Pope Francis has given his support to a global initiative aimed at introducing more children to computer programming. The “Code with Pope” project, led by Polish tech entrepreneur Miron Mironiuk, seeks to address educational disparities by providing free online coding education to students aged 11-15 in Europe, Africa, and Latin America. The initiative aims to equip children with the basics of Python, a popular coding language, in 60 hours of dedicated learning.

In today’s digital age, programming skills have become essential, with technology-related roles projected to be among the fastest-growing in the job market. However, there is a global shortage of tech skills, which could leave millions of job positions unfilled by 2030. This shortage is particularly concerning for low and middle-income countries, many of which have a significant Catholic population.

Mironiuk, a 33-year-old millionaire, is proud of his Polish heritage and hopes to contribute to the tech scene’s growth in his country. He recognizes the need for high-quality programming education in less fortunate countries and believes that the “Code with Pope” initiative could help address this need. The program will be available in multiple languages and is expected to reach children across South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia.

This is not the first time Pope Francis has shown an interest in promoting coding among young people. In 2019, he helped write a line of code for a UN initiative. Mironiuk will have the opportunity to meet the Pope at the Vatican and hopes that the Pope’s involvement will encourage more children to participate in the program. While he doesn’t expect the Pope to become proficient in Python, he anticipates that the pontiff will receive a certificate for his efforts in supporting the initiative.

Original news source: Pope Francis encourages more children to code, especially in Catholic countries (BBC)

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Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Headline Creation
Instructions: Students will work in pairs to create an attention-grabbing headline for the article that they think would appeal to a young audience. Encourage them to use powerful adjectives and action verbs. Afterward, have pairs share their headlines with the class and discuss which ones are most effective and why.

– News Reporter Role-play
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Each group will act out a news report based on the article. One student will be the anchor, another the reporter, and others can be experts or individuals with opinions about the initiative. They should include key information from the article and can add improvised interviews or comments. After the role-play, discuss the effectiveness of their communication and the clarity of the information presented.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Create a series of statements about the global importance of coding education, the role of influential figures in promoting educational initiatives, and the impact of technology on job markets. Students will walk around the room and poll their classmates, recording whether they agree, disagree, or are neutral about each statement. Compile the results and have a class discussion on the prevailing opinions.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write down technical terms and relevant vocabulary from the article (e.g., Python, programming, digital age, tech skills shortage) on slips of paper. Students will take turns drawing the terms on the board without speaking or writing any words, while the rest of the class tries to guess the vocabulary. This activity will reinforce their understanding of the article’s key concepts.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: Ask students to write down their predictions about the future of coding education and its impact on global economic development. They should consider the influence of initiatives like “Code with Pope” and how they might shape the tech industry. Students can then share their predictions with a partner or small group, providing reasons for their forecasts. Conclude with a class discussion on the most common or intriguing predictions.

Comprehension Questions:

1. What is the main goal of the “Code with Pope” project?
2. Who is leading the “Code with Pope” initiative?
3. What age range of students is the “Code with Pope” project targeting?
4. Which programming language will the students learn through the “Code with Pope” initiative?
5. How many hours of learning does the “Code with Pope” program consist of?
6. What is Miron Mironiuk’s nationality and how does he feel about his heritage in relation to the tech scene?
7. How will the “Code with Pope” program be made accessible to children in different regions?
8. What previous involvement has Pope Francis had with promoting coding among young people?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Pope Francis has given his support to a (1)______ initiative aimed at introducing more children to (2)______ programming. The “Code with Pope” project, led by Polish tech entrepreneur (3)______ Mironiuk, seeks to address educational disparities by providing free online (4)______ education to students aged 11-15 in Europe, Africa, and Latin America. The initiative aims to equip children with the basics of Python, a popular coding language, in 60 hours of dedicated learning.

In today’s digital age, programming skills have become essential, with technology-related roles projected to be among the fastest-growing in the job (5)______. However, there is a global shortage of tech skills, which could leave millions of job positions unfilled by 2030. This shortage is particularly (6)______ for low and middle-income countries, many of which have a (7)______ Catholic (8)______.

Mironiuk, a 33-year-old millionaire, is proud of his Polish heritage and hopes to contribute to the tech scene’s growth in his country. He recognizes the need for high-quality programming education in less (9)______ countries and believes that the “Code with Pope” initiative could help address this need. The program will be (10)______ in multiple languages and is expected to reach children across South (11)______, Africa, and Southeast Asia.

