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PREFACE i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iii

STUDENT’S HANDOUTS Focus:

Part 1: Identifying, Examining and Presenting Social Issues S1

What are Social Issues? S2

Defining Social Issues S5

Analysing the Causes and Impact S9

Suggesting Solutions S17

Examining an Issue from Various Perspectives S23

Part 2: Researching and Gathering Information on Social Issues S29

Conducting Observations and Interviews S30

Conducting and Reporting on a Questionnaire Survey S38

Acknowledging Sources of Information S46

Part 3: Final Presentation S52

Presenting Social Issues in Speaking S53

Presenting Social Issues in Writing S61

TEACHER’S NOTES Focus:

Part 1: Identifying, Examining and Presenting Social Issues T1

What are Social Issues? T2

Defining Social Issues T8

Analysing the Causes and Impact T15

Suggesting Solutions T24

Examining an Issue from Various Perspectives T31

Part 2: Researching and Gathering Information on Social Issues T42

Conducting Observations and Interviews T43

Conducting and Reporting on a Questionnaire Survey T51

Acknowledging Sources of Information T60

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Preface

This resource package is designed and developed in support of the English Language Curriculum and Assessment Guide (Secondary 4 – 6) (2007) and the Suggested Schemes of Work for the Elective Part of the Three-year Senior Secondary English Language Curriculum (Secondary 4 – 6) (2007). It provides learning resources and teaching ideas for the development and implementation of the elective module “Learning English through Social Issues”.

Aims

The rationale behind the package is that students will have ample opportunities to enrich their English learning experience and extend a range of language abilities through exploring social issues. Carefully designed and sequenced, the materials and activities in this package aim to:

y strengthen students’ skills of understanding and analysing texts on social issues;

y develop students’ ability to understand and evaluate social issues;

y raise students’ awareness of the structural and linguistic features of different texts on social issues; and

y enable students to plan and produce coherent and structured texts on social issues.

How to use this resource package

This resource package comprises student’s handouts, teacher’s notes, supplementary materials and a CD-ROM. It covers the key focuses suggested in the SoWs for the module, i.e. “Identifying, Examining and Presenting Social Issues”, “Researching and Gathering Information on Social Issues” and “Final Presentation”. The package takes students through different stages, from identifying, defining and examining social issues, researching information on the issues, to presenting them in speaking and / or writing. Students will first practise reading, identifying and writing definitions, causes and effects, and solutions to social problems before they move on to develop strategies and skills for researching, evaluating as well as citing information. Towards the end of the module, students will be given the opportunity to present a social issue that they have been exploring. Given the range of learning activities in this package, teachers are encouraged to exercise careful planning, be selective about the materials and freely adapt them to suit their school contexts and students’ needs, interests and abilities. For instance, the learning activities for

“Examining an Issue from Various Perspectives” may be more demanding and are intended to enrich students’ learning experience. Teachers should use their discretion to decide whether to cover them or replace them with other more suitable learning activities.

Student’s Handouts

The student’s handouts (indicated by the page number prefix ‘S’) provide learning materials which enable students to understand how a social issue may be defined, analysed, perceived, researched and presented in a spoken or written text. They also provide a variety of activities that enable students to understand the structural and linguistic features of different texts on social issues so that they can apply this understanding to their learning and use of the language.

Teacher’s Notes

The teacher’s notes (indicated by the page number prefix ‘T’) provide explanations of teaching steps and alternative teaching suggestions as to how to carry out the activities.

Where appropriate, teachers may feel free to select and flexibly adapt the activities into assessment tasks to promote learning and teaching.

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To help teachers to support “less advanced students” and stretch “more advanced students”, additional suggestions are contained in the “Catering for Learner Diversity”

boxes. Language notes are also provided, where appropriate, to draw teachers’ attention to grammar and vocabulary items that can be introduced in connection with a particular learning activity. Suggested time allocations have been provided for each activity for teachers’ reference during lesson planning. However, the suggested time is for indicative purposes only and will vary according to learners’ needs and abilities. Teachers should use their professional judgement to gauge appropriate timings with a particular group of learners in mind.

References to websites that contain materials helpful to the learning and teaching of particular activities are also included in the teacher’s notes. The weblinks or addresses which were accurate at the time this package was published are yet subject to change. Teachers might like to make use of a search engine to regain access to any resources that have been relocated, or may look for similar resources on the web.

Supplementary Materials

The supplementary materials section provides additional teaching materials and resources for teachers’ use and reference. The following items are included in this section:

A Glossary which gives the definitions of difficult words in the package is provided to assist teachers in explaining them to students. Words that appear in the glossary are marked with an asterisk in the student’s handouts or teacher’s notes at their first appearance. The glossary can also be given directly to students at the beginning of the module so that it can be referred to throughout the course, and students can be asked to add any other vocabulary items to the list for their own reference and revision.

Research Project Forms are provided to guide students to plan their research and presentation on a social issue. Teachers should help students to select a suitable topic and decide on the best way to research and present it.

A Sample Essay on Internet addiction is included to illustrate how a social issue can be discussed in four steps: definition, causes, impact and solutions. It can be analysed as each step is covered throughout the course, or be used towards the end of the module for consolidating students’ knowledge on the four steps. It also serves as a reference for students who are presenting their social issue in the form of an essay.

