Breaking News English Lesson on Decision Fatigue

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Doctors give better care in the morning (15th May, 2019)

The Reading / Listening - Decision Fatigue - Level 6

The quality of medical care you receive from doctors could depend on the time of the day you visit a hospital or clinic. A study from the University of Pennsylvania in the USA discovered a significant difference in the decision-making of physicians at different times of the day. The study concluded that a patient's chances of getting screened for cancer were a lot higher in the morning than they were in the late afternoon. Researchers investigated the numbers of women assigned to breast cancer screening throughout the day. They found that in the hour following 8am, doctors ordered screenings for 64 per cent of women who were eligible for tests. This figure dropped to 48 per cent at 5pm.

The researchers said the progressive reduction in assigned screenings as the day progressed could be due to "decision fatigue". This is a kind of mental burn-out that interrupts a person's ability to effectively make decisions the longer they work. Dr. Mitesh Patel said: "Our new study adds to the growing evidence that the time of the day and decision fatigue impacts patient care." Researcher Esther Hsiang agreed, saying: "We believe that the downward trend of ordering screenings may be the result of decision fatigue, where people may be less inclined to consider a new decision after they've been making them all day. It may also stem from overloaded clinicians getting behind as the day progresses."

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

Decision Fatigue - Level 4 or Decision Fatigue - Level 5

Sources

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2019-05-cancer-screening-decline-patients-doctors.html
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/why-it-matters-what-time-of-day-you-visit-the-doctor-2019-05-10
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/overworked-doctors-administer-fewer-life-15026848

Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Warm-ups

1. DOCTORS: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about doctors. Change partners often and share your findings.
2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?
quality / medical care / doctors / difference / patient / cancer / screenings / figure /
decision / fatigue / burn-out / evidence / impacts / trend / clinicians / progress
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. LIMIT: Students A strongly believe there should be a limit of six hours a day for doctors to work; Students B strongly believe the opposite. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. DECISIONS: What are the hardest decisions you have to make about these things, and why? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

	Hardest Decisions	Why?
Food
Exercise
Studying
Money
Friends
Hobbies

MY e-BOOK

ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers

See a sample

5. CARE: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "care". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. FATIGUE: Rank these with your partner. Put the most tiring things at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

shopping
relationships
smartphone use
reading
studying
exercise
housework
boredom

Vocabulary

Paragraph 1

1.	depend on	a.	From beginning to end of (an event or period of time).
2.	physician	b.	Carried out a systematic or formal inquiry to discover and examine the facts.
3.	investigated	c.	A person qualified to practice medicine - usually a doctor.
4.	assigned	d.	A number, especially one which forms part of official statistics.
5.	throughout	e.	Be controlled or decided by someone or something else.
6.	eligible	f.	Selected or set something for a specific purpose.
7.	figure	g.	Having the right to do or obtain something; satisfying the appropriate conditions to do or have something.

Paragraph 2

8.	progressive	h.	The available body of facts or information indicating whether a belief or proposition is true or valid.
9.	reduction	i.	Felt willing or favorably disposed toward an action, belief, or attitude.
10.	interrupts	j.	A general direction in which something is developing or changing; a fashion.
11.	evidence	k.	The action or fact of making a specified thing smaller or less in amount, degree, or size.
12.	trend	l.	Originate in or be caused by.
13.	inclined	m.	Happening or developing gradually or in stages; proceeding step by step.
14.	stem	n.	Stops the continuous progress of (an activity or process).

