Stress

Kasia Kuzma

Kasia Kuzma graduated from the Pedagogy Institute, University of Gdansk, Poland. She works in early education and is Junior High School teacher for one of the state schools in Gdansk, Poland. She is also involved in independent film productions and is interested in Public Relations. In 2006 she won the Best Teacher Award in her school.
E-mail: bigblue@wp.pl

Topic: Stress

Aims: This is a lesson on what stress and a stressful situation are. You will get your learners to think of stress characteristics, decide what a stressful situation is for themselves and how people deal with it in everyday life.

Skills: speaking, writing

Level: pre- intermediate and upwards

Procedure:

1. Students work in groups of four. Ask them to think about what stress is in fact and write down their own definition of stress/stressful situation.

2. Now give your students a definition of stress form a dictionary.

Example:

3. Ask your learners to compare their definitions to the one they were given. Ask them what the similarities and differences are. A short discussion.

4. Students work in the same groups of four. Show them a set of pictures of people in different stressful situations or people reacting to stress- examples given below :

at work; during an exam; in a traffic jam; queuing at the ticket office; having a problem,etc.

Ask them to rank and number the activities according to their level of stress. (1= most stressful, 6= least stressful). Check the answers with the groups and compare them together with the class.

5. Ask particular learners what level of stress they have in their life- low, medium, high or very high. Invite them to justify their opinions.

6. Ask what are the causes of stress in people's everyday life at different ages. Let the students exchange their observations and opinions.

7. Now invite your students to think about situations that typically cause their stress. Students work individually for a few minutes and make notes. You may write their answers on a board.

8. Ask learners what damaging physical and mental effects stress can have on us. Is stress a positive or rather a negative aspect of our existence? Are there any positive/ negative impacts stress has had on their lives? Ask the learners to share their experiences.

9. Ask your students to think of and imagine a situation which has recently caused stress in their life. In the meantime play a few different short pieces of music ( rock, pop, classical, hip hop, relaxation music). When the music stops ask learners what they were feeling.

10. Ask your students if listening to their favourite kind of music makes them feel comfortable. Ask them what kind of music it usually is. Tell them there is not a single music that is good for everyone but many experts suggest that listening to the music we like does wonders to reduce stress.

11. Invite your students to think about other ways in which people may deal with stress. Allow time for a discussion.

Homework: Ask your students to think of and write a short essay on how people may deal with stressful situations in everyday life.