The Reading / Listening - Healthcare Clowns - Level 6

An English adage says, "laughter is the best medicine". In these troubling times, good humour is in need more than ever. Doctors and medical staff are taking heed of this and incorporating it into their care treatments. One product of this is the emergence of clown doctors and healthcare clowns in hospitals around the globe. There is even an organisation that sets standards. The European Federation of Healthcare Clowns Organisations was established in 2011. It says: "Healthcare clowns bring moments of happiness and distraction to children who are ill or who have special needs....Clowns also bring smiles to vulnerable adults, including seniors and people with dementia who are in hospital care."

Healthcare clowns are becoming especially popular in Israel, which is considered a world leader in the field. The first university ever to offer a Bachelor's degree in medical clowning was Haifa University, in 2007. One healthcare clown in Jerusalem, Leah Weiss, decided to divert her inner clown to help patients after a COVID-19 ward opened in March. She said she knew the clown in her would have therapeutic benefits for her patients. She wants to reduce their anxiety and improve their wellbeing. She enjoys working alongside doctors and said: "Obviously, the doctors, they take care of the body. And we come in and take care of the soul. And it integrates together - the doctors understand this."

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Healthcare Clowns - Level 4  or  Healthcare Clowns - Level 5

Sources
  • https://www.euronews.com/2020/12/14/clown-doctors-prove-that-laughter-is-the-best-medicine-but-they-need-support
  • http://www.efhco.eu/healthcare-clowning
  • https://www.pri.org/stories/2020-12-14/cheer-covid-19-patients-israeli-hospitals-send-clowns
  • https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium.MAGAZINE-meet-one-of-the-first-medical-clowns-in-an-israeli-covid-ward-1.9321659


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Warm-ups

1. CLOWNS: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about clowns. Change partners often and share your findings.
2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?
       adage / laughter / medicine / treatments / hospitals / globe / happiness / smiles /
       leader / degree / patients / therapeutic / benefits / anxiety / wellbeing / body / soul
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. THE BEST MEDICINE: Students A strongly believe laughter is the best medicine; Students B strongly believe the opposite. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. CLOWN AID: How could clowns help these people? Why? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

How?

Why?

Children

 

 

World leaders

 

 

Teachers

 

 

Prisoners

 

 

Soldiers

 

 

Pilots

 

 
MY e-BOOK
ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
See a sample

5. LAUGHTER: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "laughter". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. MEDICINE: Rank these with your partner. Put the best medicine at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • Laughter
  • Sleep
  • Hiking
  • Vitamins
  • Healthy food
  • Reading
  • TV
  • Exercise

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. taking heed of a. A thing that prevents someone from giving full attention to something else.
      2. incorporating b. A serious disorder of the mental processes caused by brain disease or injury and marked by memory disorders, personality changes, and poor reasoning.
      3. emergence c. Paying attention to.
      4. standards d. Combining different things into one.
      5. distraction e. Required or agreed levels of quality.
      6. vulnerable f. Of a person in need of special care, support, or protection because of age, disability, or risk of abuse or neglect.
      7. dementia g. The process of coming into being, or of becoming important.

    Paragraph 2

      8. considered h. A feeling of great worry, nervousness, or unease.
      9. degree i. Having a good effect on the body or mind; contributing to a sense of well-being.
      10. divert j. A separate room in a hospital, typically one allocated to a particular type of patient.
      11. ward k. Thought to be.
      12. therapeutic l. Combines one thing with another so that they become a whole.
      13. anxiety m. An academic qualification given by a college or university after a course of study.
      14. integrates n. Cause something to change course or turn from one direction to another.

 

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

  1. The article says laughter is needed with troubled people.     T / F
  2. Healthcare clowns are becoming more and more common worldwide.     T / F
  3. There is a European healthcare clown organisation that sets standards.    T / F
  4. The organisation says healthcare clowns help those with dementia.     T / F
  5. The article says Israel wants to be a world leader in healthcare clowning. T / F
  6. The first healthcare clown degree started in Israel.     T / F
  7. A healthcare clown wanted to use her outer clown to help patients.     T / F
  8. A woman said healthcare clowns take care of the soul.     T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

  1. adage
  2. taking heed of
  3. treatments
  4. sets
  5. dementia
  6. considered
  7. divert
  8. therapeutic
  9. anxiety
  10. integrates
  1. therapies
  2. healing
  3. mental illness
  4. reroute
  5. paying attention to
  6. worry
  7. saying
  8. thought
  9. combines
  10. establishes

