NET working

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NET ^working

Social Issues in the

English Classroom

NET

working:Social Issues in the Classroom

Updated May 2012

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Contents

Resource CD Contents Preface

Rationale

Acknowledgements

Raising Awareness of Social Issues Michael Lloyd

Discussing Social Issues Online David Johncock

Integrating Social Issues Mary Thorpe

Introduction

Brainstorming: What are Social Issues?

Supporting Student Learning

Film Review

Making Predictions with News Headlines Vocabulary Building

Pronunciation Practice

Defining a Social Issue

Graphic Organisers for Making Notes

Collaborative Writing Writing a Film Review

Section 1

Social Issues in Schools

Section 2

Exploring Social Issues through Print Media

i-v vi vii

Section 3

Exploring Social Issues through Student-created Clipit Films

News Broadcast Script

Reading Comprehension

Writing a News Broadcast Script Engaging with the Text

Consolidating Learning

51 49

54 46 25 28 26

29

30

33 35 34

36

43 37

61 58

63 56 Scaffolding Strategies

Engaging with the Text

Consolidating Learning Text B

Text C and Text D

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31

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Unit Plan

Sample Survey

Sample Written Presentation Assessment Rubric Sample Oral Presentation Assessment Criteria

Introduction

What is Forum Theatre Unit Outline

Forum Theatre Lesson Plan Catering for Learner Diversity Theme 1: Teenage Life

Theme 2: The Wealth Gap Theme 3: Pollution

Theme 4: Work-life Balance Theme 5: Crime

Useful Websites and More

Section 5

Responding to

Social Issues through Forum Theatre

Section 6

Resources for the Social Issues Elective Module

Section 4

Reporting on Social Issues with Information Technology

PDF document PowerPoint

e-file

Sound file

Film Clip

72 68 66

70 69

80 74

85 83

90 88

94 73

Forum Theatre Scripts

76 77

PPT PDF

Key

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Resource CD Contents

Section 2

Exploring Social Issues through Print Media

Brainstorming Activity Activities 1-4

Printable Worksheets Pronunciation PowerPoint

Unedited Clips from Clipit 2008 Printable Text

Clipit Films and Resources Text A: Global Issue

Text B: National Issue Answer Keys

Role Play Situation and Role Cards Assessment Feedback Form

Texts C & D: Local Issue

Graphic Organisers

Theme 2: The Wealth Gap Theme 1: Teenage Life

Theme 3: Pollution

Theme 4: Work-life Balance Printable Worksheets

Pronunciation PowerPoint Printable Text

Answer Keys

Printable Worksheets Pronunciation PowerPoint Printable Texts

Answer Keys

Section 3

Exploring Social Issues through Clipit Films Section 1

Social Issues in Schools

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Section 5

Responding to Social Issues through Forum Theatre

Printable Forms Group Survey Assessment Rubric Assessment Criteria

Theme 2: The Wealth Gap Theme 1: Teenage Life

Theme 3: Pollution

Theme 4: Work-life Balance Theme 5: Crime

Section 4

Reporting on Social Issues with Information Technology

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The English Language Curriculum and Assessment Guide (Secondary 4 – 6) states that in the Learning English through Social Issues module ‘learners will be provided with opportunities to develop and consolidate their language skills through exploring and researching social issues that they are interested in.’ (p. 44).

The Curriculum and Assessment Guide also states that the content for this module comprises of three parts, where:

Preface

Part 1 introduces the notion of social issues and provides the learners with opportunities to consider various social issues and their effects on individuals, societies and the world.

Part 2 introduces the idea that social issues can be viewed from multiple perspectives. Learners learn how to follow arguments, research social issues and develop strategies for evaluating information from different sources. They also learn how to cite and acknowledge the sources they use.

Part 3 enables learners to define, examine, analyse and research social issues of personal interest and to present their findings orally and in writing.

The suggested time allocation for each of these parts is:

Part 1 22 x 40 minute periods 14.5 hours Part 2 16 x 40 minute periods 10.5 hours Part 3 12 x 40 minute periods 8 hours

TOTAL 33 hours

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Rationale

NETworking: Social Issues in the English Classroom provides teaching ideas and resources that are designed to support local English teachers and NETs in Hong Kong responsible for teaching the Learning English through Social Issues elective module in the Three-year Senior English Language Secondary Curriculum.

In the lessons and materials presented here, efforts have been made to include traditional text, audio-visual components and other forms of Information Technology. From functions that are readily available in word processing and audio-visual software to resources available online, Information Technology can be used as an effective and motivating tool for broadening the perspectives of students in exploring social issues that are relevant to their lives.

The use of drama combined with discussion is also featured. The activities in Forum Theatre are designed to provide students with a non-threatening way to discuss potentially sensitive issues in the English language. The activities are also meant to be motivating, engaging and fun.

