Can we make our students happier? Not make them smile, or get them engaged, I mean actually make them happier. Psychology has discovered that some simple task can in fact achieve this. And these tasks also involve using lots of language. That’s 3 birds with one stone! The teacher’s dilemma is usually whether we should do something ‘fun’ or something ‘useful’. The idea behind this talk is that we can have our cake and eat it too. We can use activities which will both help our students with their English AND make them Happier at the same time.

1. Happiness and ELT
[How to make your students happy]
By Nick Michelioudakis

3. “My wife and I were
happy for twenty years...
…Then we met!”
“My wife and I were
happy for twenty years...
…Then we met!”
“I never knew what real happiness
was until I got married…
…and by then it was too late.”
“I never knew what real happiness
was until I got married…
…and by then it was too late.”
“They say money doesn't bring
happiness…
…but everyone still wants to prove
it for themselves.”
“They say money doesn't bring
happiness…
…but everyone still wants to prove
it for themselves.”
“It is hard to tell what brings
happiness; wealth has failed...
…but then so has poverty…”
“It is hard to tell what brings
happiness; wealth has failed...
…but then so has poverty…”
“Money can't buy happiness;
…it can, however, rent it!”
“Money can't buy happiness;
…it can, however, rent it!”

4. Session Aims
• To look at some research-based discoveries about
what makes us happy.
• To demonstrate some activities we could use in
class to make our students happier.

5. The Basics…
• Nature does NOT want you happy!!
• Nature lies to us!
• Nature’s solution: habituation.

7. The Basics…
• Nature does NOT want us happy!!
• Nature lies to us!
• Nature’s solution: habituation.
• Moral: Nature wants us to look ahead...
• A1: COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS

8. The Social Dimension
• The importance of being part of a group
• Solution: the pain of social exclusion
• R: Cyberball

10. The Social Dimension
• The importance of being part of a group
• Solution: the pain of social exclusion
• R: Cyberball
• Moral: Stenghening social bonds makes us happier
• A2: MY WONDERFUL CLASSMATES

12. Goal Setting
• The importance of goals
• R: Behavioural Activation
• Moral: Our brain rewards us for making progress
towards our goals
• How should we set goals?
• A3: SETTING A GOAL

13. Helping Others
• Ourselves and others
• R: Who should you spend your money on?

15. Helping Others
• Ourselves and others
• R: Who should you spend your money on?
• R: The ripple effect
• Moral: Doing things for others makes us happier
• A4: RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS

16. The role of Laughter
• Happiness and laughter
• R: the pencil
• Kataria: laughter yoga
• Moral: Humour makes us happier
• A5: YOU TUBE – COMEDY FOR ELT

18. YouTube: Comedy for ELT –
Affirmative Action
• Context: A local council committee have met in order to decide
the appointment of a new ‘top man ....’. Of course before
advertising for the post, a number of things need to be taken into
account. Qualifications obviously, but then there are social
considerations too – a good Local Council will try to right social
wrongs by means of Positive Discrimination…
• Listening 1: Listen and make a note of the ‘qualities’ they want
their new ‘top man’ to have. (Q: Why are the two members angry
with the head of the committee in the end?)

20. 4.5 Keys to Happiness
• Re-appreciate things
• ‘Happiness comes from between’
• Set goals
• Help others
• Watch funny clips…

21. NB: All the video clips you have watched today can be found on YouTubeNB: All the video clips you have watched today can be found on YouTube
under ‘Comedy for ELT’ or ‘Psychology and ELT’. If you have any commentsunder ‘Comedy for ELT’ or ‘Psychology and ELT’. If you have any comments
feel free to contact me atfeel free to contact me at nickmi@ath.forthnet.grnickmi@ath.forthnet.gr
To watch an earlier version of this presentation, just
click on this link:
https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-A6-Ey5vOE&t=152s