Tag: education

Lack of Pencil Holding Skill

B1 –  Intermediate

Nowadays, it’s very common for parents to give kids access to computer tablets like iPads at a very young age. After all, early exposure will help our children understand the world better. Well, it turns out there is increasing evidence that allowing kids access to computer tablets at an early age may be counterproductive.

Read this lesson on how technology reduces children’s ability to hold a pencil.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1804/180404-pencils.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your view on this: “Children are not using pencils, so they now lack the muscle strength in their hands to be able to write properly.“?
  2. Do you know anyone who has had skills delay because of early exposure to gadgets? Talk about them.
  3. Do you think kids should never have access to gadgets? Explain your stand.
  4. According to the article, “Technology may be causing bigger problems.“. What do think are some of these problems?
  5. What other skills have we lost because of technology or too much dependency on gadgets?

Tips for Job Interviews

B2 – Upper intermediate – Job Interview

Are you going to a job interview soon? Are you nervous that maybe you will stutter and fail the interview? Then, don’t fret because we got you covered. Watch the video below and learn how to ace that interview.

Discussion Questions:

  1.  Have you ever had a job interview in English before? If yes, how was your experience?
  2.  What kind of preparations do you do before a job interview?

Sample interview questions to help you practice:

  1.  Tell me about yourself.
  2.  What is your strength?
  3.  What is your weakness?
  4.  Why should we hire you?
  5. Why are you leaving your job?
  6. Why do you want this job?
  7. What are your goals in the future?

Online Forever

B1 – Intermediate

Posting our personal activities online has become the norm over the last decade that some companies use this as their way of checking one’s background when one is applying for a job. This can be really critical for some people who post very personal things on social media such as embarrassing photos or perhaps a strongly worded status update. So next time you click post or send, you might want to think twice.

Read the article below and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

The past can return and haunt you. In today’s age of social networking and electronic communication, that statement seems truer than ever. A comment on a forum here or a blog post there, or even photos of some raucous party can all return and undermine education and career prospects.

An increasing number of universities and employers use the Internet to vet possible candidates. After all, institutions and companies spend so much money on lessons, training, and facilities, the more they know about the person, the more accurate their decision. If what pops up on sites and blogs doesn’t pass muster, let’s say lots of photos and comments about drunken weekends and hangovers, then it’s into the circular filing cabinet your application goes.

Source: headsupenglish.com

Discussion Questions:

  1. How often do you post things on social media? What kind of content do you often post?
  2. What do you think about employers and schools using this kind of method for background checks?
  3. After reading this article, will you consider refraining from posting on social media? Why or why not?

Competition Is Ruining Childhood

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Competition is considered as an implicit part of education. Many of today’s children have lived their whole life competing with peers. It’s often believed that the more we work on enhancing our job skills, the more successful we will be in the future.

*Right click on the photo and open link in new tab to read the full article.

 

Discussion Questions:

1.What is the role of education in our future?

2.Should education be a form of competition?

3.Do you think we are tricked in the idea that sacrificing our mental health now in school for security in adulthood?

4.How can we make education fair for every child?

 

 

Can a Computer Teach Children to Read and Write?

B1 – Intermediate

Global XPrize aims to help the poorest children of the world to learn how to read and write by developing a user-friendly app.  They will test the winning app with thousands of children in Africa by using a tablet to learn.

Let us know your opinion after reading the full article and watching the video.

https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/can-a-computer-teach-children-to-read-and-write/4055194.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your thoughts on the Global XPrize competition?
  2. Do you think that children will be able to teach themselves basic educational skills with only a tablet? Why or why not?
  3. Is the U.N.’s goal to provide “universal primary and secondary education by 2030” realistic? Why or why not?
  4. Do you think that computers will play a major role in education in the near future? Why or why not?
  5. Would you say that teachers are an essential part of the education system? Why or why not?

Laptop vs Handwriting

B2 – Upper Intermediate

handwriting-day-fun

Due to many students’ illegible handwriting, Cambridge University is allowing students to use their laptops in exams and no longer pen and paper. The wonders and usefulness of the laptop are great but are we losing the art of handwriting?