CD-ROM

The CD-ROM consists of an electronic version of the learning and teaching materials in this resource package, as well as recordings that support some of the learning activities in the package. The text files are available in both PDF and MS WORD formats for ease of use and adaptation. The audio and video recordings in the CD-ROM are examples of interviews and presentations that serve to demonstrate the qualities needed for a successful interview and presentation. Track numbers of the recordings are provided in the instructions to teachers for relevant activities and on the cover page of each focus in the teacher’s notes.

To further support the implementation of the module, other relevant online teaching resource materials for each module have been developed and can be accessed at the English Language Education Section website <http://cd.edb.gov.hk/eng>.

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Acknowledgements

We are most grateful to the English Language Centre, City University of Hong Kong, for their expert input in material design, resourcing and recording the video tracks for this resource package. Special thanks are due to Ivy Sek, Instructor at the English Language Centre, City University of Hong Kong, who was chiefly responsible for developing the materials and activities in this package.

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P P a a r r t t 1 1

I I d d e e n n t t i i f f y y i i n n g g , , E E x x a a m m i i n n i i n n g g a a n n d d

P P r r e e s s e e n n t t i i n n g g S S o o c c i i a a l l I I s s s s u u e e s s

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What are Social Issues?

You are about to do this elective module ‘Learning English through Social Issues’.

Learning Activity 1

Your group will receive some cards from your teacher.

(a) Identify the cards that are social issues and separate them from the ones that are not.

Be prepared to give reasons to explain why you consider some of the topics ‘social issues’ but not the others.

(b) Considering the reasons given by different groups in (a), draw up some criteria that make a topic a social issue.

(c) Group the social issues according to your understanding of their nature (e.g. ‘they are all related to health’). Be prepared to explain the different groups to your other classmates.

You can use the space below to make notes.

(d) Brainstorm other social issues and write one on each blank card. Either add them to your groups or make new groups.

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Learning Activity 2

How do social issues affect the world? How do they affect society? How do they affect you as an individual?

(a) In your group, discuss what impact the social issues in Learning Activity 1 (and any other socials issues you can think of) have on the world, Hong Kong and you.

(b) Which of the issues has the biggest impact on the world, Hong Kong and you respectively? Rank the impact of the issues in each case. Choose the top three and complete the table below.

Three issues with the biggest impact on the

world

Three issues with the biggest impact on Hong

Kong

Three issues with the biggest impact on you e.g. Poverty

Impact: It causes a lot of suffering like the lack of food, clean water and medical care. This problem affects millions of people all around the world.

e.g. Air pollution

Impact: It affects not only the health of Hong Kong people, but also the wish for foreigners to visit or work in Hong Kong.

e.g. Slimming culture Impact: As a girl, I can feel the social pressure on me. I really like eating, but I have to watch my diet to stay slim.

1.

Impact:______________

____________________

____________________

____________________

1.

Impact:______________

____________________

____________________

____________________

1.

Impact:_____________

___________________

___________________

___________________

2.

Impact:______________

____________________

____________________

____________________

2.

Impact:______________

____________________

____________________

____________________

2.

Impact:_____________

___________________

___________________

___________________

3.

Impact:______________

3.

Impact:______________

3.

Impact:_____________

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Learning Activity 3

Do you care about social issues? Why do social issues matter?

(a) Look at the possible reasons why you should be concerned* and decide whether you agree or not by circling the appropriate number.

(b) Suggest some other reasons and conclude if you think you care about social issues.

(c) In groups, share your answers.

Reasons why I should care about social issues

1 2 3 4 5

Disagree Å---Æ Agree

1. I am a world citizen and I have the

responsibility to care. 1 2 3 4 5 2. Social issues help me to develop critical

thinking skills. 1 2 3 4 5 3. I want to make a difference. 1 2 3 4 5 4. I feel sorry for those less fortunate in

society. 1 2 3 4 5 5. Social issues will have an impact on my

life eventually. 1 2 3 4 5 6. I find social issues interesting. 1 2 3 4 5

(your own reasons)

7.

8.

Looking at all your answers above, do you think you care much about social issues? Why (not)?

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Defining Social Issues

Learning Activity 1

Study the following news headlines*. What do the highlighted parts mean to you?

Survival Guide to Global Warming

Wealth Gap Widens Cyber-bullying Spreads Riding the Wave of Consumerism

(a) Write down what you think the highlighted words mean.

Global warming: _____________________________________________________

Wealth gap: ________________________________________________________

Cyber-bullying: ______________________________________________________

Consumerism: ______________________________________________________

(b) Compare your answers with your partner. Are there any differences in the way you explain the highlighted words?

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

Everybody may understand the same phrase in their own way. As a writer or presenter, it is therefore important that you set a common ground for discussion by providing a definition beforehand.

When we brainstorm for ideas to use in a definition, it would be helpful to ask ourselves questions using the different Wh- words. Four common Wh- words that are particularly useful are included in the table below.

What What have you seen or heard that makes you realise the issue exists? E.g.

have there been incidents in the news that reflect the issue? What observation have you made of the phenomenon* in our society?

Who Who are involved? Who are the victims*? Who are the people who cause the

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Learning Activity 2

The following texts define some social issues. In pairs, identify the parts that answer the questions of what, who, where and when.

(a) Study the example below and answer the questions that follow:

Consumerism

Today, we live in a society driven by consumption, very often unnecessary consumption.