Although this publication is designed to support the teaching of the Social Issues elective module, it is hoped that teachers will also find parts of the publication useful for integrating into the school- based English Language curriculum or for incorporating into co-curricular English programmes to enhance students’ language skills and raise their awareness of relevant social issues.

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The NET Section would like to thank Mr Sycip Chui Wing Wai, Vice Principal, St. Louis School, for providing information about the weekly morning news broadcast in English at his school, which aims at raising student awareness of current local social issues.

The NET Section would also like to thank the teachers and students from the following schools for providing the valuable student-created films on social issues used in this resource package:

Belilios Public School

Cheung Chuk Shan Secondary School ELCHK Lutheran Secondary School

Hong Kong True Light College La Salle College

Sacred Heart Canossian College Stewards Pooi Tun Secondary School

St. Teresa’s Secondary School St. Rose of Lima’s College

Tsuen Kwan O Government Secondary School Tsuen Wan Government Secondary School

Finally, the NET Section would like to thank Ms Christina Chan, English Panel Chair, and her students at Hong Kong & Macau Lutheran Church Queen Maud Secondary School, for reading and recording the scripts for the Forum Theatre audio recordings.

Duplication of any of the pages of this publication is restricted to non-profit making, educational purposes only. Otherwise, no part of this publication may be produced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior permission from the NET Section, CDI, EDB, Hong Kong SAR.

Production Team Stephen Cooley Tanya Kempston

John Ward Phillip Weber

David Wu Helen Ng (Layout)

Acknowledgements

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Social Issues in Schools

Section 1

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Raising Awareness of Social Issues

At St. Louis School, a weekly programme that involves news broadcasts provides students with opportunities to listen and respond to social issues. According to Mr Chui, Vice Principal, the programme was started by the History Department to raise student awareness about international news. Recently, the focus of the broadcast has been changed to local current events. The change was made to introduce topics that are more familiar to the students. Michael was recruited to finalise the news copy and read it on the air.

A Collaborative Process

Michael emphasised that the production of the broadcasts is a collaborative effort.

The process involves Michael

1. receiving a draft of a local current event written by a fellow teacher, such as a Liberal Studies teacher, along with a related topic;

2. providing feedback on the draft and suggestions for revision;

3. collaborating with the teacher on finalising the copy for the broadcast;

4. preparing a transcript of the broadcast and a list of key words and phrases for students; and

5. rehearsing and sharing the tasks of reading the news and modelling the pronunciation of the key words and phrases.

The News Broadcast Programme

Every Tuesday, students at St. Louis School are provided with a script of the news broadcast and a list of key words and phrases used in the broadcast. They listen to the broadcast read by Michael and one of his fellow teachers on a local current event.

Students then listen to Michael modelling the pronunciation of key words and phrases used in the broadcast. Students may also participate in discussions or other learning activities related to the broadcast that are facilitated by their Class Teachers.

M

ichael Lloyd teaches at St. Louis School on Hong Kong Island. Originally from England, he taught for 13 years in Japan where he also worked as a radio and television broadcaster before joining the NET Scheme in Hong Kong in 1998. When he arrived at the school, he found an opportunity to apply his previous experience in broadcasting.

Michael Lloyd

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Discussing Social Issues Online

D

avid Johncock is from Torbay in the southwest of England. He has been teaching in Hong Kong since 1996 and came to Marymount Secondary School in Happy Valley in 1998.

Setting Up an Online Learning Community

In September 2007, David set up an online community to create a space for his students to explore and discuss social issues in the novels they were reading. They collaborated on group projects and peer-edited assigned tasks.

After having explored a number of online forums, David decided on Wetpaint for the following reasons:

• It is easy to set up and administer, intuitive to use and simple to navigate.

• A range of privacy options allows control over who can join, view, contribute to and edit the site.

• It allows for a piece of work to be edited collaboratively by peers, thus eliminating the need for drafting and re-drafting on paper.

• The teacher can see how much and how often every student contributes to a document which is very difficult to do in conventional drafting on paper.

• Each member of the community has an individual profile which allows them to review their own editing and added content.

• Students can also personalise their profiles, which makes it fun for them.

Using Wetpaint to Explore Social Issues

David has used Wetpaint to explore social issues in the following English novels:

Title Author Issues

The Joy Luck Club Amy Tan immigration, the generation gap and recent Chinese history

Brave New World Aldous Huxley genetic engineering, cloning, values based on consumerism and the absence of families and religion

The Remains of the Day Kazuo Ishiguro effects of war on relationships

Frankenstein Mary Shelley relationship between science and the sanctity of life

Useful links: http://englishplace.wetpaint.com

David Johncock

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Text

Language development

Response and reflection

Supplementary activities/materials (competitions, performance,

readers, etc.)

