The Reading / Listening - Level 2

An education adviser has attacked British schools and teachers. The adviser works closely with the UK Education Secretary Michael Gove. Mr Gove is unpopular with British teachers. The adviser made teachers very angry about a new report he made. He said education in Britain is between very bad and ordinary. He said most teachers do not do a good job in the classroom and that "real talent is rare". He wrote: "In England, few teachers are well trained in the basics of extended writing or mathematical and scientific modelling and problem-solving."

Mr Cummings also attacked other areas of Britain's schools. He said billions of dollars are "wasted" on poorer students and on "pointless" university courses. He said too many university courses teach students little and do not help them get a job. He said university students should work harder. Cummings angered teachers by saying 70 per cent of a child's ability in the classroom is because of genes, and not because of teachers. Many people said Mr Cummings should be fired. One said he has too many "mad" ideas. Many teachers also want Michael Gove to be fired.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 0 Level 1   or  Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/michael-gove-adviser-says-teachers-2366294
  • http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/oct/11/genetics-teaching-gove-adviser


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.

The adviser works closely with the

a.

very angry

2.

The adviser made teachers

b.

not do a good job

3.

between very bad

c.

modelling

4.

He said most teachers do

d.

is rare

5.

real talent

e.

UK Education Secretary

6.

few teachers are well

f.

solving

7.

mathematical and scientific

g.

and ordinary

8.

problem-

h.

trained in the basics



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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.

attacked other areas

a.

should be fired

2.

billions of dollars

b.

university courses

3.

"pointless"

c.

of Britain's schools

4.

help them

d.

students

5.

university

e.

are "wasted"

6.

a child's

f.

"mad" ideas

7.

Many people said Mr Cummings

g.

get a job

8.

One said he has too many

h.

ability

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

An education adviser has attacked British schools and teachers. The adviser (1) ___________________ the UK Education Secretary Michael Gove. Mr Gove (2) ___________________ British teachers. The adviser made teachers very angry about a new report he made. He said education in Britain is (3) ___________________ and ordinary. He said most teachers do not do a good job in the classroom and that " (4) ___________________ ". He wrote: "In England, few teachers (5) ___________________ in the basics of extended writing (6) ___________________ scientific modelling and problem-solving."

Mr Cummings also attacked (7) ___________________ Britain's schools. He said billions of (8) ___________________ on poorer students and on "pointless" university courses. He said too many university courses (9) ___________________ and do not help them get a job. He said university students should work harder. Cummings (10) ___________________ saying 70 per cent of a child's ability in the classroom is (11) ___________________, and not because of teachers. Many people said Mr Cummings should be fired. One said (12) ___________________ "mad" ideas. Many teachers also want Michael Gove to be fired.

PUT A SLASH ( / )WHERE THE SPACES ARE

AneducationadviserhasattackedBritishschoolsandteachers.Thead
viserworkscloselywiththeUKEducationSecretaryMichaelGove.Mr
GoveisunpopularwithBritishteachers.Theadvisermadeteachersve
ryangryaboutanewreporthemade.HesaideducationinBritainisbet
weenverybadandordinary.Hesaidmostteachersdonotdoagoodjobi
ntheclassroomandthat"realtalentisrare".Hewrote:"InEngland,fe
wteachersarewelltrainedinthebasicsofextendedwritingormathem
aticalandscientificmodellingandproblem-solving."MrCumming
salsoattackedotherareasofBritain'sschools.Hesaidbillionsofdollar
sare"wasted"onpoorerstudentsandon"pointless"universitycourse
s.Hesaidtoomanyuniversitycoursesteachstudentslittleanddonoth
elpthemgetajob.Hesaiduniversitystudentsshouldworkharder.Cu
mmingsangeredteachersbysaying70percentofachild'sabilityinthe
classroomisbecauseofgenes,andnotbecauseofteachers.Manypeo
plesaidMrCummingsshouldbefired.Onesaidhehastoomany"mad"i
deas.ManyteachersalsowantMichaelGovetobefired.

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

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

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

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e)

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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 teachers 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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