describe reactions to change

1 | Describe reactions to change • Unit 6 ©2018 Berlitz Languages, Inc.

In this lesson you will ...

Describe reactions to change

Vocabulary & Expressions Language Focus

to initiateto accompanydrawbackto drive changeto stalltoughto step downto abandoncurve

denialadaptationacceptanceto hit (someone) like a ton of brickschaoticto settle downto take in

Adjectives of emotionDirect vs. indirect passive

Greet students, review previous lesson and homework.

Review key points from previous lesson, check any assigned homework, and check for questions.

Set customized Speaking Goal. Ask questions to find out about students’ needs and experiences.

Write on the board: Change

Ask: What are some big changes that have happened recently?

How do people react to change in general? Have there been any changes

where you work? How did people react there?

Set a customized speaking goal. For example: Our goal is to describe your reactions to a change at your company. Write the goal on the board.

Warm up. Have students read the quotes in the SG. Present terms, as needed: to initiate / to accompany / drawback

start → initiate

come with, go with → accompany

disadvantage → drawback

What initiated the change(s) where you work? Were they accompanied by

any other effects? Were there any drawbacks?

Are all of these quotes true? In what way?

Warm-up

GOAL-SETTING01

UNIT 6

©2018 Berlitz Languages, Inc.

Which of these quotes best describes your attitude toward change?

Note: Arnold Bennett (1867–1931) was an English writer and novelist. Winston Churchill (1874–1965) was the British Prime Minister from 1940 to 45 and from 1951 to 55. John F. Kennedy (1917–1963) was the 35th US President from 1960 until his assassination. Niccolò Machiavelli (1469–1527) was an Italian historian, politician, diplomat, philosopher, humanist, and writer. He was the founder of modern political science and political ethics.

Whole class: Ask students to brainstorm: What are factors that can cause problems for a company and create a need for change?

Which of these are internal and which are external factors?

Have students look at the lists of factors in the SG. Present and practice, as needed: to drive (rev.) / to drive change

Review: force, cause to happen → drive

Can these factors force change to happen? → drive change

What examples can you think of?

Have students look over the headlines.

What do you think these news stories are about? Present and practice terms, as needed: overhaul (rev.) / to stall / to reject (rev.) / tough / to step down / to abandon

big renovation, repairs → overhaul

stop, shut down (temporarily) → stall

say no to something → reject

difficult, strict → tough

resign → step down

leave → abandon

OS = operating system

med regs = medical/medicine regulations

What overhauls have taken place at your company recently? Have you ever

been part of negotiations that stalled? How do you feel when your

proposals are rejected? In what kind of situation would you have to

abandon a project? Etc.

Factors that drive change

PRESENTATION02

Describe reactions to change • Unit 6 | 2


Discussion. Which of these headlines refer to internal factors? External factors?

Which could be both? How might this news affect certain companies? Can you think of other similar news or situations?

Present and practice: Direct vs. indirect passive

Write on the board or dictate:They sent a letter to us. (OR) → A letter was sent to us. (OR) → We were

sent a letter.

Transformation

Pairs or P1 with instructor: Students change the sentences in the SG to direct and indirect passive.

[ANSWERS:

a. A new position has been offered to Susan. Susan has been offered a …

b. The project was assigned to Ben and Steve. Ben … were assigned …

c. A good salary is paid to them. They are paid a good salary.

d. Has their decision been given to us? Have we been given their decision?

e. Was the information forwarded to you? Were you forwarded the …?

f. Will a promotion be given to him? Will he be given a promotion?]

QFS

Using the samples in the SG, students create their own questions.

Strict new regulations were introduced by the European Union

1 • 2

Pre-listening. Have students look at the diagram in the SG. Present and practice, as needed: curve

Note: diagram based on the Kübler-Ross model (1969), a.k.a. the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.Is this a straight line? [N] → curve

What does this curve show? [how people react to change]

Do you think it shows reactions to positive or negative change?

How many stages are there?