Social issues

Personalized learning

Mary Thorpe

O

riginally from Australia, Mary Thorpe worked as a NET at St. Teresa Secondary School before joining her current school three years ago.

When asked about teaching English through social issues, Mary maintains that it fits into the English curriculum for two important reasons. First, the focus on social issues allows students to develop a strong sense of global citizenship and responsible living, which is part of her school’s mission. Second, she explains that social issues are familiar and realistic, making it easy for students to connect to learning.

Curriculum Integration

In Form 1, students at her school do not use a commercially published textbook.

Instead, they use materials that are developed by teachers. In Form 2 and 3, thematic units are designed to supplement the textbooks. In all of the teacher-prepared materials for junior form students, activities are built in to solicit a personal response using social issues or current events. The themes that students explore include ‘Healthy Planet’, ‘Family and Friendship’ and ‘Work and Socialisation’, which aptly connect to their lives.

The Learning Process

Students map out issues/problems, hypothesise solutions, discuss and plan courses of action, predict outcomes and write about them. Ultimately, they are guided to achieve understanding from a perspective that is both personal and meaningful.

Theme

Integrating Social Issues

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Activity 1:

Students are asked to examine their own living environment and identify aspects that they would improve.

Activity 2:

Students are asked to identify problems in their environment and to propose solutions

The following are examples of activities developed by Mary Thorpe in which social issues are used to connect students to learning. By comparing Mars with Earth, students are asked to propose ideas on making Mars a habitable planet for humans.

Name: ___________________________________ Class: _____ ( )

RNCT, NET Section, CDI, EDB Social Issues in Schools

You are one of those chosen to build a new world on Mars. What would you build on Mars?

In your group:

Task 1: Brainstorm ideas on what to build.

e.g. 

Task 2: Explain your ideas.

E.g. We would build  on Mars because 

 .

1. We would build on Mars because

.

Things on Mars

Activity 1

Name: ___________________________________ Class: _____ ( )

I. What 5 changes do you think would make Earth a better place to live in? Explain your ideas.

Change Reason

1 2

3

4

5

II. What problems do your ideas reflect? Rank them in order of importance.

Problem Most

Important

Least Important

Activity 2: Decision Making

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Activity 3:

Students survey the public to identify social concerns in the future. They are then asked to respond to these concerns.

Activity 4:

Students research information and

Name: ___________________________________ Class: _____ ( )

I. Survey

Ask 5 people of different ages, some young, some old, what they think will be the biggest problem in the future. Also ask them to explain their opinion.

Name Occupation Age Opinion

E.g. Chan Mei Mei mother 36 Poor health because the air pollution is getting worse in H.K.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

II. Analysis

Do you agree with the people you have interviewed? Do you disagree with anyone?

I agree with because _____

I disagree with because

Activity 3: Survey and Analysis

Name: ___________________________________ Class: _____ ( )

In your group, use the Internet to gather information on Earth and Mars. Compare the conditions and suggest solutions for overcoming the possible problems of building houses on Mars.

Mars Earth Solutions for overcoming possible problems of building houses on

Mars 1. 3^rd planet Different climate – hotter in the

middle, colder at the poles. To avoid sunburn, we need to

2. 365 days/year Longer seasons. To be prepare, we need to

3. Atmosphere

mainly contains: Atmosphere mainly contains:

v carbon v oxygen 4. Landscape:

v volcanoes v flat land v no trees

Landscape:

v v v 5. Weather:

v v v

Weather:

v rain v snow v wind

6. No life Start simple life forms like one-cell

organisms on Mars.

7. No plants Grow food by planting seeds such as

Where should people live? Where would you build houses? Why would you choose this location?

Activity 4: Research

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Exploring Social Issues through Print Media

Section 2

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Introduction

M

any English teachers in Hong Kong secondary schools use English language newspapers and magazines in their lessons. These sources of facts, information and popular opinion can help students build vocabulary, improve reading skills and learn meaningfully about current events and social issues.

When using a text from a newspaper or magazine to teach social issues, teachers should provide students with “scaffolding”. This means activating and building on prior knowledge of key concepts to facilitate reading comprehension. Teachers should also provide opportunities for students to study headlines and think about the topic before they read: What might the issue be about? What are its possible causes? What are the probable effects? What might the solutions be?

With enough scaffolding, students will be more successful in engaging with the text, in reading fluently and, eventually, in achieving comprehension. Once students have read and understood the text, teachers should then consolidate their learning with culminating tasks in which the students apply newly acquired knowledge and skills.

This might involve students discussing, writing about or reporting orally on how the issue relates to their lives.

The learning activities and teaching strategies presented in this section of the book are designed to model the process of scaffolding, students engaging with the text and consolidating learning with print media texts. Teachers are encouraged to adopt this process with social issue texts, or any text for that matter.

