Breaking News English Lesson: De-stressing

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Nike gave workers a week off to de-stress (3rd September, 2021)

The Reading / Listening - De-stressing - Level 3

The sportswear company Nike gave its office workers a holiday to help them de-stress from life's challenges and worries caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The clothing giant gave its employees a week-long mental health break. It closed its offices from August the 23rd to the 30th so that its employees could "enjoy additional time off to rest and recover". Nike said it wanted to focus on helping to combat "burnout". Nike's senior manager of global marketing science Matt Marrazzo said: "Our senior leaders are all sending a clear message – take the time to unwind, de-stress and spend time with your loved ones. Do not work." Nike's retail stores are still open and store workers are working as usual.

Mr Marrazzo said the company was taking the lead in considering the mental health of its workers. He said: "Taking time for rest and recovery is key to performing well and staying sane. This past year has been rough. We're all human and living through a traumatic event." He added: "I'm hopeful that the empathy and grace we continue to show our team-mates will have a positive impact on the culture of work moving forward." Marrazzo said the week off was "an acknowledgment that we can prioritize mental health and still get work done". He said it was important for a company to think about its workers. He wrote: "Support your people. It's good business, but it's also the right thing to do."

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

De-stressing - Level 0, De-stressing - Level 1 or De-stressing - Level 2

Sources

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/nike-closes-offices-one-week-163533653.html
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/do-not-work-nike-closed-its-corporate-offices-for-a-week-giving-employees-a-break-to-help-them-avoid-burnout/ar-AANUnZF
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/aug/31/nike-closes-head-office-bumble-covid-pandemic

Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Warm-ups

1. DE-STRESSING: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about de-stressing. 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?
sportswear / office workers / de-stress / challenges / mental health / burnout / retail /
taking the lead / rest / traumatic / empathy / impact / support / the right thing to do
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. HOLIDAYS: Students A strongly believe all workers should have longer holidays; Students B strongly believe they shouldn't. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. OFFICES: What are the good and bad things about offices? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

	Good Things	Bad Things
Desk
Staff room
Boss
Colleagues
Lunchtime
Atmosphere

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. GIANT: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "giant". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. WORRIES: Rank these with your partner. Put the biggest worries at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

Money
The future
Safety
Health
Job
English level
Internet safety
Getting old

Vocabulary

Paragraph 1

1.	challenges	a.	Of a disease that is all over a whole country or the world.
2.	pandemic	b.	Return to a normal state of health, mind, or strength.
3.	giant	c.	A worker paid by a company.
4.	employee	d.	A very large company or organization.
5.	recover	e.	Difficult situations in life.
6.	burnout	f.	Relax after a period of work or stress.
7.	unwind	g.	Physical or mental collapse caused by overwork or stress.

Paragraph 2

8.	lead	h.	Very, very shocking or worrying.
9.	considering	i.	The action of doing something good or important that others will follow or copy.
10.	key	j.	Difficult and unpleasant or unfair.
11.	sane	k.	Decide something as being very or most important.
12.	rough	l.	Very important for the success of something.
13.	traumatic	m.	Not mad or mentally ill.
14.	prioritize	n.	Thinking carefully about something, usually before making a decision.

Before reading / listening

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

Nike workers got a holiday to destress from COVID-19 worries. T / F
Nike's workers could take their week off at any time. T / F
Nike encouraged workers to spend time with loved ones. T / F
Nike's retail stores also closed to give workers a rest. T / F
A manager said rest and recovery are key for performing well. T / F
The manager talked about how rough the past year has been. T / F
The manager said performance takes priority over mental health. T / F
The manager said supporting people was the right thing to do. T / F

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

challenges
employees
additional
unwind
usual
considering
key
traumatic
grace
support

relax
normal
disturbing
back up
workers
good manners
difficulties
thinking about
extra
important

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

help them de-stress from life's
enjoy additional time off to
spend time with your
Nike's retail
store workers are working
Taking time for rest and
staying
we can prioritize mental
it was important for a company to
it's also the right

think about its workers
stores are still open
recovery is key
rest and recover
health
loved ones
thing to do
as usual
sane
challenges

