One way of bringing students closer to this difficult topic can be by watching a film and reflecting on it afterward. A specific example that came to my mind was the film Me Before You (2016).

I consider this a good way to approach such a difficult topic as euthanasia because it creates emotional engagement and builds empathy without overwhelming students. Personal or relatable stories presented in audiovisual sources (can be a video too) make sensitive issues more accessible in my eyes, especially in a second language, and help learners connect language learning to real-world understanding.

I like Lili’s idea that we should not name the word at the beginning. I would ask my students to come prepared to class as to where is the line for them between good and bad habits. This could foster a conversation and based on their own belifs I would try to slowly introduce new spespectives.

Questions:

What do you know about addiction?

Can young people get addicted without realizing it?

What pressures do teens face that may lead to substance use?

Vocab Prep:

addiction, withdrawal, rehab, relapse, support system, enabling, overdose

Watching scenes together and having conversation about those, like the phone call between father and son or why the father shut his son out?

Films and series collected by Chatgpt and me:

Never Rarely Sometimes Always (2020)

Obvious Child (2014)

Unpregnant (2020, HBO)

Mave's story from Sex Ed

Grey's Anatomy has a few scenes

Dirty Dancing - The dancer's girl illegal abortion

The risks of having an illegal abortion, consequences

Songs I know:

Delilah Bon - Dead men don't rape - that is a very disturbing one, not sure about it at all, but I leave it here as possible inspiration or just listen to it if you want to.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoDfGmsZgKE&pp=0gcJCdgAo7VqN5tD

2Pac - Keep ya head up - I love this one

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8V0cfqqRYSs

The students could listen to the song, gap-fill exercises can be also possible or before listening to it - What do you think about the title, what could it mean?

Talking about specific parts from the lyrics - And since a man can't make one, he has no right to tell a woman when and where to create one - How they interpret it? What is pro life/ pro choice? Is the father allowed to be involved in the question of their child's life/fate? Is it only the mother's decision?

The song discusses issues of being a woman, being stressed by men and let down by men,... it has so much potential, really good one from the late lyrical genius. :)

What can the family do when there is an addict in the family? In Hungary it is very sensitive topic so it should be approach extremly carefully.

A role play where the students create a family and they could step in the family members' shoes or trying to find the roots of the addiction could be also intresting.