Breaking News English ESL Lesson Plan on IQ and Spanking

New research shows that smacking, or spanking, children can affect their intelligence. Researchers from the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation in Maryland, USA, say spanking can lower a child’s IQ. The research team studied hundreds of American children as they grew up. They found the more a child was spanked, the lower their IQ was compared with other kids. Lead researcher Murray Straus advised parents not to hit their children as a form of punishment. He warned parents to look for other ways of disciplining children if they want their child to be bright: "All parents want smart children...This research shows that avoiding spanking and correcting misbehaviour in other ways can help that happen," he said.

Spanking children has been a hot issue over the years. It was the traditional way for a parent to punish a child. However, it has fallen out of favour with modern parents. Child behaviour experts warn smacking a child does a lot more harm than good. They say it can leave emotional as well as physical scars. Mr. Straus explains why a child could suffer emotionally: "Contrary to what everyone believes, being hit by parents is a traumatic experience...We know from lots of research that traumatic stresses [negatively] affects the brain." Straus says trying to explain to a child why their behaviour is wrong could provide learning opportunities. The child has to think and use his or her own logic to decide for themselves what’s right and what’s wrong.

WARM-UPS

1. INTELLIGENCE: Walk around the class and talk to other students about Intelligence. Change partners often. Sit with your first partner(s) and share your findings.

2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, decide which of these topics or words from the article are most interesting and which are most boring.

research / spanking / a child’s IQ / punishment / disciplining / being smart / bright / hot issues / traditional ways / modern parents / emotional scars / learning / logic

Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.

3. DISCIPLINE: What is your opinion on discipline for kids? Complete this table. Show your partner. Change partners and share what you heard. Change and share again.

Discipline	Good / Bad?	Why?
Smacking
No pocket money
Sent to room
Grounded
100 household chores
Silent treatment

4. SPANKING: Students A strongly believe spanking makes children behave well; Students B strongly believe the opposite. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.

5. MODERN PARENTS: Are modern parents better than traditional parents? Talk about these things with your partner(s). Change partners and share what you heard.

Discipline
Education
Morals
Family relations

Playing with kids
Making kids responsible
Teaching kids manners
Being a role model

6. LOGIC: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word ‘logic’. Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

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

a.	Hitting children can make them less intelligent.	T / F
b.	A research team studied different kids from all over the world.	T / F
c.	The lead researcher advised the occasional spank is OK.	T / F
d.	The researcher was surprised that not all parents want smart kids.	T / F
e.	Spanking was quite common many years ago.	T / F
f.	An expert on children says spanking is more damaging than beneficial.	T / F
g.	Spanking creates trauma, which creates stress, which raises the IQ.	T / F
h.	Explaining why things are wrong can actually help his or her IQ.	T / F

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

1.	spanking	a.	recommended
2	lower	b.	distressing
3.	studied	c.	topic
4.	advised	d.	hitting
5.	bright	e.	become unpopular
6.	issue	f.	reduce
7.	fallen out of favour	g.	mental
8.	emotional	h.	reasoning
9.	traumatic	i.	clever
10.	logic	j.	looked at

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

1.	spanking children can affect their	a.	of punishment
2	spanking can lower	b.	issue
3.	the lower their IQ was compared	c.	physical scars
4.	hit their children as a form	d.	intelligence
5.	correcting	e.	right and what’s wrong
6.	a hot	f.	a child’s IQ
7.	fallen out of favour	g.	emotionally
8.	emotional as well as	h.	with other kids
9.	a child could suffer	i.	with modern parents
10.	decide for themselves what’s	j.	misbehaviour

WHILE READING / LISTENING

GAP FILL: Put the words into the gaps in the text.

