This is another TED ESL lesson, utilizing the wonderful free resources available from TED to teach students English. This video features Arianna Huffington talking about feminism, sleep, and work. There’s plenty for your students to discuss, and the vocabulary she uses is very basic – although she does talk quite fast.
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Before starting the lesson, read the following comic and consider what it means:
To begin with, discuss the following with a partner:
Discuss
- What are some common problems in the work place?
- What prevents people from achieving success?
- What can people do to be more productive?
- How does stress impact the economy?
Before watching the video, here are the most difficult words Arianna uses:
Vocabulary
Deprived Exhaustion
Feminist Brag
One-upmanship Hyper-connected
Crisis/crises Faint
Now watch the video and take notes:
Comprehension Questions
- What made her rediscover the value of sleep?
- What is unfortunate for men?
- Why are leaders making terrible decisions?
- Why would Lehman Brothers benefit from having more women?
- What are the benefits of sleep, according to Arianna Huffington?
Having watched the video, discuss the issues with a partner:
Final Discussion
- Do you agree with Ariana Huffington? Why? Why not?
- Does sleep-deprivation affect you or other students?
- How many hours of sleep per night do people need?
- Why is sleep so important to productivity?
