Twofold EFL

autor: Twofold
dodano: 23-10-2026
w kategorii Lesson Ideas

Halloween is a great opportunity for a themed lesson. But if you teach adults, especially at higher levels, they’ve probably seen it all, heard it all and learnt it all! After years of studying English, they’ve likely discussed the usual Halloween topics more times than they can count.

So, how about trying something different this year? In this article, we’ve put together 20 topics (with discussion questions) that are perfect alternatives to the usual Halloween themes, from strange coincidences and unsolved mysteries to the darker side of human nature.

Choose one topic as the starting point for your lesson, or explore several and let the conversations take their own direction. Who knows where they’ll lead?

1. Things we can't explain.

Have you ever experienced something you couldn't explain?
Why do people believe in things they can't prove?
Do you think everything has a logical explanation?
Would you rather know the truth about everything or keep some mysteries? Why?

2. Strange coincidences.

Have you ever thought about someone just before they contacted you?
Do you believe in coincidences or do you think everything happens for a reason?
What's the strangest coincidence you've heard about or experienced?

3. Unsolved mysteries.

Why are people fascinated by unsolved mysteries?
Would you like to know what happened to every person who has ever disappeared? Why or why not?
Should every mystery be solved, even if the truth might be disturbing?
Is it more exciting to have an answer or to keep wondering? Why?

4. The fear of the unknown.

Why are people afraid of things they don't understand?
Which is scarier: knowing something bad is going to happen or not knowing what will happen?
Can fear sometimes be useful? In what way?
What are people more afraid of today than they were 50 years ago?

5. Strange places.

Would you spend a night alone in an abandoned hotel?
Why do some places feel unsettling even when nothing is happening?
Would you ever visit a haunted house? Why or why not?
Would you visit a place where something terrible had happened?

6. Why do we enjoy being scared?

Why do people deliberately choose to feel frightened, for example by watching a horror film?
What's the difference between real fear and entertainment?
Why do some people love horror films while others can't stand them?
Can being scared actually be enjoyable?

7. Our fascination with true crime.

Why do people watch documentaries about murder and crime?
Is it wrong to enjoy stories about real crimes?
Do true crime programmes help people understand crime or simply entertain them?

8. Can you really know someone?

Can you ever know what another person is really thinking?
Have you ever completely misjudged someone?
Why do people behave differently when nobody is watching?
Is it possible to hide your real personality for years?

9. The psychology of lying.

Are some lies necessary? Why or why not?
Is it worse to tell a painful truth or a comforting lie?
Can you usually tell when someone is lying? What are the signs?
Would you want to know if someone close to you had lied to you for years?

10. The bystander effect. The idea that people are sometimes less likely to help when other people are present.

Why do people sometimes ignore someone who needs help?
Would you intervene if you saw someone behaving aggressively towards a stranger?
Does being part of a crowd change our sense of responsibility?
Have you ever wanted to help someone but felt uncomfortable doing so?

11. The Mandela effect

Why do people remember things that apparently never happened?
Have you ever been absolutely certain about something and later discovered you were wrong?
Can you trust your memory?
Why do people sometimes share the same false memory?
Which is more reliable: your memory or a photograph?

12. Dreams and nightmares.

Do you think dreams mean anything?
Have you ever had a dream that felt more real than reality?
Why do some dreams stay with us for years?
Would you want a machine that could record your dreams? Why or why not?

13. Déjà vu.

Have you ever experienced déjà vu?
Why do you think unfamiliar situations sometimes feel strangely familiar?
Would you like to know what causes every unusual experience your brain produces?

14. Sleep paralysis.

Why do you think people sometimes interpret unusual experiences as supernatural?
Would you rather experience something frightening that you couldn't explain or something ordinary that you couldn't control?
How much should we trust our senses?

15. The placebo effect

How much power do you think our minds have over our bodies?
Can believing something will work make a difference? Has it happened to you?
Why do people sometimes feel better after taking something that has no active medical ingredient?
Can positive thinking go too far?

16. How well does your phone know you?

How much can companies learn about us from our online behaviour?
Would you let an app predict your mood? Why or why not?
If someone had access to your search history, what might surprise them?
Is it worth it to give up some privacy for more convenience? Why or why not?

17. Deepfakes and fake identities.

Would you recognise a convincing deepfake?
What happens when we can no longer trust videos as evidence?
Should people be allowed to create realistic AI versions of other people?
How will we know what's real in ten years?

18. Living with constant surveillance.

Would you feel safer if every public place had cameras?
Should the government be allowed to monitor online conversations to prevent crime? What could be the problems with that?
Would you accept being monitored at work if it made your workplace safer?
Is privacy becoming a luxury?

19. The fear of missing out.

Why do we sometimes feel that everyone else is having a better life?
Can social media make ordinary life feel disappointing? In what way?
Would you be happier if you couldn't see what other people were doing?
Is it possible to be genuinely happy for someone while feeling jealous of them?

20. When technology knows us better than we know ourselves.

Could an algorithm predict who you will fall in love with? Would you like to know?
Would you trust AI to make important decisions about your life? Why or why not?
What if an app could predict your future with 90% accuracy? Would you download this app?
Would you want to know when you were going to make a big mistake? Why or why not?