Savoring
Savoring means noticing and relishing experiencing. Doing so is one good way to increase one’s positive emotional experiences. We often associate savoring with “mindfulness” – being in the present. That, of course, is an important part of it. But it is also possible savor past events (memories) and future events (anticipation). This is a Savoring fluency activity. The questions are balanced to cover the three tenses mentioned. Notice that students take a minute decide which items they want to talk about. In the process of deciding, they mentally revisit the positive experience. HERE is a version from my new book from ABAX (uncorrected page proof). NEW! Also check out I really appreciate for a gratitude/savoring task lower-level students can succeed at. Hardwire Happiness (<-- tasksheet here. the next link is the book on Amazon.) I recently read Hardwiring Happiness by Rick Hanson. It combines Positive Psychology/Happiness and Neuroscience. He suggests a model called HEAL: Have a positive experience, Enrich it (mentally revisit it and feel it deeply), Absorb it (by re-experiencing it), Link positive and negative material. It inspired me to write this task sheet. It is essentially a savoring activity where the student follows Hanson's first 3 steps, describing an event several times with different partners. Each ask follow-up questions which let the speaker go deeper, emotionally and in terms of language. For a related activity, a "guided journey" that goes with the lesson, click here. Savoring wabi-sabi is a simple activity based on noticing and savoring Japanese design and culture. Below are short video clips of four teachers (two Native English Speaking Teachers, two Non-NESTs) each answering a question from the "Savoring fluency activity" above. For larger versions that you can expand to fill the full screen to show your students, click here.
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Our stories reviews the 8 items in from the Happiness Dictation (Introducing happiness). In the process, the learners recycle and savor their positive experiences.
Enjoyment makes sense is a multi-sensory activity that helps learners notice things they like.
(smile) x 3 + 3 + 3 asks students to talk to a series of partners about positive experiences. The partners as WH- and other questions as follow-up, which helps the learn go deeper into those good times.
You're a good student, aren't you? is a tag-question practice activity, using positive self- and partner-talk. I wrote this with Tim Murphey and Charles Adamson.
Also check out the Experiencing a blueberry on the Mindfulness/ Notice good things when they happen page. It is an easy way to get them to understand and experience mindfulness.
Many of the activities in the Flourishing, Flow and Positivity pages also helps learners savor good events.
Enjoyment makes sense is a multi-sensory activity that helps learners notice things they like.
(smile) x 3 + 3 + 3 asks students to talk to a series of partners about positive experiences. The partners as WH- and other questions as follow-up, which helps the learn go deeper into those good times.
You're a good student, aren't you? is a tag-question practice activity, using positive self- and partner-talk. I wrote this with Tim Murphey and Charles Adamson.
Also check out the Experiencing a blueberry on the Mindfulness/ Notice good things when they happen page. It is an easy way to get them to understand and experience mindfulness.
Many of the activities in the Flourishing, Flow and Positivity pages also helps learners savor good events.