The Reading / Listening - Level 3

What is school for? This may seem an easy question to answer, but a poll taken in the USA shows people have different opinions on why kids go to school. The poll is called the 'Public’s Attitudes Toward the Public Schools'. It is from a global association of education professionals called PDK International. PDK asked Americans to name the biggest purpose of school. Just 45 per cent of people who took part in the poll said the main goal of school was to prepare students to pass exams. Around a quarter of people said the main purpose was to get kids ready to join the workforce. Just over 26 per cent of Americans believed the biggest reason for school was to teach children about citizenship.

Joshua Starr, CEO of PDK, said the poll questioned whether today's schools were doing the right thing. He said: "One has to really question whether the direction we've been going is consistent with what the public wants." He quoted from author James Baldwin, who said in 1963 that the purpose of school is "to ask questions of the universe and learn to live with those questions." Students had different ideas about what school was for. Elena Brankov, 15, said school was to teach children to be creative, to share ideas with others and to use technology to make the world a better place. Lyndon Bailey, also 15, said school, "is just to make poor kids into robots who work and make rich people richer".

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Level 0,  Level 1   or  Level 2

Sources
  • https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2016/08/29/why-do-kids-go-to-school-americans-are-divided-on-the-answer-a-new-poll-shows/
  • http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2016-08-29/confusion-over-purpose-of-us-education-system
  • https://edsource.org/2016/national-poll-shows-differing-views-about-focus-of-public-education/568712


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Warm-ups

1. SCHOOL: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about school. Change partners often and share your findings.

2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?

       easy question / school / association / education / quarter / workforce / citizenship
       the right thing / direction / author / universe / ideas / creative / technology / rich

Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.

3. EDUCATION: Students A strongly believe school is the best way to educate children; Students B strongly believe disagree.  Change partners again and talk about your conversations.

4. BETTER: How can we change these things to make schools better? Talk about this with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

  • Hours
  • Class size
  • Teachers
  • Exams
  • Technology
  • Subjects
MY e-BOOK
ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
See a sample

5. QUESTION: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "question". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

6. SUBJECTS: Rank these with your partner. Put the most important at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • maths
  • history
  • art
  • citizenship
  • English
  • literature
  • physics
  • IT

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if a-h below are true (T) or false (F).

  1. The article says it seems easy to say what school is for.     T / F
  2. A poll was taken by an association of technology CEOs.     T / F
  3. Half of people said kids getting a job was the main reason for schools.     T / F
  4. A quarter of people said teaching citizenship is the purpose of schools.   T / F
  5. The polling company CEO was sure schools were doing the right thing.    T / F
  6. The CEO quoted a writer from the twentieth century.     T / F
  7. The writer said school was to ask questions of the universe.     T / F
  8. A 15-year-old said schools were to make poor kids richer.     T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

  1. easy
  2. opinions
  3. global
  4. took part
  5. main
  6. right
  7. direction
  8. author
  9. creative
  10. rich
  1. writer
  2. participated
  3. proper
  4. views
  5. way
  6. imaginative
  7. simple
  8. most important
  9. wealthy
  10. worldwide

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

  1. This may seem an easy
  2. people have different
  3. It is from a global
  4. prepare students to pass
  5. to teach children
  6. schools were doing the right
  7. teach children to be
  8. share ideas with
  9. use technology to make the world
  10. make rich people
  1. a better place
  2. exams
  3. opinions on why
  4. others
  5. question to answer
  6. richer
  7. thing
  8. association
  9. about citizenship
  10. creative

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
purpose
workforce
opinions
citizenship
global
quarter
answer
main