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Brainstorming Graphic

Organisers

PPT PDF

PDF PDF

Resource CD

In the accompanying Resource CD, all of the print media materials featured in this section are organised in folders as illustrated below:

Section 2

Text A Global Issue

Text B National Issue

Texts C & D Local Issue

4 x Folders 1 x Worksheet

1 x Answer Key

1 x Reading Text 5 x Worksheets 4 x Answer Keys

All of the reading texts, printable worksheets, answer keys, pronunciation PowerPoints and other materials can be found in these folders.

For example, in the Text A: Global Issues folder, you will find the following sub-folders and files:

4 x Folders 6 x Folders 6 x Graphic Organisers

1 x PowerPoint

Text A Global Issue

Exploring Social Issues through

Print Media

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Brainstorming: What are Social Issues?

To define a social issue, students should first consider the scope of its impact. There are various types:

Global Issues affect the entire world.

National or Regional Issues affect a particular country or region, e.g.

China or Hong Kong.

Local issues affect people in the community, the school or the workplace.

The worksheet below is designed to help students begin thinking about the variety of social issues that might have an impact on their lives.

•

Brainstorming

Name ___________________________________ Class ______ ( )

RNCT, NET Section, CDI, EDB Brainstorming: Worksheet

Brainstorming: What are Social Issues?

What are social issues? A social issue can be seen as any issue that has an impact on individuals in society. There are many types of social issues that affect people:

1. Global Issues: social issues that affect the entire world;

2. National Issues or Regional Issues: social issues that affect a particular country or region (e.g. China, Hong Kong); or

3. Local issues: social issues that affect people more locally in their communities, schools or places of work.

Work in pairs or small groups and brainstorm some examples of social issues that impact on people around the world.



       



      















Discuss: Which of these issues have the greatest impact on your life? Why?

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Supporting Student Learning

To support student learning, teachers should use scaffolding strategies, engage students with the text and consolidate their learning.

Before having students read a text, teachers should scaffold learning by providing students with opportunities to

predict the topic of a news article by studying the headline;

skim the first paragraph to derive a general definition of the issue;

compile a list of key words and phrases that relate to the issue;

scan the article to identify and define unfamiliar words;

practise pronouncing unfamiliar words;

brainstorm ideas on the causes of the issue;

brainstorm ideas on the effects of the identified causes; and

brainstorm ideas about possible solutions that will address the issue.

•

Engaging with the Text

Students will engage actively with a text by

reading it aloud independently or in small groups to improve fluency;

answering questions about the text to demonstrate comprehension; and

making notes on the content of the text, e.g. causes and effect or implemented solutions, using graphic organisers.

•

Consolidating Learning

Students should be provided with opportunities to discuss, analyse and evaluate the social issues about which they have learned through activities such as making presentations, conducting group discussions and participating in role-plays.

The texts of three different social issues are provided in this section.

Title of text Topic Type of issue Text type

Text A

“Gore’s mission: Planet Earth” global warming global issue film review Text B

“Unscrupulous practices milk public”

food safety in China:

tainted milk scandal

national/regional

issue news broadcast

Text C

“Snoozing students losing”

sleep deprivation among Hong Kong students

local issue letters to the editor

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Film Review

Here is a film review of Al Gore’s documentary An Inconvenient Truth which is about global warming.

However, human activities are tilting the balance. We are burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil and petrol, and this is releasing vast amounts of carbon dioxide and other harmful gases into the atmosphere.

At the same time, we are clearing forests for wood and for creating more farmland.

Plants and trees absorb carbon dioxide, but when we cut them down, the problem of global warming gets worse. As the amount of carbon dioxide increases, the atmosphere absorbs more heat and the Earth continues to get warmer.

The evidence that Mr Gore presents in his film is overwhelming and very convincing. The vast majority of scientists agree, claims Mr Gore, that global warming is not natural; rather, it is caused by human activities.

What are some of the devastating effects of global warming? According to the film, mountain glaciers are melting very quickly. What’s worse is that polar ice caps, as well as shelf ice in Greenland and Antarctica, are also melting at an unprec- edented rate. This will ultimately result in rising sea levels which will submerge low- lying coastal areas around the world.

Weather patterns have also become more unpredictable. For instance, the number of hurricanes, or typhoons, has nearly doubled over the last thirty years. At around the same time An Inconvenient Truth was being filmed, Hurricane Katrina struck the city of New Orleans, causing extensive damage from flooding. In many other parts of the world, heat waves, droughts and wildfires are also on the increase.

by Stephen Wu

F

ormer vice president of the United States, Al Gore, is on a mission. His destination? No, it is no longer the high- est political office in the United States it seems. He will leave that mission to other noble-minded men (or women). Mr Gore has set his sights on loftier goals. The aim of his mission now is Planet Earth.

