Forge Valley School in Sheffield has a new rule. Students can't use phones, smartwatches, or headphones at school. If they do, they have to give them up for a whole day. The head teacher, Mr. Barrowclough, thinks students are using their phones too much and acting like "zombies."
The school wants students to talk to each other more. Without phones, students say they are making more friends and talking more. The school believes this will help students focus better in class. Many schools are trying similar rules to help students learn better without distractions.
Some students might not like the new rule at first. But the school thinks it will help everyone learn and talk more. They want students to have healthy friendships and pay attention in class. This change is part of a bigger discussion about how much technology should be used in schools.
Original news source: School calls time on pupils' smart devices (BBC)
π§ Listen:
π Vocabulary:
Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– Charades
Instructions: Choose key words from the article (e.g., phones, smartwatches, headphones, friends, distractions) and have students act them out without speaking while their classmates guess the word.
– News Summary
Instructions: In pairs, have students summarize the article in their own words. Encourage them to focus on the main points and key ideas.
– Word Association
Instructions: Write the word "technology" on the board and have students shout out related words or ideas. Encourage them to expand their vocabulary by exploring different aspects of the topic.
– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Divide the class into groups and have them discuss their opinions on the new rule at Forge Valley School. Encourage them to share their thoughts and reasons for their opinions.
– Think-Pair-Share
Instructions: Ask students to think about a time when they were without their phones for a whole day. Then, have them pair up and discuss their experiences. Finally, ask a few pairs to share their thoughts with the class.
π€ Comprehension Questions:
Students can't use phones, smartwatches, or headphones at school. If they do, they have to give them up for a whole day.
Mr. Barrowclough thinks students are using their phones too much and not talking to each other.
Students say they are making more friends and talking more without their phones.
The school believes this will help students focus better in class.
Some students might not like the rule because they can't use their phones, smartwatches, or headphones.
The school hopes students will have healthy friendships and pay attention in class.
The school is discussing this because they want to make sure students are learning well without getting distracted by technology.
π§βοΈ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
Forge Valley in Sheffield has a new rule. Students can't use phones, , or headphones at school. If they do, they have to them up for a whole day. The head teacher, Mr. Barrowclough, thinks students are their phones too much and acting like "zombies." The wants students to talk to each other . Without phones, students say they are making more friends and talking more. The school believes this will help students focus better in class. schools are trying s to help students learn better without distractions. Some students might not like the new rule at first. But the school thinks it will help everyone learn and talk more. They want students to healthy friendships and pay attention in class. This is part of a bigger discussion about how much should be used in schools.
π¬ Discussion Questions:
1. What is a smartwatch and why do you think some schools don't allow students to wear them?
2. How would you feel if you couldn't use your phone at school for a whole day?
3. Do you like talking to your friends face-to-face more than using a phone? Why or why not?
4. How do you think not using phones at school can help students focus better in class?
5. Do you think it's important for students to make friends and talk to each other without using phones? Why or why not?
6. What do you think about the new rule at Forge Valley School?
7. How do you think using phones too much can make students act like "zombies"?
8. Why do you think some students might not like the new rule at first?
9. Do you think it's a good idea for schools to have rules about using technology? Why or why not?
10. How do you think technology can sometimes be a distraction in the classroom?
11. Why do you think the school wants students to have healthy friendships?
12. Do you think it's important for students to pay attention in class? Why or why not?
Individual Activities
ππ Vocabulary Meanings:
Click a dot next to a word, then click the dot next to its meaning to draw a line connecting them.
Words
Meanings
π‘ Multiple Choice Questions:
π΅οΈ True or False Questions:
π Write a Summary:
Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
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