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

The time of the day could determine the quality of medical care. T / F
People have a better chance of getting a cancer screening after lunch. T / F
Researchers looked at numbers of women being screened for cancer. T / F
Doctors decided to send fewer than 50% of women for tests after 5pm. T / F
The article said decision fatigue is a form of physical burn-out. T / F
A researcher said there is little research on decision fatigue. T / F
A researcher said people make the same decisions all day. T / F
A researcher suggested doctors are overloaded with work. T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

quality
depend
significant
chances
screening
progressive
evidence
trend
inclined
stem from

gradual
possibility
swing
checking
hinge
predisposed
be caused by
standard
proof
important

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

The quality of medical
depend on
discovered a significant
breast
women who were eligible
as the day
This is a kind of mental
Our new study adds to the growing
people may be less
It may also stem from overloaded

for tests
evidence
cancer screening
progressed
inclined
the time of the day
clinicians
difference
burn-out
care you receive

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

chances
clinic
following
late
figure
care
significant
screening

The quality of medical (1) ____________ you receive from doctors could depend on the time of the day you visit a hospital or (2) ____________. A study from the University of Pennsylvania in the USA discovered a (3) ____________ difference in the decision-making of physicians at different times of the day. The study concluded that a patient's (4) ____________ of getting screened for cancer were a lot higher in the morning than they were in the (5) ____________ afternoon. Researchers investigated the numbers of women assigned to breast cancer (6) ____________ throughout the day. They found that in the hour (7) ____________ 8am, doctors ordered screenings for 64 per cent of women who were eligible for tests. This (8) ____________ dropped to 48 per cent at 5pm.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

evidence
less
due
progresses
reduction
stem
ability
trend

The researchers said the progressive (9) ____________ in assigned screenings as the day progressed could be (10) ____________ to "decision fatigue". This is a kind of mental burn-out that interrupts a person's (11) ____________ to effectively make decisions the longer they work. Dr. Mitesh Patel said: "Our new study adds to the growing (12) ____________ that the time of the day and decision fatigue impacts patient care." Researcher Esther Hsiang agreed, saying: "We believe that the downward (13) ____________ of ordering screenings may be the result of decision fatigue, where people may be (14) ____________ inclined to consider a new decision after they've been making them all day. It may also (15) ____________ from overloaded clinicians getting behind as the day (16) ____________."

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) The quality of medical care you receive from doctors could ______ time
     a. depends on the
     b. dependence on the
     c. depend on the
     d. depending on the
2) a significant difference in the decision-making of physicians ______
     a. at difference times
     b. at different time
     c. at different times
     d. at differential time
3) a lot higher in the morning than they were in ______
     a. the late afternoon
     b. the lately afternoon
     c. the lates afternoon
     d. the latte afternoon
4) the numbers of women assigned to breast cancer screening ______
     a. thorough out the day
     b. through out a day
     c. thoroughly out the day
     d. throughout the day
5) doctors ordered screenings for 64 per cent of women who were ______ tests
     a. eligible four
     b. eligible for
     c. eligible from
     d. eligible of

6) researchers said the progressive reduction in assigned screenings as ______
     a. the date progressed
     b. the daily progressed
     c. the day progressed
     d. the day off progressed
7) a kind of mental burn-out that interrupts a person's ability to effectively ______
     a. have decision
     b. make decisions
     c. think decision
     d. do decisions
8) Dr. Mitesh Patel said: "Our new study adds to the ______."
     a. grown evidence
     b. growth evidence
     c. growing evidence
     d. grow in evidence
9) the downward trend of ordering screenings may be the ______ decision fatigue
     a. resulting of
     b. result of
     c. resultant of
     d. resulted of
10) It may also stem from overloaded clinicians getting behind as ______
     a. the day progress
     b. the day progression
     c. the day progress is
     d. the day progresses

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The quality of medical care you receive from doctors (1) ___________________ the time of the day you visit a hospital or clinic. A study from the University of Pennsylvania in the USA (2) ___________________ difference in the decision-making of physicians at different times of the day. The study concluded that (3) ___________________ of getting screened for cancer were a lot higher in the morning than they were in (4) ___________________. Researchers investigated the numbers of women assigned to breast cancer screening (5) ___________________. They found that in the hour following 8am, doctors ordered screenings for 64 per cent of women who were eligible for tests. This (6) ___________________ 48 per cent at 5pm.