In 2007, Al Gore shared the Nobel Peace Prize with the U.N.’s Intergovern- mental Panel on Climate Change as a result of the tireless work he has done to educate people all over the world about the dan- gers of global warming. The problem was poignantly portrayed in his Oscar-winning documentary film, An Inconvenient Truth.

What exactly does An Inconvenient Truth tell us about global warming? What is causing our planet to get hotter? How do we know? What are the consequences?

Is there anything that we can do to help?

These are some of the questions that Al Gore takes on in the film.

In An Inconvenient Truth, the concept of global warming is explained, first in scientific terms, and then in a format that even young children can appreciate: a Simpsons- like animation film about the unsuspecting

“Mr Sunbeam” who meets a menacing gang of greenhouse gases.

This cartoon is meant to illustrate the greenhouse effect. Like the green-tinted glass of a greenhouse that provides a warm environment for plants, greenhouse gases in the Earth’s atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide, trap the sun’s heat, which has a warming effect on the Earth. In itself, this

Gore’s Mission: Planet Earth

A Film Review of Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth

Text A

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The activities that follow on p. 14-18 are designed to demonstrate how teachers can use “scaffolding strategies” to support student learning when using print media to explore social issues.

The final message of the film is that the every individual must play a part for the sake of future generations. If we all make small changes to our daily routines today, this can add up to big differences in stop- ping global warming. We can choose the way we live, and our choices can make a difference – one way or the other.

If you have not seen An Inconve- nient Truth, you can begin by watch- ing this film. Check out the website www.climatecrisis.net for more ideas on saving the planet.

Mr Gore claims that “we already know everything we need to know to effectively address this problem.” But what can we do?

If a greater number of humans were able to use more efficient electrical appliances, drive smaller cars that get higher mileage, take mass transit more frequently, and invest in renewable sources of energy like solar and wind power for our energy needs, we could drastically reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, thus reducing global warming and slowing down its effects. “The solutions are in our hands,” says Mr Gore. “What we need is determination.”

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Scaffolding Strategies

Making predictions is an effective strategy to help students read purposefully. It helps students to connect what they already know about a topic to new information so that new learning or better understanding can be synthesised. Posing questions they want to have answered is a strategy that will motivate students to be inquisitive, investigative readers.

Text A:

Worksheet 1

Making Predictions with News Headlines

Name ___________________________________ Class ______ ( )

RNCT, NET Section, CDI, EDB Text A: Worksheet 1

Making Predictions with News Headlines

You are going to read a text from the media about an important global issue. Before you do, look at the headline below. Use a dictionary to help you understand the words that you do not know. Then answer the questions that follow.

1. What do you think this headline refers to? ______

a) The global response to China’s space programme b) The global response to the US presidential elections c) A film on global warming and climate change d) A World Trade Organization conference

2. The headline refers to a person named Gore. Who is Gore?

__________________________________________________________

3. What exactly do you think Gore’s “mission” is? _____________________

__________________________________________________________

Use the space below to make a mind map of this issue. Jot down all of the words and phrases that you can think of related to the issue. Use your dictionary to help you if necessary.





Issue:

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Key words and phrases are the building blocks of a text. Without knowing basic language items, students can at best achieve only partial understanding of a text, not to mention possibly misguided ideas about its content. Pre-teaching the vocabulary of a text is therefore essential in enabling students to access its content and meaning.

Below are three examples of vocabulary building activities that correspond to Text A.

Focus of vocabulary items Type of activity

A. The causes of global warming Sentence completion exercise B. The effects of global warming Matching exercise

C. The possible solutions to the issue Verb collocation exercise

A good learner’s dictionary will help teachers in designing vocabulary activities like these. See p. 16-17.

Vocabulary Building

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Text A:

Worksheet 2

Name ___________________________________ Class ______ ( )

Vocabulary Building A. Sentence Completion

Use the words in the word box to complete the sentences below. It may be necessary to change the form of the word.

The Causes of Global Warming

1. ____________________ refers to the gradual rise in the earth’s temperature as a result of human activities.

2. A __________________ is a glass building used to grow plants. It keeps the plants warm and protects them from bad weather.

3. When too many ___________________ are released into the air, they trap the sun’s heat and cause the earth to get warmer.

4. The ______________________ refers to a build-up of gases in the air around the earth, which causes the earth’s temperature to rise.

5. Fuels like coal and oil, formed from the remains of decayed plants and animals, are called ____________________.

6. The ____________________ is the layer of air and other gases that surround the Earth.

7. When you ______________________, this means that you do something to change a situation so that different parts are no longer equal.

8. When you ______________________, this means that you cut down all the trees.

9. Burning fuel ____________________ carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

10. Plants and trees ____________________ carbon dioxide from the air.

absorb greenhouse

atmosphere greenhouse effect clear forests greenhouse gases fossil fuels release global warming tilt the balance

Name ___________________________________ Class ______ ( )

Vocabulary Building B. Matching

Match the words on the left with the meanings on the right.