Reactions to change

Track:

PRACTICE

LISTENING

PRESENTATION

PRACTICE

05

06

04

03


Go over the stages with the students. Help them with vocabulary as needed for comprehension only: denial / adaptation / acceptance

They likely know the verb or other form of most of these terms.not believing something is true or correct → denial

process of changing to fit new conditions → adaptation

agreement with the new conditions → acceptance

Have students look at the list of emotions.Which of these are negative emotions? Which are positive?

Present and practice terms as needed: pessimistic / optimistic / depressed (rev.) / shocked / furious (rev.) / insecure / fearful / resentful / bitter / uncertain / anxious / discouraged / powerless / hopeful / hopeless

(Note: Students do not need to learn all of them.) Ask students to choose which ones they want to practice and focus the practice on those.sure the results will be bad / negative → pessimistic

sure the results will be good / positive → optimistic

extremely unhappy, feeling very down → depressed

extremely surprised → shocked

very angry → furious

very uncertain → insecure

afraid → fearful

angry, offended → resentful

very resentful → bitter

not sure → uncertain

worried → anxious

lacking confidence → discouraged

weak → powerless

positive, optimistic → hopeful

not hopeful → hopeless

At which stages do you think people might feel these emotions?

Listening. You are going to hear two people, Dan and Sue, talking about a change that has happened. Listen for answers to the following:

1. What is the change?

2. Where do you think Dan and Sue are on the reaction curve?

Play the recordings, pausing after each one. Encourage students to deduce meaning of unknown terms. Present terms and play audio again, if needed: to hit (someone) like a ton of bricks / chaotic / to settle down / to take in

Ask students what the difference is between fired and laid off. Present, if needed.

shocked / hit you very heavily → hit (you) like a ton of bricks

very confusing, disorganized→ chaotic



become calm(er) → settle down

understand, absorb → take in

[ANSWERS: Dan has just lost his job; he’s at the denial (shock) stage. How

do you know? (“I can’t believe this is happening to me.”)

Sue’s department was reorganized; she’s at the acceptance stage moving

toward (renewed) confidence.]

Post-listening. Pairs: Assign each pair one person (Dan or Sue).

Dan: Make a list of four or five things Dan will have to do over the next few weeks. What emotions might he feel along the way?

Sue: Make a list of things that probably happened during the reorganization. What emotions do you think Sue felt while this was happening?

Call on students to share their descriptions and have other students ask questions.

Elicit what the lesson goal was from students or point to it on the board. Set or adapt purpose / scenario according to the customized student goal.

Pre-task. Go over the task card in the SG. Make sure students understand the task. Give students 2–3 minutes to write down some ideas.

Task. Interviews

Pairs or small groups: Students ask each other about the decision(s) they had to make and their experiences and emotions during the process.

Post-task. Call on students to summarize their own or their partner’s experiences. If students feel uncomfortable with this, have them generalize.

Give feedback, correction, and praise. Ask students to say how they can use the language from this unit in their work. Confirm with students that they have achieved their goal. Assign homework.

A big change

PERFORMANCE07


Extension 1. Role play: Job change

Refer to the role cards in the SG.Make sure students understand the situations.Brainstorm feelings and emotions each person might be feeling.

Pairs: Students act out the situation.Follow-upLaid-off employee: Tell your spouse / partner about what has happened at work and the conversation you had with your friend. Worried employee: Tell your spouse / partner about your situation at work and the conversation you had with your friend.

Extension 2. Were you given any notice?

Create a table with columns for direct objects, verbs, and indirect objects (i.e., people, names, and pronouns). For example:a letter / send / me

a raise / give / her

a new job / offer / Jack

dinner / provide / everyone

Students use the words in the table to create wh- questions and give responses in both direct and indirect passive. Prompt students to use different tenses. Have students add terms to the lists on the board and create new questions and answers of their own.

Job change

Remind students to complete their homework activities online.ONLINE PRACTICE

CONSOLIDATE & APPLY

09

08


describe reactions to change

Documents