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

giant
senior
additional
usual
break
challenges
unwind
burnout

The sportswear company Nike gave its office workers a holiday to help them de-stress from life's (1) _____________________ and worries caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The clothing (2) _____________________ gave its employees a week-long mental health (3) _____________________. It closed its offices from August the 23rd to the 30th so that its employees could "enjoy (4) _____________________ time off to rest and recover". Nike said it wanted to focus on helping to combat "(5) _____________________". Nike's senior manager of global marketing science Matt Marrazzo said: "Our (6) _____________________ leaders are all sending a clear message - take the time to (7) _____________________, de-stress and spend time with your loved ones. Do not work." Nike's retail stores are still open and store workers are working as (8) _____________________.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

rough
prioritize
grace
lead
thing
key
important
culture

Mr Marrazzo said the company was taking the (9) _____________________ in considering the mental health of its workers. He said: "Taking time for rest and recovery is (10) _____________________ to performing well and staying sane. This past year has been (11) _____________________. We're all human and living through a traumatic event." He added: "I'm hopeful that the empathy and (12) _____________________ we continue to show our team-mates will have a positive impact on the (13) _____________________ of work moving forward." Marrazzo said the week off was "an acknowledgment that we can (14) _____________________ mental health and still get work done". He said it was (15) _____________________ for a company to think about its workers. He wrote: "Support your people. It's good business, but it's also the right (16) _____________________ to do."

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) Nike gave its office workers a holiday to help them de-stress ______
     a. from life's challenge is
     b. from life's challenged
     c. from life's challenging
     d. from life's challenges
2) Nike said it wanted to focus on helping ______
     a. to combat burnt out
     b. to combat burr naught
     c. to combat burn naught
     d. to combat burnout
3) Matt Marrazzo said our senior leaders are all sending ______
     a. a clear massage
     b. a clear message
     c. a clear mess age
     d. a clear messed age
4) take the time to unwind, de-stress and spend time with ______
     a. your loved ones
     b. your loved once
     c. your love ones
     d. your loved wins
5) Nike's retail stores are still open and store workers are ______
     a. working as usually
     b. working as usual
     c. working as use you all
     d. working as use y'all

6) He said taking time for rest and ______
     a. recover is key
     b. recoveries key
     c. recovery is key
     d. recover risk key
7) performing well and staying sane. This past year ______
     a. has been ruff
     b. has been trough
     c. has been rife
     d. has been rough
8) We're all human and living through ______
     a. a traumatic event
     b. an automatic event
     c. a trauma tick event
     d. a true mastic event
9) the week off was an acknowledgment that we can ______
     a. priorities mental health
     b. priory ties mental health
     c. prior attires mental health
     d. prioritize mental health
10) He wrote: "Support your people. It's good business, but it's also the right ______."
     a. thingy to do
     b. thong to do
     c. sing to do
     d. thing to do

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The sportswear company Nike gave its (1) ____________________ holiday to help them de-stress from life's challenges and (2) ____________________ the COVID-19 pandemic. The clothing giant gave its employees a week-long mental health break. It closed its offices from August the 23rd to the 30th so that its employees could "enjoy (3) ____________________ to rest and recover". Nike said it wanted to focus on helping to combat "burnout". Nike's senior (4) ____________________ marketing science Matt Marrazzo said: "Our senior leaders are all sending (5) ____________________ - take the time to unwind, de-stress and spend time with your loved ones. Do not work." Nike's retail stores are still open and store workers are (6) ____________________.

Mr Marrazzo said the company was (7) ____________________ in considering the mental health of its workers. He said: "Taking time for rest and (8) ____________________ to performing well and staying sane. This past year has been rough. We're all human and living (9) ____________________ event." He added: "I'm hopeful that the empathy and grace we continue to show our team-mates will have (10) ____________________ on the culture of work moving forward." Marrazzo said the week off was "an acknowledgment that we (11) ____________________ health and still get work done". He said it was important for a company to think about its workers. He wrote: "Support your people. It's good business, but it's also the (12) ____________________ do."

Comprehension questions

Which of its workers did Nike give a week-long holiday to?
What did a Nike manager say the company wanted to combat?
What is Matt Marrazzo senior manager of?
Who did a Nike manager encourage workers to spend time with?
What are workers in Nike's retail stores doing?
What did Mr Marrazzo say was the key to performing well?
What did Mr Marrazzo say we are all living through?
What did Mr Marrazzo say was prioritized?
What did Mr Marrazzo say it was important a company thinks about?
What did Mr Marrazzo say supporting people was good for?

