Uploaded February 2017 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
A guy invites home the girl he intends to marry along with three others he has dated. Will his mother be able to tell which one is his wife-to-be? Enjoy.
[NB: I do not own the copyright to this video clip. I have uploaded it here for educational purposes].
A guy invites home the girl he intends to marry along with three others he has dated. Will his mother be able to tell which one is his wife-to-be? Enjoy.
[NB: I do not own the copyright to this video clip. I have uploaded it here for educational purposes].
![Comedy for ELT - Homo Devis 2 [The Race]
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
M: Now – remember what daddy told you about sports day?
S&D: That ‘The taking part is everything; to win with dignity and to lose with pride in the knowledge that you did your absolute best’. *
M: Remember, whatever happens here today, mummy and daddy are immensely proud of you.
S&D: Thank you mummy…
M: OK darlings, now… it’s nearly time… in perpetua vincere.
S&D: In perpetua vincere… *
A: In lane 1, Cloe Taylor Thomas; in lane 2, Thomas Taylor Thomas; * in lane 3, Imogen Fitzroy Ferguson; in lane 4, Fergus Fitzroy Ferguson; * in lane 5, Emilia Harvey Henry; and in lane 6, Henry Harvey Henry. *
R: On your marks; get – set - * go!
M: Nooooo!!! It’s the eggs!! They’re not organic!!! (the children scream and everybody rushes off to the cars…) *** Comedy for ELT - Homo Devis 2 [The Race]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Ux876msHnXg/mqdefault.jpg)
![Ads for ELT - True Love
Harvey decides he needs a mate. So, he goes to a speed-dating event (no cats!). Things there look dire, until he sets eyes on Harmony – then his life changes for ever… Enjoy! 😊
[NB: I do not own the copyright to this video clip. I have only uploaded it here for educational purposes]. Ads for ELT - True Love](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/V71_5Uwh2ZU/mqdefault.jpg)
![Emotion in ELT - 7 Soundtracks
Emotions are immediate, powerful and beyond our control. Because emotions deal with the important things in life (attraction, fear, anger, jealousy) our brain ‘tags’ emotional experiences (‘Remember this!’). For this reason, emotionally-laden experiences are far more memorable than ordinary ones. As teachers of course, we want our students to have memorable learning experiences. One way of doing this is to introduce music in class.
This clip contains 7 very evocative short extracts from the soundtrack of different film genres. Here are two possibilities: Students listen to the music and make very brief notes of the kind of images that come to their mind. Then they can simply share what they have imagined with the person next to them (the differences are often quite interesting). Alternatively, students could write a short paragraph describing the images that the music triggers in their mind; the teacher can collect these pieces of writing and put them up on the wall. The students could walk around and try to guess who wrote what.
[Key: 0:00 – 0:59 Silent Film / 1:00 – 1:59 Spy Film (James Bond) / 2:00 – 2:45 Romantic Film / 2:47 – 3:47 Western / 3:49 – 4:38 Comedy / 4:39 – 5:32 Thriller / 5:34 – 6:39 War Film]
[NB: I do not own the copyright to this audio clip. I have uploaded it here for educational purposes]. Emotion in ELT - 7 Soundtracks](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/VY5wOvX60iE/mqdefault.jpg)
![Human Nature - Cognitive Fluency
Imagine you are shown an electronic product. You are perfectly happy to pay $ 100 for it. Now imagine this product comes with an additional feature – at no extra cost. Surely that should not be a problem? Surely that should add to the value of the product? Amazingly, this is not always the case.
The answer is to be found in something called ‘Cognitive Fluency’. If it is easy for me to understand the function of the original product, my brain is happy. If the addition of the extra feature somehow confuses me, I may well decide not to buy it at all! Amazing!
[NB: I do not own the copyright to this video clip. I have uploaded it here for educational purposes].
+elt, +tesl, +tefl, +tesol, +psychology, +insights, +experience, +evolved preferences, +system 1, +system 2, +choices, +choice architecture, +design,
Imagine you are shown an electronic product. You are perfectly happy to pay $ 100 for it. Now imagine this product comes with an additional feature – at no extra cost. Surely that should not be a problem? Surely that should add to the value of the product? Amazingly, this is not always the case.
The answer is to be found in something called ‘Cognitive Fluency’. If it is easy for me to understand the function of the original product, my brain is happy. If the addition of the extra feature somehow confuses me, I may well decide not to buy it at all! Amazing!
[NB: I do not own the copyright to this video clip. I have uploaded it here for educational purposes]. Human Nature - Cognitive Fluency](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/VmUUCewlB3k/mqdefault.jpg)
![Men and Women - Market Value and Adaptation
Do all guys see Megan Fox as a 9.7 out of 10? Do I (a poor 4.6 on a good day) stand a chance with her? And what happens if for whatever reason my Market Value drops even further? Do I maintain my previous ‘high’ standards thus potentially condemning myself to a life of celibacy or do I adapt to my changed circumstances? And if I do adapt, do I see people differently? Do I no longer see beautiful people as beautiful just because they are now out of my league?
In this amazing little clip, Professor Dan Ariely gives us some answers to these questions. A ‘must watch’ clip for anyone wishing to gain some deeper insights into the way people pair up.
[NB: I do not own the copyright to this video clip. I have uploaded it here for educational purposes]. Men and Women - Market Value and Adaptation](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Vz4w6QihQTw/mqdefault.jpg)
![Ads for ELT - Random Acts of Kindness
This is an excellent Ad from Thailand. A bit of a tear-jerker, but there are lots of things happening here and this could lead to lots of language practice:
This is an ad about an ordinary man who goes around doing random acts of kindness. These involve: i) a plant ii) a lady with a heavy cart iii) a dog iv) a beggar woman and her daughter v) an old lady.
