Social Media

Discuss these questions as a class:

Which social media outlets do you use?

How often do you use them? 

How much time do spend on social media outlets per day/week/month/year?

Are they time savers or time wasters?

What are some of the pros and cons of these technologies and new ways of communicating?

From "10 Surprising Social Media Statistics" Huff Post

Now check out this I-diots video and compare. 

Watch this video clip from the show Portlandia and discuss as a class.

Plundered Treasures

Here is a list of the Top 10 Plundered Artifacts from Time Magazine 

"History is big business. Plundered art and antiquities trade to the tune of at least $3 billion a year, much to the chagrin of nations struggling to reclaim their lost artifacts. In honor of a recent spat between the Egyptian government and the Louvre museum in Paris over the fate of fresco fragments, TIME examines 10 plundered antiquities and the conflicts they've created."

Read the descriptions of each of the plundered artifacts mentioned in this article and discuss as a class. 

Non-Verbal Communication

Sorry for the Disney throwback, but on the subject of Non-Verbal Communication Ariel and Ursula from the Little Mermaid make a good point:

Ursula: What I want from you is...your voice.

Ariel: My voice? 

Ursula: You've got it sweet cakes... no more talking, singing, zip.

Ariel: But without my voice, how can I...

Ursula: ...you´ll have your looks, your pretty face, and don't underestimate the importance of body language!

So, what are some of the ways that we can communicate without speaking?

With a partner, try to think of as many examples for each category as you can. Then, share with the class.

Did you come up with the following vocab?

If not, add it to your lists.

• shrug your shoulders
• shake your head
• look at your watch
• make eye contact
• yawn
• fidget 
• stare 
• smile 
• cross your arms
• cross your legs
• rub your nose

Role Play
Act out the following situations without saying a word and see if the class can guess what is happening.

• You are at a restaurant and you find a fly in your food. You complain and get into an argument with the staff. 
• You are with a group of friends in an overly crowded bar. You can´t hear a word of the conversation because there is so much background noise. You want to suggest going to another, less crowded place.
• In pairs: Student A is trying to flirt with Student B, but Student B is completely uninterested.
• In pairs: You are at a business conference. One person is going on and on about a topic that completely bores the other. The bored listener tries to find a way out of the conversation without being completely rude. 
• In pairs: One of you is extremely angry with the other. 

Job Interviews

If you could do your dream job, and you didn’t have any obstacles standing in your way, what job would you do and why?

Chances are that most people are not currently working at their dream jobs. Improving your CV and preparing for job interviews are two ways that may bring us closer to moving up the latter.

But job interviews don’t always go according to plan. Listen to this podcast about Odd Job Interviews and complete the fill in the blank excercise.