Page 82 - Think 4. Teacher's Book B2

Unit 7
Rose-tinted glasses Reading; Train to

6 Give students time to read the
two paragraphs. ROSE-TINTED GLASSES UNIT 7
First text: A teacher helped them by
telling them a useful saying.
Second text: Their best friend helped My takes on life, the universe
them by advising them to ignore the
person making fun of them.
Take #21: It depends on how you look at it
7 Monitor and help with vocabulary Hi again! My take today is about a choice we have:
and ideas. After students have the choice to look at things from a positive point of
view, or a negative one. How we see things matters –
discussed in pairs, regroup them it affects our well-being. And here’s a story I found
into small groups for students to recently that illustrates my point.
report back on their discussions It was New Year’s Eve, and a couple were about to go out
and share opinions. to celebrate. They were on the point of leaving when the
man said to his wife, ‘This year finishes in a few hours and
I’m glad. It’s been a terrible year.’
His wife asked him, ‘Why do you say that last year was
Homework terrible? I don’t understand!’ The man was very surprised
and replied, ‘You don’t understand? Think about what
happened last year. First of all, I had an operation to Learning to see things from a different
Ask students to interview someone remove my kidney and now I’ve only got one kidney perspective
in their family or, alternatively, and I was in bed for weeks. Remember? And then last How we see a situation influences how we feel about it and
month, I turned 65 and I was told I had to leave my job
research someone famous who has at the newspaper, to make room for someone younger. how we behave in it. Learning to look at things from a more
optimistic perspective can have a positive influence on the
an optimistic attitude and write a Huh! I loved that job and didn’t want to retire. What am outcome of a situation.
I going to do now? And then there was our son’s accident!
short text. As a follow up, students You surely haven’t forgotten that, have you? Three weeks 6 Read what these people have experienced
can give a presentation about this in hospital, and that meant he couldn’t take his exams when trying to look at things from a different
to get into medical school. And we had to buy a new car.
person with any good ideas for how Terrible year! I’m so happy it’s over.’ perspective. In pairs, discuss what and who helped
them change their attitude.
to be more positive to the class in His wife didn’t say much – she went out of the room, but a
few minutes later, she came back in and said, ‘OK I heard
the next lesson. what you said, but this is how I see things. Your kidney had For a long time, I used to worry about everything all the
time. I even used to worry about not finding anything
been bothering you for years and now you won’t have to worry about. Then we had this discussion in class,
that pain ever again. Now that you don’t have to go to and one of my teachers told us about this saying that I’ll
work every day, you can spend more time in the garden never forget. It may sound ridiculous, but it really helped
Activity idea Extension and make it beautiful, the way you’ve always wanted. me change my attitude. It basically says, ‘For every
And yes, the car was destroyed, but our son came out alive. problem under the sun, there is either a solution or
Students could act out an interview And now he’s got more time to study, so he’ll do even there is none. If there is one, think till you find it. If there
with the husband or the wife from better in his exams next year. So, I think it was a good year. is none, then never mind it.’
But anyway, it’s gone and the new one is due to start in
the blog. Divide the class into four a few hours – it’ll be another good year if we make it one.’
groups: A (husband), B (wife), C So there you are. We can’t control the things that happen I never used to believe in myself. I always thought
everybody else was better than me. One day, I went
to us, or to other people, but we can control how we
(reporter to husband) and D (reporter look at them. You can take a pessimistic attitude, or an out with a group of friends and we met this guy who
to wife). Ask groups C and D to look optimistic one – it’s up to you. Some things are difficult seemed quite nice. But then I noticed that he was
starting to make fun of the things I said. I became quiet
to deal with. For example, I’m seeing the dentist this
at the relevant parts of the blog afternoon, which I’m not looking forward to, but then and started to feel bad about myself. When I spoke
to my best friend afterwards, she just said, ‘So what?
again and write down five questions I think about my granddad and his awful teeth and I That guy’s strange, but that’s him, not you.’ So I decided
think, ‘Going to the dentist now means I probably won’t
to ask the husband / the wife. Ask have problems in the future.’ And if it hurts a little? to ignore the guy and he soon stopped making fun of
me. More importantly, I felt better about myself.
groups A and B to look at the blog Well, nothing’s forever, right?
OK, I won’t be here next week, we’re off on our annual
again and find key information family holiday. Now, how can I find a way to think 7 SPEAKING Work in pairs and discuss any difficult
SPEAKING
about the husband or the wife in positively about two weeks with my brother around all situations where you could usefully apply either of
the time? I’ll think of something!
preparation for an interview. Monitor the two perspectives above.
to make sure all the students are 67
making notes and help with ideas
if necessary. Put the students in AC
and BD pairs and give them time to Activity idea Extension
act out the interview. Write the following situations on the
board:
A young man in your street has
bought a very expensive car.
Eaden passes exams easily and never
seems to study.
George says: ‘I’m not clever enough
to go to university.’
Ask students to think of different
ways people might react to the
situations. What could be a positive more
reaction and what could be a
negative reaction? For example,
positive: What a lovely car – he must Worksheets
Creative ing Project Understanding different perspectives
Preparing for creativity have worked really hard to get the Communication Always look on the bright
Considering multiple perspectives. money for that; negative: He only side
Emotional Development has an expensive car to show other Get ing Is it important to look at
Managing own emotions people how rich he is. things from different angles?
Regulating emotions.
Unit 7 | Rose-tinted glasses T67