Social Unrest – conversational mind map

Strikes, protests, and demonstrations are a part of daily life these days. It is often a popular topic in the media, so learners should be encouraged to talk about it. We would like to offer you a new conversational mind map concerning social unrest.

Conversational mind maps are helpful tools for getting your students to discover and practice subject-specific vocabulary while stretching their use of the English language and easily creating dialogue in your classroom. They are a big favorite of ours here at ESL Expertz – most notably, our Get Your A1’s to Speak and Get Your A2’s to Speak resources available in the store.

How to use this activity:

• For online classes: Page 1 of the PDF is the virtual version. You can screen share this page with your video conferencing platform. It contains the mind map and the vocabulary in landscape format. Also, the mind map allows you to add vocabulary words into the PDF to help organize the activity.
• Print the vocabulary list on page 4 (enough lists so each student gets a list) and a mind map (page 2) for each group from the PDF.
• Work with a big group. Print an A3 copy of the mind map. Print the vocabulary list on page 3. Cut out the vocab words and place them around the mind map.

2. Students work in pairs as they match the words with the four categories offered on the mind map to talk about social unrest. Students can choose whichever words that inspire them the most. Each time, they discuss and explain why they made such and such an association.

3. Then, discuss as a class by comparing the associations of the different groups.

4. You can also begin a class discussion right away. To do so, print an A3 copy of the mind map and cut out the vocabulary words found on page 3 of the PDF. Place the mind map in the center of the table and the vocabulary words face down scattered around the mind map. Each student, in turn, draws a word and associates it with one of the four categories. Encourage others to comment and chime in on the suggestions made by others to express their own opinion. Happy teaching!