HEAAADERLOGORIGHT

ENGLISH FOR TEENAGERS · ENGLISH IN VIDEO · UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

POWER UP
YOUR
CONFIDENCE
QrrkoD Scan to review worksheet

Expemo code:
1FTS-U1LA-076

1 Warm up

In pairs, discuss the following questions.

1. When was the last time you didn’t feel confident?

2. When was the last time you felt confident?

3. What helps you feel more confident?

FOOOOTERRIGHT Learn without forgetting! 1/9

Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Zuzana Salai's lessons.
 HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

POWER UP YOUR CONFIDENCE

2 Focus on vocabulary

Part A: Match the following words to their definitions.

Group 1:

1. self-esteem (n) a. delay or reversal in the progress of something

2. lurk (v) b. exists but is not always obvious

3. setbacks (n) c. small molecules in the brain

4. empowered (adj.) d. belief in your own value, worth and abilities

5. courageously (adv.) e. in control of one’s life

6. neurochemicals (n) f. bravely, fearlessly

Group 2:

1. optimism (n) a. continue with something even though it may be difficult

2. cultivate (v) b. intentionally try to improve or encourage something

3. untangle (v) c. the study of the brain and nervous system

4. persevere (v) d. the quality of looking at the good, positive and hopeful aspects of
things
5. neuroscience (n) e. having a useful purpose

6. constructive (adj.) f. make something complicated easier to understand or deal with

Part B: Look at the sentences below. What do you think the underlined phrases mean?

1. She decided to face the challenge head-on and worked hard to overcome it.

2. He had a growth mindset in high school and always worked hard to get better and face new
challenges.

3. She struggled in school because of her fixed mindset, believing she couldn’t improve.

4. Before the big exam, our teacher gave us a pep talk to help us feel more confident and ready to
do our best.

FOOOOTERLEFT Learn without forgetting! 2/9

Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Zuzana Salai's lessons.
 HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

POWER UP YOUR CONFIDENCE

3 Watching video

Part A: Watch the video about confidence and tick which topics are NOT covered.

1. How friends can build confidence

2. What confidence is

3. The dangers of overconfidence

4. The importance of mentors

5. Where confidence comes from

6. Factors that impact confidence

7. The importance of failure

8. Tricks to boost your confidence

9. A fixed mindset vs a growth mindset

10. Negative self-talk

Part B: Watch the video again and complete the sentences with the given vocabulary.

Group 1:

courageously empowered face a challenge head-on lurk

neurochemicals optimism self-esteem setbacks

1
a. When faced with a big challenge where potential failure seems to
at every corner, maybe you’ve heard this advice before: "Be more confident."

b. Take the belief that you are valuable, worthwhile, and capable, also known as
2 3
, add in the that comes
4
when you are certain of your abilities, and then by these, act
5 6
to .

c. There are several factors that impact confidence. One: what you’re born with, such as your genes,
7
which will impact things like the balance of in your brain.

d. And three: the part you have control over, the choices you make, the risks you take, and how you
8
think about and respond to challenges and .

FOOOOTERRIGHT Learn without forgetting! 3/9

Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Zuzana Salai's lessons.
 HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

POWER UP YOUR CONFIDENCE

Group 2:

constructive cultivate fixed mindset growth mindset

Neuroscience pep talk persevere untangle

1
a. It isn’t possible to completely these three factors, but the personal
choices we make certainly play a major role in confidence development.
2
b. So, by keeping in mind a few practical tips, we do actually have the power to
our own confidence.
3
c. You can even strike a powerful pose or give yourself a .
4
d. If you have a , meaning that you think your talents are locked in
place, you might give up, assuming you’ve discovered something you’re not very good at.
5
e. But if you have a and think your abilities can improve, a challenge
is an opportunity to learn and grow.
6
f. supports the growth mindset.

g. Studies show that those who fail regularly and keep trying anyway are better equipped to respond
7
to challenges and setbacks in a way.
8
h. They learn how to try different strategies, ask others for advice, and .

Part C: Briefly summarise the three tips, either make some notes or summarise them verbally in pairs
to each other.

1. Tip 1

2. Tip 2

3. Tip 3

FOOOOTERLEFT Learn without forgetting! 4/9

Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Zuzana Salai's lessons.
 HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

POWER UP YOUR CONFIDENCE

4 Talking point

In pairs, discuss the following questions.

