LESSON PLAN FOR ENGLISH TEACHERSA NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION
Dec. 17, 2024
Level: Mixed Levels (Elementary, A1-A2; Pre-Intermediate, A2-B1; Intermediate, B1-B2; Upper-Intermediate, B2-C1)
Type of English: General English
Tags: Ethics and Conduct; Celebrations and Special Events; Psychology; People and Places; Making Promises; Present Tenses; Future; Speaking; Vocabulary Lesson; 13-15 Years Old; 16-18 Years Old; 18+ Years Old
Publication date: 12/17/2024
This updated lesson looks at New Year’s Resolutions. Students will talk about plans and intentions for the future. They will also look at vocabulary connected to the topic of travel. Exercises focus on reading and listening comprehension and give students the opportunity to discuss questions on the topic. (by Joe Wilson)
CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in American English. (L1)
CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in American English. (L2)
CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in American English. (L3)
CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in American English. (L4)
CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in American English. (L1)
CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in American English. (L2)
CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in American English. (L3)
CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in American English. (L4)
CLICK HERE to download/listen to the audio in American English. (L1-L2)
CLICK HERE to download/listen to the audio in American English. (L3-L4)
CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in British English. (L1)
CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in British English. (L2)
CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in British English. (L3)
CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in British English. (L4)
CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in British English. (L1)
CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in British English. (L2)
CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in British English. (L3)
CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in British English. (L4)
CLICK HERE to download/listen to the audio in British English. (L1-L2)
CLICK HERE to download/listen to the audio in British English. (L3-L4)
AUDIO TRANSCRIPTS
L1 (A1-A2) and L2 (A2-B1)
ONE
Speaker: I’m tired of the city. I want to be closer to nature. So next year, I’m going to take my backpack and go to the mountains. I’m going to find a campsite to stay at and go hiking every day for two weeks. I will be happy to spend time by myself.
TWO
Speaker: It’s been a very busy year this year, so next year I want to enjoy myself. I’m taking my daughter to a theme park in Belgium, and we will have so much fun together. We’re staying in a hotel nearby where I’ve already made a reservation, so we will be able to go there early every day.
THREE
Speaker: I can’t wait for next year! In May, my friends and I are staying in a cottage by the beach together for two weeks. It will be so good to wake up and smell the fresh sea air and go to sleep listening to the sound of the waves.
FOUR
Speaker: Next year is going to be fantastic. My brother and I are taking a road trip through Europe. We’re going to start in Oslo in Norway, and drive all the way down to Palermo in Italy. I’m not going to book any accommodation because we want to be free to explore as we drive and go where we want to go.
FIVE
Speaker: I find the winter so difficult because it’s dark and cold for months. I don’t know where I’m going to go when summer comes, but I know that I’m going to go somewhere warmer where I can t and read a book all day.
L3 (B1-B2) and L4 (B2-C1)
Presenter: Good morning! I hope you’ve had a fresh start to your day, and fresh starts are what we’re talking about today. We’ve got Lana Edmundson with us, she’s a psychologist with a particular interest in motivation. Lana, welcome to the show.
Lana: Thank you!
Presenter: Now, we all associate January 1st with trying to be better as people, but when did people start making resolutions?
Lana: It’s funny you should ask as I was just reading a letter by the American author, Mark Twain which he wrote during the Victorian Era in 1863 pointing out how everyone is full of good intentions on January the 1st, only to forget about them 30 days later. But January is actually named after ‘Janus’ the Roman god who had two faces, looking forwards and backwards. The Romans used to promise him to behave better in the coming year. This also fitted in well with the Christian tradition later on of thinking of past mistakes and resolving to do better in the future. So religious practice was probably why it stayed with our culture.
Presenter: How interesting! Why do you think the new year is seen as such a great time to make improvements?
Lana: Well, obviously at that time of year, a lot of people have been indulging themselves with rich food and drink, so it’s a good time to draw a line under it and start a healthier lifestyle. With the festivities over, people like to get ready for better weather in the Spring. But I believe that most importantly, a lot of it is down to the fact that psychologically, we like to break up our lives into chapters like a book. We feel at the start of any of these chapters, including New Year, but also birthdays, marriage, the birth of a child and so on, that it’s easier to change everything that has happened before and start afresh.
Presenter: So does it help to act as though it’s a new time in your life if you want to begin a new habit?
Lana: It does. Research conducted using an app which set goals for people showed that people tended to start after any holiday, or at the beginning of the work week more than any time. They did an experiment where they sent reminders to some people to set a goal for ‘The third Thursday in March’ and some for ‘The first day of Spring’. It’s the same day, but those that received the second one were far more likely to create habitual behavior which improved their lives. So any date you see as a new beginning works better.
Presenter: Is it true that most people break their resolutions shortly after making them?
Lana: It’s better than you probably believe. A government survey found that when people made resolutions, 35% of them managed to attain all of their goals. Of course, it can be hard, but 50% of people managed to stick with some of them, even if it wasn’t all. That’s a lot of change. What does make a difference though is the type of goals you make. For example, people who decide to do something such as increasing the distance they run by 10% per day, or start to swim twice a week, are 25% more likely to find success than those who try to give up something, such as chocolate, or social media.
Presenter: Oh really? So is it a lot harder to give something up than start doing something positive?
Lana: Well, much like when you start, it all depends on how you frame it in your mind. When you try to stop doing something, or an ‘avoidance goal’ as we call it, you’re taking something away that you like and you aren’t replacing it with anything, so you feel the loss much more. If you transfer it into an ‘approach goal’, then you can focus on an action which makes it easier. So for example, if you’re trying to reduce your use of social media, try setting yourself the goal of reading a book for an hour a day. This also means you can track your progress which isn’t easy if you’re trying to stop something. This will be a positive change and will focus on the gain, not the loss.
Presenter: Now I know I find it difficult to keep going. What should people do when they start to lose sight of their goals?
Lana: Yes, it’s often easier to start than it is to persevere three weeks later. Some people respond by thinking they can’t do it or making their goals easier. What’s best though is to start again at a new time. For example, if you start to find yourself losing focus at the end of January, try again on February 1st. Progress isn’t usually a straight line, but includes ups and downs. You may need to have several fresh starts and that’s OK.
Adapted from: https://www.linguahouse.com/esl-lesson-plans/general-english/a-new-years-resolution. Accessed on January 17, 2025. LinguaHouse.com © 2008–2025. All rights reserved.
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