(What?) Consumerism is the term used to describe a way of life where people shop unnecessarily to pursue happiness. In fact, the advertisements that promote material pleasure can be seen everywhere to give us the sense that we actually have the need to buy the products they advertise. As a result, people work long hours, create waste, pollute the environment and worse of all, feel stressed and unhappy. (Where?) In a consumer society like Hong Kong, (Who?) almost everybody is affected. (When?) In the past, rural areas and developing countries used to be less ‘buying-driven’. However, under the current wave of globalisation, consumerism is hitting more and more societies, leaving very few places unaffected today.

(b) Which question word does the underlined part answer? Put your answer in the given space.

Obesity

Obesity is a growing public health problem ( ?) in all developed countries, where lifestyle is often marked by a high-calorie diet and insufficient exercise.

( ?) A person is defined to be obese most commonly by their body mass index (BMI), which is a simple calculation of the person’s weight in proportion to their height. (BMI = kg/m2) According to Professor Woo Kam-sang, Professor of the Department of Medicine and Therapeutics of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, ( ?) the population classified as overweight in Hong Kong increased from 25% to 40% ( ?) in the period 1989 to 1998, the obesity prevalence (according to more conservative criteria) increased from 3.5% to 9%, and this figure keeps on increasing.

(c) With your partner, identify the parts in the following passage which are about what, who, where and when.

Poverty

Poverty generally refers to the condition when a person does not have the money to sustain their basic human needs like food, shelter, clothing and safe drinking water.

Poverty is also characterised by the lack of access to education, information and health care. Unlike what many think, the issue of poverty is not confined* to developing countries. Even in developed parts of the world, a fraction of the population often lives in poverty. In today’s global village, with a widening gap between the wealthy and the poor, this fraction is expanding at an increasing speed. In Hong Kong, for example, from 1996 to 2006, the number of people under the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Scheme drastically* increased from 223,384 to 521,611.

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Learning Activity 3

What words or phrases can be used to provide definitions? A sentence in the ‘Consumerism’

passage in the previous learning activity is reprinted below. The words and phrases that are used to provide definitions are highlighted.

Consumerism is the term used to describe a way of life where people shop unnecessarily to pursue happiness.

(a) Read the following sentences and underline the words / phrases that are used to provide definitions.

1. Bullying is defined as threatening or hurting someone who is usually less strong or powerful than you.

2. Privacy refers to someone’s right to keep his / her personal matters secret.

(b) Identify the words or phrases used in the other two passages, ‘Obesity’ and ‘Poverty’, in Learning Activity 2 to provide definitions. Underline them in the passages.

(c) Some of the expressions below are often used in definitions. In pairs, circle the ones you think are useful for defining social issues.

recommends means a condition

is characterised by results in is known as

a request differs from is also called

advantages summarise a phenomenon

(d) Choose two of the expressions that you have circled above and write definitions for any two social issues. You may use a dictionary to help you.

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Learning Activity 4

Now you need to practise defining social issues. Your teacher will give you some information about certain social issues.

Choose one of the information sheets and write a definition for the social issue in the space below. The phrases / language in the table will help you to complete your paragraph.

Information Sheet A

…there has been… This phenomenon is…

…such as…and…

…is also a serious problem…

Product counterfeiting is defined as the…

Information Sheet B

…the…but… As a result…

For example… Food safety refers to the…and…

…have been…

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

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Analysing the Causes and Impact

Learning Activity 1

(a) According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, more than 25,000 people died of starvation every day in 2003. What do you think are the causes of starvation or hunger in the world? What impact do you think hunger has in the affected regions? Put your answers in the space below.

(b) Decide which of the following statements about hunger you agree with (A) and which you disagree with (D), and write ‘A’ or ‘D’ in the blanks given.

1. Hunger is a serious problem in the world. ____

2. Hunger is the result of the lack of food in the world. ____

3. Human activities are the root of hunger. ____

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(c) Read the article below. Then work in pairs and answer the questions that follow.

HUNGER

With today’s high technology in food production, it is a surprise to many people that ending hunger is still one of the major tasks for the United Nations and many other non- government organisations. The word ‘hunger’, when used in our daily lives, simply refers to our desire for food; however, to 854 million people (Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations, 2006), hunger is something that could lead to death.

Hunger is not an isolated problem. It is often the consequence of a combination of many other issues in our society.

The root of hunger is not that we do not have enough food in today’s world, but that we do not distribute it evenly enough. According to the FAO (2000), while the richest 20% of the world population consume as much as half of the meat and seafood in the world, the poorest 20% consume only 5% of such protein-rich food. In other words, hunger arises from uneven food distribution among different income groups.

Tragedies like natural disasters and wars are also common reasons that bring about hunger on a large scale. Floods, droughts and typhoons are natural disasters that often lead to a large reduction in food production. When a country is in war for a long period, farmland is also often destroyed, consequently resulting in hunger.

Environmental pollution is another important contributing factor to the decrease in food production and hence hunger. If industrial development is not well controlled, the waste created can pollute farmland and rivers. In some cases, this brings about soil erosion and desertification. A likely effect of the loss of farmland is that prices of food are driven so high that most people are unable to get enough food.

What are the effects of hunger that lasts a long period of time?

Food provides our body with nutrients, which are necessary for growth and health. A lack of nutrients, which is sometimes known as malnutrition, naturally results in illnesses and sometimes even death. ‘Feeding Minds, Fighting Hunger’ (2006) points out that

‘malnutrition in the form of deficiencies of essential vitamins and minerals continues to cause severe illness or death in millions of people worldwide.’