This is not the first time Pope (12)______ has shown an interest in promoting coding among (13)______ people. In 2019, he helped write a line of code for a UN initiative. Mironiuk will have the opportunity to meet the Pope at the Vatican and hopes that the Pope’s involvement will encourage more (14)______ to (15)______ in the program. While he doesn’t expect the Pope to become proficient in Python, he anticipates that the pontiff will receive a (16)______ for his efforts in supporting the initiative.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is your opinion on the importance of children learning to code in today’s digital age? Why do you think it’s important or not?
2. How would you feel if a global figure like Pope Francis supported an educational initiative in your field of interest?
3. Do you think that learning programming languages such as Python can significantly impact a child’s future career prospects? Why or why not?
4. What are some potential benefits and drawbacks of introducing coding to children at a young age?
5. How do you think educational disparities can be addressed in less fortunate countries?
6. Do you like the idea of tech entrepreneurs taking an active role in education? Why or why not?
7. What is your experience with computer programming, and how has it influenced your life or career?
8. How would you feel if your own cultural or religious leader took an interest in a particular educational initiative?
9. Do you think initiatives like “Code with Pope” can truly make a difference in bridging the global tech skills gap? Why or why not?
10. What is your perception of the impact that celebrities or public figures can have when they support educational projects?
11. Do you believe that online education can be as effective as traditional classroom learning for technical subjects like coding?
12. How do you think the involvement of a religious leader in a tech initiative might influence public perception of the tech industry?
13. Do you think there should be a focus on teaching coding specifically, or should education aim to be more holistic in the digital age?
14. What kind of support or programs would you like to see introduced in your own community to foster tech education?
15. Do you think it’s important for initiatives like “Code with Pope” to be available in multiple languages? Why or why not?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. Pope
2. initiative
3. coding
4. education
5. technology
6. millionaire
7. promoting
8. certificate

Meanings:
(a) A document that serves as proof of achievement
(b) The use of scientific knowledge for practical purposes
(c) A new plan or process to achieve a goal
(d) The head of the Roman Catholic Church
(e) The process of writing instructions for computers
(f) A person who has a net worth of at least one million units of a currency
(g) The act of teaching or learning
(h) Encouraging or supporting the growth or development of something
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the “Code with Pope” project aimed at?
(a) Providing free online cooking education
(b) Promoting physical education in schools
(c) Offering free language learning courses
(d) Introducing more children to computer programming

2. What age group is the “Code with Pope” project targeting?
(a) Students aged 11-15
(b) Students aged 5-10
(c) Students aged 16-20
(d) Students aged 21-25

3. Which coding language does the “Code with Pope” project aim to teach children?
(a) Java
(b) Python
(c) C++
(d) HTML

4. What is one of the reasons why programming skills have become essential in today’s digital age?
(a) There is a surplus of tech skills in the job market
(b) Programming skills are only useful for specific industries
(c) Technology-related roles are projected to be among the fastest-growing in the job market
(d) There is no global shortage of tech skills

5. What is the main concern regarding the global shortage of tech skills?
(a) There will be an oversupply of tech skills by 2030
(b) Millions of job positions could be unfilled by 2030
(c) Low and middle-income countries will not be affected by the shortage
(d) The shortage will only affect high-income countries

6. What is Miron Mironiuk’s hope for the “Code with Pope” initiative?
(a) To contribute to the tech scene’s growth in his country
(b) To become the sole provider of coding education in Europe
(c) To limit the program’s availability to only one language
(d) To focus on high-income countries only

7. In what regions is the “Code with Pope” program expected to reach children?
(a) North America, Europe, and Australia
(b) Europe, Asia, and the Middle East
(c) South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia
(d) Africa, Europe, and North America

8. What did Pope Francis do in 2019 related to promoting coding among young people?
(a) Started his own coding school
(b) Spoke out against coding education
(c) Became proficient in Python
(d) Helped write a line of code for a UN initiative

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. The program aims to discourage children from learning the basics of Python, a popular coding language, in 60 hours of dedicated learning.
2. The initiative seeks to charge for online coding education for students aged 11-15 in Europe, Africa, and Latin America.
3. Pope Francis is opposing a global initiative aimed at introducing more children to computer programming.
4. There is a global shortage of tech skills, which could leave millions of job positions unfilled by 2030.
5. Pope Francis has previously shown an interest in promoting coding among young people and has helped write a line of code for a UN initiative in 2019.
6. Mironiuk, a 33-year-old millionaire, is proud of his Polish heritage and hopes to contribute to the tech scene’s growth in his country.
7. The “Code with Pope” initiative is expected to reach children across South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia.
8. The “Code with Pope” project is led by Polish tech entrepreneur Miron Mironiuk, but it has faced criticism.
Go to answers ⇩

Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. What is the main goal of the “Code with Pope” project initiated by Miron Mironiuk?
2. Which age group is the “Code with Pope” initiative targeting, and what coding language will they learn?
3. How does the “Code with Pope” project plan to address the global shortage of tech skills?
4. In which regions of the world does the “Code with Pope” initiative aim to provide free coding education?
5. What previous involvement has Pope Francis had with promoting coding among young people, and how is he expected to support the “Code with Pope” initiative?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What is the main goal of the “Code with Pope” project?
The main goal of the “Code with Pope” project is to introduce more children to computer programming and provide free online coding education to help address educational disparities.

2. Who is leading the “Code with Pope” initiative?
The “Code with Pope” initiative is led by Polish tech entrepreneur Miron Mironiuk.

3. What age range of students is the “Code with Pope” project targeting?
The project is targeting students aged 11-15.

4. Which programming language will the students learn through the “Code with Pope” initiative?
The students will learn the basics of Python.

5. How many hours of learning does the “Code with Pope” program consist of?
The program consists of 60 hours of dedicated learning.

6. What is Miron Mironiuk’s nationality and how does he feel about his heritage in relation to the tech scene?
Miron Mironiuk is Polish, and he is proud of his heritage. He hopes to contribute to the growth of the tech scene in Poland.

7. How will the “Code with Pope” program be made accessible to children in different regions?
The program will be available in multiple languages and is expected to reach children across South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia.

8. What previous involvement has Pope Francis had with promoting coding among young people?
In 2019, Pope Francis helped write a line of code for a UN initiative.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) global
(2) computer
(3) Miron
(4) coding
(5) market
(6) concerning
(7) significant
(8) population
(9) fortunate
(10) available
(11) America
(12) Francis
(13) young
(14) children
(15) participate
(16) certificate
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. Pope
Answer: (d) The head of the Roman Catholic Church

2. initiative
Answer: (c) A new plan or process to achieve a goal

3. coding
Answer: (e) The process of writing instructions for computers

4. education
Answer: (g) The act of teaching or learning

5. technology
Answer: (b) The use of scientific knowledge for practical purposes

6. millionaire
Answer: (f) A person who has a net worth of at least one million units of a currency

7. promoting
Answer: (h) Encouraging or supporting the growth or development of something

8. certificate
Answer: (a) A document that serves as proof of achievement
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is the “Code with Pope” project aimed at?
Answer: (d) Introducing more children to computer programming

2. What age group is the “Code with Pope” project targeting?
Answer: (a) Students aged 11-15

3. Which coding language does the “Code with Pope” project aim to teach children?
Answer: (b) Python

4. What is one of the reasons why programming skills have become essential in today’s digital age?
Answer: (c) Technology-related roles are projected to be among the fastest-growing in the job market

5. What is the main concern regarding the global shortage of tech skills?
Answer: (b) Millions of job positions could be unfilled by 2030

6. What is Miron Mironiuk’s hope for the “Code with Pope” initiative?
Answer: (a) To contribute to the tech scene’s growth in his country

7. In what regions is the “Code with Pope” program expected to reach children?
Answer: (c) South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia

8. What did Pope Francis do in 2019 related to promoting coding among young people?
Answer: (d) Helped write a line of code for a UN initiative
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. The program aims to discourage children from learning the basics of Python, a popular coding language, in 60 hours of dedicated learning. (Answer: False)
2. The initiative seeks to charge for online coding education for students aged 11-15 in Europe, Africa, and Latin America. (Answer: False)
3. Pope Francis is opposing a global initiative aimed at introducing more children to computer programming. (Answer: False)
4. There is a global shortage of tech skills, which could leave millions of job positions unfilled by 2030. (Answer: True)
5. Pope Francis has previously shown an interest in promoting coding among young people and has helped write a line of code for a UN initiative in 2019. (Answer: True)
6. Mironiuk, a 33-year-old millionaire, is proud of his Polish heritage and hopes to contribute to the tech scene’s growth in his country. (Answer: True)
7. The “Code with Pope” initiative is expected to reach children across South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia. (Answer: True)
8. The “Code with Pope” project is led by Polish tech entrepreneur Miron Mironiuk, but it has faced criticism. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