For these discussion posts, I want to share some ideas that can be reworked and reused in a variety of ways. If you have a conversation-based one-on-one tutoring session, you can use these questions as a guide for the lesson. If you are looking for some writing prompts to give as assignments, you can use these questions. If you are looking for discussion questions to add into a lesson or use these questions as a jumping-off point for lesson planning, you can use these questions!

Discussion Questions

Here are a few discussion questions that discuss the New Year and setting goals.

Do you set New Years goals/ resolutions?
Have you had success with New Year’s resolutions in the past?
In order to move forward in life, do you think it’s necessary to set goals? You know, you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. Aim for the moon, and you’ll land among the stars
Are you the kind of person to set stretch goals or are you realistic?

Let’s set some goals! (Even if students don’t follow through with these, it’s a good chance to practice discussion.)

Here are a few different ways to set goals. (You can explain how each of these work and either do each of them or choose one of the ways to set goals.)

SMART goals

A SMART goal is a goal that is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. For every goal, the student should make sure it fits these requirements. Instead of “lose weight,” the goal would be something like “lose five pounds in six months.”

Current Me vs. Future Me

This idea comes from Lavendaire, and it’s tons of fun for different types of learners. Each student should get out a piece of paper and draw a line to divide the paper in half. On one side, students should draw/describe how they view themselves currently. What are they wearing? How do they feel? What do they spend their time on? What are they worried about? What are they proud of? What are they insecure about?

On the other side of the page, students should imagine their future selves. What does their future self think about? What do they do every day? How do they feel? Where do they live? How do they spend their time?

This is a great activity for visual learners, and student generally have tons of fun drawing and describing both sides of themselves.

Vivid Vision

This is another idea from Lavendaire. (If you haven’t checked out her YouTube channel, you should! I often use her videos in class.) For the Vivid Vision exercise, instead of thinking of what goals you want to set for the following year, describe what you want your life to look like in three years. Expanding the focus helps students think about the big picture and might help them imagine life after school.

Anti-Vision

This is the opposite of the Vivid Vision. Imagine you get to the end of the year, and it was the worst year of your life. What would have had to happen to make it the worst year of your life? Maybe you’re living in an apartment you hate. Maybe you feel lonely because you didn’t make enough new friends after graduation. Maybe you accepted a low-salary internship and you’re struggling to make ends meet. Maybe instead of exercising and filling your body with healthful foods, you get no movement and order McDonalds every day. Once you know what your worst life looks like, you can do the opposite.

10/1/10

If you’re looking for a long-term vision exercise, this is the one. Have students write down their biggest dreams ten years from now. In ten years, what college did they attend? What scores did they get? What job do they have? How much do they make? Did they continue studying? Are they in a relationship? What hobbies do they have? Have they traveled? What career accomplishments have they made?

After they have their ten-year dream, ask students to choose just one. If they can only have one dream, which would they choose?

After choosing their one dream, encourage students to create a ten-step plan to achieving that dream. This could also be ten habits they need to cultivate to reach this goal. If they want to run a marathon, maybe they need to buy proper running shoes, start running a mile a day, get a gym membership, sign up for a half-marathon, then sign up for a full marathon.

Vision Board

Making a vision board is a super fun exercise for visual learners, but I’ve found this also works for students who aren’t exactly sure what they want or aren’t exactly able to put into words. Finding and collecting pictures online that represent what students hope to have or bring into their lives can be helpful for some students to communicate their ideas and can be inspiring for others.

30 Before 30

Most of my students are around twenty years old, so 30 Before 30 works for them, but you could adjust this into anything. 20 Before 20. 15 Before 15. 25 Before 25. Basically, just write down a bucket list of things you want to do before you turn that age. It can be things like: Travel to Hong Kong, attend my favorite singer’s concert, learn to play the cello, run a marathon, get married, or start a journaling habit.

24 in 2024

Similarly, to 30 Before 30, make a bucket list! But this time, instead of giant goals like “learn to play the cello,” this is a bucket list of things you want to accomplish or experiences you want to have in the coming year. Maybe it is something like “run a marathon,” but maybe there are other experiences like “see the Nutcracker during Christmas time” or “go to an amusement park this summer with my friends.” It’s a great way to practice common vocabulary words and it’s a lower-pressure exercise compared to the other ones.

Hopefully, this helps you create a fun New Year’s/ Goals lesson plan for you and your students! Here are a few suggested vocabulary words you could include in the lesson:

Suggested vocabulary words

New Year’s Resolution
Goals junkie
Reset
Out with the old, in with the new
Declutter
Spring cleaning
New year, new me
Stretch goals
Realistic
Idealistic

New Year’s Discussion ESL Lesson Plan