B2-C1 - Short videos, short attention span?

• New lesson editor
• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo, vwo
• Leerjaar 5,6

Short videos,

short attention span?

Today's objective

• You can discuss a social issue with others.

• You can reflect on your own behaviour and share this with others.

• You can watch a journalistic video.

Important: Overcome any feelings of discomfort and SPEAK! Even if you don't know a word, even if you make mistakes—that's when you learn.

Help each other with vocabulary and grammar, too.

and

ESL Brains

Let’s get started

with a warm-up

You have to wait at the dentist. What do you do to fill up time?

My follow-up question will be: what do you do on your phone?

What do you do on your phone?

When does something qualify as 'brainrot'?

Read the statements and match the words and phrases in bold with their definitions.

A. Short-form videos are a form of brain rot because they encourage people to consume content without thinking critically.

B. Watching too many short-form videos is one of the main reasons people have a shrinking attention span today.

C. Instant gratification from short-form videos makes it harder to enjoy activities that require patience and concentration.

D. The ability to analyze complex information is one of the cognitive skills that could be weakened if people rarely engage with long-form content.
E. The most addictive aspect of short-form videos is often their unpredictability ‒ you never know what will appear next.

F. Even when people believe they are making independent choices, their behaviour may be shaped by subconscious influences built into the platform’s design.

G. Short-form content often appears effortless to consume, but the rapid switching between topics can lead to significant cognitive overload.

1. reduced ability to concentrate on one thing for
   a long period of time

2. difficult to stop using or doing

3. influencing your thoughts, feelings or behaviour without you being fully aware of it

4. low-quality online content, or the perceived decline in mental sharpness caused by consuming it

5. mental exhaustion caused by processing excessive amounts of information simultaneously

6. the mental abilities used for learning, reasoning, remembering, understanding and problem-solving

7. the satisfaction of receiving a reward or pleasure immediately, rather than waiting for it

‹#›

part 1/3

Let’s check the answers.

1. Short-form videos are a form of brain rot because they encourage people to consume content without thinking critically.

2. Watching too many short-form videos is one of the main reasons people have a shrinking attention span today.

3. Instant gratification from short-form videos makes it harder to enjoy activities that require patience and concentration.

1. reduced ability to concentrate on one thing for
   a long period of time

2. difficult to stop using or doing

3. influencing your thoughts, feelings or behaviour without you being fully aware of it

4. low-quality online content, or the perceived decline in mental sharpness caused by consuming it

5. mental exhaustion caused by processing excessive amounts of information simultaneously

6. the mental abilities used for learning, reasoning, remembering, understanding and problem-solving

7. the satisfaction of receiving a reward or pleasure immediately, rather than waiting for it

‹#›

part 1/3

Let’s check the answers.

1. The ability to analyze complex information is one of the cognitive skills that could be weakened if people rarely engage with long-form content.

2. The most addictive aspect of short-form videos is often their unpredictability ‒ you never know what will appear next.

1. reduced ability to concentrate on one thing for
   a long period of time

2. difficult to stop using or doing

3. influencing your thoughts, feelings or behaviour without you being fully aware of it

4. low-quality online content, or the perceived decline in mental sharpness caused by consuming it

5. mental exhaustion caused by processing excessive amounts of information simultaneously

6. the mental abilities used for learning, reasoning, remembering, understanding and problem-solving

7. the satisfaction of receiving a reward or pleasure immediately, rather than waiting for it

‹#›

part 2/3

Let’s check the answers.

1. Even when people believe they are making independent choices, their behaviour may be shaped by subconscious influences built into the platform’s design.

2. Short-form content often appears effortless to consume, but the rapid switching between topics can lead to significant cognitive overload.

1. reduced ability to concentrate on one thing for
   a long period of time

2. difficult to stop using or doing

3. influencing your thoughts, feelings or behaviour without you being fully aware of it

4. low-quality online content, or the perceived decline in mental sharpness caused by consuming it

5. mental exhaustion caused by processing excessive amounts of information simultaneously

6. the mental abilities used for learning, reasoning, remembering, understanding and problem-solving

7. the satisfaction of receiving a reward or pleasure immediately, rather than waiting for it

‹#›

part 3/3

‹#›

In pairs, discuss which three situations seem to be the most relatable.

• Short-form videos are a form of brain rot because they encourage people to consume content without thinking critically.

• Watching too many short-form videos is one of the main reasons people have a shrinking attention span today.

• Instant gratification from short-form videos makes it harder to enjoy activities that require patience and concentration.

• The ability to analyze complex information is one of the cognitive skills that could be weakened if people rarely engage with long-form content.

• The most addictive aspect of short-form videos is often their unpredictability ‒ you never know what will appear next.

• Even when people believe they are making independent choices, their behaviour may be shaped by subconscious influences built into the platform’s design.

• Short-form content often appears effortless to consume, but the rapid switching between topics can lead to significant cognitive overload.

In a moment, you’ll watch a video related to:

brain rot

ESL Brains

As the video plays, discuss

redactions

agency

Analogy

morsels

ESL Brains

Let’s talk!

‹#›

In your group, discuss the questions

• Why do you think the system described in the video wouldn’t work with long or more complicated videos? Only on 'morsels'?

• Do you prefer choosing content yourself or letting an algorithm choose it for you? Why?

• Can you remember anything an algorithm showed you that you never would have searched for yourself?

• Do you watch videos at normal speed or speed them up? Why?

• What percentage of the short videos you watch do you actually remember the moment you put your phone down?

What kind of videos do you watch most often?

‹#›

In your group

1. Choose three video types that you would find most difficult to stop watching. Explain why.

2. Say which type of videos:

• you see most often in your feed.

• you have created or would like to create.

Say if you think people’s age or gender make them more or less likely to enjoy any of these videos.

• are most profitable to create.

• might be the biggest source of ‘brain rot’.

Watch another part of the video (14:04–16:28) and say which facts in the video you’d describe as being the following points. Give more details.

• surprising

• relatable

• reassuring

• implausible

• disturbing

‹#›

ESL Brains

Let’s talk!

‹#›

Discuss the questions.

• Why do you think swiping has such a detrimental effect on cognitive skills?

• Do you think short-form videos cause a shorter attention span, or do people with shorter attention spans simply prefer short-form videos?

• Apart from social media, what else might contribute to shorter attention spans and poorer mental health?

• Is having a shorter attention span a way of adapting to a faster world?

• What are some important things in life that cannot be achieved without boredom or delayed rewards?

ESL Brains

Let’s discuss!

‹#›

Imagine that people’s attention spans continue to shrink over the next 20 years. Elaborate on the following points.

• professions that would struggle the most

• professions that would adapt easily

• products and services that would drop in popularity

• one change you predict in each of these areas:

• - education
  - relationships
  - politics

• healthcarework culture

‹#›

Imagine your government is considering banning short-form video platforms. Pick a profession and prepare a 60-second pitch explaining why your professional community needs short-form videos. In your pitch, try to explain that banning them would create more problems than it would solve.

ESL Brains

Raise your hand if...

You have actively engaged in today's class.

ESL Brains

Raise your hand if...

You have tried to speak English at all times.

ESL Brains

Raise your hand if...

You have learned some new vocabulary.

ESL Brains

Raise your hand if...

You are going to be mindful about brainrot ;)