Children’s mental development can also be severely affected. The intelligence of hungry children is generally lower. These children’s ability to learn is limited, and as a result, schools’ drop-out rates are high in countries with serious hunger problems. This often leads to high illiteracy rates, making it even more difficult for these countries to develop.

It is obvious that when people do not have enough food, they lack the energy to take part in economic activities. When people get sick because of malnutrition, they are unable to work. In short, a lack of food contributes to lower productivity, and economic loss is an unavoidable result.

As seen from the above, hunger is seriously damaging to the affected people and countries. As individuals, we can of course reduce food wastage by ordering only what we can eat. But more importantly, increased international efforts in providing financial aid and technological assistance are needed to put an end to hunger.

△ ‘Feeding Minds, Fighting Hunger’ is a global education initiative that encourages people to help build a world free from hunger and malnutrition. See http://www.feedingminds.org for more information.

1. Why is it a surprise to many people that hunger is still a big problem in the world?

(a) hunger only means desire for food

(b) there is high technology in food production (c) the United Nations has many tasks

(d) hunger is not an isolated problem

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2. According to the FAO, how much of the world’s protein-rich food do the richest 20%

of the population eat?

(a) 5%

(b) 20%

(c) 50%

(d) 80%

3. Which of the following is not mentioned in the article as a cause for the reduction of food production?

(a) floods (b) droughts (c) wars (d) technology 4. What is malnutrition?

(a) hunger (b) overweight (c) underweight (d) lack of nutrients

5. According to the article, which of the following does NOT help to solve the problem of hunger?

(a) increase overall world food production (b) reduce food wastage

(c) provide financial aid to countries affected by hunger (d) provide technology to countries affected by hunger

(d) In pairs, highlight where in the article the causes and impact of hunger are described.

Then, complete the table below.

Causes of Hunger Impact of Hunger

e.g. Uneven distribution of food e.g. Malnutrition

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Learning Activity 2

The use of a graphic organiser allows you to present your ideas more clearly and see whether the ideas are logically related. The causes and the effects of an issue can be organised in the form of the two graphic organisers below.

(a) Read the article on hunger again. In your group, use a fishbone diagram and a spider map to present the causes and the effects of hunger in the space below.

Fishbone diagram Fishbone Diagram (Causes of Internet Addiction)

small space need distance from families or others

can use the Internet to establish identities

wish to escape problems

Internet addiction cheap

convenient

Spider Map

(Effects of Internet Addiction)

depression low self- confidence poor job

performance lose job

Internet addiction

poor relationship with friends poor

relationship with family

conflicts

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(b) In the same group, choose a social issue that interests you. Brainstorm the causes and the effects of that issue. Use either a fishbone diagram or spider map to organise your ideas in the space below. However, in the diagram, do not name the issue. After you finish, show your work to another group and ask them to guess which issue you are referring to.

Spider map

Fishbone diagram / Spider map

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Learning Activity 3

What words or phrases can be used to describe causes and effects? Below are sentences about consumerism. The words and phrases that are used to describe causes and effects are highlighted.

One consequence of consumerism is over-production.

There is a causal relationship between consumerism and people’s need for recognition.

(a) Read the following sentences and underline the words / phrases that are used to describe causes and effects.

1. Due to jealousy, some teenagers may bully their peers.

2. The increasing respect for privacy has led to a review of the existing legislation*.

(b) Study the article on hunger again and underline all the words and phrases used to describe causes and effects.

(c) Which of the following expressions are used to describe causes and which of them describe effects? Write C (causes) and E (effects) next to the expressions. The first one has been done for you as an example.

e.g. Since … C

a. … due to … b. … give rise to …

c. One of the main causes is … d. A serious effect of … is … e. … is a contributing factor to … f. … lead to …

g. … owing to … h. … bring about …

i. The reason why… is that … j. … because …

k. … result in … l. As a result, …

(d) Some words and phrases to describe causes and effects are left blank in the paragraph below. In pairs, complete the paragraph with appropriate expressions.

e.g. Since human beings are social by nature, we all feel the need to establish relationships with others. Good relationships with family and friends (1) ________________ a sense of security. Sometimes, we may follow others and do things we would not usually do (2) __________________ our wish to be accepted.

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(4)___________________, they feel a particularly strong need to conform to the group they socialise with. In other words, their behaviour and minds are often influenced by peer pressure. This (5) ___________________ most teenagers dress in the same way, listen to the same type of music, use the same language, and worse, sometimes do the same bad deeds. In other words, peer pressure (6) ______________________

teenage crime.

Learning Activity 4

Work in the same group as you did for Learning Activity 2. Write a short text that presents the causes of the social issue you used in Learning Activity 2(b). You should use some of the expressions you learnt in Learning Activity 3.

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

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Learning Activity 5

Your teacher will regroup you. You need to orally present the effects of the social issue you used in Learning Activity 2 to your classmates in the new group.

Here are some tips about presentation for you to consider:

1. You should put down only key words, not complete sentences in your notes. When you present, you should not read a prepared text aloud.

2. Use some signposts like ‘first’, ‘second’, ‘to conclude’, etc. to help your audience to follow your points.

3. Maintain eye contact with your audience.

4. Pay attention to the quality of your voice, e.g. volume, speed and clarity.

5. Relax and look confident.

Use the space below to prepare your presentation.

