last message to friends ©Thor May 1999 back to Last Message index
ESL materials & ideas developed in China
"False Lives " lesson plan
a) Background
1. Many people live "false lives". That is, they pretend to be someone they are not. Actors make a living at it. Businessmen, politicians and others sometimes do it to make money or gain advantage by trickery. Confidence tricksters are defined by a false life. Spies must live a false life. We all do it when we exaggerate an achievement. Travelers who talk to strangers in a train often do it. In chat-rooms in the internet more and more people live false lives as a kind of relaxation. They may even pretend to be a different sex, and they find it very liberating.
2. Living a false life in an English classroom can be a terrific way to practice language. You take a different name, and a different life. You can be any age, sex or nationality.You no longer have to tell the truth. In fact, you need to tell more and more lies!
b) Activities
Day 1
<> Choose a new personality: any name, sex, age and job.
<> Record the basic facts on a "false role" that the teacher will circulate.
<> Introduce yourself to a partner in the say way that you might start talking to someone on a train. Lie, lie, lie! Make yourself as interesting as you can.
<> Ask your partner as many personal questions about "themselves" as you can (their false life, not their real one!).
Day 2
<> Be ready to describe yourself in detail. What do you look like? What colour are your hair and eyes? How tall & heavy are you? What do you like to wear? What are your mannerisms? What are your hopes, dreams, prejudices and fears?
<> Be ready to describe your life in detail. Where do you live? Can you describe the house? What do you eat for breakfast? How do you get to work? What is your daily routine? Who are your intimates, friends and enemies?
Day 3 and later
<> Invent new events in your life every day to talk about. Lie, lie, lie!
<> Think of a series of situations, such as:
... the day I really "lost it" (= failed at something)
... how I almost got eaten
... how I met this really fantastic millionaire
... how I got away with it (did something bad without punishment)
... how I got a free trip to Los Angeles
... etc.
<> Build up a detailed picture of all the people and places you "experience".
"False Lives lesson plan" copyrighted to Thor May 1999; all rights reservedback to Last Message index