NATIVEUK.COM LESSONS
November 13th • Empathy & Altruism
World Kindness Day
World Kindness Day is an international observance on November 13th that encourages people to perform acts of kindness and celebrate the power of empathy and altruism. Today, we debate whether kindness is a natural human trait or something that must be taught, the difference between performative kindness on social media and real-world acts, and how small gestures can create a powerful ripple effect in society. Is kindness the key to a happier and more connected world?
Speaking Discussion
- What is a simple act of kindness that someone has done for you recently? How did it make you feel, and did it influence your own behavior?
- Do you think that kindness is something that comes naturally to humans, or is it a social construct that we must learn as children?
- In the age of social media, do you think people sometimes perform acts of kindness just for the views and the attention? Does the motive matter?
- How can we better promote a culture of kindness in our workplaces, schools, and local communities?
- What is the most selfless act you have ever witnessed? What was the outcome, and how did it affect the people involved?
- In your opinion, what is the connection between kindness and overall mental health and happiness? Does helping others truly help ourselves?
Activity 1: The kindness revolution Plan
The Task: You are a Community Organizer. You need to design a kindness revolution for your neighbourhood to improve social cohesion.
What are the three main actions you will encourage people to take?
Activity 2: Rapid Fire Sentences
Complete the sentence and justify it in 20 seconds.
- "The most powerful form of kindness is..."
- "I think empathy is..."
- "In my opinion, the ripple effect of kindness is..."