by Emily J. Clark

“People can’t change.” Perhaps you have heard this before; perhaps you have felt similarly at times. Particularly with the current widening gap in ideologies in the United States, it seems that having a civil, nevertheless productive, conversation with a person with opposing beliefs of any kind is impossible. Yet, I recently watched a TED Talk by Megan Phelps-Roper about how engaging with others on social media—of all places—changed her life.

This video resonated with me. The idea behind this video—that a person can and did change so drastically—nips at the corners of my consciousness. The idea of change, the comfort of not changing, the belief in others’ ability to change, whether or not we should change—has left me with only more questions. Can these questions be addressed in a controlled and loving manner? Taking it a step further, what are my own thoughts on change and how can I be a conduit for change? What catalysts typically stimulate change? In reflecting on how to create a space for such conversation, I felt hope that there could be a safe place to reflect as I could create this space.

You might be asking, “Why is this relevant to ESL teaching?” As ESL/EFL professionals, we are often wired to embrace change and perhaps even crave it. That said, being open to change does not apply to all. To many, change is intimidating and, as a result, avoided. We, too, may find ourselves in a situation that feels immovable, as if no amount of data, logic, reason, or argument will change the situation. The situation may seem bleak. However, when I watched this TED video, it was not only talking about the catalyst for Megan’s change, but also—and perhaps most important—giving advice on how we, too, can be open to change. It is this hope that we must bring to our students. Hope that the world can be better—will be better—starting with open dialogue and kindness.

It is with this mindset that we can dialogue with students and give them a safe place to express their fears and our fears, and perhaps collectively hope that people can change—for the better.

The following is a lesson plan based on the Megan Phelps-Roper video and the concept of positive change.

While this video is a calm retelling of her personal change, some may find the topics she discusses (religion, homophobia), the language she uses (occasional profanity) and the images she shows (hate speech) uncomfortable. For this reason, it is considered adult in nature, best geared toward a mature audience. This lesson plan can be used in any skill-based course; students will practice listening, speaking, reading, note-taking, writing, and civic engagement.

Materials: TED video with key for notes, tone, and key information; discussion questions (handout or displayed); gap-fill sentence strips; technology (Socrative, Kahoot, Voicethread, Audioboom; optional); “10 Rules of Change” article discussion questions; annotated list of local nonprofit organizations, model research chart, and plan (optional).

Audience: Adult (18+) and high intermediate (B2) to advanced (C2).

Objectives: identify main ideas and key supporting information, identify speaker’s tone, engage in group discussion on the topic of change, and create a project-based plan for local engagement.

Outcome: Open dialogue, increased connection to community, practice with skill-building using content-based material.

Duration: 50 minutes (+ for follow-up activities)

Teacher Guiding Questions

These questions are meant to be addressed before broaching this topic and lesson plan. It is important for you to answer these questions internally as well. This is a challenging lesson and space, so it important that you facilitate it well and that you are sensitive and introspective when you do so.

What are your own thoughts on the following questions?

• Is it possible to change one’s beliefs?
• Is it possible to change one’s behavior?
• If not, why do you believe this? What evidence do you have to support your opinion?
• If so, why do you believe this? What evidence do you have to support your opinion?

Lesson Plan

Warm-Up

With a partner, students try to define the following words and phrases, using their own ideas. They can reference the dictionary if needed. You should prepare the definitions and display them after 3–4 minutes.

• Change
• Belief
• Belief System
• Behavior
• Thought Pattern

Ask this question to the whole class: Do you think that people can change their beliefs or behaviors? Students should support their answer.

Alternatively: Students could answer this question via Socrative or Kahoot. Ask the question again at the end of class as an exit ticket to see if students have changed their mind, and share the numbers during the following class. For example, “50% of you did not believe that people could change at the beginning of class, but by the end of class, 75% of you thought they could, which means that 25% of you changed your beliefs on this.”
 
Guided Listening and Note-taking

Use the Megan Phelps-Roper TED Talk as an example of change. Have students listen for:

• Topic: What was her overall message?
• Tone: Is this an informative or persuasive talk? Give examples to support your response.
• Key information: What four steps did she give the audience about change? (Students should take notes after a second time listening to the video.)

