Types of Courage

• • Spiritual
  • Social
  • Moral
  • Emotional
  • Intellectual
  • Physical

   

   

  ·         __________ courage – Feeling fear yet choosing to act, especially at the risk of bodily harm or death.

  ·         _________ courage – Facing rejection, criticism, or ridicule from others, and expressing one’s true self.

  ·         _________ courage – Standing up for one’s beliefs in the face of overwhelming opposition, and acting ethically and responsibly.

  ·         _________ courage – Following one’s heart, being vulnerable and authentic, and coping with distress and adversity.

  ·         _________ courage – Challenging old assumptions and understandings, seeking new knowledge and insights, and acting on them.

  ·         _________ courage – Exploring one’s purpose and meaning in life, and connecting with a higher power or a greater cause.

   

Aims:

Looking closely at personal student writing. Improving personal writing.
Looking closely at punctuation and how it can produce greater impact.
Learning how to showcase your knowledge of English in a piece of writing.
Learn to use adjectives imaginatively and effectively.
Adding a personal tone to you're writing.


Roller coasters - by Belén

“Always go with the choice that scares you the most, because that's the one that is going to require the most from you.”
- Caroline Myss*

Discuss the quote

1. In what ways has this been true in your own life?

2. In what ways is this true in learning a foreign language?

3. Is it always true? Should you “always go with the choice that scares you most”?

4. Do you have any irrational fears – such as a fear of roller coasters? Flying? Cockroaches?

 Reading my B2 student Belén’s text:

 

Rollercoasters

A risky situation I've been in? I couldn't think of any at first. My life is kind of boring, I guess. In every opportunity I get, I prefer to play it safe rather than explore the unknown. After an exhaustive search, the only thing that crossed my mind was when I overcame one of my biggest fears — rollercoasters.

As an asthma sufferer, I was scared of having an asthma attack while riding a roller coaster. The chances were small, but still I wasn't quite sure about it. The opportunity to ride one of these giant monsters came when I visited the Universal Studios theme park almost three years ago.

I had promised myself I wouldn't ride anything with the label "life-threatening" (a label that I made up, of course) but there I was, waiting in the line to ride 'The Incredible Hulk Coaster'. I still don't know how I ended up there, to be honest. After what it seemed like an hour, we reached the top before the ride really starts: a place where the train stops for 3 seconds. A perfect opportunity to regret all your life choices that had led you to that one, I may add.
Discuss the bold and underlined bits with your partner.

Last section - how has Belén used punctuation and paragraphing for impact?
But then, during the one-minute ride, nothing happened. No asthma attack. No messed-up lungs. I survived that. And I have to say that I loved it. Thanks to that I now have a love for rollercoasters and I'm willing to try bungy jumping while I'm here in New Zealand.

Sometimes it's best to be a little adventurous in life. You never know what comes afterwards.

- Belén Machado

Reread the text: can you recall what adjectives were used?


A _____ situation I've been in? I couldn't think of any at first - my life is kind of _____ I guess. In every opportunity I get, I prefer to play it safe rather than explore the unknown. After an ______ search the only thing that came to mind was when I overcame one of my biggest fears: roller coasters.

As an asthma sufferer, I was scared of having an asthma attack while riding a rollercoaster. The chances were ____, but still I wasn't quite sure about it. The opportunity to ride one of these ____ monsters came when I visited the Universal Studios theme park almost three years ago.

I had promised myself I wouldn't ride anything with the label "___-_______" (a label that I made up, of course) but there I was, waiting in the line to ride 'The Incredible Hulk Coaster'. I still don't know how I ended up there, to be _____. After what seemed like an hour, we reached the top before the ride really started: a place where the train stops for three seconds. A ______ opportunity to regret all your life choices that had led you to that one, I may add.

But then, during the one minute ride, nothing happened. No asthma attack. No ______ lungs. I’d survived. And I have to say that I loved it. Thanks to that I now have a love for roller coasters and I'm ______ to try bungy jumping while I'm here in New Zealand.

Sometimes it's best to be a little ________ in life. You never know what comes afterwards.


What alternative adjectives could have been used?


What do these have in common?

I guess
As an asthma sufferer
I may add

And I have to say

What do they add to the text?

 

Task:

Write about a time in your life when you were afraid to do something, but you did it anyway.

1. What was the thing you were afraid to do? Talk about the general situation at the time.

2. Why were you afraid?

3. What did you do? How did you overcome your fear or worry?

4. What was it like to do the thing you'd been afraid of doing?

5. Did you learn something from all of this?

Useful language:

challenge

challenging / ed

out of my comfort zone

to overcome, to get over a fear

to try

to take a risk

to play it safe

to feel scared, worried, anxious, nervous, disturbed

to feel relieved

to feel excited, surprised

When, after, before, during, while, afterwards, beforehand, at that moment, in the end, at the beginning, after a while

If I hadn't.... I would never have...

Lime Biting - by Selina

I'm grateful for all these experiences which I was allowed to make,
Even for the bad ones, which I take
When I look back to these memories 
I've got a smile on my face
Thank you for all travels, excursions, memories my friends
It was a great race

Now the race is finished for me and also for a few of you
Enjoy one last time the Sky Tower's view
Not wonder yourselves - What would? Which is? What could be next?
Remember you are the writer of your personal text
Nobody likes goodbyes
Parting is basking clear
My personal advice is, c'mon guys drink one last beer
 
Please don't be sad to leave, be happy about what you had,
No one can take this from you, so smile, don't be sad
I am sooooo thankful to all you for this beautiful time
To say goodbye is like biting in a lime 
Safe travels everyone, good luck whatever you are going to do,
Okay okay enough - one last thing: 
I'll always remember you

- Selina