1. Have you ever worked hard on something and still failed? How did it feel and what did you learn
from it?

2. Have you ever worked hard on something and succeeded? How did it feel and what did you learn
from it?

3. Have you heard of a fixed vs. growth mindset before? Are there times you have felt a fixed or
growth mindset?

4. What advice would you give someone who wants to be more confident in their abilities? Do you
know any tips or tricks?

FOOOOTERRIGHT Learn without forgetting! 5/9

Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Zuzana Salai's lessons.
 HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

POWER UP YOUR CONFIDENCE

5 Language point: if only

Part A: Study the boxes below.

In the video, the speaker talks about being more confident: ‘’If only it were that simple.”

‘’If only” is used to express a wish for something to be different from reality.
But it is something that is highly unlikely or impossible. It is used the same as
‘’wish” but is stronger. It has a negative feeling of regret or pessimism.

• When talking about something you wish were different about the present, use the past
simple:

If only I had a million dollars. → I don’t have a million dollars

If only I were as handsome as Timothée Chalamet. → I’m not as handsome as him.

If only I could quit my job. → I can’t quit my job.

• When talking about something you wish you could change about the past, use the past
perfect:

If only I had seen that job ad earlier. → I didn’t see the job ad earlier.

If only she had told me about her problems earlier. → She didn’t tell me.

If only he had known where to find the treasure. → He didn’t know.

• When talking about what you wish were different about someone else, use would +
infinitive:

If only he would call. → He’s probably not going to call.

If only she would clean her room. → She’s a messy person and probably won’t.

If only they would leave me alone. → They probably won’t leave her alone.

FOOOOTERLEFT Learn without forgetting! 6/9

Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Zuzana Salai's lessons.
 HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

POWER UP YOUR CONFIDENCE

Note: We do not normally use ’would’ form about ourselves because, in this case, ‘would’ is
used in the sense of ‘willing’. Usually we are ‘willing’ but somehow unable to do something.

• If only I would clean my room. → This is incorrect because it is not about willingness. In
this case, you would say: I should clean my room.

• You cannot say I wish I would speak French as again, it is not about willingness but about
capability. In this case, you would say: If only I could speak French or If only I spoke French.

Was or were?

• Generally, both of these are considered correct.

If only I was rich. If only I were rich.

• "Were" is more formal and it uses the subjunctive form. It was considered the only
correct form for many years. Now "was" has become more common, and "were", while
still correct, is generally considered more formal. You will generally hear "were" from
older and more educated people.

• Note that there is one exception and that is in the phrase "If I were you"

It is common with advice, eg: If I were you, I would apply for that job

Here "was" is never used and it is considered a grammatical error. If I was you

Common errors

• If only I passed my exams. → talking about the past needs past perfect → If only I had
passed my exams.

• If only I pass my exams tomorrow. → for the future, we use hope. There is still a chance
this person may pass their exams → I hope I pass my exams

• If only I would go to France. → the person is speaking about themselves, not someone
else. In this case, the person is willing but unable to go to France → If only I could go to
France.

FOOOOTERRIGHT Learn without forgetting! 7/9

Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Zuzana Salai's lessons.
 HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

POWER UP YOUR CONFIDENCE

Part B: Choose the correct sentence in each of the following.

1. _____________ the competition next week.

a. If only I win b. I hope I win c. If only I won

2. My little brother talks too much. If only he ____________ for five minutes.

a. stopped talking b. didn’t talk c. would stop talking

3. I feel so sick now. If only ____________ so much at dinner.

a. I hadn’t eaten b. I didn’t eat c. I don’t eat

4. There’s a cute French guy at the party tonight who doesn’t speak any English. If only ___________
French!
a. I knew b. he would know c. I had known French

5. I hate being so short. I can’t even reach the top of the cupboard. If only ___________ taller.

a. I had been b. I were c. I would be

Part C: Use the pictures to practise making free sentences with "if only".

picture 1 picture 2 picture 3

picture 4 picture 5 picture 6

FOOOOTERLEFT Learn without forgetting! 8/9

Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Zuzana Salai's lessons.
 HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

POWER UP YOUR CONFIDENCE

6 Optional extension / homework

Task A: Choose one of the following writing topics.

Topic 1:

• You have received the following email from your friend, Max.

... And in other not-so-great news, I failed one of my half-yearly exams. It was in maths,
obviously, no surprise there. I think I’m just dumb at maths and I’ll never get it so why
bother trying. Mum and Dad want to get me a tutor for extra practice but what’s the
point? It will just waste their money because I was born bad at math, basically.

• Write a reply to Max to suggest they take up the offer of tutoring. Use some of the
vocabulary from this lesson. Write around 100–200 words.

Topic 2:

• Write a short story about a time when you or someone else gained confidence in
something. The story can be factual or fictional. Write around 150–300 words.

