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Twenix: Online English Teaching Without a Degree

Posted on by Tim Warre

If you’re looking for online English teaching work, either as a full time position or a side hustle, Twenix could be a good option for you. I work for the company as a content creator making the lesson plans used in class and the reading, listening and grammar activities that students have access to for self-study. I also teach on the platform a couple of times a week to get a better understanding of the experience both for teachers and students. Here are some of the things that make the platform stand out.

Overview

Twenix classes are 26-minute (Twenix = twenty-six) video or audio-only conversation classes carried out on the company’s platform. All of the students are adults based in Spain or Italy, the vast majority of whom are professionals taking classes as part of company training programmes. For the student, they simply log onto the platform and choose a time when they want to take a class, something they can do with just 2 hour’s notice. The platform then matches the student with a teacher who is available at that time. What this means is that each class the student will have a different teacher. The feedback that the teacher gives through the chat box during the class is saved on the student’s profile so that the next teacher can immediately get a feel for their strengths and weaknesses.

The student decides exactly what they want to study; they can choose from an extensive list of topics they would like to discuss, ranging from specialist subjects such as consulting and auditing, logistics or legal English, to more general topics.

Ultra-Flexible

For Twenix teachers, or tweachers, you’re not required to work a minimum number of hours a week; you can work as little or as much as you like. It’s great for combining with another job or studying as you can adapt your schedule to busy periods in your life. Another benefit is the class transfer system. Many other platforms have strict cancellations policies, however, due to Twenix’s teacher rotation system, teachers can transfer their classes to other available teachers at short notice for whatever reason. This is a feature that teachers really value due to the flexibility it offers them.

Simple & Fun

As I mentioned, all of the class materials are pre-prepared, teachers only need 2-3 minutes to read over the class content before teaching the class. What’s more, there’s no homework to mark, meaning that our focus is solely on teaching and providing feedback to the students. Also, the classes are short, 100% conversation based and with keen adult students who work in a wide range of sectors. I’ve learned loads from talking to students working in diverse fields such as renewable energy, logistics, computer game design and many more. 

Hiring Policies

Twenix hires teachers from all over the world*, not just English speaking countries, like some other platforms. You don’t need to hold a degree and non-native speakers are more than welcome. The most important qualities needed are being able to think on your feet, maintain an engaging conversation and provide relevant and constructive feedback to students on their English skills.

*Please note that Twenix is not currently hiring teachers based in Spain.

If I were looking for online teaching work, Twenix would certainly be one of my top choices. So, why not give it a try?

APPLY HERE

Posted in B2 First, Conversation Classes

B2: Annoying Habits

Posted on by Tim Warre

This is a B2 version of my C1 annoying habits lesson adapted for the lower level and including a B2 First key word transformation exercise.

Students discuss annoying things that the people around them do. They start off my revising some common structures used to express annoyance, read some short texts about annoying situations, learn some idioms and expressions related to the topic and top it all off my doing some exam practice.

Download the content below:

B2_ Annoying HabitsDownload
B2_ Annoying HabitsDownload

B2: Annoying Habits

Lead-in

Discuss the following questions with a partner:

  • Has anything in particular been getting on your nerves recently? At home? In the street? On public transport?

Expressing Annoyance

Look at the different structures we use to express irritation or annoyance.

  • Present Continuous + always(used to describe annoying, repeated habits)
    • He ’s always leaving his clothes on the floor.
  • Keep + -ing(used to highlight continuous, frustrating actions)
    • She keeps forgetting to lock the door.
  • I wish + subject + wouldn’t(used when you want someone to change their behavior)
    • I wish you wouldn’t play music so loudly at night.
  • It drives me crazy when…(used to express strong, daily irritation)
    • It drives me crazy when people leave dirty dishes in the sink.
  • I can’t stand it when…(used for things you intensely dislike or tolerate poorly)
    • I can’t stand it when my flatmate talks on the phone for hours.
  • Get on my nerves(a very common phrase to describe things that irritate you)
    • It really gets on my nerves when people don’t reply to messages.
  • Would you mind + -ing?(a direct, slightly sharp request for someone to stop doing something)
    • Would you mind cleaning up after yourself for once?