Your teacher will give you some peer evaluation forms. While others in your new group are

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Suggesting Solutions

Learning Activity 1

The repeated news of family tragedies that involve verbal and physical abuse*, and even murder of spouses and children, has raised grave concerns among the public.

(a) From the information you have collected from the mass media, what types of family tragedies are there? In groups, complete the table below.

Description of the incident

(When? Where? Who? What?) Type of family tragedy

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(b) In pairs, brainstorm solutions that will prevent family violence from happening. Make notes in the space below.

(c) Now, brainstorm solutions that will reduce the impact family violence has on the victims.

Make notes in the space below.

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Learning Activity 2

Sometimes the solutions we suggest may not work in reality. ‘Unrealistic’ is a word that can be used to describe such suggestions. Below are a few examples of reasons why solutions are not realistic:

• too much money will be required

• there is not enough manpower to carry out the solution

• the public will oppose it

• the technologies involved are not currently available

• the cooperation of another government will be involved, which may not always be available

(a) Look at the suggestions below and explain in what way they are unrealistic:

e.g. To reduce school violence, the government should send a team of at least ten police officers to each school to patrol the campus during school hours.

ÆIt is unrealistic because the cost involved is too high.

1. One way to deal with the problem of global warming is to make it illegal for people to drive their own cars.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

2. To improve the air quality in Hong Kong, factories in Shenzhen should filter the gas to remove all pollutants before emission.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

3. I suggest that the importing of high-fat snacks be banned completely to stop people from getting obese.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

From the above, we can see that when we evaluate a solution, we should consider not only how effective it would be, but also any limitations that would stop it from

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(b) Study the solutions you have suggested in Learning Activity 1. Are they realistic? Discuss in your group and make notes in the space below.

(c) Discuss with your partner and rank the solutions according to how likely they are going to be effective. (1= very effective; 5= very ineffective)

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Learning Activity 3

What words or phrases can be used to suggest solutions? Read the following sentence in which the words / phrases for suggesting a solution to air pollution are highlighted.

To help resolve air pollution, we need to conserve energy.

(a) Read the following sentences and underline the words / phrases that are used to suggest a solution to the problem.

1. I would recommend planting more trees as they will help to produce more fresh air.

2. I propose that the government limit the number of cars on the roads.

(b) Look at the three suggestions given in Learning Activity 2(a) and identify the words or phrases used to suggest solutions. Write them in the space below.

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

(c) The expressions below are often used for suggesting solutions. Some of the letters are, however, missing. Work out what the expressions are and put them on the right.

1. to s_lv_

2. to i_pr_v_

3. to ad_ _ _ss 4. it is a_vis_b_e that 5. to _eal with 6. I s_g_es_ that

7. one way to p_eve_t this from wo_s_ning

8. to c_m_ _t

(d) Use two of the above expressions and suggest solutions for any two social issues that you have come across.

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Learning Activity 4

Your teacher will give you different roles to play in a consultation forum about family violence.

Based on the information on the role card, you will need to:

(a) convince the other speakers that the solution you suggest is the most effective (b) give specific details as to how the solution you suggest should be carried out

Before the forum begins, you will sit with people who share similar opinions with you. The discussion will help you to prepare for the forum. Use the space below to make notes.

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Examining an Issue from Various Perspectives

Learning Activity 1

Many social issues are controversial. In other words, different individuals and / or groups have different opinions about the same issue which often results in a heated debate. What opinions people hold are very often shaped by the context (e.g. their background, values) in which they view the issue. This is also known as ‘point of view’ or ‘perspective*’. When someone looks at an issue from a human perspective, they tend to consider human welfare*

to be a more important factor when they form their opinions. On the other hand, someone looking at issues from a business perspective places more emphasis on money and financial interests.

(a) Read the article given by your teacher or the one you have collected. Answer the questions below.

1. What is the social issue presented?

_____________________________________________________________

2. Who (individuals and / or groups) are involved in this social issue?

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

3. How are the individuals and / or groups involved?

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

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Learning Activity 2

(a) In groups, examine the social issue of extensive use of plastic bags from various perspectives. Complete the matching exercise below.

Excessive use of plastic bags

• We can tax the use of plastic bags. On the other hand, we fear that this will increase the cost of businesses and the cost of living for the public.

The government • • We produce plastic bags. We can use biodegradable materials, but this will inevitably increase the price per bag.

• We must do something to reduce the use of plastic bags. Otherwise, we need to build new landfills soon.

The cost will be paid by us eventually.

Consumers •

• We distribute plastic bags for free upon purchase. We can charge customers for the plastic bags, but this will reduce our competitiveness.

• Our biggest concern is taking our customers’ wishes into account.

Retailers •

• We need cheap, convenient and durable containers for our purchases.

• We are concerned about the impact on the environment.

Plastic bag producers • • Plastic bags, which are not biodegradable, not only take up a substantial part of our landfills, but they are also a non-renewable resource.

• You can’t expect us to use a paper bag to carry a fish around.

Environmentalists • • Paper bags are no alternative to plastic bags. Paper is not durable and water-resistant. Besides, the energy demand in producing and transporting paper bags is much higher.

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(b) In your group, examine the two social issues listed in the tables and complete the boxes.

You can use the table in (a) as reference. For each issue:

(1) discuss who are involved

(2) how they are involved and what they might say

1. Slimming culture

e.g. We can regulate the advertisements of slimming products. We can also educate the public. The medical cost of treating severely underweight people is our responsibility.