New research shows that smacking, or spanking, children can ____________ their intelligence. Researchers from the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation in Maryland, USA, say spanking can ____________ a child’s IQ. The research team studied hundreds of American children as they ____________ up. They found the more a child was spanked, the lower their IQ was ____________ with other kids. Lead researcher Murray Straus ____________ parents not to hit their children as a form of punishment. He warned parents to look for other ____________ of disciplining children if they want their child to be bright: "All parents want ____________ children...This research shows that ____________ spanking and correcting misbehaviour in other ways can help that happen," he said.

compared
avoiding
lower
ways
affect
smart
grew
advised

Spanking children has been a hot ____________ over the years. It was the traditional way for a parent to ____________ a child. However, it has fallen out of favour with modern parents. Child behaviour ____________ warn smacking a child does a lot more harm than good. They say it can leave emotional as well as physical ____________. Mr. Straus explains why a child could ____________ emotionally: "Contrary to what everyone believes, being hit by parents is a traumatic experience...We know from lots of research that traumatic ____________ [negatively] affects the brain." Straus says trying to explain to a child why their behaviour is wrong could ____________ learning opportunities. The child has to think and use his or her own ____________ to decide for themselves what’s right and what’s wrong.

experts
provide
punish
logic
suffer
issue
stresses
scars

LISTENING – Listen and fill in the gaps

New research shows that smacking, or spanking, children _______________ intelligence. Researchers from the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation in Maryland, USA, say spanking can _______________. The research team studied hundreds of American children as they grew up. They found _______________ was spanked, the lower their IQ was compared _______________. Lead researcher Murray Straus advised parents not to hit their children _______________ punishment. He warned parents to look for other ways of disciplining children if they want their child _______________: "All parents want smart children...This research shows that avoiding spanking and correcting misbehaviour _______________ can help that happen," he said.

Spanking children has been _______________ over the years. It was the traditional way for a parent to punish a child. However, it _______________ favour with modern parents. Child behaviour experts warn smacking a child _______________ harm than good. They say it can leave emotional as well as physical scars. Mr. Straus explains why a _______________ emotionally: "Contrary to what everyone believes, _______________ parents is a traumatic experience...We know from lots of research that traumatic stresses [negatively] affects the brain." Straus says trying to explain to a child why their behaviour is wrong could provide learning opportunities. The child has to think and use his _______________ to decide for themselves what’s right _______________.

AFTER READING / LISTENING

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

bright

child

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:

shows
grew
compared
form
bright
ways

issue
punish
warn
contrary
brain
logic

STUDENT INTELLIGENCE SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about intelligence 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.

	STUDENT 1 _____________	STUDENT 2 _____________	STUDENT 3 _____________
Q.1.
Q.2.
Q.3.
Q.4.
Q.5.

Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.
Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

INTELLIGENCE DISCUSSION

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

a)	What did you think when you read the headline?
b)	What springs to mind when you hear the word ‘spanking’?
c)	Did your parents ever hit you when you were a child?
d)	What do you think of spanking as a form of punishment?
e)	Do you believe what the article says, that spanking lowers a child’s IQ?
f)	What do you think is the best way to discipline a child?
g)	What’s the difference between discipline and punishment?
h)	What other ways could parents discipline their children?
i)	Did your parents talk about how bright you were?
j)	Do you think you are (would be) a good parent?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

a)	Did you like reading this article?
b)	Do you ever think about your intelligence?
c)	Have you ever taken an I.Q. or other intelligence test?
d)	New Zealand has recently brought back spanking. What do you think about this?
e)	Are modern parents better than traditional parents?
f)	Is there ever a time when a smack can do more good than harm?
g)	Do you know anyone with emotional scars because their parents spanked them?
h)	Are children logical?
i)	Do you think most kids will decide what’s right and wrong and then change their behaviour?
j)	What questions would you like to ask Murray Straus?

LANGUAGE – MULTIPLE CHOICE

New research shows that smacking, or spanking, children can (1) ____ their intelligence. Researchers from the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation in Maryland, USA, say spanking can (2) ____ a child’s IQ. The research team studied hundreds of American children as they grew up. They found the (3) ____ a child was spanked, the lower their IQ was compared (4) ____ other kids. Lead researcher Murray Straus advised parents not to hit their children as a form of punishment. He warned parents to look for other ways of disciplining children if they want their child to be (5) ____: "All parents want smart children...This research shows that (6) ____ spanking and correcting misbehaviour in other ways can help that happen," he said.