The Effects of Global Warming

Words Meanings

1. mountain glacier 2. polar ice cap

3. shelf ice 4. heatwave A 5. drought 6. wildfire 7. rising sea levels 8. unpredictable L 9. coastal flooding

10. refugee crisis 11. climate change 12. extinction

a) a period of time during which the weather is much hotter than usual

b) a serious problem in which people are forced to leave their homes or their country, usually because of war

c) when the average level of the seas get higher with respect to the land

d) a huge mass of ice which moves very slowly down a mountain valley

e) change in general weather conditions and patterns

f) when a species of plant or animal dies out, i.e.

no longer has any living members g) a thick layer of ice that sticks out over the sea like a shelf, found in Greenland and Antarctica h) a long period of time during which no rain falls i) a thick layer of ice and snow that permanently covers an area of land in the areas around the North and South Poles

j) when an area near the sea is covered by large amounts of seawater

k) a fire that starts in a wild area such as a forest and spreads rapidly causing great damage l) when it is not possible to know what will happen

Name ___________________________________ Class ______ ( )

Vocabulary Building C. Collocations

Match the verbs on the left with the phrases on the right to create meaningful collocations. Do you know what they all mean?

The Possible Solutions to Global Warming

1. address _____ a) the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere 2. use _____ b) the way we live

3. drive __L__ c) your part for the sake of future generations 4. take _____ d) the film An Inconvenient Truth 5. invest in _____ e) more efficient appliances 6. reduce __A__ f) a difference

7. slow down _____ g) renewable sources of energy (e.g. solar, wind) 8. play _____ h) the effects of global warming

9. choose _____ i) the issue of global warming 10. make _____ j) the website www.climatecrisis.net 11. watch _____ k) mass transit more frequently 12. check out _____ l) smaller cars that get higher mileage

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Students can compile a vocabulary checklist like the one below by recording the words they are not familiar with in a notebook or on index cards.

Text A:

Worksheet 3

Name ___________________________________ Class ______ ( )

Vocabulary Checklist A. Introduction

1. mission (n) 6. lofty (adj)

2. destination (n) 7. tireless (adj) 3. political office (n phr) 8. poignantly (adv) 4. noble-minded (adj) 9. portray (v)

5. set one’s sights on something (v phr) 10. consequence (n)

B. Causes of Global Warming

1. global warming (n phr) 6. atmosphere (n) 2. greenhouse (n) 7. tilt the balance (v phr) 3. greenhouse gases (n phr) 8. clear forests (v phr) 4. the greenhouse effect (n phr) 9. release (v) 5. fossil fuels (n) 10. absorb (v)

C. Effects of Global Warming

1. mountain glaciers (n phr) 11. Hurricane Katrina (n) 2. polar ice caps (n phr) 12. New Orleans (n) 3. shelf ice (n phr) 13. flooding (ger) 4. Greenland (n) 14. heat waves (n phr)

5. Antarctica (n) 15. droughts (n)

6. rising sea levels (n phr) 16. wildfires (n)

7. submerge (v) 17. climate change (n phr)

8. coastal areas (n phr) 18. coastal flooding (n phr) 9. unpredictable (adj) 19. refugee crisis (n phr) 10. hurricanes (n) 20. extinction (n)

D. Possible Solutions

1. efficient (adj) 6. wind power (n phr) 2. electrical appliances (n phr) 7. solar power (n phr)

3. mileage (n) 8. determination (n)

4. mass transit (n phr) 9. future generations (n phr) 5. renewable sources of energy (n phr) 10. make a difference (v phr)

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Learning the definitions of key and unfamiliar words will facilitate reading comprehension. Learning to pronounce the words will help students develop phonemic awareness and achieve accuracy in the production of sounds and stresses.

The PowerPoint presentation is a convenient tool for setting up pronunciation practice.

The slides simulate flashcards that are typically used for practice. Stressed syllables can be highlighted (in red and capitalised) to guide students. Each word can be broken down to show its phonemic composition.

Suggested Procedures The students will

1. view the whole word and try to pronounce it;

2. be called on randomly to pronounce the word;

3. view the word broken down into syllables;

4. check their pronunciation and make adjustments if necessary;

5. listen to the teacher modelling the pronunciation;

6. practise pronunciation by repeating after the teacher a few times; and 7. be called on by the teacher to check for accuracy.

