Let’s talk about religion and spirituality in English.
1.) What are your beliefs?
2.) How do you define ‘sacred’?
3.) What is the difference between religion and spirituality?
4.) How important is religion and spirituality in your day to day life?
5.) What influence does religion have on the your culture?
6.) What spiritual ideas do the oldest communities in your area believe in?
7.) What religions are practiced in your area?
8.) How do people with different beliefs get along in your area?
WARM UP
A to Z Game – Take turns naming any object that could be considered spiritual or sacred. There is no wrong answer, but you must justify your answers.
Example:
Player A: Apple.
Player B: How so?
Player A: In some mythologies, Eve ate an apple from the Tree of Life and gained knowledge and death. Your turn.
Player B: Banks.
Player A: How so?
Player B: Many people worship money. Your turn.
Player A: Church.
Player B: Devil.
Player A: Evangelical.
VOCABULARY
INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED
Guess my word!
Player 1- Select a word from the image above, and write or say a sentence with the word omitted.
Player 2- Try to guess the word.
How many words can you communicate to each other in 5 minutes?
Homonyms in vocabulary for religion – Try the quizzes to expand your vocabulary!
GRAMMAR
Practice making sentences with the verb to be and the verb there is.
Learn more about there is.
CULTS – Grammar
After you read the article about cults, try out using causative verbs to prepare to talk about it.
Let, get, or make?
A.) Ask the same question using the words:
make, have, and get.
How do cults ___ people do things that are against their own best interest?
B.) Add make, let, or get to the following sentences:
1.) Defectors are shunned. Cult leaders don’t often ___ their followers stay in contact with people who leave the group.
2.) Newcomers are sometimes love bombed. This ____ the newbie feel special.
3.) Once a cult member gives up their own value, connections, and will, leaders can ___ him or her do things they wouldn’t do otherwise.
READING AND LISTENING
Reading
1.) Skim the Wikipedia entry on Major Religious Groups.
2.) Select a topic that interests you, and read about it.
3.) Talk about what you have learned. End by asking a question to engage your listener in a conversation.
Short essays and videos about religion
Read original texts – Read sacred works from around the globe.
Listening
History of Religion – 5,000 years of history in 90 seconds.
Learn how religions spread with a video.
Lectures about Buddhism and Meditation – Awakin.org
Listen to an audiobook of the Tao Te Ching
CULTS – Reading Activity
Select an article to read:
Option 1: Famous Cult Leaders
Option 2: If You Exhibit These 9 Personality Traits, You’re More Likely To Join A Cult
After doing the reading, check out the CULTS grammar section to learn about causative verbs, and then go to the speaking section.
WRITING
Essay Writing
Learn or review essay writing basics.
Write an essay with a thesis based on anything to do with religion and spirituality.
Creative Writing
Select a topic, or suggest your own.
1.) Sacred texts are tools for contemplation and spiritual growth. Write something for your great grand children, to help them grow.
2.) Write about what you hold sacred, expressing your feelings about it. What must society do differently to honour what you value most?
SPEAKING
Conversation Questions
Conversation Questions – Two sets of questions to challenge you.
CULTS
Conversation Questions
1.) What is the difference between a religion and a cult?
2.) What would you say to someone you care about if they joined a cult?
3.) Why do smart people allow themselves to be coopted, and give up their own perception and will?
4.) What personality traits do cult leaders have in common?
5.) What strategies do cults use to draw people in?
6.) Leaving a cult must be very difficult. Image what it might be like.
More Student Resources
Reading Charts and Graphs:
I was hoping to find a graph with all of the major religions and spiritual beliefs throughout time. This graph is the best I could find. Take some time to explore it. Find a religion and talk about it. When was it born? What was it born out of?
Created by Simon E Davies to Internet Archive.