Recall Questions

1. Describe Megan’s life before she left Westboro Baptist Church.
2. Describe some ways that the Twitter participants communicated with Meagan.
3. What were the steps that she describes as ways to facilitate conversation?

Guided Practice: Speaking

Synthesis Discussion Question: Read the following quote from the movie Rocky IV to students. You can display it on the board, provide them with a printout, and/or watch the scene together in class.

“During this fight, I’ve seen a lot of changing, in the way you feel about me, and in the way I feel about you. In here, there were two guys killing each other, but I guess that’s better than twenty million. I guess what I’m trying to say, is that if I can change, and you can change, everybody can change!” (Chartoff, Winkler, & Stallone, 1985)

Ask students: Do you agree with this quote? Why or why not?

Independent Practice: Speaking

You can practice via in-class discussion or you can use voice-interactive technology, such as Voicethread or Audioboom. Note: Moderation is recommended.

Reflection and Critical Thinking Discussion Questions

1. Is changing your beliefs a good idea? Why or why not?
2. How do you feel about Megan’s change? What would you have done in her situation?
3. What questions would you ask her if you had the chance?
4. Have you had difficult conversations with others before? What did you do? If not, how would you approach such a conversation if you needed to in the future?
5. What do you think about her advice for change? Are these good ideas? Would you follow these ideas?

Information Gap Exercise: Complete the Sentence

Students pull out strips of paper from a box. Each strip contains half of a complete sentence. They should then find the person with the strip of paper that completes their sentence. After doing so, both students should discuss the sentence and either agree or disagree with the sentence. Here are some examples:

• (1) Change is possible, (2) but it is not easy.
• (1) If change were easy, (2) everyone would do it.
• (1) In life, everything changes (2) if you wait a while.

Task-Based Project: Engaging in Community

After the listening and speaking activities, in small groups, have students brainstorm ways to make positive change locally, nationally, and/or globally. The culmination of this discussion should be a group project of sorts to get the students involved in the local community.

See Appendix A (.pdf) for a few possible activities to add to this lesson, either during class if you have time, as homework, or as longer term class projects.

Homework: Follow-up Reading

Here are some possible outside reading assignments. Have the students respond orally via Voicethread or Audioboom, in a written response to turn in, or via an online discussion board post.

Advanced Students

Compare the content of the TED video with this blog post by an online interlocutor, Lisa McColgan, who responded to (and eventually became friends with) Megan Phelps-Roper.

Response Questions

• What would you ask either Megan or Lisa if you could?
• How do you feel about engaging with people on the Internet in this manner?

Intermediate-Advanced Students

“The 10 Rules of Change,” an article in Psychology Today by Stan Goldberg.

As change often starts with self, you can have the students read this article first, applying it to themselves. They can use these questions to interview a partner and compare their answers (in-class or online; see Appendix B [.pdf] for the list of discussion questions.)

Disclaimer: The author would like to note that she is advocating for positive change and openness and not promoting the abandonment of belief systems, be they political, religious, or social in nature.

References

Chartoff, R., & Winkler, I. (Producers), & Stallone, S. (Director). (1985). Rocky IV. [Motion picture]. United States: United Artists. Retrieved from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089927/quotes

Goldberg, S. (2002, September 1). The 10 rules of change. Psychology Today. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200209/the-10-rules-change

Phelps-Roper, M. (2017, February). I grew up in the Westboro Baptist Church. Here’s why I left. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/megan_phelps_roper_i_grew_up_in_the_
westboro_baptist_church_here_s_why_i_left

Download this article and the appendixes (PDF)

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Emily J. Clark is a language specialist at the University of Kansas’s Applied English Center. She graduated with an MA in applied linguistics from Georgia State University in 2010. She has worked in five intensive English programs in the United States as well as having been a fellow with the English Language Fellow Program in Laos. Her professional interests include second language acquisition, oral fluency and assessment, and syntax.

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