🗣️ Task: Can you apply any of these expressions to the things you mentioned in the lead-in?

Reading & Discussion

1. The “I’ll Do It Later” Person

“Honestly, the thing that drives me crazy is when my flatmate says he’ll do something later, and then just… never does it. If you leave your dishes in the sink for three days, that’s not ‘later’ anymore. And the annoying part is he acts surprised when I bring it up. Apparently, I’m the unreasonable one because I don’t enjoy living in a mess. He keeps forgetting that other people live here too. If procrastination were an Olympic sport, he’d definitely win gold.”

Questions

  • What household habits get on your nerves the most?
  • Do you think some people naturally have different standards of cleanliness?
  • How long is it acceptable to leave dishes in the sink?
  • Is it better to confront someone immediately about annoying habits or ignore them?

2. Thermostat Wars

“My partner and I have completely different ideas about what counts as a normal indoor temperature. She’s always turning the heating up, even when it’s warm outside. I’ll walk into the living room sweating, and she’ll be sitting there wrapped in a blanket saying, ‘It’s freezing in here.’ Freezing? We could grow tropical plants in this flat. At this rate, our energy bill is going to ruin us. I wish she wouldn’t treat our apartment like a sauna.”

Questions

  • Are you usually too hot or too cold at home?
  • Have you ever argued with someone about air conditioning or heating?
  • What’s more important to you: personal comfort or saving energy?
  • Do housemates need strict rules to avoid arguments about shared spaces?

3. The Loud Cleaner

“I appreciate that my boyfriend likes cleaning, I really do. But it really gets on my nerves when he decides to vacuum at the worst possible moment. Sunday morning at 8 a.m., when everyone else in the building is asleep? Perfect time for massive noise, apparently. He doesn’t just clean normally—he cleans aggressively. I can’t stand it when he hits the vacuum against my bedroom door. Meanwhile, I’m lying in bed wondering why I can’t just have a peaceful morning.”

Questions

  • What time is too early to do noisy housework?
  • Would you mind living with an overly tidy person, or do you prefer someone a bit messy?
  • Do you think people should change their routines to avoid disturbing others?
  • Is being considerate more important than being productive in shared living situations?

4. Passive-Aggressive Notes

“My housemate has this incredibly irritating habit of leaving little notes around the flat instead of just speaking to people face-to-face. You’ll open the fridge and see something like, ‘Some people should remember milk doesn’t magically replace itself :)’ with a smiley face that somehow makes it worse. I wish he wouldn’t turn our kitchen into a sarcastic office environment. If you have a problem with me, just say it directly! I haven’t done it yet, but I want to just ask him: “Would you mind talking to me like a normal person?”

Questions

  • Which is worse: direct confrontation or passive-aggressive behavior?
  • Why do you think some people avoid saying things directly?
  • Have you ever received a passive-aggressive message or note?
  • What’s the best way to deal with conflict or arguments at home?

5. Kitchen Experiments

“My partner keeps trying these complicated recipes she finds online, which sounds great in theory. The problem is the kitchen looks like a total disaster afterwards. There’ll be flour everywhere, seventeen dirty pans, and weird ingredients just lying around. She’s always leaving a massive mess for me to clean up. After spending four hours cooking, she made me try some strange ‘mushroom foam’ when all I wanted was pasta. I can’t stand it when I can’t even see the kitchen countertops.”

Questions

  • Do you enjoy cooking, or do you see it as a chore?
  • How much mess is acceptable when someone else cooks a meal for you?
  • Would you rather eat simple food every day or try unusual dishes?
  • Have you ever pretended to enjoy someone’s cooking?

Expressions & Conversation

Guess the meaning of the bold expressions from the context, then discuss the questions with a partner.