The government

e.g. If we don’t do something about the slimming culture, the health care costs will have to be paid by us.

People who use slimming products

Nutritionists

Fashion models

Producers of slimming products

Advertisers who advertise slimming products

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2. Teenage pregnancy

e.g. We are curious about sex. We have a more casual and open attitude towards sex. However, many of us have little knowledge about safe sex.

e.g. Teenagers

e.g. If the girl accidentally gets pregnant, she can get an abortion in Shenzhen.

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Learning Activity 3

Your teacher will give you some information about a case of euthanasia (i.e. mercy killing) on a situation sheet and a role card. Study the information given on the situation sheet carefully and the instructions on the role card. You will need to express your views towards the court’s decision in this case according to your given role.

(a) First, you will sit with people who play the same role and discuss your views towards the case. In your discussion, you might wish to consider the following:

• Where did Doctor Kind put the pill? Why?

• Did Mary Poor die because of what Doctor Kind did?

• Was Mary Poor’s wish to die clear enough?

• Did Mary Poor have the right to end her life like any other normal person? Is the right to die a human right that Mary should not be prevented from having?

• What are the responsibilities of a doctor?

Use the space here to make notes during your discussion.

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(b) You will now need to write your opinions towards the court’s decision (Doctor Kind NOT guilty) according to your given role on an online discussion board. You can use the space below to prepare for your writing.

(c) Euthanasia is now illegal in Hong Kong. Now, you will express your own opinions towards legalising euthanasia. Follow your teacher’s instructions in this learning activity.

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P P a a r r t t 2 2

R R e e s s e e a a r r c c h h i i n n g g a a n n d d G G a a t t h h e e r r i i n n g g

I I n n f f o o r r m m a a ti t io o n n on o n S S o o ci c ia a l l Is I ss su ue es s

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Conducting Observations and Interviews

Learning Activity 1

How is information usually collected when examining a social issue? Apart from websites and books, which students heavily rely on during research*, what other ways can be used to gather information about a social issue?

(a) In pairs, brainstorm as many ways of gathering information about a social issue as possible.

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

(b) Which of the ways above allow you to get first-hand information and opinions directly (i.e.

primary sources)? Which involve more analysis, generalisation and organised discussion (i.e. secondary sources)?

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

(c) Below are some statements that describe either primary research (P) or secondary research (S). Read the statements and determine which of the two they are about. The first one has been done for you as an example.

e.g. The information may not be reliable. ( S )

1. The information is readily available and usually well organised. ( )

2. The subjects’ voice can be heard directly. ( )

3. Information and opinions may be distorted* in the process of interpretation. ( ) 4. It is less time-consuming to collect the information. ( ) 5. The amount of information is not affected by the response rate. ( ) 6. Biases* and inaccuracies can be checked and avoided. ( )

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(d) Some common sources of information and opinions in research are listed in the table below. Match the descriptions on the right with the sources on the left.

1. Observation (A) The use of a questionnaire to collect information and opinions from a number of respondents

2. Encyclopaedia (B) A video produced to report on and record reality 3. Textbook (C) An attempt to attentively watch, sometimes measure,

and record a phenomenon

4. Survey (D) A series of books that contain information about all branches of knowledge

5. Newspaper (E) A collection of web pages on the Internet to give information to users

6. Documentary (F) A conversation, face-to-face or on the phone, where questions are asked by the interviewer to obtain information from the interviewee

7. Interview (G) A book for educational purposes

8. Website (H) A publication on low-cost paper that contains news, information, feature articles (e.g. book reviews), editorial opinions and a sports column

1. ______ 2. _______ 3. _______ 4. _______

5. ______ 6. _______ 7. _______ 8. _______

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Learning Activity 2

Watch excerpts of a documentary assigned by your teacher. In pairs, answer the questions below.

(a) What was the subject of the documentary?

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

(b) What was the researcher trying to observe specifically?

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

(c) Where and when did the researcher conduct the observation?

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

(d) Did the researcher interact with the participants? What difference would it make if he / she did or did not?

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

(e) How did the researcher record his / her observation?

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

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Learning Activity 3

Here are some guidelines for you when you are conducting an observation:

z Be very clear and specific about what you are trying to observe Compare the following:

Student A says, ‘I am trying to observe Hong Kong people’s reading habits.’

Student B says, ‘I am trying to observe the customers of newsstand and make notes on their number, approximate age and gender as well as what kinds of publications they buy.’

z Decide when and where you will conduct the observation carefully (e.g. There may be some differences in your observation results if you observe at the weekend and on weekdays.)

z Determine how you will record your observations (e.g. Will you be taking written notes?

Will you be recording your observations with a digital camera, video camera, or digital recorder?)

(a) In your group, decide on a social issue that can be investigated through observation.

_________________________________________________________________

(b) Decide specifically what you are going to observe.

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

(c) Conduct your observation after class and make notes on the next page. When you complete your observation, you need to report your findings to another group.

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Observation Notes

Research topic: ____________________________________________

Place of observation: ________________________________________

Time of observation: ________________________________________

Items to observe:

e.g. number of customers at a newsstand in three hours

1. _______________________________________________________________

2. _______________________________________________________________

3. _______________________________________________________________

4. _______________________________________________________________

5. _______________________________________________________________

Findings from observation:

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Learning Activity 4

Another way of collecting information about a social issue is to conduct interviews. Politeness is an important factor that affects the success of an interview. In pairs, answer the following questions.

