The Reading / Listening - Level 2

A United Nations report says more than 250 million children of primary school age cannot read or write. They could also not do basic maths. The report said 120 million children have spent little or no time in school. The researchers said countries lose money when children do not go to school. Each year, governments lose up to $130 billion. A U.N. spokeswoman said there was a global "learning crisis". This is because in a third of countries, 75 per cent of primary school teachers do not have enough training. The spokeswoman said: "The issue now is to put the focus on quality."

Most children not going to school are girls. Developing countries can get richer if they send girls to school – up to 25 per cent richer in 40 years. Almost two-thirds (66%) of girls in Arab countries and sub-Saharan Africa may never go to school. In Yemen, just 36 per cent of girls are literate. The Reuters news agency said: "If current trends continue, the poorest part of the young female population in developing countries won’t achieve literacy until 2072" The good news is that in Laos, Rwanda and Vietnam, the number of children not going to school fell by 85 per cent in the last five years.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 0 Level 1   or  Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/29/kid-literacy-rate_n_4691196.html?utm_hp_ref=world
  • http://www.dw.de/unesco-report-higher-illiteracy-rate-more-waste-in-education-than-previously-believed/a-17393234
  • http://www.trust.org/item/20140130051043-gzad3/
  • http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/leading-the-international-agenda/efareport/reports/2013/


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 :-)

The Activities

MATCHING

PARAGRAPH ONE:

1.

children of primary

a.

time in school

2.

basic

b.

have enough training

3.

spent little or no

c.

up to $130 billion

4.

countries lose money when

d.

the focus on quality

5.

governments lose

e.

school age

6.

in a

f.

children do not go to school

7.

teachers do not

g.

third of countries

8.

The issue now is to put

h.

maths



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

PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.

Most children not going

a.

continue

2.

get richer if they

b.

in 40 years

3.

up to 25 per cent richer

c.

to school fell by 85%

4.

In Yemen, just 36 per cent

d.

send girls to school

5.

If current trends

e.

of girls are literate

6.

the young female population in

f.

to school are girls

7.

won't achieve literacy

g.

developing countries

8.

the number of children not going

h.

until 2072

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

A United Nations report says more than 250 million children of primary (1) ___________________ read or write. They could also not do basic maths. The report said 120 million children have spent (2) ___________________ school. The researchers said countries lose money when children do not go to school. Each year, governments (3) ___________________ billion. A U.N. spokeswoman said there was a (4) ___________________. This is because (5) ___________________, 75 per cent of primary school teachers do not have enough training. The spokeswoman said: "The issue now is to put (6) ___________________."

Most children not going (7) ___________________. Developing countries can get richer if they send girls to school – up to 25 per cent richer in 40 years. (8) ___________________ (66%) of girls in Arab countries and sub-Saharan Africa may never go to school. In Yemen, just 36 per cent of (9) ___________________. The Reuters news agency said: "If (10) ___________________, the poorest part of the young female population in developing countries won't (11) ___________________ 2072" The good news is that in Laos, Rwanda and Vietnam, the number of children not going to school fell by 85 per cent (12) ___________________.

PUT A SLASH ( / )WHERE THE SPACES ARE

AUnitedNationsreportsaysmorethan250millionchildrenofprimaryschoola
gecannotreadorwrite.Theycouldalsonotdobasicmaths.Thereportsaid120
millionchildrenhavespentlittleornotimeinschool.Theresearcherssaidcount
rieslosemoneywhenchildrendonotgotoschool.Eachyear,governmentslos
eupto$130billion.AU.N.spokeswomansaidtherewasaglobal"learningcrisi
s".Thisisbecauseinathirdofcountries,75percentofprimaryschoolteachersd
onothaveenoughtraining.Thespokeswomansaid:"Theissuenowistoputthe
focusonquality."Mostchildrennotgoingtoschoolaregirls.Developingcountri
escangetricheriftheysendgirlstoschool–upto25percentricherin40years.A
lmosttwo-thirds(66%)ofgirlsinArabcountriesandsub-SaharanAfricama
ynevergotoschool.InYemen,just36percentofgirlsareliterate.TheReutersn
ewsagencysaid:"Ifcurrenttrendscontinue,thepoorestpartoftheyoungfemal
epopulationindevelopingcountrieswon'tachieveliteracyuntil2072"Thegoo
dnewsisthatinLaos,RwandaandVietnam,thenumberofchildrennotgoingto
schoolfellby85percentinthelastfiveyears.

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

Student A: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

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g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

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Student B: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

WRITING

Write about literacy for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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