  1. I wanted to tell him how messy he was, but I decided to keep quiet to avoid an argument.
    • In what situations do you find it best to just keep quiet?
    • Do you find it difficult to stay silent when you’re annoyed?
  2. My partner gave me the silent treatment for two days when I forgot our anniversary.
    • Do you think the silent treatment is an effective way to deal with conflict?
    • What’s a healthier way to show someone that you’re upset?
  3. He completely hogs the bathroom every morning, so I’m always late for work.
    • What annoying habits do people usually have in shared spaces?
    • How would you deal with a housemate who takes too long in the shower?
  4. During lockdown, we had absolutely no personal space, and every little habit became annoying.
    • Do you think people need a lot of personal space to have a good relationship?
    • How much time spent together is too much time?
  5. My housemate and I constantly clash over how clean the kitchen should be.
    • Do you think people should adapt to each other’s habits when living together?
    • What household rules are most important in a shared house?
  6. Everyone else was cleaning up after dinner while he just sat on the sofa and didn’t lift a finger.
    • How important is it to share household chores equally?
    • Have you ever lived or worked with someone incredibly lazy?
  7. Whenever my brother bakes, he leaves a trail of destruction in the kitchen.
    • Are you a tidy cook, or do you make a mess when you cook?
    • Would you rather do the cooking or the cleaning up afterwards?
  8. I usually apologize first just to keep the peace, even if I know I’m right.
    • Is it better to avoid conflict or always be completely honest?
    • Have you ever apologized to someone just to end a stupid argument?

B2 First: Reading and Use of English (Part 4)

For questions 1–6, complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five words, including the word given.

It really irritates me when people don’t reply to my messages. 

NERVES 

It really gets on my nerves when people don’t reply to my messages.

  1. My brother has a frustrating habit of leaving his clothes on the floor. 

ALWAYS 

My brother ____________________________ his clothes on the floor.

  1. She regularly forgets to lock the door when she leaves. 

KEEPS 

She ____________________________ to lock the door when she leaves.

  1. I really want you to stop playing your music so loudly at night. 

WISH 

I ____________________________ play music so loudly at night.

  1. It makes me very angry when people leave dirty dishes in the sink. 

CRAZY 

It ____________________________ when people leave dirty dishes in the sink.

  1. I absolutely hate it when my flatmate talks on the phone for hours. 

STAND 

I ____________________________ when my flatmate talks on the phone for hours.

  1. Could you please clean up after yourself for once? 

MIND 

____________________________ up after yourself for once?

🔑 Teacher’s Answer Key

(The bolded words indicate the exact 2-to-5-word answer required)

  1. is always leaving (Present Continuous + always)
  2. keeps forgetting (Keep + -ing)
  3. wish you wouldn’t (I wish + subject + wouldn’t)
  4. drives me crazy (It drives me crazy when…)
  5. can’t stand it (I can’t stand it when… — note: the “it” is grammatically required here!)

Would you mind cleaning(Would you mind + -ing)

Posted in Advanced C1, Conversation Classes

C1: Annoying Habits

Posted on by Tim Warre

This is a lesson plan designed for C1 students in which students discuss annoying things that the people around them do. They start off my revising some common structures used to express annoyance, read some short texts about annoying situations, and learn some idioms and expressions related to the topic.

Download the content below:

C1_ Annoying HabitsDownload
C1_ Annoying HabitsDownload

C1: Annoying Habits

Lead-in: 

Has anything in particular been getting on your nerves recently? At home? In the street? On public transport?

Expressing Annoyance

Look at the sentences with different structures and expressions to express annoyance. 

  1. He’s always leaving his clothes on the floor.
  2. She keeps forgetting to lock the door.
  3. I wish you wouldn’t play music so loudly at night.
  4. I’d rather he didn’t use my things without asking.
  5. It drives me up the wall when people leave dirty dishes in the sink.
  6. I can’t stand it when my flatmate talks on the phone for hours.
  7. Would you mind cleaning up after yourself for once?
  8. She acts as if she’s the only person living here.

