ESL Discussion Questions about Dancing

What is it?

Do you like it? Why not? Do you like to watch it?

Are you a good dancer? Do you want to show me?

Where do you dance?

What kind of dancing do you like to do? Fast dancing? Slow dancing? Group dancing? Belly dancing? Tap dancing? Dancing with a partner? (who do you want to dance with? Have you ever asked a stranger to dance? It is okay for boys to dance together? Girls? Dancing by yourself?)

What kind or style of dancing is popular now?

Where do you dance? Where can you go dancing?

The dancing in public areas – why is it so popular? Who is it popular with?

When do you dance? Do you dance to celebrate? Is the spring festival a time for dancing?

What about the dancing I see workers have to do?

Is dancing difficult? Why? Why not?

Is it hard to dance because people are shy to dance? Are you shy to dance?

Do they teach dancing in Chinese schools? Are there dancing schools or clubs in Wuxi?

Is dancing a good profession? Have you ever danced in a show?

Where can you watch people dance?

What kind of dancing do you like to watch? Ballet? Go-go dancing? Exotic dancing? Belly dancing?

Where do you like to watch dancing? Clubs? Theatres? On movies and in films?

Do you like to watch musicals? Do the Chinese make musicals? Why? Why not? Why don't they make musical movies in Hollywood anymore? Do you like Bollywood musicals?

Who do you like to dance with?

Who are some famous dancers?

Who are some famous Chinese dancers?

Why is Gangnam Style so popular?

Is Western dancing different from Chinese dancing? How?

What kind of music is good for dancing?

Dancing idioms and expressions

Out of step

Cut the rug

Would you care to dance?

Dance on air

Dance with death

The same old song and dance

I am putting on my dance shoes

Dance up a storm

ESL Discussion Questions about Complaining (Revised)

What is it?

What is the noun that is made with complain?

So, we can make complaints.

Do you do it?

Do you take joy in complaining?

What is your biggest complaint in life?

What is your biggest complaint about today?

What is your biggest complaint about food, restaurants, school, men, women, parents, taking the bus, driving, marriage, babies, the Internet, Wuxi, Shanghai et cetra?

What do famous people complain about?

What do woman complain about?

When people get together to chat, do they spend most of the conversation time complaining about things?

Make a list of your top ten complaints.

Do animals complain?

What do animals complain about?

What would chairs, tables, floors, w.c.'s, and trash cans complaining about?

What do you call a person who complains too much? (A Whiner. Do you know anyone who is a whiner? Do you know someone who complains about everything? Ask the students if any of them can imitate such a person.)

Do you deal with customer complaints? How to deal with customer complaints?

Have you ever complained to a big company? Did you get satisfaction?

How to complain? When you complain you should be ______________.

Does it help to complain angrily? Does it help to complain politely?

Would having a weapon help?

Who has the most to complain about?

Expressions using complain.

How are you? I can't complain.

There's no point in complaining.

A Week in the Life of a Wuxi English Teacher: January 14 to January 20, 2013

I have published my weekly blog entry.  You can read it here.

ESL Discussion Questions about Books

Do you love books? Why? Do you hate books? How come?

Would you rather have a book or a car? A book or a diamond ring? A book or a television? A book or a basketball? A book or a Rolex watch? A paperback or a hardback?

Are you a bookish person?

Are you often reading a book? Do you try to always carry a book with you? Do you read a book to show off? Do you read books to get people to think you are interesting? Have you ever seen someone reading a book you like and so thought you would like to talk to them?

How many books do you have?

Have you read all the books you have?

You have more hard covers or paper backs? Do you prefer to have expensive editions of books?

Have you heard that the first edition of a famous book can be worth a lot of money? Why is this?

Do you collect certain kinds or series of books?

Do you keep books after you have read them or do you get rid of them? What books do you get rid of? Which ones do you keep?

Do you have any big picture books?

When you read a book, do you try to keep it in new condition or do you wear it out? Do you like to write in books, underline important passages, or make notes?

Are books dangerous things? Do you think it is a good idea to destroy dangerous books?

Do you have books that you hide from the view of others?

What do you use as a bookmark?

Do you think a shelf full of books is a good way to decorate your house?

Do you wish you had your own private library?

If I go to someone's home, I find I am most interested in the books they own. What about you?

What is your favourite book? That is, what is your favourite book that you have held in your hand or owned?

What is the one book you would always carry with you?

Have you had one book for a long time?

You can take only one book you now have to a desert island, which book would you take and why?

Do you like to go to book stores?

Do you like to go to second-hand book stores? Are there many such stores in Wuxi?

Some people say they would love in work in book stores or libraries. What about you?

Do you think owning a book store is a good idea these days?

What do you think of e-books? Have you read an e-book?

Do you have an e-book reader? Would you buy one?

Do you think e-books will replace paper books?

What are the advantages of e-books?

Where do you read your e-books?

How many e-books do you have? Have you bought an e-book?

