The Power of Silence (B1, phrases that are ‘time buyers’ in a conversation)

Have you ever thought about how much silence can be beneficial for our health – both mental and physical?

The new functional lesson plan “The Power of Silence” tells us about the importance of silence in such a “noisy” and restless environment in which we live now. This lesson is perfect for adult students of level B1/B1+ and above.

Students will talk about the value of silence and stillness, especially in today’s “loud” world. They will watch short video segments on this topic and will be able to improve their listening skills. The author of the video speaks slowly and relaxedly (which is just the right topic for the lesson), but there are quite a lot of complex words in the video, so B1 level students may feel a little insecure. That is why the plan includes an additional lexical exercise to help understand the key points from the video.

The main lexical focus is on phrases that help to show that you need to think before answering a question, the so-called ‘time buyers’. This is a very important and useful topic for everyone, because we often forget that when speaking a foreign language, it is normal to hesitate and delay the answer. The main thing is to do it confidently, like a native speaker.

Students will also get acquainted with other sounds/words in English – fillers, which can be used instead of the uncomfortable “uhh” during a pause when we don’t know what to say.

Stay calm and enjoy your lessons