This exercise is prepared by the Leaf Academy. It is part of the Spectator College programme and it is linked to the articles: Bad habits or lack of opportunities? and High expectations for first job.
CONTENT
EXERCISE 1: Bad habits or lack of opportunities?
EXERCISE 2: High expectations for first job
Recommended Usage and Format for exercises
EXERCISE 1 linked to the article: Bad habits or lack of opportunities?
Lesson Objectives
-Read text and demonstrate understanding (comprehension, analysis, connection, and transfer)
-Analyze position
-Respond to argument and work with evidence
1. Read article (15 minutes)
- Underline any words you do not recognize or understand.
2. Understanding: (5 minutes)
- Have each student share word(s) they don’t know and define them.
3. Focused Free Write: (5 minutes writing, 5 minute discussion)
- Prompt: If you were the Minister of Labor and you were tasked with decreasing youth unemployment, what are would you focus on? Use evidence from the article to support your position.
4. Discussion (10 minutes)
- Find common views and dissenting views about the future employment prospects for young people in Slovakia.
EXERCISE 2 linked to the article: High expectations for first job
Lesson Objectives
-Read text and demonstrate understanding (comprehension, analysis, connection, and transfer)
-Analyze position
-Respond to argument and work with evidence
1. Read article (5 minutes)
- Underline any words you do not recognize or understand.
2. Understanding: (5 minutes)
- Have each student share word(s) they don’t know and define them.
3. Summarize/Monitor Understanding (10 minutes)
- What are the most important factors that influence employers in hiring (or not) young people. Please use evidence from the text to support your position.
4. Focused Free Write: (5 minutes writing, 5 minute discussion)
- Prompt: When you think about your first job, is it more important that it is a meaningful job or that you are compensated well? Choose one position and explain why you believe this.
5. Discussion (10 minutes)
- Find common views and dissenting views about your hopes for your first job.
Recommended Usage and Format for exercises
We believe a discussion-based format is best for achieving the learning objectives. We also believe that using the technique Writing as Thinking helps students to formulate their ideas and practice their writing in advance of the discussion. The degree of facilitator and adult involvement will vary according to student background and secondary objectives.
Writing
Model by being willing to write along with students and also to share your writing with the class.
Let them know before writing if they will be asked to share their writing out loud.
Here writing is first thoughts, so poor spelling, punctuation or conventions are not the focus.
Focus on engaging with ideas.
They do not need to apologize for the quality of their writing.
Discussion
Set expectations for active listening and body language
Engage introverts and extroverts, be mindful of dominant voices
Be mindful of how much you are speaking
Manage time
Encourage students to respond directly to each other, and not through the facilitator, using evidence- I agree with Igor’s point because…
Encourage everyone to draw from evidence in the text to support their points, avoid generalizations
- Can you point to a line in the text…
- Can you help me to understand…
- Could you give an example…
Use techniques to encourage other voices
- Let’s hear some other thoughts…
- Let’s hear from someone who hasn’t contributed yet...
Techniques for managing time/discussion
- Put this in the parking lot and move on…
- Let’s pause here…
Parts of the lesson
Focused Free Write- an opportunity for students to write freely, but about a specific prompt.
Reflection- an opportunity to think about the lesson, what they have learned and hopefully how it will help them or how it connects to their life
Underlining words- this strategy is a good habit for students and it also allows them more ownership of their vocabulary.
This exercise is prepared by the Leaf Academy and it is part of the Spectator College, a programme created by The Slovak Spectator.