Do you prefer to read your favourite piece of literature in book form or e-book form.

Expressions and idioms using the word "book"

• You can read him like a open book.

• So many books, so little time.

• You can't judge a book by its cover. (Have you bought or picked up a book because of its cover?)

• coffee table book

• open book / closed book

• have nose in a book

• not in my book

• by the book

• the oldest trick in the book

• throw the book at

• that's one for the books

• hit the books

• cook the books

A Blog Entry of a Teacher's Life in Wuxi, China for the Week of January 7 to January 13, 2013

Read it here!

ESL Discussion Questions about Baldness

What does bald mean? An absence or a lack of hair.

What does the word baldness mean? A state of being bald.

What does balding mean? The process of becoming bald or losing hair.

Is baldness a bad thing? Why? Why not?

Women! What do you think of bald men?

Men! What do you think of bald men? Are you afraid of going bald?

Men! Are you going bald? Do you have a receding hairline?

When can baldness be attractive? When can it be unattractive?

What are some patterns of baldness? Which are attractive? Which are not?

What do you think of people with long hair and a bald spot?

What are some causes of baldness?

Are the following causes of baldness? Your mother's father was bald (i.e. You inherited from you family. Does baldness run in your family?); weight training and exercise; intellectual activity (are bald people smarter. Pointy-head intellectual) psychological problems; emotional stress; tight hats

What can we do about baldness?

Comb-overs, eat special food, rub potions in our bald spots, wear wigs, wear toupees, wear hats, shave our head, grow our hair really long, nothing

What are some advantages of being bald?

Are bald man smarter? More virile?

Do/did you have balding classmates or colleagues? How did/do you treat them?

Do you have nicknames for balding people?

Is your partner bald? What will you do if you partner is going bald? Tell him to wear a hat? Get a divorce?

What did the ancient Chinese think about balding and bald people? What do the modern Chinese think?

Who are some famous bald people? Gandhi and Chang Kai Shek.

What do the following expressions mean?

Bald as a baby's bum.

Bald as a cue ball.

He is completely bald.

That was a bald-faced lie!

Balding is a sign of ageing? What are some others? Wrinkles, grey hair, sagging skin, and deteriorating eyesight, sore bones, all sorts of body aches

The AKIC Blog Entry for the Week of December 31, 2012 to January 6, 2013

Read it here!

ESL Discussion Questions about Anger

 What is it? Synonyms? Rage. Ire. Indignation. Displease, vex, irritate, exasperate, infuriate, enrage, incense, madden. Antonyms? Happiness, Calm.

Adjective formed with anger? Angry. Can adjective be used as a verb. Lying angers me.

Is it a good thing?

What does anger look like?

What expressions do we make with our faces when we feel angry?

What gestures do we make when we feel angry?

It is okay to be angry? Is it okay to show your anger? Does it help to get angry? Is anger good for our health?

Should you complain when you are angry?

Does being angry help solve your problem or complaints?

Is there good anger & bad anger?

What is a good way to express your anger?

Do you get angry? How do you act? What makes you angry? Do you burst into anger?

Who do you get angry at? Neighbours? Your relatives? Your boss? Other drivers? Store clerks? Co-workers? Politicians? Teachers?

Can you control your anger? How do you feel after you have an angry outburst?

They say he is an angry person. What do they mean? Does that mean he has a bad temper?

Do you know any angry people?

Do you know people with bad tempers? Do you avoid these people?

Do you have a bad temper? Do people with bad tempers know they have bad tempers?

Better to be angry in private than to be angry in public?

Is it okay for managers and parents and teachers to be angry? Is anger a good way to get people to do what you want them to do?

Do some countries have more angry people than others? Professions?

Are we intimidated by angry people? How should we behave when someone is angry at us? What should we do if a friend or relative is angry at someone else?

Who worries you more? The people who is always angry? The person who is always quiet? Who is more likely to take a gun and go on a killing spree?

If we feel angry, what should we do? Go for a gun? Throw things? Make a fist? Take a deep breath? Walk away from the situation? Scream? Swear?

What is the most angry you have ever been?

At what age in life, are people the most angry? When they are young? Teenaged? New Adults? Middle-aged? Over-the-hill? About-to-die?

Do you get angry in traffic? When getting on the bus? When having to wait a long time at a restaurant? When someone is making too much noise?

In what places and situations are people most prone to anger? Where have you seen the most displays of anger?

If you see an angry customer in a restaurant or a shop, whose side do you take? The customer's or the service person or the management's?

Do we envy or admire people who express the anger that we are sometimes too shy to express?

Are these anger-management courses in China? Can such things teach people to control their anger?

Is anger the flip side of happiness? That is, the times we are very angry are equal to the times we feel very happy?

ESL Discussion Questions about Quitting

Quitting or to Quit. What does it mean?