What is school for? This may seem an easy question to (1) ____________, but a poll taken in the USA shows people have different (2) ____________on why kids go to school. The poll is called the 'Public’s Attitudes Toward the Public Schools'. It is from a (3) ____________association of education professionals called PDK International. PDK asked Americans to name the biggest (4) ____________of school. Just 45 per cent of people who took part in the poll said the (5) ____________goal of school was to prepare students to pass exams. Around a (6) ____________of people said the main purpose was to get kids ready to join the (7) ____________. Just over 26 per cent of Americans believed the biggest reason for school was to teach children about (8) ____________.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
universe
thing
creative
quoted
robots
whether
ideas
direction

Joshua Starr, CEO of PDK, said the poll questioned (9) ____________today's schools were doing the right (10) ____________. He said: "One has to really question whether the (11) ____________we've been going is consistent with what the public wants." He (12) ____________from author James Baldwin, who said in 1963 that the purpose of school is "to ask questions of the (13) ____________and learn to live with those questions." Students had different (14) ____________about what school was for. Elena Brankov, 15, said school was to teach children to be (15) ____________, to share ideas with others and to use technology to make the world a better place. Lyndon Bailey, also 15, said school, "is just to make poor kids into (16) ____________who work and make rich people richer".

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  What is school for? This may seem an easy question ______
     a.  too answer
     b.  two answers
     c.  to answered
     d.  to answer

2)  PDK asked Americans to name the biggest ______ school
     a.  presuppose of
     b.  porpoise of
     c.  purpose of
     d.  prepares of

3)  the main goal of school was to prepare students ______
     a.  to past exams
     b.  to pass exams
     c.  to pass exam
     d.  too pass exams

4)  the main purpose was to get kids ready to ______
     a.  join the works farce
     b.  join the worker force
     c.  join the workforce
     d.  join the work farce

5)  the biggest reason for school was to teach children ______
     a.  about citizen ships
     b.  about citizenship
     c.  about citizens' ships
     d.  about citizens and ships

6)  the poll questioned whether today's schools were doing ______
     a.  the right thing
     b.  the wright thing
     c.  the light thing
     d.  the writ thing

7)  whether the direction we've been going is consistent with what ______
     a.  the publicly wants
     b.  the public wants
     c.  the publicity wants
     d.  the publics wants

8)  the purpose of school is to ask questions ______
     a.  of the universal
     b.  of the universes
     c.  of a universe
     d.  of the universe

9)  Elena Brankov, 15, said school was to teach children ______
     a.  to be creative
     b.  to be creatively
     c.  to be a creative
     d.  to be the creative

10)  school is just to make poor kids into robots who work and make ______
     a.  richest people richer
     b.  richest people rich
     c.  richer people richer
     d.  rich people richer

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

What is school for? This may (1) ___________________ question to answer, but a poll taken in the USA shows people have (2) ___________________ why kids go to school. The poll is called the 'Public’s Attitudes Toward the Public Schools'. It is from (3) ___________________ of education professionals called PDK International. PDK asked Americans to name the biggest purpose of school. Just 45 per cent of people (4) ___________________ poll said the main goal of school was to prepare students to pass exams. (5) ___________________ of people said the main purpose was to get kids ready to join the workforce. Just over 26 per cent of Americans believed the biggest reason for school was to teach children (6) ___________________.

Joshua Starr, CEO of PDK, said the poll questioned whether today's schools were (7) ___________________. He said: "One has to really question whether the direction we've been going (8) ___________________ what the public wants." He quoted from author James Baldwin, who said in 1963 that the purpose of school is "to ask questions (9) ___________________ learn to live with those questions." Students (10) ___________________ about what school was for. Elena Brankov, 15, said school was to teach children to be creative, (11) ___________________ others and to use technology to make the world a better place. Lyndon Bailey, also 15, said school, "is just to make poor (12) ___________________ who work and make rich people richer".

Comprehension questions

  1. Where was the poll taken?
  2. What is the name of the association of educational professionals?
  3. What did 45 per cent of people say was the main purpose of school?
  4. How many people thought school was to get kids ready to work?
  5. What did 26% of children think school was for?
  6. What is the job position of Joshua Starr?
  7. When did James Baldwin say school was to ask about the universe?
  8. What did Elena Brankov say school taught children to be?
  9. What did Elena Brankov say school made the world?
  10. Who did Lyndon Bailey say poor kids made richer?