Task A: Ask students to predict what he does to help in all these cases. Play the ad up to 1:26. Check to see whether their predictions were similar to what happens in the ad.
Task B: Then ask students to predict what happens in the second part of the ad. What are the effects of his actions in each case? Play the ad till the end. Students compare their ideas with what actually happened.
Task C: Follow-up: Research has shown that performing random acts of kindness for others can make us a lot happier. Not only that; other studies have shown that this has a spill-over effect. The recipients of kindness tend to be similarly kind not only to their benefactors but to third parties as well. Kindness is contagious. Ask students in pairs to come up with at least five little things they could do for the people around them.
Task D: Ask students to perform one of these little acts of kindness they thought of share what with their classmates what happened the next day. (Research has shown that when we recall happy moments we experience similar levels of happiness).
[NB: I do not own the copyright to this video clip. I have uploaded it here for educational purposes]. Ads for ELT - Random Acts of Kindness](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/WHtzsvKKB9E/mqdefault.jpg)
![Psychology and ELT - Rebranding
Q: How do you get kids to eat vegetables? A: You ‘sell’ them the product like it was junk food of course! What is junk food like? i) it comes in plastic bags; ii) it comes out of vending machines; iii) it often features in video games; iv) it is often advertised through extravagant commercials which are carefully designed to appeal to the target group without saying anything about the product.
This amazing campaign has used all these elements to get kids to look at baby carrots in a different light – from ‘boring’ to ‘cool’! Could there be a lesson for us in the success of this campaign? :-)
[PS: What really cracks me up is the way the advertisers deliberately make fun of all the ridiculous advertising tricks they normally use (1:12 – 1:50) – amazing!! :-) ]
[NB: I do not own the copyright to this video clip. I have uploaded it here for educational purposes]. Psychology and ELT - Rebranding](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/W_cVT9p4ekQ/mqdefault.jpg)
![Ads for ELT - Learning Strategies
A wonderfully moving ad. An elderly Polish guy has decided to learn English – and he goes about it systematically. What strategies does he use? Which of these would you say are effective? Quite apart from the beauty of this little story, this ad can serve as an excellent springboard for discussing the importance of student independence and the different ways in which students can take charge of their own learning.
[NB: I do not own the copyright to this video clip. I have uploaded it here for educational purposes]. Ads for ELT - Learning Strategies](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Wayo10xQzww/mqdefault.jpg)
![Ads for ELT - Comparing Ads 1
Here is an activity you can do with your students: There are six ads here. You write short descriptions of the idea behind each of these ads. You divide the students into groups of six. Then you give each of them one of these descriptions. The idea is that they are all members of an advertising agency and they have to persuade the others that their idea is the best. Once they have discussed the pros and cons of each, the group then votes on the best one. Then they get to watch them and vote again. Enjoy! :-)
[NB: I do not own the copyright to this video clip. I have uploaded it here for educational purposes]. Ads for ELT - Comparing Ads 1](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/X_VCLAE4ydo/mqdefault.jpg)
![Ads for ELT - A Valentines Mix up
It’s Valentine’s day and the doggie’s dad is busy getting the place ready as he has invited his new girlfriend over for dinner. His poor doggie is feeling totally ignored. I mean, what is the matter with the guy? Then, the penny drops: of course, it’s that card that did it all… This calls for action – radical action… But there is a little twist at the end… Enjoy! 😊
[NB: I do not own the copyright to this video clip. I have only uploaded it here for educational purposes]. Ads for ELT - A Valentines Mix up](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/YJONb53jcPA/mqdefault.jpg)
![Ads for ELT - Hands Only CPR 2 [Mini Vinnie]
[To get a free worksheet (+KEY, +Script) just click here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByC3QwWZuGXddlIyRVRBaHlmMFk/view?usp=sharing ]
Can a brilliant idea get even better? Indeed it can! Following the amazing Vinnie Jones ad (see ‘Ads for ELT - Hands Only CPR 1’) here is the fantastic sequel – CPR for kids! Tough boy ‘Mini-Vinnie’ shows us that there are times in life when it pays to be tough… :-) Amazing!! The perfect sequel to a lesson on Health / First aid etc. […which you naturally start with the first ad! :-) ]
Level: C1 – C2. Topic: Health / First Aid / Emergencies
[NB: I do not own the copyright to this video clip. I have uploaded it here for educational purposes].
SCRIPT
MINI VINNIE: There are times in life when being tough comes in handy. Say some numpty (?) collapses in front of you and your mum or dad ain’t around. What do you do? We need a volunteer that ain’t breathing.
Here’s one I made earlier. First off, check you’re not in any danger. Then check him over. If he ain’t breathing or he’s making noises like this. (SOUND: serious weezing) then he’s having a cardiac arrest. Shout for help (ALL: ‘Help!!’). Then call 999 – ‘Hello’. Don’t panic! The geezer at the end of the phone will tell you what to do. And no kissing. You don’t even kiss your nan on the lips. Lock your fingers, knuckles up and push hard and fast here – on the sovereign to the tune of ‘Staying Alive’.
Push down five or six centimetres. That’s about two inches – whatever they are… Push hard and fast! Go on. Better a cracked rib than him kicking the bucket. Do this until help arrives.
VINNIE: That’s my boy.
MINI VINNIE: Remember: Shout for help, call 999, push hard and fast to ‘Staying Alive’.
VINNIE: Hands-only CPR. It ain’t as hard as it looks. This is for training purposes only – so don’t try it on your mates!
MINI VINNIE: Alright muppets? Ads for ELT - Hands Only CPR 2 [Mini Vinnie]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/YL7EcrofSGI/mqdefault.jpg)