What are some synonyms of quit? Resign, Give up, walk away, depart, leave relinquish, abandon, put aside, cease, discontinue, exit, stop, step down, retire,

Antonyms? Continue, persist, finish, see through, go on with, complete

What have you quit? Is there anything you are proud of having quit? Why did you quit that thing?

Is there something you regret quitting?

What do you want to quit? What should you quit?

What places do people want to quit?

Is it a good idea to quit school? Quit your job? Quit being a parent? Quit being a member of society?

What is hard to quit?

When is it hard to quit?

What can one do in these hard to quit situations?

When is it okay to quit? When is it not okay to quit? Why should we quit?

How to quit? Is it something you can do instantly or should you take your time?

Do you have a fantasy about quitting?

Is there honour in quitting?

Is there something that you saw through to the end and are now glad that you did?

If there is plenty of time, you can ask the students about times when they showed persistence and never quit.

Expressions:

That person has no quit in him (Do students know anyone like that?)

Quit over something (elicit examples from the students)

Don't quit trying

quit a place

quit on someone

quit while one is ahead (When is it a good idea to do this?)

some people don't know when to quit. (Do the students know anyone like this)

the computer quit working (Ask the students to think of other examples.)

call it a day (At what time of the day do students say this?)

call it quits

You can't fire me! I quit!

I am not a quitter!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all my rare and far-in-between readers from the AKIC Blog Network!

Andis at the Bank #2

ESL Discussion Questions about Peace & World Peace

World Peace

What is peace? What does peace mean to you? Is it important? Do you want peace or money? Peace or love? Peace or an Iphone? Peace or chocolate?

What is peaceful?

Where can you go to have some peace & quiet? What parts of the world have peace? Is China peaceful? Is your school a peaceful place?

What does it mean to have peace of mind or inner peace? Do you have them now?

What are some synonyms for peace & quiet? Calm, tranquility,....

What are some symbols of peace? What is the color of peace? What are the gestures?

What can you do to create a peaceful and quiet atmosphere?

Are you a peaceful person? Are you a pacifist? Are you a peacemaker?

Do you believe in pacifism? Is pacifism a realistic posture to hold?

Who are more peaceful? Men or women? Adults or children? Boys or girls? Religious people or atheists? Poor or Rich?

Is there peace in your life? Are you at peace with your neighbour? Your workmates? Your classmates? Is there peace in your family?

Who is the most peaceful person you know?

What images come to mind when you hear the world peace?

What is the opposite of peace? Conflict, war, violence,...

Will we ever have world peace?

Why does it seem so hard to get world peace?

Can we ever achieve a permanent peace?

How would we be able to achieve it? No guns? No armies? World government? The destruction of bad people? Mutually Assured Destruction? Wealth for everyone? Religion?

Can people ever be at peace with each other? Why? Why not?

Is world peace an important issue for the world?

Would world peace mean the end of quarreling?

Do you become excited when they say there is going to be a peace conference?

Did Obama deserve the Nobel Peace Prize?

Wars are about peace? Agree? Disagree?

What do these expressions mean?

Rest in Peace

I want some peace & quiet

Make Love Not War

Give Peace a Chance

Keep in peace

Leave the peace

A peace offering

If you want peace, you must prepare for war

At peace with the world

A HyLite Commercial

Wuxi, China HyLite English School 2012 Christmas Party Photos

Cherry

Agnes (on the left)

Echo

She works at a BMW dealership.

Sara is going to UBC.

Michelle

Yolanda

The girl on the left is a Yoga Instructor

She works in our marketing department

Charles or "Chuck"

ESL Discussion Questions about Walking (Revised)

Walking is also called ambulation

What is it? How is it different from running or jogging?

What images come to mind when you hear the word walking?

Have you done some walking today? How far do you think have walked?

Do you like walking? Why? Do you wish you could walk everywhere?

When you do like to take a walk? That is, walk for the sake of walking, not to go anywhere.

Is walking a fun activity?

Best place in Wuxi to go walking? Best place in China? The ideal place to walk?

Do you like walking on mountains, on hills, in forests, by the seaside, in the city?

A place you would like to walk?

A place you hate walking? The worst place to take a walk? Cars & Walking – conflict?

Do you think you could walk all the way to Shanghai or Beijing? Why? Why not?

Different styles of walking. How do you walk when you are happy, sad, angry? Do boys and girls walk in the same style?

Do you think about how you walk?

Who do you like to watch walking?

What is the furthest you have walked? What is the longest walk you have taken? What is the longest walk you have had recently?

Who do you like to walk with?

Do you like to carry things when you walk?

What tools can help us walk?

Is it okay to walk with your hands in your pocket?

When you walk do you look straight ahead or do you look at the ground?

Who can you hold hands with when you walk?

Expressions

Walking with his head held high.

Walk all over another person.

walk in another man's shoes.

You talk the talk, but can you walk the walk?

Walk a thin line.

Walk a tightrope.

Can you walk and chew gum at the same time?

Walk right up to.

Walk into.

Take a long walk off a short pier.

People from all walks of life

Walk on air.