Multiple choice quiz

1) Where was the poll taken?
a) India
b) the USA
c) Canada
d) China

2) What is the name of the association of educational professionals?
a) DPK International
b) PKD International
c) KPD International
d) PDK International

3) What did 45 per cent of people say was the main purpose of school?
a) to get a job
b) to teach citizenship
c) to pass exams
d) to change the world

4) How many people thought school was to get kids ready to work?
a) a quarter
b) two-thirds
c) half
d) two-fifths

5) What did 26% of children think school was for?
a) to make friends
b) to teach citizenship
c) to develop as a person
d) to pass exams

6) What is the job position of Joshua Starr?
a) CEO
b) Finance director
c) IT boss
d) Head teacher

7) When did James Baldwin say school was to ask about the universe?
a) 1396
b) 1693
c) 1963
d) 1936

8) What did Elena Brankov say school taught children to be?
a) creative
b) intelligent
c) sociable
d) strong

9) What did Elena Brankov say technology could make the world?
a) amazing
b) more digital
c) faster
d) a better place

10) Who did Lyndon Bailey say poor kids made richer?
a) teachers
b) robots
c) rich people
d) poor people

Role play

Role A — English

You think English is the most important school subject. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are wrong with their subjects. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): I.T., art or citizenship.

Role B — I.T.

You think I.T. is the most important school subject. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are wrong with their subjects. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): English, art or citizenship.

Role C — Art

You think art is the most important school subject. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are wrong with their subjects. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): I.T., English or citizenship.

Role D — Citizenship

You think citizenship is the most important school subject. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are wrong with their subjects. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why):  I.T., art or English.

After reading / listening

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words...

'easy'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • and 'question'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • • Share your findings with your partners.

    • Make questions using the words you found.

    • Ask your partner / group your questions.

    2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

    •Share your questions with other classmates / groups. •Ask your partner / group your questions.

    3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

    4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

    5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

    • whether
    • public
    • 1963
    • universe
    • creative
    • richer
    • seem
    • global
    • 45
    • main
    • quarter
    • 26

    Student survey

    Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

    (Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

    Discussion - Why do children go to school?

    STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

    1. What did you think when you read the headline?
    2. What springs to mind when you hear the word 'school'?
    3. What did you think of school?
    4. How could we make schools better?
    5. What are schools for?
    6. What will schools be like in 50 years from now?
    7. How difficult is it to be a teacher in a school?
    8. What's the best thing about school?
    9. What's your best memory of school?
    10. What is citizenship and how important is it to teach it?

    STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

    1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
    2. What direction should schools be going in?
    3. Is the purpose of school "to ask questions about the universe"?
    4. What are the three most important subjects to study at school?
    5. Is school a place to share ideas?
    6. What's the worst thing about school?
    7. How important is school?
    8. Is there a better way than school of educating kids?
    9. Does school turn kids into robots?
    10. What questions would you like to ask a school teacher?

    Discussion — Write your own questions

    STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

    (a) ________________

    (b) ________________

    (c) ________________

    (d) ________________

    (e) ________________

    STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

    (f) ________________

    (g) ________________

    (h) ________________

    (i) ________________

    (j) ________________

    Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

    What is school for? This may (1) ____ an easy question to answer, but a poll taken in the USA shows people have different opinions on why kids go to school. The poll is (2) ____ the 'Public’s Attitudes Toward the Public Schools'. It is from a (3) ____ association of education professionals called PDK International. PDK asked Americans to name the biggest (4) ____ of school. Just 45 per cent of people who took part in the poll said the main goal of school was to prepare students to pass exams. Around a (5) ____ of people said the main purpose was to get kids ready to join the workforce. Just over 26 per cent of Americans believed the biggest reason for school was to teach children about (6) ____.

