Students at Media City's University Technical College took part in a project where they had to stop using their smartphones. Instead, they used simple Nokia phones. This project was organized by BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Bitesize to see how young people use their smartphones. The students could only make calls and send text messages during this time.
The students had different experiences without their smartphones. Some liked being free from social media and constant notifications. Others found it hard because the basic phones didn't have many features. This project shows how much young people rely on their smartphones.
This project happened when people are talking more about smartphone addiction. It gave students a chance to think about how they use their phones. While smartphones are great for communication and information, it's important not to depend on them too much. Finding a balance is key to using smartphones in a healthy way.
Original news source: College students on life without a smartphone (BBC)
π§ Listen:
π Vocabulary:
Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Give each group a list of actions or activities related to smartphone use (e.g. texting, taking a selfie, scrolling through social media). One student from each group will act out the action without using any words, and the rest of the group will try to guess what it is. The group that guesses the most actions correctly wins.
– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Have the students form pairs or small groups. Ask them to discuss and share their opinions on the following question: "Do you think young people rely too much on smartphones? Why or why not?" After discussing, have each group choose a spokesperson to present their opinions to the class. Encourage them to provide reasons and examples to support their opinions.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Divide the class into teams. Give each team a list of vocabulary words related to the article (e.g. smartphone, addiction, communication, balance). One student from each team will come to the front of the class and draw a picture to represent one of the words. The rest of the team must guess the word within a certain time limit. The team with the most correct guesses wins.
– Keyword Taboo
Instructions: Write down several keywords from the article on separate index cards (e.g. smartphones, project, addiction, balance). Divide the class into two teams. One student from each team will come to the front of the class. Their team members must describe the keyword on the card without using the actual word. The student at the front must guess the keyword within a certain time limit. The team with the most correct guesses wins.
– Future Predictions
Instructions: In pairs or small groups, have the students discuss and make predictions about the future of smartphone use. Encourage them to think about how smartphones might evolve and how people's reliance on them might change. After discussing, have each group choose a spokesperson to share their predictions with the class.
π€ Comprehension Questions:
They had to stop using their smartphones.
They used simple Nokia phones.
Some of the students liked being free from social media and constant notifications.
Some students found it hard because the basic phones didn't have many features.
This project showed that young people rely on their smartphones a lot.
This project happened to see how young people use their smartphones and to raise awareness about smartphone addiction.
It is important to find a balance and not depend on smartphones too much.
π§βοΈ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
Students at City's University Technical College took part in a project where they had to stop their smartphones. Instead, they used simple Nokia phones. This project was organized by BBC Radio 5 and BBC Bitesize to see how young people use their smartphones. The could only make and send text messages during this time. The students had different experiences without their smartphones. Some liked being from social media and constant notifications. Others found it hard because the basic phones didn't many features. This shows how much young people rely on their . This project happened when people are talking more about smartphone addiction. It gave students a chance to think about how they use their phones. While smartphones are great for and , it's not to depend on them too much. Finding a balance is key to using smartphones in a healthy way.
π¬ Discussion Questions:
1. What is a smartphone?
2. How would you feel if you had to stop using your smartphone for a while?
3. Do you like using social media on your smartphone? Why or why not?
4. What features do you think are important to have on a phone?
5. How do you think young people use their smartphones?
6. Do you think it's important to find a balance when using smartphones? Why or why not?
7. What are some ways you can use a smartphone for communication?
8. How do you feel when you get notifications on your phone?
9. What are some other ways you can get information besides using a smartphone?
10. Do you think people can become addicted to their smartphones? Why or why not?
11. How do you think you would feel if you had to use a basic phone without many features?
12. What are some activities you can do instead of using your smartphone?
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.
Check your writing now with the best free AI for English writing!