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

  1. laughter is the
  2. In these troubling times, good
  3. medical staff are taking
  4. bring moments of happiness and
  5. Clowns also bring smiles
  6. considered a world leader
  7. divert her inner clown
  8. the clown in her would have
  9. reduce their
  10. we come in and take
  1. distraction to children
  2. to vulnerable adults
  3. care of the soul
  4. heed of this
  5. to help patients
  6. anxiety
  7. best medicine
  8. in the field
  9. therapeutic benefits
  10. humour is in need

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
medicine
emergence
established
needs
dementia
heed
distraction
globe

An English adage says, "laughter is the best (1) _____________________ ". In these troubling times, good humour is in need more than ever. Doctors, and medical staff are taking (2) _____________________ of this and incorporating it into their care treatments. One product of this is the (3) _____________________ of clown doctors and healthcare clowns in hospitals around the (4) _____________________. There is even an organisation that sets standards. The European Federation of Healthcare Clowns Organisations was (5) _____________________ in 2011. It says: "Healthcare clowns bring moments of happiness and (6) _____________________ to children who are ill or who have special (7) _____________________....Clowns also bring smiles to vulnerable adults, including seniors and people with (8) _____________________ who are in hospital care."

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
inner
anxiety
body
popular
integrates
benefits
field
alongside

Healthcare clowns are becoming especially (9) _____________________ in Israel, which is considered a world leader in the (10) _____________________. The first university ever to offer a Bachelor's degree in medical clowning was Haifa University, in 2007. One healthcare clown in Jerusalem, Leah Weiss, decided to divert her (11) _____________________ clown to help patients after a COVID-19 ward opened in March. She said she knew the clown in her would have therapeutic (12) _____________________ for her patients. She wants to reduce their (13) _____________________ and improve their wellbeing. She enjoys working (14) _____________________ doctors and said: "Obviously, the doctors, they take care of the (15) _____________________. And we come in and take care of the soul. And it (16) _____________________ together - the doctors understand this."

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  An English adage says laughter is ______
     a.  the beast medicine
     b.  the bust medicine
     c.  the best medicine
     d.  the blessed medicine
2)  good humour is in need more than ever. Doctors, and medical staff are taking ______
     a.  head of this
     b.  heed of this
     c.  herd of this
     d.  hoard of this
3)  around the globe. There is even an organisation ______
     a.  that's set standards
     b.  that's sets standards
     c.  that set standards
     d.  that sets standards
4)  It says healthcare clowns bring moments of ______
     a.  happiness end distraction
     b.  happiness and destruction
     c.  happiness and distraction
     d.  happiness and distinction
5)  Clowns also bring smiles to vulnerable adults, including seniors and ______
     a.  people with dementia
     b.  people within deem mention
     c.  people wither demon shall
     d.  people within dementia

6)  in Israel, which is considered a world leader ______
     a.  in a field
     b.  in the field
     c.  inner field
     d.  in them field
7)  The first university ever to offer ______
     a.  a Bachelor's degree
     b.  a Bachelor's decree
     c.  a Bachelor's dig agree
     d.  a Bachelor's degrees
8)  One healthcare clown in Jerusalem, Leah Weiss, decided to divert ______
     a.  her inert clown
     b.  her in a clown
     c.  her on a clown
     d.  her inner clown
9) benefits for her patients. She wants to reduce their anxiety and ______
     a.  improves their wellbeing
     b.  improve their wellbeing
     c.  improved their wellbeing
     d.  imp prove their wellbeing
10) the doctors, they take care of the body. And we come in and take care ______
     a.  of the sole
     b.  of the shoal
     c.  of the sol
     d.  of the soul

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

An English adage says, "laughter is (1) ____________________". In these troubling times, good humour is in need more than ever. Doctors, and medical staff (2) ____________________ of this and incorporating it into their care treatments. One product of this is (3) ____________________ clown doctors and healthcare clowns in hospitals around the globe. There is even an organisation (4) ____________________. The European Federation of Healthcare Clowns Organisations was established in 2011. It says: "Healthcare clowns bring (5) ____________________ and distraction to children who are ill or who have special needs....Clowns also bring smiles to vulnerable adults, including seniors and people (6) ____________________ are in hospital care."