The researchers said the progressive reduction (7) ___________________ as the day progressed could be due to "decision fatigue". This is a kind of mental burn-out (8) ___________________ person's ability to effectively make decisions the longer they work. Dr. Mitesh Patel said: "Our new study adds to the (9) ___________________ the time of the day and decision fatigue impacts patient care." Researcher Esther Hsiang agreed, saying: "We believe that the (10) ___________________ ordering screenings may be the result of decision fatigue, where people may be (11) ___________________ consider a new decision after they've been making them all day. It may also stem from overloaded clinicians getting behind as (12) ___________________."

Comprehension questions

What depends on the time of the day you visit a hospital or clinic?
What university conducted the study?
When were chances of getting screened for cancer lower?
When were 64% of women were assigned breast cancer screenings?
What percentage of women were sent for cancer screenings at 5pm?
What did researchers say reduced the number of cancer screenings?
What did the article say decision fatigue was a form of?
Who is Mitesh Patel?
What are people less inclined to do after doing the same thing all day?
Who did a researcher say was overloaded?

Multiple choice quiz

1) What depends on the time of the day you visit a hospital or clinic?
a) whether or not an MRI scanner is on
b) the quality of medical care
c) transport
d) the chances of getting a virus
2) What university conducted the study?
a) Philadelphia
b) Pittsburgh
c) Pennsylvania
d) Phoenix
3) When were chances of getting screened for cancer lower?
a) 2:30pm
b) early morning
c) around lunchtime
d) in the late afternoon
4) When were 64% of women were assigned breast cancer screenings?
a) 9:30am
b) in the hour following 8am
c) the hour before lunchtime
d) at lunchtime
5) What percentage of women were sent for cancer screenings at 5pm?
a) at 5pm
b) at 6pm
c) at 7pm
d) at 4pm

6) What did researchers say reduced the number of cancer screenings?
a) decision fatigue
b) costs
c) the number of doctors
d) too little time
7) What did the article say decision fatigue was a form of?
a) thought control
b) a mental health issue
c) mind control
d) mental burn-out
8) Who is Mitesh Patel?
a) a hospital CEO
b) a patient
c) a doctor and researcher
d) a journalist
9) What are people less inclined to do after doing the same thing all day?
a) the same thing
b) go home
c) take a break
d) make decisions
10) Who did a researcher say was overloaded?
a) researchers
b) clinicians
c) patients
d) scanner operators

Role play

Role A – Studying
You think studying is the most tiring thing. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't so tiring. Also, tell the others which is the least tiring of these (and why): exercise, boredom or shopping.

Role B – Exercise
You think exercise is the most tiring thing. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't so tiring. Also, tell the others which is the least tiring of these (and why): studying, boredom or shopping.

Role C – Boredom
You think boredom is the most tiring thing. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't so tiring. Also, tell the others which is the least tiring of these (and why): exercise, studying or shopping.

Role D – Shopping
You think shopping is the most tiring thing. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't so tiring. Also, tell the others which is the least tiring of these (and why): exercise, boredom or studying.

After reading / listening

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words...

'decision'

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

and 'fatigue'.
________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

• Share your findings with your partners.

• Make questions using the words you found.

• Ask your partner / group your questions.

2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

•Share your questions with other classmates / groups. •Ask your partner / group your questions.

3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

due

mental

adds

trend

less

stem

quality

difference

chances

numbers

64

5

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion - Doctors give better care in the morning

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

What did you think when you read the headline?
What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'decision'?
How does fatigue affect your life?
How is the medical care where you live?
Are you always satisfied when you see a doctor?
What do you think of your decision-making abilities?
What's the worst decision you've ever made?
How is your brain at different times of the day?
How can we make sure doctors are always alert?
What advice do you have for doctors who have decision fatigue?

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
What do you think of when you hear the word 'fatigue'?
What do you think about what you read?
What is the most fatigued you've ever been?
Do you always make the right decision?
How often do you feel burn-out?
What can we do to reduce the effects of decision fatigue?
What big decisions have you made recently?
Will you now avoid going to the doctor in the afternoon?
What questions would you like to ask a busy doctor?

