Breaking News English Lesson on Big Brother

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San Francisco bans facial recognition software (17th May, 2019)

The Reading / Listening - Big Brother - Level 3

San Francisco has become the first city in the USA to ban facial recognition software. The city has said police and other public departments cannot use the software. San Francisco already uses surveillance cameras for reading car number plates and police officers wear body cameras. There is facial recognition at airports. Many officials wanted to introduce facial recognition in the city to increase security. They said facial recognition technology would make it cheaper and faster for police to find crime suspects and identify missing people. An expert on information technology said: "A ban on facial recognition will make [San Francisco] frozen in time with outdated technology."

There are many opponents of the technology, which is being widely used in other parts of the world. San Francisco official Aaron Peskin called facial recognition a "Big Brother" technology. Big Brother is a character in the book "Nineteen Eighty-Four" by George Orwell. The phrase Big Brother is now used to describe attempts by governments or authorities to increase surveillance and "spy" on citizens. Mr Peskin said: "We can have security without being a security state. We can have good policing without being a police state." He added that: "Part of that is building trust with the community based on good community information, not on Big Brother technology."

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

Big Brother - Level 0, Big Brother - Level 1 or Big Brother - Level 2

Sources

https://news.sky.com/story/san-francisco-becomes-first-us-city-to-ban-police-from-using-facial-recognition-technology-11720324
https://www.foxnews.com/tech/san-francisco-1st-us-city-outlaw-police-facial-recognition-technology
https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-48276660

Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Warm-ups

1. BIG BROTHER: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about Big Brother. Change partners often and share your findings.
2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?
San Francisco / city / USA / facial recognition / software / police / airports / frozen /
technology / character / Big Brother / 1984 / surveillance / spy / security / community
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. SURVEILLANCE: Students A strongly believe there should be more surveillance in cities; Students B strongly believe there shouldn't. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. SOFTWARE: What are the good and bad things about the following software? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

	Good Things	Bad Things
Facial recognition
GPS
Language translation
Grammar checker
Microsoft Windows
Music streaming

MY e-BOOK

ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers

See a sample

5. CITY: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "city". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. FACIAL RECOGNITION: Rank these with your partner. Put the best places for facial recognition at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

hospitals
banks
parks
train stations
airports
schools
prisons
shops

Vocabulary

Paragraph 1

1.	ban	a.	Of or concerning the people as a whole.
2.	public	b.	A person who has a lot of or skill in a particular area.
3.	surveillance	c.	Close observation, especially of a spy or criminal.
4.	introduce	d.	Officially or legally stop people doing something.
5.	security	e.	Bring something into use or operation for the first time.
6.	crime	f.	The safety of a country or organization against criminal activity such as terrorism, theft, or espionage.
7.	expert	g.	Illegal activities.

Paragraph 2

8.	opponent	h.	The belief in the truth, ability, or strength of someone or something.
9.	official	i.	A country, nation or territory.
10.	character	j.	A person who holds a passport of a country.
11.	citizen	k.	Someone who competes against or fights another in a contest, game, or argument.
12.	state	l.	A group of people living in the same place or having something in common.
13.	trust	m.	A person in public office or being a representative of an organization or government department.
14.	community	n.	A person in a novel, play, or movie.

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

San Francisco is the first U.S. city to ban facial recognition software. T / F
There is facial recognition at airports in San Francisco. T / F
Officials said facial recognition increases the cost of policing. T / F
An expert warned about San Francisco having old-fashioned technology. T / F
There are very few opponents of facial recognition software. T / F
A writer called George Orwell wrote a book called "Big Brother". T / F
The phrase "Big Brother" means a country looking after children. T / F
An official said information was better than Big Brother technology. T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

ban
surveillance
introduce
identify
outdated
widely
official
spy
state
trust

establish
extensively
confidence
representative
observation
watch
prohibit
country
recognize
old-fashioned

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

police and other public
cameras for reading car
increase
frozen in
outdated
There are many opponents
widely used in other parts
Big Brother is a character
spy
building trust

of the technology
with the community
technology
on citizens
number plates
departments
in the book
security
time
of the world

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

airports
public
missing
increase
frozen
first
number
cheaper

San Francisco has become the (1) ____________ city in the USA to ban facial recognition software. The city has said police and other (2) ____________ departments cannot use the software. San Francisco already uses surveillance cameras for reading car (3) ____________ plates and police officers wear body cameras. There is facial recognition at (4) ____________. Many officials wanted to introduce facial recognition in the city to (5) ____________ security. They said facial recognition technology would make it (6) ____________ and faster for police to find crime suspects and identify (7) ____________ people. An expert on information technology said: "A ban on facial recognition will make [San Francisco] (8) ____________ in time with outdated technology."