Can you apply any of these expressions to the things you mentioned in the lead-in?

Reading & Conversation

Read the texts and discuss the situations.

1. The “I’ll Do It Later” Person

“Honestly, the thing that drives me mad is when my flatmate says they’ll do something later, and then just… never does it. Like, if you leave your dishes in the sink for three days, that’s not ‘later’ anymore, that’s basically interior decoration. And the annoying part is they act surprised when I bring it up. Apparently, I’m the unreasonable one because I don’t enjoy living in what looks like the aftermath of a student party. I swear, if procrastination were an Olympic sport, they’d win gold without even training.”

Questions

  1. What household habits annoy you the most?
  2. Do you think some people naturally have different standards of cleanliness?
  3. How long is it acceptable to leave dishes in the sink?
  4. Is it better to confront someone immediately about annoying habits or ignore them?
  5. Have you ever lived with someone whose lifestyle was very different from yours?

2. Thermostat Wars

“My partner and I have completely different ideas about what counts as a normal temperature indoors. I’m convinced she’s secretly part reptile because she keeps the heating on even when it’s warm outside. I’ll walk into the living room sweating like I’ve just run a marathon, and she’ll be sitting there wrapped in a blanket saying, ‘It’s freezing in here.’ Freezing? We could grow tropical plants in this flat. At this point, our energy bill needs its own bank account.”

Questions

  1. Are you usually too hot or too cold at home?
  2. Have you ever argued with someone about air conditioning or heating?
  3. Should the person paying more bills have more control over the temperature?
  4. What’s more important: comfort or saving energy?
  5. Do couples and housemates need rules to avoid arguments about shared spaces?

3. The Loud Cleaner

“I appreciate that my boyfriend likes cleaning. I really do. But why does he always decide to vacuum at the worst possible moment? Sunday morning, 8 a.m., when everyone else in the building is unconscious? Perfect time for industrial-level noise, apparently. And he doesn’t just clean normally either. He cleans aggressively. It sounds like he’s trying to remove the floor itself. Meanwhile, I’m lying in bed wondering if this is how I die.”

Questions

  1. What time is too early to do noisy housework?
  2. Would you rather live with a messy person or an overly tidy person?
  3. Do you think people should change their routines to avoid disturbing others?
  4. Have you ever had noisy neighbours or housemates?
  5. Is being considerate more important than being productive in shared living situations?

4. Passive-Aggressive Notes

“My housemate has this incredibly irritating habit of leaving little notes around the flat instead of just speaking to people like a normal human being. You’ll open the fridge and see something like, ‘Some people should remember milk doesn’t magically replace itself :)’ with a smiley face that somehow makes it worse. If you’ve got a problem with me, just say it directly. Don’t turn the kitchen into some kind of sarcastic office environment.”

Questions

  1. Which is worse: direct confrontation or passive-aggressive behaviour?
  2. Why do some people avoid saying things directly?
  3. Have you ever received a passive-aggressive message or note?
  4. What’s the best way to deal with conflict at home?
  5. Do you think honesty sometimes creates more problems than it solves?

5. The Endless Phone Calls

“My girlfriend calls her friends every single evening, and somehow every conversation becomes a three-hour podcast. The problem isn’t even the talking. It’s that she speaks at exactly the same volume whether the person’s in the room or on another continent. I’ll be trying to watch TV, read, work, think — impossible. And every call ends the same way. She says, ‘Okay, I’ll let you go,’ then continues talking for another forty minutes. It’s honestly impressive.”

Questions

  1. Do you enjoy long phone calls, or do you prefer texting?
  2. How much quiet time do people need at home?
  3. Should people change their behaviour when they live with others?
  4. What’s the most annoying public or household phone habit?
  5. Is it rude to ask someone to be quieter in their own home?

6. Kitchen Experiments

“My partner keeps trying these complicated recipes they find online, which sounds great in theory. The problem is the kitchen looks like a crime scene afterwards. There’ll be flour on the ceiling somehow, seventeen dirty pans, and ingredients I’ve never even heard of just lying around. And after spending four hours cooking, they’ll make me try something called ‘deconstructed mushroom foam’ when all I wanted was pasta. I miss normal food. I miss visible countertops.”

