Friday, October 19, 2018

Controversial Issues for ESL Students: Unfinished

(TESOL Worksheets--English for Academic Purposes, IELTS)
Controversial Issues Google Folder HERE
List of Controversial Issues: docs, pub
Abortion Google Folder: HERE
Abortion Background Information: docs, pub
Abortion Point and Counterpoint: drive, docs, pub
Abortion Listening: slides, pub 

This is a project that's unfinished.  But I still think it's a good idea in theory, so I'm going to post the unfinished materials here, in case it inspires anyone else.  I may return to this project someday as well.
This was born out of frustration with IELTS study classes in Vietnam.  Students I knew were taking years of IELTS preparation classes.  I was of the opinion, however, that you really only needed a few months of IELTS preparation classes.  After that, you knew the test rules and strategies, and then you needed to work on getting your general proficiency level up. To that end, I wanted to get my students debating controversial issues.
I also think these materials would work well for students who are trying to make the jump from General English to English for Academic Purposes.
At my school, there was a class of students who had finished all of our IELTS classes, and no one knew what to do with them.  So I started preparing these materials. 
As it happened, we didn't need them.  (They enrolled in a general English class instead).  So these are only half finished.

The idea was to move through my list of controversial issues. (Previously posted HERE and HERE).  As I mentioned the last time I posted it, not all of these issues are actually going to show up on the IELTS, but I think the general skills are transferable. 
My intention with each controversial issues was:
1) to create a background information reading--intended to bring people outside the United States up to speed on the controversy
2) Find authentic articles on each side of the controversy--i.e. one pro, one con article.
3) Find some sort of listening on the issue
4) Create a list of discussion questions about the issue (somewhat similar to IELTS Speaking Part 3)
5) Essay question on the issue (somewhat similar to IELTS Writing Task 2)

I started with "Abortion" just because it was first alphabetically.  I managed to write a background information reading, and find pro and con articles, and a listening.  I never got around to the discussion questions or the essay.
I may at some point come back to this.   But for now, it's unfinished.

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