PPG UKIN 2025

Introduction (20 mins) 

Apperception 

What do you think they are talking about?

Learning Objective

The learning objective for the day: to learn how to express opinions, agree, and disagree politely in English. The teacher emphasizes the importance of this skill for everyday conversations and discussions.

Main Activity (95 mins)

Problem or topic for discussion: "Our school is thinking about a new rule: 'No Smartphones Allowed on School at All'. What are your thoughts on this?" (15 mins)

Explanation (20 mins)

1. Expressing Your Opinion
When you want to share your point of view, you can use these phrases. They signal to others that this is your belief, not necessarily a universal fact.

Common & Neutral Phrases:
"I think..."
"I believe..."
"In my opinion, ..."
"As I see it, ..."
"It seems to me that..."

Example:
"I think this new coffee shop is the best one in town." "In my opinion, the final episode of the series was a bit disappointing."

Slightly Stronger Phrases (Use when you are more confident):
"I'm convinced that..."
"I strongly believe that..."
"From my perspective, ..."

Example:
"From my perspective, working from home increases productivity."

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2. Agreeing with an Opinion
Agreeing is usually simple and positive. Here are some ways to show you share the same view.

Simple Agreement:
"I agree."
"You're right."
"That's true."
"I think so, too."

Strong Agreement:
"I couldn't agree more."
"Absolutely!" / "Exactly!"
"That's exactly how I feel."
"You've hit the nail on the head." (Idiom meaning: You're precisely right.)

Example:
A: "I think learning a new language is very beneficial for the brain." 

B: "I couldn't agree more. It really opens up your mind."

Teacher's Tip: To show you were listening carefully, you can add a short reason for your agreement. For example, instead of just saying "I agree," you could say, "I agree, because it also helps you understand another culture."

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3. Disagreeing Politely (The Most Important Skill!)
This is the trickiest part. Direct disagreement like "You're wrong" or "I disagree" can sound aggressive. The goal is to be gentle and respectful. A good strategy is to acknowledge their point first before introducing your own.

Polite Disagreement Phrases:
"I see your point, but..."
"I understand what you're saying, however..."
"That's a valid point, but I have a different perspective."
"I'm not so sure about that. In my opinion..."
"I respect your opinion, but I think..."

Example 1:
A: "I think action movies are the most exciting genre." 

B: "I see your point about the excitement, but I personally prefer comedies because I love to laugh."

Example 2:
A: "We should cancel the company picnic because the weather forecast is bad." 

B: "That's a valid point about the weather, however, maybe we could just move it to an indoor location instead of canceling it completely?"

!! AVOID THESE !!
"You're wrong."
"That's a bad idea."
"I completely disagree." (This can be used, but it's very strong and should be reserved for formal debates, not casual chats.)

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Activity

Work in groups of 4 or 5 based on the materials given:

Group A (Auditory/Visual Learners): Watch a short YouTube video (e.g., a movie scene) with subtitles where characters are discussing a topic. You must list the expressions used.

Group B (Linguistic Learners): Read a written dialogue script. You must highlight the expressions for opinion, agreement, and disagreement.

Dialogue
Let's see how three friends, Leo, Mia, and Sam, discuss a topic: Are social media platforms good for society?
Leo: "In my opinion, social media is mostly harmful. It makes people compare their lives to others and feel unhappy."
Mia: "That's a valid point, Leo. I agree that the comparison culture can be toxic. However, I also think it's a powerful tool for connecting with people who live far away. I get to see my cousins in another country every day."
Sam: "I couldn't agree more with you, Mia. For me, the good outweighs the bad. As I see it, it's all about how you use it. You can choose to follow positive and educational accounts."
Leo: "I understand where you're both coming from, but it seems to me that the platforms are designed to be addictive, which is a big problem, especially for teenagers."

Group C (Needs Scaffolding): Receive a categorized list of expressions with Indonesian translations. Your task is to create simple sentences using three phrases from each category.

Expressing Opinion	Agreeing	Disagreeing
"I'm convinced that..."	"Absolutely!" / "Exactly!"	"That's a valid point, but I have a different perspective."
"I strongly believe that..."	"That's exactly how I feel."	"I'm not so sure about that. In my opinion..."
"From my perspective, ..."	"You've hit the nail on the head."	"I respect your opinion, but I think..."

Assignment (30 mins)

Each groups prepare a 3-5 minute role-play conversation about a specific topic.

Choose the topics below:

• "Online vs. Offline Games," 
• "Is social media good for teenagers?", 
• "Should school hours be shorter?"

Presentation

Each group performs your conversation in front of the class.

Feedback

"Did they state their opinion clearly? Yes/No," 

"Did they use expressions for agreeing/disagreeing? Yes/No"

Closing (20 mins)

Summary and feedback

Reflection: 

"What was the most useful expression you learned today?" 

"What was the most challenging part of the activity?"