Questions

  1. Do you enjoy cooking, or do you see it as a chore?
  2. How much mess is acceptable when someone cooks for other people?
  3. Would you rather eat simple food every day or try unusual dishes?
  4. Have you ever pretended to enjoy someone’s cooking?
  5. Do social media and food trends make people overcomplicate cooking?

Expressions & Conversation

Guess the meaning from the context.

  1. I had to bite my tongue when my flatmate blamed me for the mess he’d made himself.
    1. In what situations do you have to bite your tongue?
    2. Are you good at keeping quiet? Or do you find it difficult?
  2. My partner gave me the silent treatment for two days when I broke her favorite mug.
    1. Do you think the silent treatment is an effective way to deal with conflict?
    2. What’s a healthier way to show you’re upset with someone?
  3. He hogs the bathroom every morning, so I’m always late for work.
    1. What annoying habits do people have in shared spaces?
    2. How would you deal with someone who takes too long in the bathroom?
  4. During lockdown, we started living in each other’s pockets, and every little habit became annoying.
    1. Do you think people need personal space to have a good relationship?
    2. How much time is too much time to spend together?
  5. My housemate and I constantly clash over how clean the flat should be.
    1. Do you think people should adapt to each other’s habits when living together?
    2. What household rules are important in shared accommodation?
  6. The constant tapping noise he makes with his pen really does my head in when I’m trying to concentrate.
    1. What small noises or habits annoy you the most?
    2. Are you easily distracted when you work or study?
  7. Everyone else was cleaning up after dinner while he sat on the sofa and didn’t lift a finger.
    1. How important is it to share household chores equally?
    2. Have you ever lived with someone lazy?
  8. Whenever my brother cooks, he leaves a trail of destruction in the kitchen.
    1. Are you a tidy or messy cook?
    2. Would you rather cook or clean up afterwards?
  9. I usually apologise first just to keep the peace, even if I’m not wrong.
    1. Is it better to avoid conflict or be completely honest?
    2. Have you ever apologised just to end an argument?
  10. Ever since they started arguing, everyone in the house has been walking on eggshells around them.
    1. Have you ever been in an uncomfortable atmosphere because of other people’s arguments?
    2. What’s the best way to deal with tension in a group or household?
Posted in Teacher Development, Teacher Training

Macmillan Education Festival Construyendo Futuro March 25th – 27th 2025

Posted on by Tim Warre

This week Macmillan are holding on online festival of teacher development sessions aimed at making the language classroom more inclusive. The festival runs from the 25th-27th March and I’ll be giving a session entitled “Cracking the Teen Code” on Thursday 27th from 11:35-12:05 CET.

Find out more about the festival and check out the full programme here: https://www.macmillaneducation.es/iberia/festival/

Here are the details for my session:

Cracking the Teen Code

Strategies for Engaging and Empowering Young Learners

Teaching teenagers can be challenging, but it can also be one of the most rewarding aspects of ELT. This session explores practical strategies to keep teenage learners engaged while fostering an inclusive and supportive classroom. You’ll discover ways to adapt materials, personalize activities, and make lessons more relevant to their lives. Walk away with ready-to-use games, project ideas, and adaptable techniques to connect with and motivate your students.

Posted in Uncategorized

APAC Conference 2025 January 30th – February 1st

Posted on by Tim Warre

If you’re a language teacher based in Barcelona or anywhere else in the world, this weekend APAC (Associació de Professorat d’Anglès de Catalunya) is holding its annual teaching convention.

The convention consists of 2 days of online teacher development sessions on January 30th and 31st and then a full day of face-to-face sessions on Saturday 1st of February. There are tonnes of great sessions aimed at teachers working in a range of contexts, from primary and secondary full-time education to language academies and university students.

