #hite lie still classified a lie;
Is it oka% to tell #hite lies;
"oes telling a #hite lie make %ou a bad person;
:hen is a #hite lie acceptable;
Cheating
Delated$ 5onest% and Truthfulness, :hite Gies
:hat is %our definition of cheating;
5ave %ou ever cheated;
:h% do %ou think that people cheat;
5ave %ou ever cheated in an exam;
5ave %ou ever been caught cheating on an exam;
If %ou had a chance to cheat no#, #ould %ou take it;
In #hat situations do people usuall% cheat;
5ave %ou ever been cheated on b% somebod% else;
"escribe a time #hen %ou cheated and it helped %ou.
"o %ou think if people stopped cheating the #orld #ould be a better place;
:hat do %ou think of people #ho cheat in their relationships;
:hat do %ou think can be done to prevent cheating;
:hat are some things %ou can do to prevent cheating;
:hat #ould %ou do it %ou sa# someone cheating at something.
!old Peace
:hat are the first steps to #orld peace;
Is it important to think about peace;
5o# peaceful are %ou;
:hat is the most peaceful place %ou kno# of;
:hat #ould it take for the #orld to be more peaceful;
:ould people need to change ho# the% think, for the #orld to be peaceful;
:ho is the most peaceful person %ou kno#;
:hat do %ou do to feel more calm, tran+uil;
Is some music peaceful;
Is there an% man made ob0ects that %ou think are peaceful;
:hen %ou think of peace, #hat image do %ou think of;
"o %ou think that most people think about peace regularl%;
"nvionment # Pollution
re there litter la#s #here %ou live; If so, #hat is the penalt% for littering;
"o %ou think cars should be banned from cit% centres;
"o %ou think people should rec%cle ne#spapers; :h% or #h% not;
"o %ou think there are lessons to learn from nature;
5o# has the #orld changed since %ou #ere a child; 7technolog%, values,
environment, health8
5o# often is garbage collected in %our neighbourhood;
If humans are reall% intelligent and not simpl% manipulated b% their genes like an%
other animal, #h% can't the% do an%thing about overpopulation;
:hat are some things that can be rec%cled;
:hat are some things that %our communit% is doing to help the;
:hat are some things #hich %ou rec%cle;
:hat are some t%pes of pollution;
:hat are some #a%s that %ou can reduce pollution in this countr%;
:hat can %ou do to help prevent pollution;
:hat can %ou do to make this #orld a better place;
:hat do %ou think of people #ho smoke cigarettes indoors;
:hich is more important, increasing people's standard of living, or protecting the
environment;
o Think of a situation in %our area involving this issue.
o :hich side #ould %ou choose;
:ho do %ou think is more responsible for pollution, individual people or the
government; &xplain.
:hat is the most important issue facing the environment toda%;
"o %ou kno# about an% anti-pollution programs in %our communit%;
o :hat about programs in %our native countr%;
"o %ou usuall% drink bottled #ater; :h% or :h% not;
If %ou could choose one alternative energ% source to develop #hich one #ould %ou
choose; :h%;
re companies more or less environmentall% responsible no# than the% #ere in the
past; :h% do %ou think that is;
"o %ou think rec%cling is an important communit% service;
o "o %ou rec%cle;
:ho should pa% for the costs associated #ith rene#able energ%;
3hould #e make the development of rene#able energ% sources an economic priorit%;
:hat are some #a%s energ% is #asted;
:hat t%pes of energ% are popular in %our native countr%;
:hat is the main problem #ith rene#able energ% sources;
:hat can large cities do to improve their air +ualit%;
5o# can #e protect the environment and at the same time improve people's standard
of living;
"o %ou think overpopulation is an important environmental issue; :h% or #h% not;
3hould an environmental lev% be imposed on 3BCs not used in the farming
communit%;
o 5o# #ould this help the environment;
3hould gas for motorists be more expensive;
o :hat #ould be the advantages and disadvantages of this;
"o think global #arming is real;
o "o %ou think this is an effect of pollution;
re #orried about global #arming;
If %ou live on an island or on the coast does this increase the danger from global
#arming; :h%;
:hat's happening to forests in the #orld;
:hat happens #hen #e remove forests;
:hat can #e do to protect forests;
:h% should #e rec%cle;
"oes %our local government make it eas% or hard for citi-ens to rec%cle;
re there people in %our countr% #ho make their living from picking-up other
people's garbage;
5o# is pollution effecting the environment of the Bnited 3tates toda%;
o 5o# about %our o#n countr%;
"oes %our countr% have a smoking ban la# in place;
:hat are the benefits* disadvantages of a smoking ban;
5o# do individual decisions about number of children affect overall population
numbers;
:hat is global #arming;
"o %ou think nuclear po#er safe; :ho should be allo#ed it and #h%; :ho should
police it;
In #hat #a%s can #e save more #ater; Please tell %our experiences.
:hat should #e do to increase the a#areness about environmental pollution;
"o %ou have an% ideas on ho# to minimi-e the use of plastic bags and 3t%rofoam
boxes;
"oes %our local government make it eas% or hard for citi-ens to rec%cle;