    Joshua Starr, CEO of PDK, said the poll questioned (7) ____ today's schools were doing the right thing. He said: "One has to really question whether the direction we've been going is consistent (8) ____ what the public wants." He quoted from author James Baldwin, who said in 1963 that the purpose of school is "to ask questions of the (9) ____ and learn to live with those questions." Students had (10) ____ ideas about what school was for. Elena Brankov, 15, said school was to teach children to be (11) ____, to share ideas with others and to use technology to make the world a better place. Lyndon Bailey, also 15, said school, "is just to (12) ____ poor kids into robots who work and make rich people richer".

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     seam     (b)     seen     (c)     seem     (d)     scene    
    2. (a)     called     (b)     name     (c)     title     (d)     asked    
    3. (a)     global     (b)     globalise     (c)     globalization     (d)     globally    
    4. (a)     purpose     (b)     porpoise     (c)     presuppose     (d)     prepares    
    5. (a)     quality     (b)     quarter     (c)     quantum     (d)     quartile    
    6. (a)     city Zen     (b)     city     (c)     citizen     (d)     citizenship    
    7. (a)     wither     (b)     weather     (c)     whether     (d)     whatever    
    8. (a)     to     (b)     at     (c)     by     (d)     with    
    9. (a)     universal     (b)     universe     (c)     one verse     (d)     you need verse    
    10. (a)     difference     (b)     different     (c)     differential     (d)     differently    
    11. (a)     creation     (b)     creative     (c)     creatively     (d)     creature    
    12. (a)     find     (b)     go     (c)     make     (d)     have

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. people have different poisnnio
    2. from a global nsitcoaisao
    3. eapeprr students to pass exams
    4. the main spuepor
    5. ready to join the freokcrow
    6. teach children about epizhcnsiit

    Paragraph 2

    1. ewherth today's schools were…
    2. the edtocinri we've been going
    3. He tqodue from author James Baldwin
    4. ask questions of the ienvurse
    5. teach children to be vetreiac
    6. make poor kids into rstobo

    Put the text back together

    (    )     creative, to share ideas with others and to use technology to make the world a better place. Lyndon Bailey,

    (    )     a global association of education professionals called PDK International. PDK asked Americans to name the

    (    )     school was to prepare students to pass exams. Around a quarter of people said the main purpose was to get kids ready

    (    )     the biggest reason for school was to teach children about citizenship.

    (    )     wants." He quoted from author James Baldwin, who said in 1963 that the purpose of school is "to ask

    (    )     questions of the universe and learn to live with those questions." Students had different ideas

    (  1  )     What is school for? This may seem an easy question to answer, but a poll taken in the USA shows people have different

    (    )     Joshua Starr, CEO of PDK, said the poll questioned whether today's schools were doing the right

    (    )     biggest purpose of school. Just 45 per cent of people who took part in the poll said the main goal of

    (    )     also 15, said school, "is just to make poor kids into robots who work and make rich people richer".

    (    )     to join the workforce. Just over 26 per cent of Americans believed

    (    )     opinions on why kids go to school. The poll is called the 'Public’s Attitudes Toward the Public Schools'. It is from

    (    )     thing. He said: "One has to really question whether the direction we've been going is consistent with what the public

    (    )     about what school was for. Elena Brankov, 15, said school was to teach children to be

    Put the words in the right order

    1. answer   to   question   easy   an   seem   may   This   .
    2. why   to   have   on   go   People   opinions   kids   school   different   .
    3. It   association   is   of   from   education   a   professionals   global   .
    4. The  workforce  the  join  to  ready  kids  get  to  was  purpose  main  .
    5. school  teach  The  for   to  citizenship  reason   was  children  biggest  .
    6. right  schools  thing  were  Questioned  doing   whether   the   today's  .
    7. what   with   Consistent   wants   public   the   .
    8. of   school   is   to   ask   questions   The   purpose   .
    9. technology   a   to   better   make   place   the   Use   world   .
    10. and   work   who   Robots   richer   people   rich   make   .