Let’s read the article and answer the questions that follow.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/sep/11/laptops-handwriting-students-university-exams-skill

Discussion Questions:

1. Is handwriting a lost art now?

2. Do you think writing notes in a paper makes it easier to remember and synthesize information than typing in a laptop?

3. Is using a laptop for typing a more effective way of learning and retaining information?

4. Do you think computers might one day replace handwriting?

 

Learn English by Watching TV

B1 – Intermediate

For any immigrant or refugee who doesn’t speak the language of the country where they’ve moved into, it would be a complete culture shock and in some ways, may very well be a very frustrating moment in his life.

There are many ways to learn English. Discover and be inspired as to how Farid, an Afghan refugee, learned English. Watch the video that talks about Farid’s journey and read the article to know whether we can really learn English the way he did.

http://www.bbc.com/news/education-41516251

Discussion Questions:

1. What are some ways to learn English or a language?
2. In your opinion, what is the best way to do so?
3. What do you think of Farid’s suggestion to English learners?
4. What are things you’ve done/tried to improve your foreign language skills?
5. What advise or tips would you give other English/foreign language learners?

China Moves to Ban Use of Uyghur Language in Schools

B2 – Upper intermediate

National language drives national unity in any country, even if there are hundreds of other languages and dialects present in the state. Apart from a name, boundary, currency, or flag, a national language makes a country respectable. National language clearly indicates the national character of a country. If you want to profoundly understand and penetrate into a society, you must know how to speak and write their language.

Listen to the audio and read the transcript:

https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/china-moves-to-ban-uyghur-language-in-schools/3969575.html

Discussion Questions:
1. Do you think this measure is an act of ethnic discrimination or a measure to educate everyone in the country to speak one common language?
2. Is it important to have one national language known and used by everyone in the country?
3. How many languages are spoken in your country?

 

 

Reasons To Study a Foreign Language Abroad

© via The Local ES

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Anybody who is trying to learn a foreign language constantly wants to find a way to speed up the process. There are many ways to do it. Is living and studying it abroad truly the most effective way?

Here are six reasons why one needs to live away from home to learn another language.

https://www.thelocal.es/20170524/6-reasons-you-should-study-a-foreign-language-abroad-esl-tlccu

Discussion Questions:
1. Do you agree that “learning and communicating in the language of a foreign country while living there is without doubt the best way of learning”?
2. What are ways you’ve tried to learn English? Which do you think are the most effective and which are not?
3. Would you consider studying a language abroad or recommend anyone to do it? Support your answer.

All Work and No Play

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Play is essential to development because it contributes to the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being of children and youth. Despite the benefits derived from play for both children and parents, time for free play has been markedly reduced for some children. This report addresses a variety of factors that have reduced play, including a hurried lifestyle, changes in family structure, and increased attention to academics and enrichment activities at the expense of recess or free child-centered play.

Read the article further and be able to discuss  the following questions.

According to a study released last week, children who are unruly in schools may simply work too much and play too little. The study examined more than 10,000 elementary school children between the ages of eight and nine in the US. It discovered that children behaved notably better when they played for at least fifteen minutes during the school day. More recess resulted in children who were even better behaved.

The researchers who conducted the study concluded that children use creativity and imagination when on the playground. Kids also learn how to socially interact with one another, as well as develop problem-solving skills. Therefore recess plays an important role in the education of children. Child psychiatrists agreed with the study’s findings, describing the learning environment created when children are play.

In recent years, though, recess has been cut at many schools, in part because of an increased emphasis placed on tests. More attention has been placed on academics because American children regularly score lower on international tests. Thus the Bush administration created No Child Left Behind in 2001, in an attempt to help US kids become more academically competitive with their international peers. Schools with poor test results were punished. Unfortunately, as a result to boost scores, students studied more and played less.

As a result of the study, another discovery was also made. The schools with the shortest amount of breaks tended to originate from areas with lower incomes and lower education levels. Therefore, these already disadvantaged children were harmed more with little or no playtime at school. All work and no play can thus be viewed as a path to poorer social skills, poorer behavior in the classroom, and poorer test scores.

Source: headsupenglish.com

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you agree that children should spend most of their day studying?
  2. Some people say that children who have piano, soccer, and other activities become smart adults. What you opinion about this?
  3. What’s a good balance between study and play for children? Why do you think so?
  4. How important are tests for children? Do tests accurately measure a child’s intelligence, skills, and/or abilities.Why do you think so?
  5. What is the education system like in your home country? Please explain.
  6. How can the education system in your home country be improved? Please explain.