(a) Which of the following should you do when you begin an interview? Circle the appropriate letters. There is more than one answer.

A. Introduce yourself

B. Give the list of questions to the interviewee

C. Explain the research findings that you have gathered so far to the interviewee in detail

D. Say how long you think the interview will last

E. Ask the interviewee politely for permission to interview him / her F. Approach the interviewee politely

G. Introduce the purpose of the interview H. Wait for people to approach you

I. Ask the interviewee for permission to record the interview

(b) Put the ones you have circled into the order you would follow in an interview.

(c) Which of the following can you say to carry out the procedure you have identified in (b)?

Circle the appropriate numbers. Put the corresponding letter next to the expression.

e.g. Would you mind if I ask you a few questions about…? (F) 1. My name is…

2. Answer my questions now.

3. It will take around … minutes.

4. Excuse me.

5. Hey, you.

6. I am working on a research project on … 7. I wonder if you could answer a few questions.

8. This is urgent. You must help me.

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Learning Activity 5

Sometimes, you may find the interviewee’s answers not very helpful at first. However, you can always ask follow-up questions to get more satisfactory answers. In pairs, answer the following questions.

(a) When should follow-up questions be asked?

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

(b) Can you prepare follow-up questions before the interview?

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

(c) Your teacher will play two interviews for you. Listen carefully and decide which one is better. Explain what makes it better and give examples to support your points.

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

Learning Activity 6

Now, listen to Interview Two in Learning Activity 5 again. In this interview, follow-up questions are asked to elicit better answers from the interviewee. While you are listening, complete the follow-up questions in the tape script below.

A: Hi.

B: Hi.

A: My name is Kira. I am collecting opinions on the conservation of historic buildings for a school project. Would you mind if I ask you a few questions?

B: No, not at all.

A: Thank you. So to begin, how would you define historic buildings?

B: Erm, any building that has been in existence for a long time.

A: I see. But when you say a long time, 1) _____________________________?

B: Erm, could be fifty, sixty years or more. But, I don’t think age of the building is the only thing. The key is whether the architectural style is very different from what we can see today.

A: 2) ________________________ the architectural value is even more important than how

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B: Yes.

A: So, can you think of any examples?

B: Well, let me see. The clock tower in Tsim Sha Tsui, you know the one next to the Star Ferry Pier, is a good example.

A: I see. 3) _______________________ any more examples?

B: Hmm…I don’t know if I would say the Queen’s Pier is historic. Many people think it is.

But, honestly, I don’t know.

A: Right. 4) ____________________________________ about the Queen’s Pier. Why is it difficult to decide whether it is a historic building?

B: Somehow I feel that these people’s claim that Hong Kong people have a collective memory of this place is an exaggeration. At least, I myself do not find this place particularly memorable.

A: I see. Then why do you think historic buildings should be conserved?

B: Of course they should be conserved. They are very important for people’s cultural identity and their pride of this place.

A: 5) ________________________________________?

B: Yeah, erm, I mean the historic buildings remind us of the past of this place — how our grandparents led their lives, what struggle our parents had to go through in their childhood before we have today’s achievement. This gives us a sense of pride, doesn’t it?

A: Yes. So, when conserving a historic building is in conflict with a development project, what do you think should be done?

B: Of course economic development should give way to conserving heritage. These old buildings are the footprints left behind by the older generations. I just can’t stand seeing these buildings being torn down. Even if the area must be re-developed, I am sure there are other ways.

A: 6) __________________________?

B: Renovation for example.

A: Right. Okay, that’s all. Thank you very much for your time.

B: My pleasure.

Learning Activity 7

Your teacher will give each pair of students a set of role cards. With your partner, role-play an interview based on the cards provided.

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Conducting and Reporting on a Questionnaire Survey

Learning Activity 1

Besides interview and observation, a questionnaire survey is another common means of collecting primary sources of information. A questionnaire is a set of questions designed to collect information from a group of people on a certain topic. In pairs, study the case below and answer the questions that follow.

(a) Should Mary conduct an interview or a questionnaire survey to collect such information?

You can consider (1) the number of people involved and (2) the interaction between the researcher and the respondent.

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

(b) Mary does not have much time, but she needs a rather big sample size. Can you think of some different ways how Mary can conduct the questionnaire survey?

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

(c) Who do you think Mary should survey? Explain your answer.

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

Mary is doing a research project on teen pregnancies. She has collected some information from textbooks, government publications and websites of various organisations. Now, she wants to have a more in-depth investigation of teenagers’ general attitude towards sex.

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Learning Activity 2

The form of questions that you ask can often affect the response you get.

A closed-ended question is one that can be answered by a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’, or by a specific piece of information (e.g. ‘Are you married?’ or ‘What is your occupation?’). An open-ended question is one which allows the respondent the freedom to give an answer which he / she considers appropriate (e.g. ‘What do you think about your school?’).

(a) When should open-ended questions be used and when should closed-ended questions be used?

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

(b) You will receive some question cards from your teacher. In pairs, put the closed-ended questions into one group and the open-ended questions into another.

(c) Below are some questions used in a survey. Follow the instructions in brackets and rewrite them.

1. What is your opinion of people buying counterfeit products? (Change this question to a closed-ended question beginning with ‘Is it wrong...’)

