Uploaded September 2014 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
There are certain phrases in English everybody should know. Here a stand-up comedian teachers a multi-lingual class some basic phrases – making sure to point out when and where each of them is appropriate. Drilling is of course necessary…
[NB: I do not own the copyright to this video clip. I have uploaded it here for educational purposes].
There are certain phrases in English everybody should know. Here a stand-up comedian teachers a multi-lingual class some basic phrases – making sure to point out when and where each of them is appropriate. Drilling is of course necessary…
[NB: I do not own the copyright to this video clip. I have uploaded it here for educational purposes].
![Comedy for ELT - Frank Dad 5 [Sexuality]
He is male, he is a father and he is divorced. He is also very frank… So when his son asks him about things, he is only too happy to reply. It’s just that one wonders whether his son might not have been better off not asking questions in the first place… In this clip, Paul asks his dad why his mother seemed reluctant to take him on holiday with her… Enjoy! :-)
Quite apart from the entertainment value, these little sketches contain very real-life language, including discourse markers and idioms. Taken from the BBC Series ‘The Armstrong and Miller Show’. Level: C1 – C2. Topic: Family / Parents – Children / Sex / Sexuality.
[NB: I do not own the copyright to this video clip. I have uploaded it here for educational purposes].
SCRIPT
D: Paul, what are you doing up here?
S: Thinking…
D: Careful! Your head might fall off!
S: Dad…
D: Go on son, spit it out…
S: Why didn’t mum want me to go on holiday with her?
D: What – is that all this is about? Well, the thing is… it’s nice for your mum and Jill to go on their own… You see, when you’re in the first throes of big, passionate, lesbian relationship * the last thing you need is some little kid wandering in, saying ‘Mummy, can I go to the swimming pool?’ is it? * You see… your mum was never really satisfied by me – sexually, so it’s nice for her occasionally to get the full treatment from someone on the home team… (he winks at Paul) * I mean, don’t get me wrong, I tried… but when it came down to it, I was just extremely lazy in bed… And your poor, old mum sometimes had to sort herself out… * But where would you rather be? With a couple of rug munchers in Ibiza or here with me watching the ‘Top Gear’ DVD, hey? * Go on – race you to the telly! * Comedy for ELT - Frank Dad 5 [Sexuality]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/vit0IsrlL74/mqdefault.jpg)
![Psychology and ELT - Framing II
Would you pay to listen to Professor Ariely giving a poetry reading? Or is he so terrible that you would have to be paid to endure the ordeal? Amazingly people are not sure – even after they have been given a ‘sample recital’. If they were then asked ‘How much would you be prepared to pay to listen to a full recital?’ they thought that was reasonable; if they were asked ‘How much would they have to pay you to listen to a full recital?’ they thought that was reasonable too! The Moral: The way an experience is framed can often determine how it is going to be perceived – not only in terms of degree (e.g. very vs somewhat difficult / easy / painful etc.) but even in terms of whether it is positive or negative!
[NB: I do not own the copyright to this video clip. I have uploaded it here for educational purposes]. Psychology and ELT - Framing II](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/vm0shRbuCJ4/mqdefault.jpg)
![Psychology and ELT - Instant Feedback
Why is it that our students spend so much time playing video games? Part of the answer is the fact that the game offers them instant feedback so they can see their progress. Now: can we harness this idea to get people to do something useful? Indeed we can. The Nike+ FuelBand is an activity tracker worn on the wrist and is to be used with an Apple iPhone, iPad or Android device. It can give you instant feedback about how many calories you burn when you perform all kinds of physical activities and thus it encourages you to carry on moving! Excellent! (NB: You can also use this ad as a speaking / voc task: “Watch this 1-min ad and (with a partner) try to recall: i) the activities that ‘count’ and ii) the activities that do not ‘count’”.
[NB: I do not own the copyright to this video clip. I have uploaded it here for educational purposes]. Psychology and ELT - Instant Feedback](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/whhP8yL3BP0/mqdefault.jpg)
![Human Nature - Form and Content
Oh no, not another sexist ad! The very attractive substitute teacher in the clip seems to come straight out of a feminist leaflet about the objectification and commercialisation of female flesh. But wait! What about the message? What is being ‘advertised’ here?
This very interesting clip (misguided though many might consider it) can be the perfect springboard for a class discussion: ‘Does the end justify the means?’ – or could it be that people are so focused on the originality of the concept or the charms of the model that the message is lost?
And did you know these things about Burma?
[NB: I do not own the copyright to this video clip. I have uploaded it here for educational purposes]. Human Nature - Form and Content](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/wmFvU167euI/mqdefault.jpg)
![Ads for ELT - Technology
How do you define a book? Well, according to techno-geeks it is ‘An on-line, real-time, random-access storage device’ (!!) In this brilliant IKEA ad (where they spoof Apple mercilessly) a guy points out all the amazing features of their latest release: the IKEA catalogue! Not only is this excellent listening material, but it is also a great springboard for all kinds of technology-related discussions/debates: Are new technologies always an improvement? Can old and new technologies coexist? Is innovation driven by a vision for a better future or the need for profit? (etc. etc. ad infinitum) Level: B2 – C1 Topics: Technology / Shopping / Change
[NB: I do not own the copyright to this video clip. I have uploaded it here for educational purposes].