Healthcare clowns are becoming (7) ____________________ Israel, which is considered a world leader in the field. The first university ever to offer a Bachelor's (8) ____________________ clowning was Haifa University, in 2007. One healthcare clown in Jerusalem, Leah Weiss, (9) ____________________ her inner clown to help patients after a COVID-19 ward opened in March. She said she knew the clown in her would have therapeutic (10) ____________________ patients. She wants to reduce their anxiety and improve their wellbeing. She enjoys working alongside doctors and said: "Obviously, the doctors, they (11) ____________________ the body. And we come in and take care of the soul. And (12) ____________________ - the doctors understand this."

Comprehension questions

  1. What does an adage say is the best medicine?
  2. What are hospitals incorporating in their care?
  3. When was a healthcare clown organisation established?
  4. What do the clowns bring children besides moments of distraction?
  5. What vulnerable adults did an organisation mention besides seniors?
  6. Where are healthcare clowns becoming particularly popular?
  7. When did the first healthcare clown degree start?
  8. What did a healthcare clown want to divert to help patients?
  9. What did a healthcare clown say she could reduce in patients?
  10. What did a healthcare clown say she took care of?

Multiple choice quiz

1) What does an adage say is the best medicine?
a) positive thinking
b) sleep
c) drugs
d) laughter
2) What are hospitals incorporating in their care?
a) medicine
b) healthcare clowns
c) good times
d) new measures
3) When was a healthcare clown organisation established?
a) 2010
b) 2009
c) 2011
d) 2012
4) What do the clowns bring children besides moments of distraction?
a) (moments of) happiness
b) presents
c) sweets
d) news
5) What vulnerable adults did an organisation mention besides seniors?
a) the homeless
b) people with heart problems
c) people with dementia
d) people with cancer

6) Where are healthcare clowns becoming particularly popular?
a) Brazil
b) Israel
c) Sri Lanka
d) Namibia
7) When did the first healthcare clown degree start?
a) 2010
b) 2009
c) 2008
d) 2007
8) What did a healthcare clown want to divert to help patients?
a) her inner clown
b) her thoughts
c) the traffic
d) doctors
9) What did a healthcare clown say she could reduce in patients?
a) stress
b) worry
c) anxiety
d) hypertension
10) What did a healthcare clown say she took care of?
a) herself
b) the soul
c) sick patients
d) the washing

Role play

Role  A – Laughter
You think laughter is the best medicine. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least medicinal of these (and why): sleep, healthy food or reading.

Role  B – Sleep
You think sleep is the best medicine. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least medicinal of these (and why): laughter, healthy food or reading.

Role  C – Healthy Food
You think healthy food is the best medicine. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least medicinal of these (and why): sleep, laughter or reading.

Role  D – Reading
You think reading is the best medicine. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least medicinal of these (and why): sleep, healthy food or laughter.

After reading / listening

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words...

'healthcare'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • and 'clown'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • • Share your findings with your partners.

    • Make questions using the words you found.

    • Ask your partner / group your questions.

    2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

    •Share your questions with other classmates / groups. •Ask your partner / group your questions.

    3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

    4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

    5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

    • medicine
    • ever
    • product
    • globe
    • 2011
    • ill
    • especially
    • first
    • inner
    • benefits
    • alongside
    • soul

    Student survey

    Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

    (Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

    Discussion - Healthcare Clowns

    STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

    1. What did you think when you read the headline?
    2. What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'clown'?
    3. What do you think of clowns?
    4. What do you think of the idea of healthcare clowns?
    5. Do you think laughter is the best medicine?
    6. Why might laughter be the best medicine?
    7. What kind of training might a healthcare clown need?
    8. Would you be a good healthcare clown?
    9. What else could hospitals do to bring smiles to children?
    10. What else can we do to make people with dementia laugh?

    STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

    1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
    2. What do you think of when you hear the word 'laughter'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. Why do many people think clowns are scary?
    5. What might you learn on a healthcare clown degree?
    6. To what extent is there an inner clown in you?
    7. What other things could clowns do to help society?
    8. What do you need to take care of your soul?
    9. What helps reduce your anxiety?
    10. What questions would you like to ask a healthcare clown?