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

parts
good
phrase
on
opponents
trust
increase
character

There are many (9) ____________ of the technology, which is being widely used in other (10) ____________ of the world. San Francisco official Aaron Peskin called facial recognition a "Big Brother" technology. Big Brother is a (11) ____________ in the book "Nineteen Eighty-Four" by George Orwell. The (12) ____________ Big Brother is now used to describe attempts by governments or authorities to (13) ____________ surveillance and "spy" on citizens. Mr Peskin said: "We can have security without being a security state. We can have (14) ____________ policing without being a police state." He added that: "Part of that is building (15) ____________ with the community based (16) ____________ good community information, not on Big Brother technology."

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) San Francisco has become the first city in the USA to ban facial ______
     a. recognition softly ware
     b. recognition soft where
     c. recognition soft wares
     d. recognition software
2) San Francisco already uses surveillance cameras for reading ______
     a. car numeral plates
     b. car numbered plates
     c. car number plates
     d. car numbers plates
3) officials wanted to introduce facial recognition in the city ______
     a. to increase security
     b. to increased security
    c. to increases security
     d. to in crease security
4) cheaper and faster for police to find crime suspects and ______
     a. identify missing people
     b. identify miss in people
     c. identify mixing people
     d. identify mix in people
5) A ban on facial recognition will make San Francisco ______
     a. froze in time
     b. frozen in time
     c. froze on time
     d. freeze in time

6) There are many opponents of the technology, which is being ______
     a. widely use
     b. widely abused
     c. widely used
     d. widely abuse
7) San Francisco official Aaron Peskin called facial recognition a "______" technology
     a. Big Brother
     b. Big Sister
     c. Big Mother
     d. Big Father
8) The phrase Big Brother is now used to describe ______ governments
     a. attempts buy
     b. attempts bye
     c. attempts by
     d. attempts bay
9) We can have security without being a ______
     a. secure city state
     b. secured city state
     c. secular state
    d. security state
10) He added that part of that is ______
     a. building trust
     b. built-in trust
     c. build in trust
     d. bidding trust

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

San Francisco has become (1) ___________________ in the USA to ban facial recognition software. The city has said police and other public departments cannot (2) ___________________. San Francisco already uses surveillance cameras for reading (3) ___________________ and police officers wear body cameras. There is facial recognition at airports. Many officials wanted to introduce facial recognition in the city (4) ___________________. They said facial recognition technology would make it cheaper and faster for police to find crime suspects (5) ___________________ people. An expert on information technology said: "A ban on facial recognition will make [San Francisco] (6) ___________________ with outdated technology."

There are (7) ___________________ the technology, which is being widely used (8) ___________________ of the world. San Francisco official Aaron Peskin called facial recognition a "Big Brother" technology. Big Brother is a (9) ___________________ book "Nineteen Eighty-Four" by George Orwell. The phrase Big Brother is now used to (10) ___________________ governments or authorities to increase surveillance and "spy" on citizens. Mr Peskin said: "We can have security without being (11) ___________________. We can have good policing without being a police state." He added that: "Part of that is building trust with the community (12) ___________________ community information, not on Big Brother technology."

Comprehension questions

How many U.S. cities have banned facial recognition software?
Where in San Francisco is facial recognition software used?
What do officials hope facial recognition software will increase?
Who would facial recognition software help police find?
What kind of technology did an official worry about San Francisco having?
Where is facial recognition software being widely used?
What is the name of the book that has a character called "Big Brother"?
What did an official say the city could have without being a security state?
What did an official say the city could have without being a police state?
What did the official say could build trust in the community?

