News English Lessons: Clothing and Freedom of Speech

Example Web Site and/or Technical Equipment Required

Website: http://www.newsenglishlessons.com/

Website Example: http://www.newsenglishlessons.com/1112/111213-burqa.html

More Ways

Computer(s), Internet access, projector, and speakers (for class presentation)

Activity Description

Use this article, "Canada bans burqa for new citizens," and its lesson activities and audio file for reading and listening practice in conjunction with class lessons or discussions of clothing, civil liberties, EL Civics, U.S. Government and History, and/or freedom of speech and religion (First Amendment) units.

Preparation

1. If you plan to use the MP3 file, check to see if the site is blocked at your school. If it is, download the MP3 file to your home computer and copy it to a USB device to play on the computer in your classroom.
2. Online activities, the MP3, and printable handouts (pdf) are available for this lesson. Review them in advance.

How-To

1. Follow the link to the Web Site Example (above).
2. To download the lesson handout, select "The 11-page classroom handout"(pdf) link (above the story on the left). Print the PDF file and make copies for your students. The file is a self-contained lesson plan.
3. If you are working with the entire class and want to use the MP3 file for a listening exercise, you will need to have the Quicktime plug-in for your browser.
4. To listen to the audio file, select on the link "Listen to the MP3." You may choose to play the audio in your browser in the pop-up window or download it by right-clicking on the "Download this file" link and saving the file to a a USB device.

Teacher Tips

• Prepare conversation or discussion questions to introduce the topic in the article and link it to other course content / previous class topics, texts, or discussions.
• There are also online interactive exercises (quiz, gap fill, matching, crossword, vocabulary flashcards, etc.) that can be used for review of the lesson either in class or individually by students in a lab.
• For higher-level texts with lessons, see the companion site Breaking News English [www]. The texts contain some British spellings, and the audio recordings are in a slight British accent.

More Ways

This Web site contains numerous reading lessons on a variety of high-interest news items that have been put into simplified language for ESL students. The site's main page lists new entries, posted every few days in chronological order. There are also online interactive exercises to accompany the lessons, which include fill-in-the-blank, matching, hangman, flash cards, sentence jumble, missing words, crossword puzzles.

Levels

• Intermediate Low
• Intermediate High

Standards

Basic Communication

• (2.7) Understand aspects of society and culture

Basic Communication

• (7.2) Demonstrate ability to use critical thinking skills
• (7.3) Demonstrate ability to use problem-solving skills
• (7.4) Demonstrate study skills
• (7.6) Demonstrate the ability to view the media critically