Warming up

1. Lead-in

Introduce the topic of thinking positively by asking   questions:

1) What difficulties have you ever got into since   you came to college? (miss deadlines; worry about making mistakes; how to get   along well with roommates?… )

2) How have you coped with the difficulties? (take control of your schedule;   everyone makes mistakes, and all great people do. remember to learn from   mistakes; communicate with roommates actively and learn to respect,   understand, forgive and love.)

5 min

1. Warm-up

Step 1

Pair work: Look at the pictures and the statements.   Discuss and find ways to cheer them up.

(1.Tell her   that failures make us stronger, and the only real failure is to give up.

2. Make more friends and do activities you enjoy; stay busy.

3. Learn to share and be tolerant; have a heart- to-heart talk with   roommates.

 4. Keep track of all of your   expenses, and make a spending plan.)

Step 2

Invite students to give a   presentation on their solutions.

10 min

Listening 1

1.     Pre-listening

Step 1

Introduce the topic of getting along with roommates   by asking the following questions:

Do you have difficulty getting along well with your   roommates? If yes, how do you cope with it? (Move out of the dorm; stay alone, communicate with them, and find   out the problem.) 

Step 2

Talk about social phobia.

5 min

2.     While-listening

Step 1

Listen to the dialogue for the general idea and   write down some key words. (General   idea: how to cope with social phobia and get along well with roommates.

Key words: live off campus, social phobia, do team sports; communicate   with, learn to forgive.)

Step 2

Listen again and find out what problems John has mentioned   in the dialogue. (He can’t fit in with his roommates, and feels   uncomfortable with people around.)

Step 3

Listen for the third time for detailed information.(John wants to move out of the dorm, and live off campus; he always feels   people are speaking ill of him behind his back; has difficulty concentrating   on studies; keeping himself alone will be of no help. )

5 min

3.     Post-listening

What suggestions does the adviser give   John for his problems?( Try to do some team sports with his roommates; get exercise and also have opportunity to communicate   with others; make the first step and    learn to understand, respect, and forgive gradually.)

5 min

Speaking 1

Discussion in pairs: Have you ever got into John’s situation? Do you have any other problems   on campus? How do you cope with them?

Step 1: Provide   expressions for the topic

1) talk about problems.(I   have difficulty/problem in getting along well with classmates; I don’t know   how to cope with/deal with stress; I can’t manage time efficiently…)

2) figure out ways on how   to cope with problems. (Do some   activities together with classmates, eg. go for a picnic, watch movies, go   shopping, communicate while doing activities; share your feelings with your   classmates or teachers for help, make time for leisure activities that   bring you joy, exercise regularly; make   a schedule ahead of time and stick to it, focus on one thing at a time… )

Step 2:   Ask students to speak in pairs talking about their problems and ways to cope   with them

Step 3:   Invite 2 or 3 pairs to give a presentation of their discussion. Teacher makes   comment on students’ presentation.

13 min

Assignment

Task1: Listen to the dialogue again after class.

Task2: Practice talking in pairs on students’ own   problems and solutions.

2 min