    Discussion — Write your own questions

    STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

    (a) ________________

    (b) ________________

    (c) ________________

    (d) ________________

    (e) ________________

    STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

    (f) ________________

    (g) ________________

    (h) ________________

    (i) ________________

    (j) ________________

    Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

    An English adage says, "laughter is the best (1) ____". In these troubling times, good humour is in need more than ever. Doctors and medical staff are taking (2) ____ of this and incorporating it into their care treatments. One product of this is the (3) ____ of clown doctors and healthcare clowns in hospitals around the globe. There is even an organisation that (4) ____ standards. The European Federation of Healthcare Clowns Organisations was established in 2011. It says: "Healthcare clowns bring moments of happiness and (5) ____ to children who are ill or who have special needs....Clowns also bring smiles to vulnerable adults, including seniors and people with (6) ____ who are in hospital care."

    Healthcare clowns are becoming especially popular in Israel, which is considered a world leader in the (7) ____. The first university ever to (8) ____ a Bachelor's degree in medical clowning was Haifa University, in 2007. One healthcare clown in Jerusalem, Leah Weiss, decided to divert her (9) ____ clown to help patients after a COVID-19 ward opened in March. She said she knew the clown in her would have (10) ____ benefits for her patients. She wants to reduce their anxiety and improve their (11) ____. She enjoys working alongside doctors and said: "Obviously, the doctors, they take care of the body. And we come in and take care of the (12) ____. And it integrates together - the doctors understand this."

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     drugs     (b)     medicine     (c)     cure     (d)     antidote    
    2. (a)     head     (b)     herd     (c)     heed     (d)     hind    
    3. (a)     emerges     (b)     emerged     (c)     emergence     (d)     emerge    
    4. (a)     wets     (b)     lets     (c)     bets     (d)     sets    
    5. (a)     distraction     (b)     disruption     (c)     distinction     (d)     derision    
    6. (a)     absentia     (b)     dementia     (c)     militia     (d)     inertia    
    7. (a)     patch     (b)     paddy     (c)     pitch     (d)     field    
    8. (a)     refer     (b)     offer     (c)     defer     (d)     infer    
    9. (a)     sinner     (b)     winner     (c)     inner     (d)     dinner    
    10. (a)     reputation     (b)     pneumatic     (c)     thesis     (d)     therapeutic    
    11. (a)     goodly     (b)     betterment     (c)     well done     (d)     wellbeing    
    12. (a)     soul     (b)     sole     (c)     soil     (d)     seal

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. An English gdaae
    2. crnrpoaiitong it into their care
    3. the eeegrnmce of clown doctors
    4. an organisation that sets adntasdrs
    5. tdcrastiion to children
    6. people with emdneita

    Paragraph 2

    1. clowns are becoming cpeislaely popular
    2. a Bachelor's ergdee
    3. rteapeuthic benefits
    4. reduce their nxiatey
    5. improve their elwebling
    6. it neiargttes together

    Put the text back together

    (...)  Haifa University, in 2007. One healthcare clown in Jerusalem, Leah Weiss, decided to divert her inner
    (...)  need more than ever. Doctors, and medical staff are taking heed of this and incorporating it into their care
    (...)  Healthcare Clowns Organisations was established in 2011. It says: "Healthcare clowns bring
    (...)  moments of happiness and distraction to children who are ill or who have special needs....Clowns also bring smiles
    (...)  wellbeing. She enjoys working alongside doctors and said: "Obviously, the doctors, they take
    (...)  field. The first university ever to offer a Bachelor's degree in medical clowning was
    (...)  Healthcare clowns are becoming especially popular in Israel, which is considered a world leader in the
    (...)  treatments. One product of this is the emergence of clown doctors and healthcare clowns in hospitals around
    (...)  to vulnerable adults, including seniors and people with dementia who are in hospital care."
    (  1  ) An English adage says, "laughter is the best medicine". In these troubling times, good humour is in
    (...)  benefits for her patients. She wants to reduce their anxiety and improve their
    (...)  care of the body. And we come in and take care of the soul. And it integrates together - the doctors understand this."
    (...)  clown to help patients after a COVID-19 ward opened in March. She said she knew the clown in her would have therapeutic
    (...)  the globe. There is even an organisation that sets standards. The European Federation of

    Put the words in the right order

    1. best   An   the   medicine   .   is   says   adage   laughter
    2. staff   taking   Medical   are   of   heed   this   .
    3. standards   .   There   even   organisation   an   sets   that   is
    4. moments   happiness   distraction   Bring   and   to   of   children   .
    5. Clowns   bring   to   vulnerable   smiles   also   adults   .
    6. especially   in   are   Healthcare   Israel   .   becoming   popular   clowns
    7. offer   first   to   a   degree   .   Bachelor's   university   The
    8. to   help   her   inner   Divert   clown   patients   .
    9. their   and   anxiety   Reduce   improve   their   wellbeing   .
    10. in   care   take   and   of   Come   the   soul   .