Multiple choice quiz

1) How many U.S. cities have banned facial recognition software?
a) 3
b) 1
c) 2
d) 4
2) Where in San Francisco is facial recognition software used?
a) schools
b) police stations
c) prisons
d) airports
3) What do officials hope facial recognition software will increase?
a) technology
b) police numbers
c) security
d) army bases
4) Who would facial recognition software help police find?
a) crime suspects
b) a new governor
c) better police officers
d) lost children
5) What kind of technology did an official worry about San Francisco having?
a) facial recognition software
b) outdated technology
c) Microsoft software
d) technology with viruses

6) Where is facial recognition software being widely used?
a) other parts of the world
b) Asia
c) Brazil
d) the U.K.
7) What is the name of the book that has a character called "Big Brother"?
a) "Happy Families"
b) "The Spy"
c) Nineteen Eighty-Four
d) "George Orwell"
8) What did an official say the city could have without being a security state?
a) security
b) technology
c) more police officers
d) fun
9) What did an official say the city could have without being a police state?
a) more money
b) crime
c) community policing
d) good policing
10) What did the official say could build trust in the community?
a) facial recognition
b) technology
c) good community information
d) software

Role play

Role A – Airports
You think airports are the best place for facial recognition. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their places don't need facial recognition. Also, tell the others which of these places definitely do not need it (and why): schools, banks or shops.

Role B – Schools
You think schools are the best place for facial recognition. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their places don't need facial recognition. Also, tell the others which of these places definitely do not need it (and why): airports, banks or shops.

Role C – Banks
You think banks are the best place for facial recognition. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their places don't need facial recognition. Also, tell the others which of these places definitely do not need it (and why): schools, airports or shops.

Role D – Shops
You think shops are the best place for facial recognition. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their places don't need facial recognition. Also, tell the others which of these places definitely do not need it (and why): schools, banks or airports.

After reading / listening

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words...

'big'

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

and 'brother'.
________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

• Share your findings with your partners.

• Make questions using the words you found.

• Ask your partner / group your questions.

2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

•Share your questions with other classmates / groups. •Ask your partner / group your questions.

3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

many

character

phrase

spy

policing

trust

first

other

body

wanted

faster

time

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion - San Francisco bans facial recognition software

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

What did you think when you read the headline?
What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'big'?
What do you know about facial recognition?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of facial recognition?
Should facial recognition be everywhere?
Do you think police officers should wear body cameras?
How else can police find criminals quickly?
Do we have too much technology?
What happens to cities with outdated technology?
Would you like to see facial recognition in your town?

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
What do you think of when you hear the word 'brother'?
What do you think about what you read?
What do you know about Big Brother?
Why are people afraid of the idea of Big Brother?
Are you worried governments have too much information on us?
Do you worry that people are spying on you?
Is it a bad thing to live in a police state?
How can governments build trust in people?
What questions would you like to ask San Francisco's mayor?

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

San Francisco has become the (1) ____ city in the USA to ban facial recognition software. The city has said police and other (2) ____ departments cannot use the software. San Francisco already uses surveillance cameras for (3) ____ car number plates and police officers wear body cameras. There is facial recognition at airports. Many officials wanted (4) ____ introduce facial recognition in the city to increase security. They said facial recognition technology would make it cheaper and faster for police to (5) ____ crime suspects and identify missing people. An expert on information technology said: "A ban on facial recognition will make [San Francisco] frozen (6) ____ time with outdated technology."

There are many opponents of the technology, which is being (7) ____ used in other parts of the world. San Francisco official Aaron Peskin called facial recognition a "Big Brother" technology. Big Brother is a (8) ____ in the book "Nineteen Eighty-Four" by George Orwell. The (9) ____ Big Brother is now used to describe attempts by governments or authorities to increase surveillance and "(10) ____" on citizens. Mr Peskin said: "We can have security without (11) ____ a security state. We can have good policing without being a police state." He added that: "Part of that is building (12) ____ with the community based on good community information, not on Big Brother technology."

Which of these words go in the above text?

(a) first (b) fast (c) fist (d) firstly
(a) drastic (b) users (c) public (d) caller
(a) spelling (b) writing (c) reading (d) creating
(a) quick (b) by (c) that (d) to
(a) fund (b) fend (c) find (d) frond
(a) up (b) in (c) to (d) of
(a) widen (b) widely (c) width (d) wide
(a) punctuation (b) character (c) letter (d) numeral
(a) phase (b) parse (c) phrase (d) appease
(a) shy (b) sty (c) sly (d) spy
(a) were (b) been (c) be (d) being
(a) wrist (b) crust (c) rust (d) trust

Spelling

Paragraph 1

ban facial recognition twrasofe
police and other liucpb departments
to increase seucyrit
An exretp on information technology
ezonfr in time
eatddtou technology

Paragraph 2

There are many etnsppono of the technology
a thrareacc in the book "Nineteen Eighty-Four"
governments or uhiaerttois
spy on sitniecz
being a police ttsea
building trust with the cuinmtmyo