Multiple choice quiz

1) Which of its workers did Nike give a week-long holiday to?
a) its office workers
b) its cleaners
c) its shop staff
d) its designers-
2) What did a Nike manager say the company wanted to combat?
a) climate change
b) faulty shoes
c) burnout
d) copies of its product
3) What is Matt Marrazzo senior manager of?
a) sales
b) global marketing science
c) design
d) technology
4) Who did a Nike manager encourage workers to spend time with?
a) each other
b) managers
c) athletes
d) loved ones
5) What are workers in Nike's retail stores doing?
a) working as usual
b) de-stressing
c) running
d) breaking records

6) What did Mr Marrazzo say was the key to performing well?
a) a comfortable office
b) extra money
c) motivation
d) taking time for rest and recovery
7) What did Mr Marrazzo say we are all living through?
a) interesting times
b) a traumatic event
c) tough times
d) a terrible pandemic
8) What did Mr Marrazzo say was prioritized?
a) working conditions
b) quality
c) profits
d) mental health
9) What did Mr Marrazzo say it was important a company thinks about?
a) the future
b) its product
c) its workers
d) profits
10) What did Mr Marrazzo say supporting people was good for?
a) the heart
b) business
c) the world
d) everyone

Role play

Role A – Money
You think money is the biggest worry. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as big worries. Also, tell the others which is the least worrying of these (and why): your job, getting old or your English level.

Role B – Job
You think your job is the biggest worry. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as big worries. Also, tell the others which is the least worrying of these (and why): money, getting old or your English level.

Role C – Getting Old
You think getting old is the biggest worry. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as big worries. Also, tell the others which is the least worrying of these (and why): your job, money or your English level.

Role D – English Level
You think your English level is the biggest worry. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as big worries. Also, tell the others which is the least worrying of these (and why): your job, getting old or money.

After reading / listening

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

'worker'

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

and 'stress'.
________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

• 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:

worries

giant

focus

science

unwind

usual

lead

key

event

positive

important

right

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 - De-stressing

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 'stress'?
How much stress is there in your life?
How stressful has COVID-19 been to you?
What do you know about the company Nike?
Have you ever had burnout?
What do companies you've worked for do for metal health?
What do you do to unwind?
Is working in a store or office more stressful?
Should Nike's retail workers also get a week off?

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 'work'?
What do you think about what you read?
What do you do to de-stress?
What do you think of Nike's products?
Should all companies follow Nike's lead?
How rough has the past year been?
How do you look after your mental health?
Do all companies think about their workers?
What questions would you like to ask Nike's boss?

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 sportswear company Nike gave its (1) ____ workers a holiday to help them de-stress from life's challenges and worries caused (2) ____ the COVID-19 pandemic. The clothing giant gave its employees a week-long mental health break. It closed its offices from August the 23rd to the 30th so that its employees could "enjoy additional time (3) ____ to rest and recover". Nike said it wanted to focus (4) ____ helping to combat "burnout". Nike's senior manager of global marketing science Matt Marrazzo said: "Our senior leaders are (5) ____ sending a clear message - take the time to unwind, de-stress and spend time with your loved ones. Do not work." Nike's retail stores are still open and store workers are working (6) ____ usual.

Mr Marrazzo said the company was taking the (7) ____ in considering the mental health of its workers. He said: "Taking time for rest and recovery is (8) ____ to performing well and staying sane. This past year has been rough. We're all human and living through a traumatic event." He added: "I'm hopeful that the empathy and (9) ____ we continue to show our team-mates will have a positive impact on the culture of work moving forward." Marrazzo said the week off was "an acknowledgment that we can prioritize mental health and (10) ____ get work done". He said it was important (11) ____ a company to think about its workers. He wrote: "Support your people. It's good business, but it's also the right thing to (12) ____."

Which of these words go in the above text?

(a) officials (b) office (c) officer (d) officialdom
(a) on (b) by (c) at (d) of
(a) on (b) over (c) up (d) off
(a) of (b) on (c) up (d) at
(a) whole (b) every (c) entire (d) all
(a) was (b) has (c) as (d) 'twas
(a) lead (b) gold (c) iron (d) steel
(a) lock (b) safe (c) key (d) chain
(a) grate (b) grape (c) grade (d) grace
(a) still (b) must (c) plus (d) time
(a) for (b) on (c) at (d) by
(a) do (b) seem (c) appear (d) time

Spelling

Paragraph 1

The reastwrpso company Nike
de-stress from life's csehlangle
enjoy alaiodntdi time off to rest
focus on helping to combat outbnur
Our erison leaders
Nike's ilreta stores are still open