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

The quality of medical care you receive from doctors could depend (1) ____ the time of the day you (2) ____ a hospital or clinic. A study from the University of Pennsylvania in the USA discovered a significant difference (3) ____ the decision-making of physicians at different times of the day. The study concluded that a patient's chances of getting screened for cancer were a lot higher in the morning than they were in the (4) ____ afternoon. Researchers investigated the numbers of women assigned to breast cancer screening (5) ____ the day. They found that in the hour following 8am, doctors ordered screenings for 64 per cent of women who were eligible for tests. This (6) ____ dropped to 48 per cent at 5pm.

The researchers said the progressive reduction in (7) ____ screenings as the day progressed could be due to "decision fatigue". This is a kind of (8) ____ burn-out that interrupts a person's ability to effectively make decisions the longer they work. Dr. Mitesh Patel said: "Our new study (9) ____ to the growing evidence that the time of the day and decision fatigue impacts patient care." Researcher Esther Hsiang agreed, saying: "We believe that the downward (10) ____ of ordering screenings may be the result of decision fatigue, where people may be (11) ____ inclined to consider a new decision after they've been making them all day. It may also (12) ____ from overloaded clinicians getting behind as the day progresses."

Which of these words go in the above text?

(a) in (b) on (c) at (d) of
(a) pop (b) visit (c) stay (d) drop
(a) of (b) on (c) at (d) in
(a) lately (b) late (c) latter (d) lates
(a) thorough (b) throughout (c) though (d) trough
(a) numeral (b) digit (c) figure (d) statistic
(a) resigned (b) signed (c) assigned (d) consigned
(a) metal (b) meddle (c) mental (d) mantle
(a) additions (b) pluses (c) multiplies (d) adds
(a) trending (b) trendsetter (c) trendy (d) trend
(a) less (b) smaller (c) fewer (d) lower
(a) seed (b) root (c) petal (d) stem

Spelling

Paragraph 1

The uyqtila of medical care you receive
discovered a isitngfacin difference
getting cenrdsee for cancer
Researchers insvedigetat the numbers
women who were gileibel for tests
This fugier dropped to 48 per cent

Paragraph 2

the progressive doctirnue
tneprristu a person's ability
eifteleycfv make decisions
adds to the growing necvedei
people may be less nlicdine
overloaded nsinacliic

Put the text back together

(...) difference in the decision-making of physicians at different times of the day. The study concluded that a patient's
(...) day. It may also stem from overloaded clinicians getting behind as the day progresses."
(...) decisions the longer they work. Dr. Mitesh Patel said: "Our new study adds to the growing
(...) of women who were eligible for tests. This figure dropped to 48 per cent at 5pm.
(...) The researchers said the progressive reduction in assigned screenings as the day progressed could be due
(...) evidence that the time of the day and decision fatigue impacts patient care." Researcher Esther Hsiang agreed, saying: "We
(...) chances of getting screened for cancer were a lot higher in the morning than they were in the late
(...) the day. They found that in the hour following 8am, doctors ordered screenings for 64 per cent
(...) or clinic. A study from the University of Pennsylvania in the USA discovered a significant
(...) afternoon. Researchers investigated the numbers of women assigned to breast cancer screening throughout
( 1 ) The quality of medical care you receive from doctors could depend on the time of the day you visit a hospital
(...) believe that the downward trend of ordering screenings may be the result of decision
(...) to "decision fatigue". This is a kind of mental burn-out that interrupts a person's ability to effectively make
(...) fatigue, where people may be less inclined to consider a new decision after they've been making them all

Put the words in the right order

quality care receive . medical you of The
depend on the the time of day . Could
patient's chances cancer . A for getting of screened
assigned screening . to women of Numbers breast cancer
of screenings ordered 64% for women . Doctors
make ability a effectively person's decisions . Interrupts to
evidence . the study Our new growing adds to
may fatigue . result of decision the Screenings be
consider less inclined new a Be decision . to
overloaded It from may stem also clinicians .

Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

The quality of medical / medic care you receive from doctors could dependence / depend on the time of the day you visit a hospital or clinic. A study from the University of Pennsylvania in the USA discovered a significance / significant difference in the decision-making of physicians at different times for / of the day. The study concluded that / what a patient's chances of getting screened for cancer were a lot heighten / higher in the morning than they were in the late / lately afternoon. Researchers investigated the numbers of women assigns / assigned to breast cancer screening throughout the day. They found that in the hour following / followed 8am, doctors ordered screenings for 64 per cent of women who were eligible for tests. This figure dropped / drooped to 48 per cent at 5pm.

The researchers said the programme / progressive reduction in assigned screenings as the day progressed could be due / as to "decision fatigue". This is a kind of mentally / mental burn-out that interrupts a person's ability to effectively make decision / decisions the longer they work. Dr. Mitesh Patel said: "Our new study adds to the growing / growth evidence that the time of the day and decision fatigue impacts patience / patient care." Researcher Esther Hsiang agreed, saying: "We believe that the downward spiral / trend of ordering screenings may be the result / because of decision fatigue, where people may be less / few inclined to consider a new decision after they've been making them all day. It may also stem from overloaded clinicians getting behind as the day regresses / progresses."

Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct.

Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

T h_ q__ l_t y _f m_d_c_l c_r_ y__ r_c__ v_ f r_m d_c t_r s c__ l d d_p_n d _n t h_ t_m_ _f t h_ d_y y__ v_s_t _ h_s p_t_l _r c l_n_c . A s t_d y f r_m t h_ U n_v_r s_t y _f P_n n s y l v_n__ _n t h_ U S A d_s c_v_r_d _ s_g n_f_c_n t d_f f_r_n c_ _n t h_ d_c_s__ n - m_k_n g _f p h y s_c__ n s _t d_f f_r_n t t_m_s _f t h_ d_y . T h_ s t_d y c_n c l_d_d t h_t _ p_t__ n t ' s c h_n c_s _f g_t t_n g s c r__ n_d f_r c_n c_r w_r_ _ l_t h_g h_r _n t h_ m_r n_n g t h_n t h_y w_r_ _n t h_ l_t_ _f t_r n__ n . R_s__ r c h_r s _n v_s t_g_t_d t h_ n_m b_r s _f w_m_n _s s_g n_d t_ b r__ s t c_n c_r s c r__ n_n g t h r__ g h__ t t h_ d_y . T h_y f__ n d t h_t _n t h_ h__ r f_l l_w_n g 8_m , d_c t_r s _r d_r_d s c r__ n_n g s f_r 6 4 p_r c_n t _f w_m_n w h_ w_r_ _l_g_b l_ f_r t_s t s . T h_s f_g_r_ d r_p p_d t_ 4 8 p_r c_n t _t 5 p m .

T h_ r_s__ r c h_r s s__ d t h_ p r_g r_s s_v_ r_d_c t__ n _n _s s_g n_d s c r__ n_n g s _s t h_ d_y p r_g r_s s_d c__ l d b_ d__ t_ " d_c_s__ n f_t_g__ " . T h_s _s _ k_n d _f m_n t_l b_r n -__ t t h_t _n t_r r_p t s _ p_r s_n ' s _b_l_t y t_ _f f_c t_v_l y m_k_ d_c_s__ n s t h_ l_n g_r t h_y w_r k . D r . M_t_s h P_t_l s__ d : " O_r n_w s t_d y _d d s t_ t h_ g r_w_n g _v_d_n c_ t h_t t h_ t_m_ _f t h_ d_y _n d d_c_s__ n f_t_g__ _m p_c t s p_t__ n t c_r_. " R_s__ r c h_r E s t h_r H s__ n g _g r__ d , s_y_n g : " W_ b_l__ v_ t h_t t h_ d_w n w_r d t r_n d _f _r d_r_n g s c r__ n_n g s m_y b_ t h_ r_s_l t _f d_c_s__ n f_t_g__ , w h_r_ p__ p l_ m_y b_ l_s s _n c l_n_d t_ c_n s_d_r _ n_w d_c_s__ n _f t_r t h_y ' v_ b__ n m_k_n g t h_m _l l d_y . I t m_y _l s_ s t_m f r_m _v_r l__ d_d c l_n_c__ n s g_t t_n g b_h_n d _s t h_ d_y p r_g r_s s_s . "