Put the text back together

(...) plates and police officers wear body cameras. There is facial recognition at airports. Many officials wanted
(...) community based on good community information, not on Big Brother technology."
( 1 ) San Francisco has become the first city in the USA to ban facial recognition software. The city has said police and other
(...) of the world. San Francisco official Aaron Peskin called facial recognition a "Big Brother" technology. Big Brother is
(...) public departments cannot use the software. San Francisco already uses surveillance cameras for reading car number
(...) to introduce facial recognition in the city to increase security. They said facial recognition
(...) policing without being a police state." He added that: "Part of that is building trust with the
(...) technology would make it cheaper and faster for police to find crime suspects and identify
(...) attempts by governments or authorities to increase surveillance and "spy" on
(...) missing people. An expert on information technology said: "A ban on facial recognition will
(...) There are many opponents of the technology, which is being widely used in other parts
(...) make [San Francisco] frozen in time with outdated technology."
(...) a character in the book "Nineteen Eighty-Four" by George Orwell. The phrase Big Brother is now used to describe
(...) citizens. Mr Peskin said: "We can have security without being a security state. We can have good

Put the words in the right order

use Police cannot the and departments other software .
for reading car cameras plates . number Surveillance
wanted facial to in recognition cities . introduce Officials
it technology recognition Facial make would cheaper .
with Make outdated frozen technology . time in it
are the many technology . opponents of There
increase and to spy citizens . Authorities on surveillance
being security a without Have security state .
policing Have being state . good a police without
based with community information . trust on Building the

Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

San Francisco has become the fast / first city in the USA to ban facial recognition software. The city has said police and other public / publicly departments cannot use / useful the software. San Francisco already uses surveillance cameras for reading car letter / number plates and police officers wear body cameras. There is facial / facially recognition at airports. Many officials wanted to introduction / introduce facial recognition in the city to increase security. They said facial recognition technology would make it cheaper / cheaply and faster for police to find crime suspects and identity / identify missing people. An expert on information technology said: "A ban / bin on facial recognition will make [San Francisco] cold / frozen in time with outdated technology."

There are many opposes / opponents of the technology, which is been / being widely used in other parts / part of the world. San Francisco official Aaron Peskin called facial recognition a "Big Brother" technology. Big Brother is a character in a / the book "Nineteen Eighty-Four" by George Orwell. The phrase Big Brother is now used to describe attempts / trying by governments or authorities to increase surveillance and "spy" on / in citizens. Mr Peskin said: "We can have secure / security without being a security state. We can have good / well policing without being a police state." He added that: "Part of that / what is building trust with the community basted / based on good community information, not on Big Brother technology."

Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct.

Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

S_n F r_n c_s c_ h_s b_c_m_ t h_ f_r s t c_t y _n t h_ U S A t_ b_n f_c__ l r_c_g n_t__ n s_f t w_r_. T h_ c_t y h_s s__ d p_l_c_ _n d _t h_r p_b l_c d_p_r t m_n t s c_n n_t _s_ t h_ s_f t w_r_. S_n F r_n c_s c_ _l r__ d y _s_s s_r v__ l l_n c_ c_m_r_s f_r r__ d_n g c_r n_m b_r p l_t_s _n d p_l_c_ _f f_c_r s w__ r b_d y c_m_r_s . T h_r_ _s f_c__ l r_c_g n_t__ n _t __ r p_r t s . M_n y _f f_c__ l s w_n t_d t_ _n t r_d_c_ f_c__ l r_c_g n_t__ n _n t h_ c_t y t_ _n c r__ s_ s_c_r_t y . T h_y s__ d f_c__ l r_c_g n_t__ n t_c h n_l_g y w__ l d m_k_ _t c h__ p_r _n d f_s t_r f_r p_l_c_ t_ f_n d c r_m_ s_s p_c t s _n d _d_n t_f y m_s s_n g p__ p l_. A n _x p_r t _n _n f_r m_t__ n t_c h n_l_g y s__ d : " A b_n _n f_c__ l r_c_g n_t__ n w_l l m_k_ [ S_n F r_n c_s c_] f r_z_n _n t_m_ w_t h __ t d_t_d t_c h n_l_g y . "