SCRIPT
You know, once in a while something comes along that changes the way we live. A device so simple and intuitive, using it feels almost familiar. Introducing the 2015 IKEA catalogue. It’s not a digital book – or an e-book; it’s a Bookbook!
The first thing to note is – no cables. Not even a power cable. The 2015 IKEA catalogue comes fully-charged and the battery life is eternal. The interface is 7.5 by 8 inches, but can expand to 15 by 8 inches. Navigation is based on tactile – touch technology which you can actually feel.
Content comes pre-installed. There are 328 high-definition pages with inspiring and ..?... ideas. To start browsing, simply touch and turn. Right to left to move forwards, left to right to move backwards. Notice something else? That’s right – no lag! Each crystal-clear page loads instantaneously no matter how fast you scroll.
If you want to get a quick overview, just hold it in the palm of your hand and using just your thumb, speed-browse the content. To find something you want to save for later, you can simply book-mark it and even if you close down the application you can easily find the bookmark again. Amazing!
What about multiple users? For that we’ve introduced a simple, colour-coded system to avoid confusion. If you want to share a particularly inspiring item, you literally share it.
Another special feature is password protection which is voice activated: ‘Excuse me, that’s mine!’
At IKEA we feel that technology this life-enhancing should be in the hands of everyone, so the 2015 IKEA catalogue is free. You can download one from your mailbox (the one you open with a key) and if it’s not there, try a refresh the next day. Or you can upload yourself to the IKEA store and find one there.
Experience the power of a Bookbook. Ads for ELT - Technology](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/x3wEah8aH1Q/mqdefault.jpg)
![Psychology and ELT - 3 Kinds of Happiness
Like ‘Love’, the word ‘Happiness’ is polysemous. In this short clip the pioneer of Positive Psychology Marty Seligman talks about the 3 different kinds of Happiness which correspond to different kinds of life. The big question of course (as Paul Bloom would say) is not what Happiness is, but what it is FOR. We have evolved to take pleasure from these 3 different ways of life for a number of good reasons. So here are the 3 ‘Lives’ that Seligman describes (with an evolutionary gloss):
- The Pleasant Life: (Yes, go ahead and eat that burger / ice-cream [in our evolutionary past this would have meant a caloric bonanza]; and of course try not to miss any opportunity to sleep with the likes of Monica Bellucci / Johnny Depp [depending on your sex] if you get the chance…)
- The Good Life: (Do lose yourself in purposeful activities which are challenging, yet manageable; chances are that this will make you more versatile and enhance both your skills and your standing in your peer group).
- The Meaningful Life: (It makes sense to belong and commit yourself passionately to causes which in our ancestral past would have promoted the interests of your kin group or your clan in competition with other groups [the group selection hypothesis – first put forward by Darwin himself]).
[NB: I do not own the copyright to this video clip. I have uploaded it here for educational purposes]. Psychology and ELT - 3 Kinds of Happiness](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/xEihRECHCrg/mqdefault.jpg)
![Comedy for ELT - Language Problems
[ To download a free worksheet (+KEY, +Script) just click here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByC3QwWZuGXdWjBRaXhuV243R1U/view?usp=sharing ]
A number of students are talking about the problems they have with English. Incredibly they do manage to understand each other... :-) A hilarious little sketch with huge potential both for the classroom and for presentations.
Taken from the series The Sketch Show UK
Level: B2 C1 Topics: Language / Language Learning / Education / Learning difficulties
EXTENSION
Post-Listening: Watch What about you? What would you say is your greatest problem with the language? Walk around the class and share your problem (+ an example) with at least three other people.
Homework: [ Students write their problem (+ an example) on a post-it note and they give it to the teacher. The teacher distributes the notes at random to the various students. Each student has to write an e-mail suggesting ways for how their classmate can overcome their problem. Next time the post-it notes along with the e-mails can be put up on the wall and the students can walk around voting for which e-mail they think gives the best advice. ]
[A big ‘Thank You’ to my colleague Joanna Charalampous for suggesting these two activities after using the clip with her class. :-) ]
[NB: I do not own the copyright to this video clip. I have uploaded it here for educational purposes].
SCRIPT
B: Hey! Arent we all on the same English course?
A: Oh yeah! Hows it going?
B: Eer not bad. Except that I sometimes have trouble with my grammar, isnt it? * I mean, sometimes I perfect, but other times I dont, wont they? *
R: You see, Im alright with my grammar. My problem is spilling. I cant spill to save my loaf... *
A: Yeah?
R: Yeah... After all I have a spell chock on my compluter. *
A: Well, you know, look at it this way You can lead a horse to the water, but you cant eat it too you know what Im saying? *
R: No, no, not really...
