6b. Making Major Decisions - Discussing Life Changes

1. Making Major Decisions -
Discussing Life Changes
Unit 23
ASL III

2. Introduction
Life is full of decisions that range from as simple
as what to eat at a restaurant to as complex as
where to live. For major decisions people make
lists of pros and cons, gather information, and
solicit the opinions of experts or of family and
friends. Making major decisions is a process.
Everyone can describe what they went through to
make a decision like choosing a college or a
career, moving to another city or state, getting
married, getting a divorce, having a baby, buying
a car, finding an apartment, or buying a house.

3. Goal of the Unit
This unit is to help you expand your vocabulary and
develop conversational fluency by encouraging you
to discuss your experiences. You will develop skills
enabling you to talk about the choices you had at the
beginning, the criteria you used to evaluate options,
what you chose, and how you felt about the decisions
you made. Then you will use those same skills to
retell information told to you by others. You will
rehearse conversation skills such as asking for
clarification, elaborating, and sharing opinions.

4. Major Life Changes
Major decisions people make include choosing a
college, marriage, selecting a new mate, breaking up,
divorce, changing jobs, and moving, among other
things. See the following vocabulary related to major
life changes.

5. Choosing a College: Vocabulary
Reputation:
WONDERFUL, EXCELLENT
WELL-KNOWN, FAMOUS
REPUTABLE (GOOD+NAME)
SWELL
PROGRAM
SPECIALIZE/MAJOR
SUPPORT SERVICE
TRAINING

6. Choosing a College: Vocabulary
Diversity:
SPECIALIZE (type of students,
e.g., Deaf, African-American,
women, Christian)
DIVERSITY/VARIETY
MIND+BROAD
!MANY! (minority group
members)

7. Choosing a College: Vocabulary
Extracurricular Activities:
FRATERNITY, SORORITY (or
fs-FRAT, fs-SORORITY)
SPORTS/fs-SPORTS
CLUBS/fs-CLUBS

8. Choosing a College: Vocabulary
Location/Facilities:
NEAR (or FAR-AWAY-FROM)
HOME
NEAR CITY (or MOUNTAINS,
WATER)
COLLEGE HAVE DORM

9. Choosing a College: Vocabulary
Costs:
fs-SCHOLARSHIP
MONEY fs-AID (financial aid)
CAN AFFORD

10. Careers: Vocabulary
Kinds of change:
QUIT
TRANSFER
RETIRE
FIRED
Reasons for change:
OFFER-me WORK
BORED, WANT !NEW!
FOLLOW (spouse/significant other)
ESTABLISH #OWN BUSINESS
MORE CHALLENGE
BETTER MONEY
BECOME-OLD
HEALTH PROBLEM
!SICK! or SICK-cont
WORK !30! YEARS, NOW WANT TRAVEL
LOUSY WORK
NOT GET-ALONG BOSS
LATE++
CUT-WORK++

11. Relationships: Vocabulary
Kinds of change:
MARRY
DIVORCE,
SEPARATE,
BREAK+#UP,
(2h)#OFF
ADOPTED
Reasons for change:
FALL-IN-LOVE
WANT CHILDREN
CONCEIVE/ PREGNANT
fs-LOVE FADE-AWAY
ARGUE
PERFORM-ADULTERY
ABUSE
CAN’T HAVE CHILDREN
(family/friend) LIFE MESS-UP, CAN’T
TAKE-CARE CHILDREN
(child’s) MOTHER+FATHER DIE

12. Relocations: Vocabulary
Kinds of change:
MOVE LIVE WITH
MOVE-TO
MOVE-AWAY
Reasons for change:
(family member) SICK-cont
SAVE MONEY
HOUSE !SMALL!
WANT BETTER SCHOOL
PREFER LIVE NEAR (family member)
ENTER COLLEGE
NEW LIFE
BAD “area” / BETTER “area”
ESCAPE

13. Review
Throughout this presentation, you have learned the following:
• Major Life Changes:
– choosing a college
– marriage
– selecting a new mate
– breaking up
– divorce
– changing jobs
– moving
– adopt