Paragraph 2

Taking time for rest and oereycrv
living through a rcmutaait event
have a positive ctiapm on the culture
the week off was an tkglnwcnaoemde
we can irpirizteo mental health
It's good essbsinu

Put the text back together

(...) sane. This past year has been rough. We're all human and living through a traumatic event." He added: "I'm hopeful that the empathy
(...) long mental health break. It closed its offices from August the 23rd to the 30th so that its employees could "enjoy
(...) leaders are all sending a clear message - take the time to unwind, de-stress and spend time with your loved
( 1 ) The sportswear company Nike gave its office workers a holiday to help them de-stress from life's
(...) forward." Marrazzo said the week off was "an acknowledgment that we can prioritize
(...) mental health and still get work done". He said it was important for a company to think
(...) about its workers. He wrote: "Support your people. It's good business, but it's also the right thing to do."
(...) ones. Do not work." Nike's retail stores are still open and store workers are working as usual.
(...) and grace we continue to show our team-mates will have a positive impact on the culture of work moving
(...) "burnout". Nike's senior manager of global marketing science Matt Marrazzo said: "Our senior
(...) of its workers. He said: "Taking time for rest and recovery is key to performing well and staying
(...) Mr Marrazzo said the company was taking the lead in considering the mental health
(...) challenges and worries caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The clothing giant gave its employees a week-
(...) additional time off to rest and recover". Nike said it wanted to focus on helping to combat

Put the words in the right order

holiday . its office gave a workers Nike
Help them and from worries . challenges de-stress life's
employees clothing a The week-long giant break . gave
focused It to helping combat burnout . on
sending clear a message . are leaders Our senior
in taking health . was the Nike mental lead
living through event . and human traumatic a We're
on impact positive the Have work a culture .
An prioritize that mental health . can acknowledgment we
to also is right the thing It do .

Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

The sportswear company Nike gave its officer / office workers a holiday to help them de-stress from life's challenging / challenges and worries caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The clothing giant / gigantic gave its employees a week-long mental / mentally health break. It closed its offices from August the 23rd to the 30th so that its employees could "enjoyment / enjoy additional time off to rest and recover / recovery". Nike said it wanted to focus at / on helping to combat "burnout". Nike's senior manager of global marketing science Matt Marrazzo said: "Our senior leaders are whole / all sending a clear message - take the clock / time to unwind, de-stress and spend time with your loved ones. Do not work." Nike's retail stores are still open and store workers are working as usual / unusual.

Mr Marrazzo said the company was taking the iron / lead in considering the mental health of its workers. He said: "Taking time for / on rest and recovery is key to performing good / well and staying sane. This past year has been rough. We're all / every human and living through a traumatic event." He added: "I'm hopeful that the empathy and grade / grace we continue to show our team-mates will have a positive compact / impact on the culture of work moving forward." Marrazzo said the week off / on was "an acknowledgment that we can prioritize / priority mental health and still get work done". He said it was importance / important for a company to think about its workers. He wrote: "Support your people. It's good business, but it's also the right thing to work / do."

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)

Th_ sp_rtsw__r c_mp_ny N_k_ g_v_ _ts _ff_c_ w_rk_rs _ h_l_d_y t_ h_lp th_m d_-str_ss fr_m l_f_'s ch_ll_ng_s _nd w_rr__s c__s_d by th_ C_V_D-19 p_nd_m_c. Th_ cl_th_ng g__nt g_v_ _ts _mpl_y__s _ w__k-l_ng m_nt_l h__lth br__k. _t cl_s_d _ts _ff_c_s fr_m __g_st th_ 23rd t_ th_ 30th s_ th_t _ts _mpl_y__s c__ld "_nj_y _dd_t__n_l t_m_ _ff t_ r_st _nd r_c_v_r". N_k_ s__d _t w_nt_d t_ f_c_s _n h_lp_ng t_ c_mb_t "b_rn__t". N_k_'s s_n__r m_n_g_r _f gl_b_l m_rk_t_ng sc__nc_ M_tt M_rr_zz_ s__d: "__r s_n__r l__d_rs _r_ _ll s_nd_ng _ cl__r m_ss_g_ - t_k_ th_ t_m_ t_ _nw_nd, d_-str_ss _nd sp_nd t_m_ w_th y__r l_v_d _n_s. D_ n_t w_rk." N_k_'s r_t__l st_r_s _r_ st_ll _p_n _nd st_r_ w_rk_rs _r_ w_rk_ng _s _s__l.