B: I... I think that she sometimes has trouble mixing metaphors, arent she?
A: Yeah... Sorry guys Im always crying over spilled chickens before theyre hatched... *
P: Its alright for you all; Ive got a very small vocabulary. *
G: Whats that like?
P: Its alright for you all; Ive got a very small vocabulary. *
G: Thats ok; Ive got problem with my emPHAsis... *
A: Your emPHAsis?!?
G: Yes, my emPHAsis on different parts of the senTENces... * In my job that can cause a lot of awkWARDness... *
R: What do you do?
G: Im a speech theRApist. *
R: A peach therapist that cant spike properly. * Im surprised your boss hasnt sucked you... *
P: Its alright for you all; Ive got a very small vocabulary. *
G: Can I make a SUggestion? Why dont you purCHAse a dictioNAry? Youll save yourself a lot of embarrassment. * (she nods)
B: I tell you what why dont we try studying together, isnt it? How doesnt it next week sound, didnt we? How does it next week sound, didnt we?
R: Grave idea!
G: FaBUlous! *
A: Yeah, you give them an inch, its worth two in the bush! *
P: Its alright for you all; Ive got..... *
All: Shut up!!
B: ...isnt it? * Comedy for ELT - Language Problems](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/xN--gGkS8aU/mqdefault.jpg)
![Psychology and ELT - One Minute Praisings
Generally speaking, I’m not a great fun of constantly praising people. Frequent praise tends to lose its value. Plus people realise that one does it ‘on principle’. This is different though. The idea is you catch people doing something good and praise them! In this way you kill 3 birds with one stone: i) you provide feedback (people want to know how they are doing); ii) people know it is real because you have linked praise with something they have done and iii) you can even label them (‘You did that so quickly; you must be very organised’) – the ‘label’ acts as a self-fulfilling prophecy and people try to live up to it! Dan Heath again….
[NB: I do not own the copyright to this video clip. I have uploaded it here for educational purposes]. Psychology and ELT - One Minute Praisings](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/xcgQaOqyXwc/mqdefault.jpg)
![Comedy for ELT - Homo Devis 3 [Tottenham]
[To download a worksheet (+ KEY, + Script) just click here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByC3QwWZuGXdQkwxY3RheVJDVHM/view?usp=sharing ]
Scientists have recently discovered a new human (sub-)species. It’s called ‘Homo Devis’. Most of us plebs refer to them as ‘the super posh’ and ‘the filthy rich’, though people have been known to use other names as well… These people live differently, they think differently, they speak differently.
A brilliant comment on class stratification by the very talented Catherine Tate. Taken from the BBC TV Series ‘The Catherine Tate Show’. Level: C1 – C2 Topics: Rich – Poor / Class / Discrimination / Values.
[NB: I do not own the copyright to this audio clip. I have uploaded it here for educational purposes].
SCRIPT
A: And did those feet in ancient time,
Walk upon Englands mountains green?
S: Oh mummy, I do enjoy our visits to Gillaume.
D: He really is the greatest ….charcutier (sic).... in London – if not the home counties!
M: (suddenly concerned) Good God in heaven above!
D: What is it?
M: I must have taken a wrong turning… We seem to have driven into a place called ‘Tottenham’! *
S: Mummy, look! What’s that?!? * Can we feed him?
M: No, if you do that he may follow us, so… *
S: Mummy, this is scary… I’m looking but everyone is wearing brogues! *
M: Calm down, we must remember the time when we were on safari in the Serengeti. * We keep the windows and doors locked, and don’t let the locals see the windscreen wipers moving, in case they try to rip them off… *
S: Mummy, look at this! (sign says ‘Iceland.co.uk’) *
M: Yes, I’ve heard of that; * I think they sell…
D: Sell what, mummy?
M: …frozen food… * Now try not to panic, but the traffic lights are red, and there’s a man standing next to them with a bucket of dirty water and a sponge… * Just smile and look out front. .... * (the man knocks on the windscreen) * Don’t look him in the eyes! He wants you to look him in the eyes, but you mustn’t! *
S: He’s going away – we did it!
D: I can’t wait to tell them at school – ‘My Day in Tottenham’… *
A: (the man splashes soapy water on the windscreen and they all scream) We’re all going to die!! ** Comedy for ELT - Homo Devis 3 [Tottenham]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ybkqUWw3i5o/mqdefault.jpg)

![Ads for ELT - A Story 5
A young American guy finds himself in Paris for study purposes. While having a coffee at a local café, a girl says something to him in French and his life changes completely…
There are numerous ways of using this ad with EL students, but I suppose the easiest is to just show them the ad and get them to write the story. If you want to make the activity even more interesting, stop at 00:43 and get the students to guess what the guy’s next search might be for… Simply brilliant!
[NB: I do not own the copyright to this video clip. I have only uploaded it here for educational purposes]. Ads for ELT - A Story 5](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/zS_DyQ4g53k/mqdefault.jpg)