Spanking children has been a hot issue (7) ____ the years. It was the traditional way for a parent to punish a child. However, it has fallen (8) ____ of favour with modern parents. Child behaviour experts warn smacking a child does a lot more harm than good. They say it can leave emotional as well as physical (9) ____. Mr. Straus explains why a child could suffer emotionally: "(10) ____ to what everyone believes, being hit by parents is a traumatic experience...We know from lots of research that traumatic stresses [negatively] affects the brain." Straus says trying to explain to a child why their behaviour is wrong could (11) ____ learning opportunities. The child has to think and use his or her own (12) ____ to decide for themselves what’s right and what’s wrong.

Put the correct words from the table below in the above article.

1.	(a)	effect	(b)	infect	(c)	affect	(d)	defect
2.	(a)	low	(b)	lower	(c)	lowly	(d)	lows
3.	(a)	more	(b)	many	(c)	most	(d)	much
4.	(a)	for	(b)	to	(c)	at	(d)	with
5.	(a)	shiny	(b)	light	(c)	bright	(d)	sparkle
6.	(a)	avoided	(b)	avoids	(c)	avoidance	(d)	avoiding
7.	(a)	around	(b)	under	(c)	over	(d)	topping
8.	(a)	out	(b)	up	(c)	on	(d)	with
9.	(a)	scares	(b)	scars	(c)	scar	(d)	scare
10.	(a)	Contrary	(b)	Counting	(c)	Counts	(d)	Control
11.	(a)	providing	(b)	provision	(c)	provides	(d)	provide
12.	(a)	logically	(b)	logics	(c)	logical	(d)	logic

WRITING

Write about intelligence for 10 minutes. Correct your partner’s paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

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 intelligence. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. INTELLIGENCE: Make a poster about intelligence. What different kinds are there? Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?

4. SPANKED: Write a magazine article about a child who was spanked. Include imaginary interviews with that child and the parents.

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. LETTER: Write a letter to a child behaviour expert. Ask him/her three questions about intelligence and spanking. Give him/her three opinions on the best way to discipline children. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE:

SYNONYM MATCH:

1.	spanking	a.	hitting
2	lower	b.	reduce
3.	studied	c.	looked at
4.	advised	d.	recommended
5.	bright	e.	clever
6.	issue	f.	topic
7.	fallen out of favour	g.	become unpopular
8.	emotional	h.	mental
9.	traumatic	i.	distressing
10.	logic	j.	reasoning

PHRASE MATCH:

1.	spanking children can affect their	a.	intelligence
2	spanking can lower	b.	a child’s IQ
3.	the lower their IQ was compared	c.	with other kids
4.	hit their children as a form	d.	of punishment
5.	correcting	e.	misbehaviour
6.	a hot	f.	issue
7.	fallen out of favour	g.	with modern parents
8.	emotional as well as	h.	physical scars
9.	a child could suffer	i.	emotionally
10.	decide for themselves what’s	j.	right and what’s wrong

GAP FILL:

Smacking kids lowers their IQ

New research shows that smacking, or spanking, children can affect their intelligence. Researchers from the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation in Maryland, USA, say spanking can lower a child’s IQ. The research team studied hundreds of American children as they grew up. They found the more a child was spanked, the lower their IQ was compared with other kids. Lead researcher Murray Straus advised parents not to hit their children as a form of punishment. He warned parents to look for other ways of disciplining children if they want their child to be bright: "All parents want smart children...This research shows that avoiding spanking and correcting misbehaviour in other ways can help that happen," he said.

Spanking children has been a hot issue over the years. It was the traditional way for a parent to punish a child. However, it has fallen out of favour with modern parents. Child behaviour experts warn smacking a child does a lot more harm than good. They say it can leave emotional as well as physical scars. Mr. Straus explains why a child could suffer emotionally: "Contrary to what everyone believes, being hit by parents is a traumatic experience...We know from lots of research that traumatic stresses [negatively] affects the brain." Straus says trying to explain to a child why their behaviour is wrong could provide learning opportunities. The child has to think and use his or her own logic to decide for themselves what’s right and what’s wrong.

LANGUAGE WORK

1 - d

2 - a

3 - b

4 - c

5 - c

6 - b

7 - d

8 - a

9 - b

10 - d

11 - c

12 - a

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September 28, 2009