Mr M_rr_zz_ s__d th_ c_mp_ny w_s t_k_ng th_ l__d _n c_ns_d_r_ng th_ m_nt_l h__lth _f _ts w_rk_rs. H_ s__d: "T_k_ng t_m_ f_r r_st _nd r_c_v_ry _s k_y t_ p_rf_rm_ng w_ll _nd st_y_ng s_n_. Th_s p_st y__r h_s b__n r__gh. W_'r_ _ll h_m_n _nd l_v_ng thr__gh _ tr__m_t_c _v_nt." H_ _dd_d: "_'m h_p_f_l th_t th_ _mp_thy _nd gr_c_ w_ c_nt_n__ t_ sh_w __r t__m-m_t_s w_ll h_v_ _ p_s_t_v_ _mp_ct _n th_ c_lt_r_ _f w_rk m_v_ng f_rw_rd." M_rr_zz_ s__d th_ w__k _ff w_s "_n _ckn_wl_dgm_nt th_t w_ c_n pr__r_t_z_ m_nt_l h__lth _nd st_ll g_t w_rk d_n_". H_ s__d _t w_s _mp_rt_nt f_r _ c_mp_ny t_ th_nk _b__t _ts w_rk_rs. H_ wr_t_: "S_pp_rt y__r p__pl_. _t's g__d b_s_n_ss, b_t _t's _ls_ th_ r_ght th_ng t_ d_."

Punctuate the text and add capitals

the sportswear company nike gave its office workers a holiday to help them destress from lifes challenges and worries caused by the covid19 pandemic the clothing giant gave its employees a weeklong mental health break it closed its offices from august the 23rd to the 30th so that its employees could enjoy additional time off to rest and recover nike said it wanted to focus on helping to combat burnout nikes senior manager of global marketing science matt marrazzo said our senior leaders are all sending a clear message take the time to unwind destress and spend time with your loved ones do not work nikes retail stores are still open and store workers are working as usual

mr marrazzo said the company was taking the lead in considering the mental health of its workers he said taking time for rest and recovery is key to performing well and staying sane this past year has been rough were all human and living through a traumatic event he added im hopeful that the empathy and grace we continue to show our teammates will have a positive impact on the culture of work moving forward marrazzo said the week off was an acknowledgment that we can prioritize mental health and still get work done he said it was important for a company to think about its workers he wrote support your people its good business but its also the right thing to do

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

ThesportswearcompanyNikegaveitsofficeworkersaholidaytohelpthe
mde-stressfromlife'schallengesandworriescausedbytheCOVID-19p
andemic.Theclothinggiantgaveitsemployeesaweek-longmentalhea
lthbreak.ItcloseditsofficesfromAugustthe23rdtothe30thsothatitse
mployeescould"enjoyadditionaltimeofftorestandrecover".Nikesaidit
wantedtofocusonhelpingtocombat"burnout".Nike'sseniormanagero
fglobalmarketingscienceMattMarrazzosaid:"Ourseniorleadersareall
sendingaclearmessage-takethetimetounwind,de-stressandspendti
mewithyourlovedones.Donotwork."Nike'sretailstoresarestillopenan
dstoreworkersareworkingasusual.MrMarrazzosaidthecompanywast
akingtheleadinconsideringthementalhealthofitsworkers.Hesaid:"Ta
kingtimeforrestandrecoveryiskeytoperformingwellandstayingsane.
Thispastyearhasbeenrough.We'reallhumanandlivingthroughatrau
maticevent."Headded:"I'mhopefulthattheempathyandgracewecont
inuetoshowourteam-mateswillhaveapositiveimpactonthecultureo
fworkmovingforward."Marrazzosaidtheweekoffwas"anacknowledg
mentthatwecanprioritizementalhealthandstillgetworkdone".Hesaidi
twasimportantforacompanytothinkaboutitsworkers.Hewrote:"Supp
ortyourpeople.It'sgoodbusiness,butit'salsotherightthingtodo."

Free writing

Write about de-stressing for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Academic writing

All workers should get extra holidays to de-stress. 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. DE-STRESSING: Make a poster about de-stressing. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
4. MENTAL HEALTH WEEK: Write a magazine article about giving all workers and extra week's holiday tode-stress. 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 de-stressing. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your ideas on how to de-stress. 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: De-stressing

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