Check out the details and sign up on the APAC website:

https://www.apac365.org/annual-convention

Posted in Advanced C1, B2 First, C1 Reading, Conversation Classes, Reading Classes, Vocabulary Classes

Guest Post: C1/C2 Collins Word of the Year 2024 by Suzy Ratcliff

Posted on by Tim Warre

It’s that time of the year again! No…. not the festive season, the time for Suzy Ratcliff’s ever-excellent lesson plan based on this year’s Word of the Year contest by Collins Dictionaries.

The lesson plan is recommended for C1/C2 students and involves students examining the shortlist for word of the year and putting them into practice in a series of engaging tasks.

Download the student handout and teacher’s notes below:

Collins Word of the Year 2024Download
Collins Word of the Year 2024Download
Collins Word of the Year 2024 – Teacher’s notesDownload
Collins Word of the Year 2024 – Teacher’s notes.docxDownload
Posted in 2Ts in a Pod: Podcast, Advanced C1, B2 First, Listening Classes

Halloween: Spooky Story – Bruiser the Dog B2+

Posted on by Tim Warre

This is a listening and conversation lesson plan for B2+ learners. Use it to scare your students this Halloween!

The lesson is based around a spooky story called Bruiser the Dog told by professional story-teller Wilf Merttens on the Halloween episode of our podcast 2Ts in a pod. You can listen to the whole episode below, but the section you’ll need for the lesson plan is from 40:08-43:10. Students will predict what will happen in the story, do some detailed listening and then discuss their deepest, darkest fears! You’ll find all the lesson materials below. Happy Halloween!

Lesson materials:

To use the audio offline, you can download the whole episode from SoundCloud like this:

Halloween_ Spooky Story – Bruiser the Dog – Student HandoutDownload
Halloween_ Spooky Story – Bruiser the Dog – Student HandoutDownload
Halloween_ Spooky Story – Bruiser the Dog – Teacher’s NotesDownload
Halloween_ Spooky Story – Bruiser the Dog – Teacher’s NotesDownload

Audio Link

2Ts in a Pod Episode 40: Halloween

The story is towards the end of the episode from 40:08-43:10

Predictions

You’re going to listen to a spooky story that involves a young girl, an old house and a big dog called Bruiser. Make some predictions about what’s going to happen.

  1. Put students in pairs and have them make predictions.
  2. Make sure students cover the transcript until later in the lesson.

Comprehension Questions

Instructions:

  • Students read the comprehension questions then listen to the audio twice.
  • Put them in pairs to compare their answers.
  • Students listen again with the transcript to clear up doubts.
  • Clear up doubts about the highlighted vocabulary.
  1. Why did the girl often stay alone in the house with only her dog?
    Her mother worked away from home often, leaving the girl alone in their large, old house with her dog, Bruiser.
  2. What did the girl do when she felt scared at night, and how did Bruiser comfort her?
    When she felt scared, the girl would dangle her hand over the side of the bed, and Bruiser would lick her fingers to comfort her.
  3. What bad news did the girl hear one night that disturbed her sleep?
    She heard that a notorious serial killer had escaped from a nearby prison and was on the loose in the area.
  4. What unusual sounds did the girl hear while trying to sleep?
    She heard noises on the stairs and a creak in the hallway, as well as her bedroom door creaking open.
  5. What did the girl discover at the end of the story that shocked her?
    She found Bruiser’s dead body lying in the hallway, revealing that it wasn’t Bruiser who had been licking her fingers during the night.

Conversation

  1. What did you think about the story? Did it scare you? Why or why not?
  2. Why do you think the story is effective as a scary story? What elements make it frightening?
  3. Have you ever experienced something spooky or heard a similar story? How did it make you feel?
  4. Why do you think people enjoy listening to scary stories like this one?
  5. What kinds of stories or situations scare you the most? Why do you think they have that effect on you?
  6. How do you usually react when you feel scared or nervous? Do you try to stay calm like the girl in the story?
  7. What would make the story even scarier in your opinion? Would you change anything to make it more intense?
  8. Do you think scary stories are more effective when they involve realistic situations, like being alone in a house? Why or why not?