Sample PowerPoint slides for pronunciation practice:

Pronunciation Practice

Text A:

Pronunciation PowerPoint

NETworking: Using Social Issues to Learn English, NET Section, CDI, EDB, 2009

greenhouse greenhouse

gases gases

GREEN– house GAS – [siz]

global global warming warming

GLO– bal WAR– ming

PRONUNCIATION PRONUNCIATION

PRACTICE PRACTICE Gore’s Mission -

Planet Earth

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After students learn the vocabulary, they are ready to read about the social issue. In pairs or small groups, they can collaborate on defining the social issue and mapping out related key concepts.

A good definition should answer the questions who, what, where, when, or a combination of these. The questions why and how may also be addressed.

Text A:

Worksheet 4

Engaging with the Text

Defining a Social Issue

_ _ _ s s a l C _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ e m a

N ___ ( )

4 t e e h s k r o W : A t x e T B

D E ,I D C , n o it c e S T E N , T C N R

Identifying the Definition of a Social Issue

Read the following excerpt from the film review and complete a definition in English for “global warming” based on the information provided. Then define some of the key concepts. Use a dictionary to help you if necessary.

Excerpt from “Gore’s mission: Planet Earth”

1. Defining the issue:

According to the passage, global warming occurs because

2. Defining the key concepts:

a) A greenhouse is a b) Greenhouse gases are

c) The greenhouse effect occurs because d) The atmosphere is

e) Fossil fuels are

In An Inconvenient Truth, the concept of global warming is explained, first in scientific terms, and then in a format that even young children can appreciate: a Simpsons-like animation film about the unsuspecting “Mr Sunbeam” who meets a menacing gang of greenhouse gases.

This cartoon is meant to illustrate the greenhouse effect. Like the green-tinted glass of a greenhouse that provides a warm environment for plants, greenhouse gases in the Earth’s atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide, trap the sun’s heat, which has a warming effect on the Earth.

In itself, this is a good thing. Without greenhouse gases, the Earth would freeze.

However, human activities are tilting the balance. We are burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil and petrol, and this is releasing vast amounts of carbon dioxide and other harmful gases into the atmosphere. At the same time, we are clearing forests for wood and for creating more farmland.

Plants and trees absorb carbon dioxide, but when we cut them down, the problem of global warming just gets worse. As the amount of carbon dioxide increases, the atmosphere absorbs more heat and the Earth continues to get warmer.

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When making notes, students should not just copy whole sentences word for word.

They should learn to extract the essential information and organise the ideas in point form.

Worksheet 5 is a sample graphic organiser for identifying cause and effect. For other examples, see the Graphic Organisers folder in the Resource CD.

Text A:

Worksheet 5

Graphic Organisers for Making Notes

Name: _____________________________ Class: ______ ( )

Graphic Organiser A Title:

Author:

Publication / Date:

Social Issue:

How would you define this issue based on the information in the article?

_____________________________________________________________________________

Causes:

Possible Solutions:

Effects:

Making notes in graphic organisers will help students to organise the key points as they read about them. This can help them further identify or clarify key issues.

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Board Board

The notes that students make in the graphic organisers can be used for two purposes.

One is for writing essays. Another is for teachers to assess how much students have learned about an issue.

To help students write better, a collaborative writing task can be assigned. The advantage of such a task is that by sharing their notes, comparing and discussing their ideas with other group members, students will learn from one another.

For collaborative work to be productive, students need to be taught at the beginning of the school year how to move their desks to form working groups as efficiently as possible and to cooperate with other group members.

Even in a class of 40 students, group work is possible if students are trained well. Here is a simple way to arrange desks into groups of four:

Individual work: Collaborative work:

Collaborative Writing Task

With groups of four, each group will write one part of the essay. The essay will include

• a paragraph in which the social issue is defined;

• a paragraph discussing the probable causes of the problem;

• a paragraph discussing the possible effects of the problem; and

• a paragraph discussing possible solutions for the issue.

Consolidating Learning

Collaborative Writing

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Each group will write one paragraph. If there are 10 groups of 4 students, at least 2 groups will work on each paragraph. They will write their paragraphs collaboratively on a sheet of lined paper.

Remind students that a good paragraph should contain a well written topic sentence and supporting ideas such as examples, evidence and logical consequences.

After the groups have completed the paragraphs, they will

use a visualiser to show their work on a projection screen and read it aloud;

obtain feedback from the teacher, who can address common errors with the whole class;

type up their paragraphs in the school’s Computer Lab and send them as attachments via the school’s intranet or by email to the teacher;

read, edit and revise the paragraphs as a class; and put the paragraphs together into a collaborative essay.

Instead of working as a class, students can also read, discuss, edit and revise one another’s paragraphs in their groups. The finalised paragraphs will be submitted to the teacher, who can then compile them into a collaborative essay.

•

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“Gore’s Mission: Planet Earth” is a review of the documentary film, An Inconvenient Truth. Students may read the review for background information before viewing the film or any other documentary programmes on global warming. It can also be used as a model for a book or film review.