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

2. Have you bought any counterfeit products before? (Change this question to an open- ended question beginning with ‘What counterfeit products…’)

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

3. Do you think making the purchase of counterfeit products illegal is an effective solution to piracy? (Change this question to an open-ended question beginning with

‘What do you think…’)

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

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(d) The following describes some common types of questions used in questionnaires. Match them with the question cards your teacher gave you.

1. An incomplete sentence for the respondent to complete

2. A scale (e.g. from 1 to 5) which allows the respondent to rate something

3. A question that the respondent can answer in an almost unlimited number of ways 4. A question offering three or more answer choices

5. A scale (e.g. from 1 to 5) which allows the respondent to show to what extent they agree or disagree with a given statement

6. Words are presented, one at a time, and respondents mention the first word that comes to mind

Learning Activity 3

Your classmate is researching the issue of school bullying. Below is a questionnaire created by him / her. There are a number of problems in the questionnaire. In pairs, find out the problems and suggest ways to help him / her to improve.

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

Name: Phone number:

HKID No.: Date of birth:

__________________________________________________________

1. Have you ever been bullied and did you report it to your teacher?

A lot: ________ Many times: ________ Never: _________

2. Many people believe the school and teachers are partly responsible for school bullying. Don’t you agree?

Strongly agree _____

Agree _____

Neither agree nor disagree _____

Disagree _____

Strongly disagree _____

3. How often do you see or hear about students being bullied?

Always _____

Occasionally _____

Seldom _____

Never _____

4. What do you think of school prefects?

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Learning Activity 4

In groups, work on the following:

(a) Decide on an area in your research topic that can be investigated by using a questionnaire survey.

(b) Design a simple questionnaire.

(c) Swap your questionnaire with another group. Use the evaluation form on the next page to give feedback to each other.

(d) Conduct the survey with at least eight students.

Use the space below to write your questionnaire.

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Learning Activity 5

After conducting the survey, you should report on your findings. Below is a short checklist of what you should include in the report on a survey and the possible order you write the report in.

1. Introduction 2. Methodology 3. Results

4. Analysis of results 5. Conclusion

(a) Which part of the survey report should include the following? Write the number used above to indicate.

_2_ e.g. details of when and where the survey was conducted ___ A. summary of the key findings and the implications ___ B. written presentation of the survey responses

___ C. background information (e.g. nature of the social issue) ___ D. details of who were selected and how they were selected ___ E. interpretation of the results

___ F. graphic presentation of the survey responses ___ G. purpose of the survey

___ H. recommendation for further action

___ I. details of the methods used for data collection and analysis

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(b) Read the survey report below carefully and see if you can find the elements listed in (a).

Write the elements you can identify in the boxes provided.

Report on School Bullying Survey 2008

I. Introduction

School bullying is clearly not a new issue, but with more and more videos of school children beating up their classmates uploaded to video-sharing websites, this issue is drawing increasing media attention in recent years. As part of our research project on the issue of school bullying, a survey was carried out on campus in April 2008 with the aims:

• to investigate the prevalence of school bullying

• to understand teenagers’ attitudes towards school bullying

II. Methodology

In early April, a survey questionnaire was sent by email to one class of students randomly selected from each level (Secondary One to Secondary Seven), a total of 273 students. During the two-week survey period, 118 valid questionnaires were collected from respondents aged 11 – 19, including 49 females (41.5%) and 69 males (58.5%).

III. Survey Results

1. Prevalence of school bullying

Survey results suggested that bullying is very common at school. The majority of the respondents (89%) had witnessed bullying incidents on campus (73% had witnessed verbal bullying, 68% had witnessed physical assault, 55% had witnessed bullying through extortion).

2. Reactions to bullying incidents

Out of the 89% who had witnessed bullying on campus, 63% left the scene immediately, 33% tried to stop the bullying by themselves, and only 21% went to seek help from prefects and / or teachers. It was also found that 18% stayed to watch the bullying.

3. Attitudes to bullying

97% of the respondents agreed that ‘it would be better not to have any bullying at school.’

When asked about their attitude towards the bullies, most (82%) of the respondents ‘feared becoming the next target’, 55% ‘felt angry’, 29% ‘were frustrated’, and 5% ‘admired the bullies’.

As for their attitudes towards the victims, ‘sympathy’ dominated the

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IV. Analysis of Survey Results

From the data collected from the survey, it was found that bullying is a very serious problem on campus.

One significant finding was that there was a sharp contrast between students’ reactions and their attitudes to bullying. While most students had rather strong negative feelings (anger, frustration, fear) about the bullying incidents, not many of them actually took action to stop bullying from spreading. Judging from their responses, one could suggest that their inaction was not the result of indifference. It was either students’ fear of becoming the next target that silenced them, or it was their lack of trust in the school to handle the problem that made them do nothing.

Another result that is worth highlighting is that the great majority of students wished to study in a bullying-free campus. A conclusion one could draw is that, when protected and encouraged, most students would probably be willing to take action to stop bullying.

V. Conclusion

Bullying is a pressing issue. Unfortunately, many students interviewed preferred to ‘stay out of the problem’. The good news is that most students did not approve of the bullying behaviour and they agreed that it would be better if no one were bullied. To effectively stop campus bullying, not only that the school must maintain strict confidentiality of the reporters’ identity, but this should also be made known to students. If taken seriously, it is foreseeable that the number of reports will increase. Together with appropriate punishment and education, this will certainly help to reduce tragedies at school.

(c) Using the results of the survey you did in Learning Activity 4, write a report on the survey on the next page.

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