Transcript

(0:00) There was this thing that happened near where I live that’s always stayed with me. (0:06) There was a girl about 14 or 15 years old and (0:11) she lived alone with her mother because her father had died some years before and (0:16) her mum had to work away a lot and she would leave her daughter alone in this big old house. (0:24) Now, (0:26) the daughter was very brave and didn’t mind being left.

Plus, she had a big dog. (0:32) He was a fearsome, fearsome dog. Yeah, I think he was an Alsatian and he was called Bruiser and (0:41) well, she had a kind of nighttime ritual with Bruiser and that was that he would sleep under her bed and (0:48) if she was ever scared in the night, she would dangle her hand over the bed and (0:54) he would lick her fingers in that way that that dogs have of doing.

(1:00) Now, there was very scary news one night. I remember it myself and that was that there’s a jail, (1:07) a prison quite local to us, (1:11) and there was news that a (1:13) notorious serial killer (1:15) had escaped from the jail and was on the loose in the area. Now, I told you this girl was very rational.

(1:24) She told herself there is (1:27) only the tiniest chance that he’s going to come knocking at my house of all the houses and so she took herself to bed and (1:34) she took Bruiser with her and she lay down and she went to sleep. (1:39) She didn’t sleep very well. She only slept fitfully.

(1:44) She kept waking up, tossing and turning. Probably the bad news had disturbed her and she was having bad dreams, but (1:51) every time she woke up, she would just dangle her hand over the edge of the bed and (1:59) there’d be (2:01) Bruiser licking her fingers and she would feel comforted and she would go back to sleep. (2:09) Now, a few times she felt like she heard a noise on the stairs or a creak in the hallway, (2:14) but those are just the noises that old houses make.

(2:19) But then the door (2:29) creaked open on its own, but (2:32) she wasn’t scared because that was something the door sometimes did, another quirk of an old house. (2:39) She wasn’t scared, at least, (2:43) until she saw (2:45) lying in the hallway (2:48) the dead body of Bruiser the dog.

Conversation

  1. What’s your biggest fear? Where does it come from?
  2. Do you believe in ghosts? Have you or someone you know ever seen one?
  3. Would you visit a haunted house?
  4. Do you have any phobias like fear of heights, spiders, or flying? How do they affect you?
  5. Do you know anyone with a serious phobia? How does it impact their life?
  6. Are phobias irrational, or do they have roots in real experiences?
  7. What treatments do you think help with phobias? How do you feel about hypnosis or exposure therapy?
  8. What scared you most as a child? Did any characters or stories give you nightmares?
  9. Do you like horror films? Which type scares you most: gory, psychological, or supernatural?
  10. Were you ever scared of a teacher or another adult as a kid? Why?
  11. What social situations make you anxious? Public speaking? Parties with strangers?
  12. Can social anxiety be managed? How?
  13. Do you feel safe in your town? What do you find most unsettling about it?
  14. Are there current news stories that worry you about the future?
  15. Are you easily startled? Has anyone ever tried to scare you with a practical joke?
  16. Have you ever dressed up for Halloween? What costumes have you tried?

Homework – Research a Spooky Story

  1. Look for a spooky story or an urban legend on the internet. It can be in any language.
  2. Don’t copy or print the story, make notes about it, for example:

Bruiser the dog:

  • Girl, dad had died.
  • Mum works a lot.
  • Girl is alone at home.
  • Has a dog called Bruiser.
  • Serial killer escaped from prison.
  • Girl goes to bed.
  • Bruiser licks fingers under the bed to comfort her.
  • Wakes up in the night, Bruiser licks her fingers.
  • Bedroom door opens, she sees Bruiser’s body…
  • Who is licking her fingers???

As a follow-up class, put students in small groups, have them choose one of the urban legends they bring in. They must then make it as spooky and suspenseful as possible before telling it to the rest of the class.