When writing a book or film review, students should keep in mind the purpose of the review and the intended audience.

A review of a non-fiction book or documentary film focusing on a social issue should contain the following:

An introduction of the book and its author, or of the film and its producers, directors and cast.

A discussion of the people, places and events, along with an analysis of the main theme(s) or issue(s) in the book or film.

A conclusion in which the book or film is evaluated and possibly recommended.

Reviewing a book or a film about a social issue requires good summarisation and persuasive writing skills. Reviewers usually use the past tense when discussing the life of an author or producer (see Example A) but the present tense when summarising the details of a book or a film (see Example B).

•

Reviewers should be aware of the context. Who will read the review? Will it be published in the school newsletter? Will it be published for a diverse audience?

Should a recommendation be made considering the audience?

Example A: Discussing the life of the producer

In 2007, Al Gore shared the Nobel Peace Prize with the U.N.’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change . . .

Example B: Discussing the details of the film

The evidence that Mr Gore presents in his film is overwhelming and very convincing.

The vast majority of scientists agree . . .

Writing a Film Review

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News Broadcast Script

Here is the text of a news report on the tainted milk scandal in Mainland China presented by a Hong Kong secondary student in a morning news broadcast at her school. The topic is food safety.

The “Social Issues” Morning News Broadcast Hosted by Joanna White, NET

Reported by Queenie Chow, 6S

JW: Good morning, every one. This is your NET, Joanna White. Welcome to our weekly “Social Issues” Morning News Broadcast. Today we will hear Queenie Chow from 6S, who will report on the tainted milk scandal in China. Over to you, Queenie.

QC: Thank you, Ms White.

Unscrupulous Practices Milk the Public

According to news reports, officials in China are now investigating several dairy companies after the chemical melamine was detected in baby milk powder. Melamine is a chemical that is commonly used in making plastics. Officials are now trying to find out where and how the infant formula was contaminated.

There are rumours that unscrupulous milk suppliers have been adding melamine to fresh milk supplies as a way of boosting protein levels in quality tests. Milk tainted with melamine appears to have higher levels of protein because it contains large amounts of nitrates, which can mimic protein in quality tests.

It was recently reported that babies who were fed tainted milk in China have been appearing in hospitals with serious kidney complaints. So far, four infants have died and several thousand others are now suffering from kidney stones, and in some cases kidney failure. This has resulted in a total recall of all tainted dairy products from dairy companies Sanlu, Yili, Mengniu and Guangming.

China authorities have been criticised for not acting sooner and alerting the public earlier. According to the BBC, the head of China’s quality watchdog Li Changjiang said that China would begin testing baby formula for contaminating substances such as melamine. He said that these tests were not conducted in the past because it was not considered necessary to test for chemicals that are banned from food products.

This is just the latest in a series of food-related scandals to come out of China in recent years. Before this, there were similar food safety issues involving fish con- taining the chemical malachite green, pork tainted with the feed additive clenbuterol, and duck eggs contaminated with the cancer-causing dye Sudan red. I think the Chi- nese Government must do more to enforce food safety standards and ensure that the

“Made in China” label is safe and reliable.

JW: Thank you very much, Queenie. And that is all for this week’s “Social Issues”

Text B

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Scaffolding Strategies

In Worksheet 1, students use the headline Unscrupulous Practices Milk the Public to make predictions about the topic of the text.

Text B:

Worksheet 1

Making Predictions with News Headlines

Name ___________________________________ Class ______ ( )

RNCT, NET Section, CDI, EDB Text B: Worksheet 1

C. Identifying the issue: What do you think, know or want to know?

I think … I know … I want to know …

Now that you have defined the key words in the title, can you predict or tell before reading what the news broadcast is about?

What do you already know about the social issue? List as many ideas as possible.

Is there anything that you want to know more about the social issue? List as many ideas as possible.

I think the newspaper article is about

because

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

D. Share and compare your ideas with a classmate? Who is right? Are you able to get more ideas or answers from your classmate? Make changes, if you want, or add your ideas.

Name ___________________________________ Class ______ ( )

RNCT, NET Section, CDI, EDB Text B: Worksheet 1

Making Predictions with News Headlines

You are about to read the script of a news broadcast, but first, look at the title. Can you tell what the broadcast is about? The title is ‘Unscrupulous Practices Milk the Public’.

A. What part of speech are the key words of the title? Circle the answer.

1. Unscrupulous = noun verb adjective adverb

2. Practices = noun verb adjective adverb

3. Milk = noun verb adjective adverb

4. Public = noun verb adjective adverb

B. Match the following words with the key words in the news headline and write the answers in the boxes below. Some words are not related:

common everyone exercises exploit

healthy drink honest interesting legal

methods not ethical not right open space

popular people protein society

study take advantage of ways cancer-causing

Unscrupulous Practices Milk the Public