Activity Book A This activity could be integrated with mathematics or geography. Discuss questions they could ask that require short answers, and look at different types of charts to present the findings. B This is a good group work activity, but learners can work individually. Another option is for them to add headlines to posters displayed around the classroom to create a class collage. C Learners practise writing headlines using effective punctuation.
Skim a news report
A
• Skimming a text for clues is an important skill to practise. Remind them not to read in detail when they skim but just get an overall sense of the content and tone. The headings, picture, and first and last sentences will show if the text is serious or lighthearted, fact or fiction, formal or informal, etc. • In preparation for debating later in the year, learners should practise expressing opinions using the words I think … , because … . • Learners can check words in a dictionary, e.g. inflammatory – intending to cause anger.
Answers:
Answers:
A 1–2 Learners’ own answers.
1 Rosa Parks – a black woman who was arrested for not giving up her bus seat to a white passenger. 2 Alabama, USA in 1955. 3 No, this story made the news many years ago. It is history. 4 Learners’ own answers.
B 1–4 Learners’ own answers. C 1 2 3 4 5
Possible answers: A new season – a new team Panic as lights go out! 100% vote “YES” Rain, rain go away … ‘Thyme’ to eat?
Session 2: Read and make meaning Learner’s Book pages: 27–29 Activity Book pages: 25–26
You will need: dictionaries; thesauruses; notebooks; time for discussion. Nice to have: other interesting articles; The Rosa Parks Story, a film written by Paris Qualles and directed by Julie Dash. Spelling link: words spelt differently. ICT link: Search online for Rosa Parks information; search for common acronyms and abbreviations.
Learning objectives Learning intentions • to develop reading skills, e.g. skim and scan • to use words in context • to understand the explicit and implicit meaning of the text • to summarise the main idea of a text • to discuss different views. Learning outcomes Learners can: • skim a news report and identify the main idea • work out the meaning of words in context • answer questions about the text • summarise the text • have a discussion.
B
Words in context
• Learners should read the text more than once. They can take turns to read aloud to a partner. • Learners should identify words in the text that are different from ones they use, e.g. department store, bus or police. Let learners share their understanding of the terms. • If appropriate, discuss how language changes over time, and how acceptable or unacceptable some terms are at different times and in different contexts. Answers: 1 2 3 4
Learners’ own answers. Shop, supermarket, café, winkel, market, etc. Learners’ own answers. Acronym/abbreviation.
Spelling link Some English words are spelt differently in the USA. List words with different US and UK spellings, e.g. color/colour, realize/realise and discuss how they are spelt in your region. There are more activities on words spelt differently in the Spelling section on page 158 of the Learner’s Book.
C
Understand and summarise
• Learners’ answers will help them identify facts and summarise the report. • Get the learners to summarise each paragraph as a series of headlines to help understand that paragraphs contain one main idea, linked to a main topic. • Based on the learner’s understanding and summary of the event, they can discuss how accurate they think the details of the report are.
Session 2 Read and make meaning
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