Task B: One way to build confidence is by learning a new skill. Choose one new thing to learn that
you can learn how to do in a relatively short time period. Here are some ideas.

• Learn how to moonwalk

• Learn how to juggle three balls
• Break an apple in half with your bare hands
• Learn how to do the Heimlich manoeuvre
• Learn five words from a new foreign language
• Make an origami swan

FOOOOTERRIGHT Learn without forgetting! 9/9

Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Zuzana Salai's lessons.
 HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
TEACHER MATERIALS · UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

POWER UP YOUR CONFIDENCE

Transcripts

3. Watching video

Speaker: When faced with a big challenge where potential failure seems to lurk at every corner,
maybe you’ve heard this advice before: "Be more confident." And most likely, this is what
you think when you hear it: "If only it were that simple."

Speaker: But what is confidence? Take the belief that you are valuable, worthwhile, and capable,
also known as self-esteem, add in the optimism that comes when you are certain of your
abilities, and then empowered by these, act courageously to face a challenge head-on. This
is confidence. It turns thoughts into action.

Speaker: So where does confidence even come from? There are several factors that impact
confidence.

Speaker: One: what you’re born with, such as your genes, which will impact things like the balance
of neurochemicals in your brain.

Speaker: Two: how you’re treated. This includes the social pressures of your environment.

Speaker: And three: the part you have control over, the choices you make, the risks you take, and
how you think about and respond to challenges and setbacks.

Speaker: It isn’t possible to completely untangle these three factors, but the personal choices we
make certainly play a major role in confidence development. So, by keeping in mind a few
practical tips, we do actually have the power to cultivate our own confidence.

Speaker: Tip 1: a quick fix. There are a few tricks that can give you an immediate confidence boost
in the short term. Picture your success when you’re beginning a difficult task, something
as simple as listening to music with deep bass; it can promote feelings of power. You can
even strike a powerful pose or give yourself a pep talk.

Speaker: Tip two: believe in your ability to improve. If you’re looking for a long-term change,
consider the way you think about your abilities and talents. Do you think they are fixed
at birth, or that they can be developed, like a muscle? These beliefs matter because they
can influence how you act when you’re faced with setbacks. If you have a fixed mindset,
meaning that you think your talents are locked in place, you might give up, assuming you’ve
discovered something you’re not very good at.

Speaker: But if you have a growth mindset and think your abilities can improve, a challenge is
an opportunity to learn and grow. Neuroscience supports the growth mindset. The
connections in your brain do get stronger and grow with study and practice. It also turns
out, on average, people who have a growth mindset are more successful, getting better
grades, and doing better in the face of challenges.

FOOOOTERAPPENDIXRIGHT
Learn without forgetting! i
Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Zuzana Salai's lessons.
 HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
TEACHER MATERIALS · UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

POWER UP YOUR CONFIDENCE

Speaker: Tip three: practise failure. Face it, you’re going to fail sometimes. Everyone does. J.K.
Rowling was rejected by twelve different publishers before one picked up "Harry Potter”.

Speaker: The Wright Brothers built on history’s failed attempts at flight, including some of their own,
before designing a successful airplane. Studies show that those who fail regularly and keep
trying anyway are better equipped to respond to challenges and setbacks in a constructive
way. They learn how to try different strategies, ask others for advice, and persevere.

Speaker: So, think of a challenge you want to take on, realise it’s not going to be easy, accept that
you’ll make mistakes, and be kind to yourself when you do. Give yourself a pep talk, stand
up, and go for it. The excitement you’ll feel knowing that, whatever the result, you’ll have
gained greater knowledge and understanding. This is confidence.

FOOOOTERAPPENDIXLEFT
Learn without forgetting! ii
Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Zuzana Salai's lessons.
 HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
TEACHER MATERIALS · UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

POWER UP YOUR CONFIDENCE

Key

1. Warm up

5 mins.
Students can warm up to the topic with some general discussion of times they did and didn’t feel confident.

2. Focus on vocabulary

Part A:
5 mins.
As there is a lot of vocabulary, if you do not have time or feel it may be too much for your students, you can ask
them to focus only on one group. Ask students to match the vocabulary with the definitions. Assist them with
any unknown vocabulary, pronunciations, etc.
Group 1:

1. → d. 2. → b. 3. → a. 4. → e. 5. → f. 6. → c.
Group 2:

1. → d. 2. → b. 3. → f. 4. → a. 5. → c. 6. → e.
Part B:
2 mins.
Students read the sentences and try to guess the meaning of phrases.
Phrases:

face a challenge head-on (phrase): directly deal with a difficulty

growth mindset (phrase): a belief that qualities such as intelligence and ability can be developed
fixed mindset (phrase): a belief that qualities such as intelligence and ability cannot be changed
pep talk (phrase): a talk intended to make someone feel encouraged or enthused

3. Watching video

Part A:
5 mins.
Ask students to quickly scan the items in the box before they watch the video. Then, while watching the video or
at the end they can check the items that weren’t included. You could ask them to check their answers with each
other to confirm.

