Teacher Resources / B2 · Mental Health in Public Life
Objectives
Use stigma, disclosure, vulnerability, resilience accurately in context
Read and discuss a topic-specific article at B2 level
Practise speaking fluently on mental health in public life
Complete written exercises with vocabulary in context
Teaching Notes
Warm-up: allow 8-10 min, let personal answers develop
Article: read together or have students read silently first
Vocabulary match: good for pair work
Speaking: encourage full sentences, not one-word answers
Exit questions: 5-min closer, no prep needed
Timing Guide
Warm-up: 8 min
Article + comprehension: 12 min
Vocabulary + match: 10 min
Exercises: 10 min
Speaking + discussion: 15 min
Exit + recap: 5 min
Teacher Question Bank
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B2 · Lesson 13 · Mental Health in Public Life
Mental Health in Public Life
Mental Health in Public Lifestigmadisclosurevulnerability
Getting started
Warm-Up Questions
Click the button to get your first question
Read & Understand
Article
Mental Health in Public Life
In recent years, public figures - from athletes to politicians - have spoken openly about their mental health struggles. This visibility has helped to reduce stigma and encouraged others to seek help. But the conversation is complex. When a celebrity discloses anxiety or depression, some applaud their courage. Others question whether it is genuine or a strategic PR move. There is also the issue of privilege: public figures have access to therapists, time off, and financial security that most people do not. And yet the normalisation of mental health discussions at the highest levels does filter down. When a CEO admits to burnout, it gives employees permission to acknowledge their own limits.
๐ก Did you know? According to the WHO, depression and anxiety cost the global economy approximately 1 trillion USD per year in lost productivity.
Topic: Mental Health in Public Life
Key words
Vocabulary
01
stigma
a negative association or shame attached to something
02
disclosure
the act of revealing private information
03
vulnerability
the quality of being open about your weaknesses or struggles
04
resilience
the ability to recover from difficulty
05
advocacy
public support for a cause or group
06
taboo
a subject considered inappropriate to discuss
07
normalise
to make something seem normal or acceptable
08
privilege
an advantage that some people have but others do not
09
accountability
being responsible for your actions and their consequences
010
empowerment
giving someone confidence and control over their own life
Match the Words
Click a word on the left, then click its definition on the right.
stigma
disclosure
vulnerability
resilience
advocacy
taboo
normalise
privilege
accountability
empowerment
an advantage that some people have but others do not
the ability to recover from difficulty
the quality of being open about your weaknesses or struggles
being responsible for your actions and their consequences
a subject considered inappropriate to discuss
to make something seem normal or acceptable
giving someone confidence and control over their own life
public support for a cause or group
a negative association or shame attached to something
the act of revealing private information
Say it right
Pronunciation
stigma
STI-gma
disclosure
DIS-clo-sure
vulnerability
VULN-erab-ility
resilience
RES-ili-ence
advocacy
AD-vo-cacy
taboo
TA-boo
Read & Discuss
Short Dialogue
A:
I've been thinking a lot about stigma recently.
B:
Really? What's your take on it?
A:
I think the issue of disclosure is often misunderstood.
B:
I agree. Most people don't consider the impact of vulnerability.
A:
Exactly. And when you add resilience into the mix, it gets complicated.
B:
So what do you think the solution is?
A:
Honestly? It requires both individual action and systemic change.
B:
That's a fair point. It's never just one or the other.
Comprehension
What topic are they discussing?
What does person B agree with?
What does person A say the solution requires?
Practice
Exercises
Gap Fill
Complete each sentence using vocabulary from today's lesson.
1. Mental health is gradually decreasing.
2. Public of mental health struggles can be powerful.
3. Showing in leadership can build trust.
4. Mental is a key leadership quality.
5. The concept of is important in this context.
Error Correction
Find and correct the mistake in each sentence.
The stigma of data has raise serious concerns.
Despite of the challenges, they succeeded.
The report, that was published last year, is relevant.
She suggested to review the resilience more carefully.
Speaking practice
Speaking Prompts
Discuss with your partner
Should leaders be expected to show vulnerability? Or does it undermine authority?
Do you think talking about mental health at work is becoming more accepted in your country or industry?
Is there a risk that 'mental health' becomes a buzzword with no real substance?
Summarise today's topic in 3 sentences using vocabulary from this lesson.
Grammar focus: Concession clauses: 'Although/Even though/Despite + clause, main clause.' Althou... โ can you give an example?
Open discussion
Discussion Generator
More Questions
Use with pairs or whole class · Encourage full answers