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    What is school for? This may seem an easy question for / to answer, but a poll taken in the USA shows people have different opinion / opinions on why kids go to school. The poll / pool is called the 'Public’s Attitudes Toward the Public Schools'. It is from a global / globally association of education professionals called PDK International. PDK asked Americans to name / naming the biggest purpose of school. Just 45 per cent of people who took party / part in the poll said the mine / main goal of school was to prepare students to pass exam / exams. Around a quarter of people said the main purpose was to get kids already / ready to join the workforce. Just over 26 per cent of Americans believed the biggest reason for school was to teach children about citizenship / ships.

    Joshua Starr, CEO of PDK, said the poll questioner / questioned whether today's schools were doing the right / write thing. He said: "One has to really question weather / whether the direction we've been / being going is consistent with what the public / publicly wants." He quoted from author James Baldwin, who said in 1963 that the purpose of school is "to ask questions of the universal / universe and learn to live with those questions." Students had different ideas / idea about what school was for. Elena Brankov, 15, said school was to teach children to be creative / creation, to share ideas with others and to use technology to do / make the world a better place. Lyndon Bailey, also 15, said school, "is just to make poor kids onto / into robots who work and make rich people richer".

    Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct.

    Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

    Wh_t _s sch__l f_r? Th_s m_y s__m _n __sy q__st__n t_ _nsw_r, b_t _ p_ll t_k_n _n th_ _S_ sh_ws p__pl_ h_v_ d_ff_r_nt _p_n__ns _n why k_ds g_ t_ sch__l. Th_ p_ll _s c_ll_d th_ 'P_bl_c’s _tt_t_d_s T_w_rd th_ P_bl_c Sch__ls'. _t _s fr_m _ gl_b_l _ss_c__t__n _f _d_c_t__n pr_f_ss__n_ls c_ll_d PDK _nt_rn_t__n_l. PDK _sk_d _m_r_c_ns t_ n_m_ th_ b_gg_st p_rp_s_ _f sch__l. J_st 45 p_r c_nt _f p__pl_ wh_ t__k p_rt _n th_ p_ll s__d th_ m__n g__l _f sch__l w_s t_ pr_p_r_ st_d_nts t_ p_ss _x_ms. _r__nd _ q__rt_r _f p__pl_ s__d th_ m__n p_rp_s_ w_s t_ g_t k_ds r__dy t_ j__n th_ w_rkf_rc_. J_st _v_r 26 p_r c_nt _f _m_r_c_ns b_l__v_d th_ b_gg_st r__s_n f_r sch__l w_s t_ t__ch ch_ldr_n _b__t c_t_z_nsh_p.

    J_hs__ St_rr, C__ _f PDK, s__d th_ p_ll q__st__n_d wh_th_r t_d_y's sch__ls w_r_ d__ng th_ r_ght th_ng. H_ s__d: "_n_ h_s t_ r__lly q__st__n wh_th_r th_ d_r_ct__n w_'v_ b__n g__ng _s c_ns_st_nt w_th wh_t th_ p_bl_c w_nts." H_ q__t_d fr_m __th_r J_m_s B_ldw_n, wh_ s__d _n 1963 th_t th_ p_rp_s_ _f sch__l _s "t_ _sk q__st__ns _f th_ _n_v_rs_ _nd l__rn t_ l_v_ w_th th_s_ q__st__ns." St_d_nts h_d d_ff_r_nt _d__s _b__t wh_t sch__l w_s f_r. _l_n_ Br_nk_v, 15, s__d sch__l w_s t_ t__ch ch_ldr_n t_ b_ cr__t_v_, t_ sh_r_ _d__s w_th _th_rs _nd t_ _s_ t_chn_l_gy t_ m_k_ th_ w_rld _ b_tt_r pl_c_. Lynd_n B__l_y, _ls_ 15, s__d sch__l, "_s j_st t_ m_k_ p__r k_ds _nt_ r_b_ts wh_ w_rk _nd m_k_ r_ch p__pl_ r_ch_r".