1. ✓ How friends can build confidence

3. ✓ The dangers of overconfidence
4. ✓ The importance of mentors
7. ✓ The importance of failure
10. ✓ Negative self-talk

FOOOOTERAPPENDIXRIGHT
Learn without forgetting! iii
Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Zuzana Salai's lessons.
 HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
TEACHER MATERIALS · UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

POWER UP YOUR CONFIDENCE

Part B:
10 mins.
If you feel both sets of vocabulary would be too much for your students, you can choose to do only one of the
two groups. Play the video (or part) of the video again so that students can listen out for the vocabulary and write
it into the gaps.
Group 1:

1. lurk 2. self-esteem
3. optimism 4. empowered
5. courageously 6. face a challenge head-on
7. neurochemicals 8. setbacks
Group 2:

1. untangle 2. cultivate 3. pep talk 4. fixed mindset

5. growth mindset 6. Neuroscience 7. constructive 8. persevere
Part C;
5 mins.
The questions are designed to ensure students have understood the video and caught the three main tips. Make
sure that they know that they only need to make very basic notes.

1. a quick fix - use some tricks to help boost your confidence, such as listening to music with deep bass, giving
yourself a pep talk, or doing a powerful pose
2. believe in your ability to improve - try to adopt a growth mindset. Believe that you can learn from challenges.
3. practise failure - failure is an important part of improving. Fail regularly but keep trying.

4. Talking point

5 mins.
Time permitting, students can discuss all of the questions or you can ask the students to choose one or two
questions to discuss. Once students have talked for a while, you could ask them to swap partners.

5. Language point: if only

Part A:
10 mins.
Remind students of this line from the first part of the video: ‘’If only it were that simple.” Then ask the students
to read through the text in the box. Regarding the grammar of this sentence, note the following:
— It is a second conditional
— It uses the past subjunctive form "were" ("was" is possible but less formal. "were" is considered more ‘correct’
here.)
— "If only" could be substituted with "I wish". ("If only" is stronger. Both "I wish" and "if only" tend to be used in a
fairly regretful and pessimistic sense.
You may or may not wish to bring up these points, this will depend on your students and time.
The subjunctive (the was/were conundrum)
— The past subjunctive is "were". It does not change according to the subject.
— It is used for situations which are desired or imagined therefore, it is commonly used in conditional sentences

FOOOOTERAPPENDIXLEFT
Learn without forgetting! iv
Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Zuzana Salai's lessons.
 HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
TEACHER MATERIALS · UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

POWER UP YOUR CONFIDENCE

— However, the subjunctive is less commonly used nowadays, and is arguably disappearing. In informal speech
especially, "was" is often more commonly heard in conditional sentences.
Part B:
5 mins.
Students can briefly practice the point by doing the multiple-choice questions.

1. b. 2. c. 3. a. 4. a. 5. b.
Part C:
10 mins.
You could put the students in pairs to verbally come up with sentences for the pictures or they could work
individually and write the sentences out. Monitor to ensure the sentences are being done correctly. Allow the
students the chance to share any interesting sentences.
Sample answers:
1. If only I had worn a black shirt today.
2. If only I had remembered to water my plant.
3. If only I were taller. / If only I could reach.
4. If only I could break out of here / If only I hadn’t done the crime.
5. If only she would stop playing the recorder. / If only she could play well.
6. If only I could fly.

6. Optional extension / homework

Task A:
10 mins.
If you want to give your students a writing task, you can either have them choose from the two tasks or assign
them as you wish. Topic 1 will allow them to recap some of the vocabulary and content from the lesson.
Alternative: If you would prefer, you could easily transform these into a roleplay/discussion task instead. For topic
1 put the students into pairs and have one play Max and the other his friend who has to give him advice. For topic
2 ask students to talk about a time they gained confidence in something.
Task B:
10 mins.
This is an optional task which your students can use as a reason to finally learn something they’ve always wanted
to. Ideally, it will be a discrete skill or trick that they can learn in a short period of time. If appropriate, you could
let your students know that they can show off their new skill in a future lesson if they want to.

FOOOOTERAPPENDIXRIGHT v
Learn without forgetting!
Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Zuzana Salai's lessons.