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    An English badge / adage says, "laughter is the best medicine". In these troubling times, good humour is in need / needy more than ever. Doctors, and medical staff are taking head / heed of this and incorporating it into their care treatments. One produce / product of this is the emergence / emerges of clown doctors and healthcare clowns in hospitals around the globe. There is even an organisation that bets / sets standards. The European Federation of Healthcare Clowns Organisations was established on / in 2011. It says: "Healthcare clowns bring momentary / moments of happiness and distraction to children who are ill or who have special needs....Clowns also bring smiles to vulnerable / vulnerability adults, including seniors and people with dementia who are in / on hospital care."

    Healthcare clowns are becoming especially popular in Israel, which is considered / considering a world leader in the field. The first university ever to offer a Bachelor's decree / degree in medical clowning was Haifa University, in 2007. One healthcare clown in Jerusalem, Leah Weiss, decided to diverse / divert her inner clown to help patience / patients after a COVID-19 ward opened in March. She said she knew the clown in / on her would have therapeutic beneficial / benefits for her patients. She wants to reduce their anxiety and improve / reprove their wellbeing. She enjoys working alongside doctors and said: "Obviously / Imperviously, the doctors, they take care of the body. And we come in and take care of the sole / soul. And it integrates / ingratiates together - the doctors understand this."

    Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct.

    Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

    _n  _ngl_sh  _d_g_  s_ys,  "l__ght_r  _s  th_  b_st  m_d_c_n_".  _n  th_s_  tr__bl_ng  t_m_s,  g__d  h_m__r  _s  _n  n__d  m_r_  th_n  _v_r.  D_ct_rs,  _nd  m_d_c_l  st_ff  _r_  t_k_ng  h__d  _f  th_s  _nd  _nc_rp_r_t_ng  _t  _nt_  th__r  c_r_  tr__tm_nts.  _n_  pr_d_ct  _f  th_s  _s  th_  _m_rg_nc_  _f  cl_wn  d_ct_rs  _nd  h__lthc_r_  cl_wns  _n  h_sp_t_ls  _r__nd  th_  gl_b_.  Th_r_  _s  _v_n  _n  _rg_n_s_t__n  th_t  s_ts  st_nd_rds.  Th_  __r_p__n  F_d_r_t__n  _f  H__lthc_r_  Cl_wns  _rg_n_s_t__ns  w_s  _st_bl_sh_d  _n  2011.  _t  s_ys:  "H__lthc_r_  cl_wns  br_ng  m_m_nts  _f  h_pp_n_ss  _nd  d_str_ct__n  t_  ch_ldr_n  wh_  _r_  _ll  _r  wh_  h_v_  sp_c__l  n__ds....Cl_wns  _ls_  br_ng  sm_l_s  t_  v_ln_r_bl_  _d_lts,  _ncl_d_ng  s_n__rs  _nd  p__pl_  w_th  d_m_nt__  wh_  _r_  _n  h_sp_t_l  c_r_."

    H__lthc_r_  cl_wns  _r_  b_c_m_ng  _sp_c__lly  p_p_l_r  _n  _sr__l,  wh_ch  _s  c_ns_d_r_d  _  w_rld  l__d_r  _n  th_  f__ld.  Th_  f_rst  _n_v_rs_ty  _v_r  t_  _ff_r  _  B_ch_l_r's  d_gr__  _n  m_d_c_l  cl_wn_ng  w_s  H__f_  _n_v_rs_ty,  _n  2007.  _n_  h__lthc_r_  cl_wn  _n  J_r_s_l_m,  L__h  W__ss,  d_c_d_d  t_  d_v_rt  h_r  _nn_r  cl_wn  t_  h_lp  p_t__nts  _ft_r  _  C_V_D-19  w_rd  _p_n_d  _n  M_rch.  Sh_  s__d  sh_  kn_w  th_  cl_wn  _n  h_r  w__ld  h_v_  th_r_p__t_c  b_n_f_ts  f_r  h_r  p_t__nts.  Sh_  w_nts  t_  r_d_c_  th__r  _nx__ty  _nd  _mpr_v_  th__r  w_llb__ng.  Sh_  _nj_ys  w_rk_ng  _l_ngs_d_  d_ct_rs  _nd  s__d:  "_bv___sly,  th_  d_ct_rs,  th_y  t_k_  c_r_  _f  th_  b_dy.  _nd  w_  c_m_  _n  _nd  t_k_  c_r_  _f  th_  s__l.  _nd  _t  _nt_gr_t_s  t_g_th_r  -  th_  d_ct_rs  _nd_rst_nd  th_s."