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    what is school for this may seem an easy question to answer but a poll taken in the usa shows people have different opinions on why kids go to school the poll is called the 'public’s attitudes toward the public schools' it is from a global association of education professionals called pdk international pdk asked americans to name the biggest purpose of school just 45 per cent of people who took part in the poll said the main goal of school was to prepare students to pass exams around a quarter of people said the main purpose was to get kids ready to join the workforce just over 26 per cent of americans believed the biggest reason for school was to teach children about citizenship

    Joshua starr ceo of pdk said the poll questioned whether today's schools were doing the right thing he said "one has to really question whether the direction we've been going is consistent with what the public wants" he quoted from author james baldwin who said in 1963 that the purpose of school is "to ask questions of the universe and learn to live with those questions" students had different ideas about what school was for elena brankov 15 said school was to teach children to be creative to share ideas with others and to use technology to make the world a better place lyndon bailey also 15 said school "is just to make poor kids into robots who work and make rich people richer"

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    Whatisschoolfor?Thismayseemaneasyquestiontoanswer,butapollta
    kenintheUSAshowspeoplehavedifferentopinionsonwhykidsgotosch
    ool.Thepolliscalledthe'Public’sAttitudesTowardthePublicSchools'.Iti
    sfromaglobalassociationofeducationprofessionalscalledPDKInterna
    tional.PDKaskedAmericanstonamethebiggestpurposeofschool.Just
    45percentofpeoplewhotookpartinthepollsaidthemaingoalofschoolw
    astopreparestudentstopassexams.Aroundaquarterofpeoplesaidthe
    mainpurposewastogetkidsreadytojointheworkforce.Justover26perc
    entofAmericansbelievedthebiggestreasonforschoolwastoteachchild
    renaboutcitizenship.JoshuaStarr,CEOofPDK,saidthepollquestioned
    whethertoday'sschoolsweredoingtherightthing.Hesaid:"Onehastor
    eallyquestionwhetherthedirectionwe'vebeengoingisconsistentwith
    whatthepublicwants."HequotedfromauthorJamesBaldwin,whosaidi
    n1963thatthepurposeofschoolis"toaskquestionsoftheuniverseandle
    arntolivewiththosequestions."Studentshaddifferentideasaboutwhat
    schoolwasfor.ElenaBrankov,15,saidschoolwastoteachchildrentobec
    reative,toshareideaswithothersandtousetechnologytomaketheworl
    dabetterplace.LyndonBailey,also15,saidschool,"isjusttomakepoork
    idsintorobotswhoworkandmakerichpeoplericher".

    Free writing

    Write about school for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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    Academic writing

    School is the best way to educate children. Discuss.

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    Homework

    1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

    2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about school. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

    3. SCHOOL: Make a poster about what school is for. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?

    4. EDUCATION: Write a magazine article about school being the best way to educate children. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against it.

    Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).

    5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

    6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on school. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your ideas on how to make it better. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

    A Few Additional Activities for Students

    Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

    Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

    Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

    Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

    Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

    Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

    Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

    Also...

    Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

    • News
    • Warm ups
    • Pre-reading / Post-reading
    • Using headlines
    • Working with words
    • While-reading / While-listening
    • Moving from text to speech
    • Post-reading / Post-listening
    • Discussions
    • Using opinions
    • Plans
    • Language
    • Using lists
    • Using quotes
    • Task-based activities
    • Role plays
    • Using the central characters in the article
    • Using themes from the news
    • Homework

    Buy my book

    $US 9.99

    Answers

    (Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

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