T h_r_ _r_ m_n y _p p_n_n t s _f t h_ t_c h n_l_g y , w h_c h _s b__ n g w_d_l y _s_d _n _t h_r p_r t s _f t h_ w_r l d . S_n F r_n c_s c_ _f f_c__ l A_r_n P_s k_n c_l l_d f_c__ l r_c_g n_t__ n _ " B_g B r_t h_r " t_c h n_l_g y . B_g B r_t h_r _s _ c h_r_c t_r _n t h_ b__ k " N_n_t__ n E_g h t y - F__ r " b y G__ r g_ O r w_l l . T h_ p h r_s_ B_g B r_t h_r _s n_w _s_d t_ d_s c r_b_ _t t_m p t s b y g_v_r n m_n t s _r __ t h_r_t__ s t_ _n c r__ s_ s_r v__ l l_n c_ _n d " s p y " _n c_t_z_n s . M r P_s k_n s__ d : " W_ c_n h_v_ s_c_r_t y w_t h__ t b__ n g _ s_c_r_t y s t_t_. W_ c_n h_v_ g__ d p_l_c_n g w_t h__ t b__ n g _ p_l_c_ s t_t_. " H_ _d d_d t h_t : " P_r t _f t h_t _s b__ l d_n g t r_s t w_t h t h_ c_m m_n_t y b_s_d _n g__ d c_m m_n_t y _n f_r m_t__ n , n_t _n B_g B r_t h_r t_c h n_l_g y . "

Punctuate the text and add capitals

san francisco has become the first city in the usa to ban facial recognition software the city has said police and other public departments cannot use the software san francisco already uses surveillance cameras for reading car number plates and police officers wear body cameras there is facial recognition at airports many officials wanted to introduce facial recognition in the city to increase security they said facial recognition technology would make it cheaper and faster for police to find crime suspects and identify missing people an expert on information technology said a ban on facial recognition will make san francisco frozen in time with outdated technology

there are many opponents of the technology which is being widely used in other parts of the world san francisco official aaron peskin called facial recognition a big brother technology big brother is a character in the book nineteen eightyfour by george orwell the phrase big brother is now used to describe attempts by governments or authorities to increase surveillance and spy on citizens mr peskin said we can have security without being a security state we can have good policing without being a police state he added that part of that is building trust with the community based on good community information not on big brother technology"

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

SanFranciscohasbecomethefirstcityintheUSAtobanfacialrecognition
software.Thecityhassaidpoliceandotherpublicdepartmentscannotus
ethesoftware.SanFranciscoalreadyusessurveillancecamerasforread
ingcarnumberplatesandpoliceofficerswearbodycameras.Thereisfaci
alrecognitionatairports.Manyofficialswantedtointroducefacialrecog
nitioninthecitytoincreasesecurity.Theysaidfacialrecognitiontechnol
ogywouldmakeitcheaperandfasterforpolicetofindcrimesuspectsandi
dentifymissingpeople.Anexpertoninformationtechnologysaid:"Aba
nonfacialrecognitionwillmake[SanFrancisco]frozenintimewithoutda
tedtechnology."Therearemanyopponentsofthetechnology,whichisb
eingwidelyusedinotherpartsoftheworld.SanFranciscoofficialAaronP
eskincalledfacialrecognitiona"BigBrother"technology.BigBrotherisa
characterinthebook"NineteenEighty-Four"byGeorgeOrwell.Theph
raseBigBrotherisnowusedtodescribeattemptsbygovernmentsoraut
horitiestoincreasesurveillanceand"spy"oncitizens.MrPeskinsaid:"W
ecanhavesecuritywithoutbeingasecuritystate.Wecanhavegoodpolic
ingwithoutbeingapolicestate."Headdedthat:"Partofthatisbuildingtru
stwiththecommunitybasedongoodcommunityinformation,notonBig
Brothertechnology."

Free writing

Write about Big Brother for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Academic writing

The idea of Big Brother is scary. Discuss.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Homework

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google's search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about this news story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. BIG BROTHER: Make a poster about Big Brother. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
4. FACIAL RECOGNITION: Write a magazine article about facial recognition. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against this.
Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).
5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on Big Brother. Ask him/her three questions about this concept. Give him/her three of your opinions on it. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

A Few Additional Activities for Students

Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

Also...

Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

News
Warm ups
Pre-reading / Post-reading
Using headlines
Working with words
While-reading / While-listening
Moving from text to speech
Post-reading / Post-listening
Discussions
Using opinions
Plans
Language
Using lists
Using quotes
Task-based activities
Role plays
Using the central characters in the article
Using themes from the news
Homework

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Answers

(Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

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