Speaking Lesson: Problems With Technology

(TESOL Worksheets--Speaking, Life Elementary)

 I used this lesson to supplement Life Elementary Textbook 10D Problems With Technology p.124.  But I think this can also stand as its own independent lesson, so I'm posting it here as well.

First, students brainstorm a list of all possible technology problems in groups.
Then, they are given cards with specific problems, and have to match them to the pictures (on Google Slides).
Then, they talk about their experiences with these problems in pairs.
Then, they have to come up with a personal story about a time when they had a problem with technology, and share it with their classmates during a mingle activity.

Google Slides (slides, pub)
Cards (docs, pub)
Mingle activity (docs, pub)
I also used took some of the questions from Conversation Questions: Science and Technology and used these as a lead-in.  I put the students in groups of three, gave each group a handout, and had them talk about the questions on the handout. (docs, pub)

photocopy jam	car won’t start
phone battery dies	computer won’t print
Internet connection stops working	no more storage space on camera
air conditioning breaks	lose your data
no cell phone reception	get stuck in an elevator

Listen to your classmates technology story, and write down:

name:	What was the problem?	What did they do?	What happened in the end

Who had...

	classmate name:
the funniest story?
the saddest story?
the most surprising story?
a story that was very similar to my own experience?  (The same thing happened to you before).

Problems With Technology

What are the advantages of technology?

What are the disadvantages of technology?

Do you think using cell phones too much is bad for our physical or mental health? Why?

What are good and bad points of using computers?

Do you think modern technology reduces or increases stress? Why?

What is your opinion about children playing violent video games or computer programs?

What do you think should be done to people who spread viruses, start hoaxes or create spam on the Internet?

Do you worry about identity theft or credit card number theft when buying things on the Internet or do you avoid buying things online because of this concern?

People can often get in trouble or embarrassed on Facebook for sharing too much information.  Have you ever had this experience?  Do you know anyone who has had this experience?