Punctuate the text and add capitals

the quality of medical care you receive from doctors could depend on the time of the day you visit a hospital or clinic a study from the university of pennsylvania in the usa discovered a significant difference in the decisionmaking of physicians at different times of the day the study concluded that a patients chances of getting screened for cancer were a lot higher in the morning than they were in the late afternoon researchers investigated the numbers of women assigned to breast cancer screening throughout the day they found that in the hour following 8am doctors ordered screenings for 64 per cent of women who were eligible for tests this figure dropped to 48 per cent at 5pm

the researchers said the progressive reduction in assigned screenings as the day progressed could be due to decision fatigue this is a kind of mental burnout that interrupts a persons ability to effectively make decisions the longer they work dr mitesh patel said our new study adds to the growing evidence that the time of the day and decision fatigue impacts patient care researcher esther hsiang agreed saying we believe that the downward trend of ordering screenings may be the result of decision fatigue where people may be less inclined to consider a new decision after theyve been making them all day it may also stem from overloaded clinicians getting behind as the day progresses"

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Thequalityofmedicalcareyoureceivefromdoctorscoulddependonthet
imeofthedayyouvisitahospitalorclinic.AstudyfromtheUniversityofPe
nnsylvaniaintheUSAdiscoveredasignificantdifferenceinthedecision-
makingofphysiciansatdifferenttimesoftheday.Thestudyconcludedth
atapatient'schancesofgettingscreenedforcancerwerealothigherinth
emorningthantheywereinthelateafternoon.Researchersinvestigate
dthenumbersofwomenassignedtobreastcancerscreeningthroughou
ttheday.Theyfoundthatinthehourfollowing8am,doctorsorderedscre
eningsfor64percentofwomenwhowereeligiblefortests.Thisfiguredro
ppedto48percentat5pm.Theresearcherssaidtheprogressivereductio
ninassignedscreeningsasthedayprogressedcouldbedueto"decisionf
atigue".Thisisakindofmentalburn-outthatinterruptsaperson'sabilit
ytoeffectivelymakedecisionsthelongertheywork.Dr.MiteshPatelsaid
:"Ournewstudyaddstothegrowingevidencethatthetimeofthedayand
decisionfatigueimpactspatientcare."ResearcherEstherHsiangagree
d,saying:"Webelievethatthedownwardtrendoforderingscreeningsm
aybetheresultofdecisionfatigue,wherepeoplemaybelessinclinedtoco
nsideranewdecisionafterthey'vebeenmakingthemallday.Itmayalsos
temfromoverloadedcliniciansgettingbehindasthedayprogresses."

Free writing

Write about decision fatigue for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Academic writing

Doctors work too hard and need more breaks. Discuss.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Homework

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google's search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about this news story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. DECISION FATIGUE: Make a poster about decision fatigue. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
4. REST BREAKS: Write a magazine article about all workers getting much longer rest breaks. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against this.
Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).
5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on decision fatigue. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your opinions on decision fatigue. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

A Few Additional Activities for Students

Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

Also...

Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

News
Warm ups
Pre-reading / Post-reading
Using headlines
Working with words
While-reading / While-listening
Moving from text to speech
Post-reading / Post-listening
Discussions
Using opinions
Plans
Language
Using lists
Using quotes
Task-based activities
Role plays
Using the central characters in the article
Using themes from the news
Homework

Buy my book

$US 9.99

Answers

(Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

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Breaking News English Lesson on Decision Fatigue

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