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    an english adage says laughter is the best medicine in these troubling times good humour is in need more than ever doctors and medical staff are taking heed of this and incorporating it into their care treatments one product of this is the emergence of clown doctors and healthcare clowns in hospitals around the globe there is even an organisation that sets standards the european federation of healthcare clowns organisations was established in 2011 it says healthcare clowns bring moments of happiness and distraction to children who are ill or who have special needsclowns also bring smiles to vulnerable adults including seniors and people with dementia who are in hospital care

    healthcare clowns are becoming especially popular in israel which is considered a world leader in the field the first university ever to offer a bachelors degree in medical clowning was haifa university in 2007 one healthcare clown in jerusalem leah weiss decided to divert her inner clown to help patients after a covid19 ward opened in march she said she knew the clown in her would have therapeutic benefits for her patients she wants to reduce their anxiety and improve their wellbeing she enjoys working alongside doctors and said obviously the doctors they take care of the body and we come in and take care of the soul and it integrates together  the doctors understand this

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    AnEnglishadagesays,"laughteristhebestmedicine".Inthesetroubling
    times,goodhumourisinneedmorethanever.Doctors,andmedicalstaff
    aretakingheedofthisandincorporatingitintotheircaretreatments.One
    productofthisistheemergenceofclowndoctorsandhealthcareclownsi
    nhospitalsaroundtheglobe.Thereisevenanorganistionthatsetsstand
    ards.TheEuropeanFederationofHealthcareClownsOrganisationswas
    establishedin2011.Itsays:"Healthcareclownsbringmomentsofhappi
    nessanddistractiontochildrenwhoareillorwhohavespecialneeds....Cl
    ownsalsobringsmilestovulnerableadults,includingseniorsandpeople
    withdementiawhoareinhospitalcare."Healthcareclownsarebecomin
    gespeciallypopularinIsrael,whichisconsideredaworldleaderinthefiel
    d.ThefirstuniversityevertoofferaBachelor'sdegreeinmedicalclownin
    gwasHaifaUniversity,in2007.OnehealthcareclowninJerusalem,Leah
    Weiss,decidedtodivertherinnerclowntohelppatientsafteraCOVID-
    19wardopenedinMarch.Shesaidsheknewtheclowninherwouldhavet
    herapeuticbenefitsforherpatients.Shewantstoreducetheiranxietyan
    dimprovetheirwellbeing.Sheenjoysworkingalongsidedoctorsandsai
    d:"Obviously,thedoctors,theytakecareofthebody.Andwecomeinand
    takecareofthesoul.Anditintegratestogether-thedoctorsunderstandt
    his."

    Free writing

    Write about healthcare clowns for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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    Academic writing

    All hospitals, clinics and dentists need healthcare clowns. Discuss.

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    Homework

    1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google's search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
    2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about this news story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
    3. CLOWNS: Make a poster about clowns. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. HEALTHCARE CLOWNS: Write a magazine article about healthcare clowns. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against using them in hospitals.
    Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).
    5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
    6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on clowns. Ask him/her three questions about them. Give him/her three of your opinions on healthcare clowns. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

    A Few Additional Activities for Students

    Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

    Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

    Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

    Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

    Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

    Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

    Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

    Also...

    Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

    • News
    • Warm ups
    • Pre-reading / Post-reading
    • Using headlines
    • Working with words
    • While-reading / While-listening
    • Moving from text to speech
    • Post-reading / Post-listening
    • Discussions
    • Using opinions
    • Plans
    • Language
    • Using lists
    • Using quotes
    • Task-based activities
    • Role plays
    • Using the central characters in the article
    • Using themes from the news
    • Homework

    Buy my book

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    Answers

    (Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

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