First World Obligation Lesson Plan        Communication / Social Skills

                                                Metacognition

At a Glance

Students will:

 

ü practice listening skills

ü practice using functional expressions in discussion

Purpose:  to use functional expressions, to improve conversational skills when supporting a point of view;

 

Materials:  Functional Expressions Sheets (1, 2, 3, and 4).

 

Preparation:  Photocopy Functional Expressions sheets if students do not already have them; photocopy handouts.

 

Time:      60 minutes

 

Teacher’s Notes

Procedure:

This lesson plan is based on the idea that having students support opinions that are not necessarily their own during debates can help improve fluency.  Students pragmatically focus on correct production skills in conversation rather than striving to "win" the argument.

 

1. Review language used when expressing opinions, disagreeing, making comments on other person's point of view, especially Functional Expressions 1 & 2.

 

2. Discuss the differences between what is considered a First World Country and a Third World country.

 

3.     Ask students to consider the following statement:

 

First World countries have an obligation to help Third World countries with funds and assistance in cases of hunger and poverty. This is true because of the First World's advantageous position attained by its exploiting the resources of the Third World in the past and present.

 

4.     Based on students' responses, divide them into two groups:  one arguing FOR extensive First World responsibility, the other FOR limited responsibility. Important: Make sure that groups are put into the group with the opposite opinion of what they seemed to believe in the warm-up conversation.

 

5.     Give students worksheets including ideas pro and con. Have students develop arguments using the ideas on the worksheet as a springboard for further ideas and discussion.

 

6.     Once students have prepared their opening arguments, begin with the debate. Each team has 5 minutes to present their principal ideas.

 

7.     Have students prepare notes and make rebuttal to the expressed opinions.

 

8.     While the debate is in progress, take notes on common errors made by the students.

 

9.     At the end of debate, take time for a short focus on common mistakes. This is important, as students should not be too involved emotionally and therefore will be quite capable of recognizing language problems - as opposed to problems in beliefs!

 

First World Obligation Lesson Plan          Communication / Social Skills

 

 

Teacher’s Notes

Lesson Extension

For more information on this approach please see the following feature: Teaching Conversational Skills: Tips and Strategies

2. The underdevelopment of the third world is marked by a number of common traits:

¨      distorted and highly dependent economies devoted to producing primary products for the developed world and to provide markets for their finished goods;

¨      traditional, rural social structures;

¨      high population growth; and

¨      widespread poverty.

Nevertheless, the third world is sharply differentiated, for it includes countries on various levels of economic development. And despite the poverty of the countryside and the urban shantytowns, the ruling elite of most third world countries are wealthy.

 

 

Follow-up / Transfer Activities:

·          This lesson could be useful to a content area teacher.

·          This lesson could be adapted to debate a current local or national issue.

This lesson could be a follow-up to the MacLean’s lesson plan.

 

Additional Resources

 

 

See Teaching Metacognition.