Uploaded June 2015 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
The great writers had a profound instinctive grasp of human psychology. And Mark Twain was certainly one of them. Here is Professor Dan Ariely relating that incident where Tom Sawyer had to whitewash his aunt’s fence (on a Sunday, too!). There were two options for him: either he could meekly submit to his fate and endure the taunts of his friends, OR he could re-frame the whole experience. ‘It’s not every day a boy gets the chance to paint a fence…’ The Moral: In ambiguous situations the subjective evaluation of an experience depends heavily on the way it is framed. And if you doubt that this applies in real life, just watch the next video (Framing II).
[NB: I do not own the copyright to this video clip. I have uploaded it here for educational purposes].
The great writers had a profound instinctive grasp of human psychology. And Mark Twain was certainly one of them. Here is Professor Dan Ariely relating that incident where Tom Sawyer had to whitewash his aunt’s fence (on a Sunday, too!). There were two options for him: either he could meekly submit to his fate and endure the taunts of his friends, OR he could re-frame the whole experience. ‘It’s not every day a boy gets the chance to paint a fence…’ The Moral: In ambiguous situations the subjective evaluation of an experience depends heavily on the way it is framed. And if you doubt that this applies in real life, just watch the next video (Framing II).
[NB: I do not own the copyright to this video clip. I have uploaded it here for educational purposes].
![Comedy for ELT - Frank Dad 4 [Birds and Bees]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/PDrLKAByJrM/mqdefault.jpg "Comedy for ELT - Frank Dad 4 [Birds and Bees]
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 how he came into this world… 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 / Marriage / Sex.
[NB: I do not own the copyright to this video clip. I have uploaded it here for educational purposes].
SCRIPT
D: How are your dippers?
S: They’re great! Can I have some more ketchup?
D: Oh, go on then…
S: Dad, where do I come from?
D: Ipswich. *
S: No, I mean… How did I get born?
D: Oh, right… Well, I met your mum at work. We bumped into each other in a corridor – literally. Then we had a few dates, got to know each other and found out we got on really well. And then eventually, we fell in love and got married and, yeah I know, icky stuff… And then in November 1994, your mum got drunk and had sex with two builders. * And nine months later, out you popped… I’m not sure which of the builders is your real dad… * I’m guessing it’s not the Chinese one… * Right! Choc ices?!? *")
![Human Nature - Happiness and the Workplace [3]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Pf-e92b8Sf0/mqdefault.jpg "Human Nature - Happiness and the Workplace [3]
Some fascinating insights on happiness by Tony Hsieh. The important bits are the four elements that contribute to happiness (Perceived Control – Perceived Progress – Connectedness – Vision/Meaning [0:09]), and the 3 types of happiness(Pleasure – Engagement - Meaning [1:27] – see also Seligman). Another interesting thing is how little tweaks can significantly contribute to people’s levels of happiness. Needless to say, all these things have serious implications for Educators, not only in terms of creating schools that keep teachers happy, but also in applying these principles in the classroom.
[NB: I do not own the copyright to this video clip. I have uploaded it here for educational purposes].")
![Comedy for ELT - Frank Dad 6 [Remarrying]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/RGuYMPJf0RY/mqdefault.jpg "Comedy for ELT - Frank Dad 6 [Remarrying]
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 has had a good time with his dad and his dad’s new girlfriend, so he asks him whether he intends to tie the knot… 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 / Relationships / Divorce / Remarrying / Sex.
[NB: I do not own the copyright to this video clip. I have uploaded it here for educational purposes].
SCRIPT
D: (Having a picnic by the river) Well, we’d better think about being on our way…
S: Oh, dad, can’t we stay a bit longer?
D: Well, I think your mum said she had people coming round tonight, so I’d better get you back in good time…
G: Well, what about I go and get us all an ice-cream?
S: Oh, yeah! (She asks Dad too)
D: Oh, please, Zuki… (She goes off)
S: I like Zuki…
D: Yeah? Me too…
S: Dad…
D: What is it me old china? *
S: Are you and Zuki going to get married?
D: Well, that’s a big question… And one that deserves to be treated seriously. * I suppose marriage is, kind of like the next step when you’ve been together for a while like we have… And in order to know if it’s the right step, you have to ask yourself all sorts of other questions – you know: How would it affect our relationship? Am I ready to settle down again? Is she the right one for me to settle down with?.... You know, when I think about it like that, I realize that… No. * With Zuki it’s all about the sex… * And we are at it like rutting stags every minute you are out of the room. * And a couple of times when you were there… * I mean, don’t get me wrong, Zuki is brilliant and everything and I love that she is fond of you and she goes off to get ice-creams and what have you… But if I’m honest Paul, after some of the things she’s done to me in the bedroom I couldn’t take her into a church… *
G: Well, here we are… Here’s yours… Now Paul, I’m afraid yours was dripping all over my hand so I had to give it a bit of a lick… * (she give it to him, then licks off the cookie… both the adults groan with pleasure…)")
![Comedy for ELT - Homo Devis 1 [The Car]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/RXLuxUPUmYM/mqdefault.jpg "Comedy for ELT - Homo Devis 1 [The Car]
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: (talking on the phone – presumably to her husband) …and he’s coming here to the house. No, that’s fine… I mean, actually here…. No, I’m fine… Right. …OK... I’m afraid I’ve got some bad news. The Land Rover Voyager has gone in for repair.
D: But mummy, how shall we get to school?
M: Try not to panic…
D: But it’s home economics today and I’m sending my scallops wrapped in Bavarian veal…
M: I’m afraid the news… gets worse…
D: But how?!?
M: We’re going to have to have… a hire car.
D: Hire car?!? You mean a car that… other people have been in?!?
M: It’s being delivered by a man from the garage…
S: Do you mean a…
M: Yes, darling, a mechanic. * (the doorbell rings – it’s the mechanic; Mother opens the door apprehensively)
GM: Morning, darling. I’m from the garage. I’ve got your courtesy car.
D: Mummy, what’s he saying? *
M: We mean you no harm…
GM: Are you all right love?
M: I’m sorry I don’t understand what you are saying… * Please put the keys on the floor and leave us in peace… * (…Yuh, what?....) Have mercy on us! *
GM: Are you alright?... *
M: Please don’t kill us…
GM: Here, love… I’ll leave them here. (leaves the keys on the floor) Take it or leave it, all right? (he walks away)
S: There is no DVD in the back seat!
D: And there’s no bull bar on the front! What if we have to go off-road or to High gate Village?
M: It’s a death-trap! I’ll call daddy… We’ll have to cancel school for today, now run for your lives children, we’re all going to die!! **")
