The Reading / Listening - Teenagers - Level 3

A new study says today's teenagers are growing up more slowly than previous generations. Research from San Diego State University looked at data on teenage behaviour from the past 40 years, between 1976 and 2016. It looked at surveys on 8 million teens from seven different countries. Researchers said that compared to teenagers from the 70s, 80s and 90s, today's teens, "are taking longer to engage in both the pleasures and the responsibilities of adulthood". Professor Jean Twenge said: "The whole developmental pathway has slowed down." She said today's 18-year-olds are living more like 15-year-olds used to live. She said teenagers are taking far fewer risks than they did before.

The researchers said today's teenagers are taking longer to do things their parents and grandparents did. They are older when they go on their first date, less likely to have a part-time job, and are less likely to drive. Professor Twenge said this is a, "slow life strategy". Researchers also found that more teenagers are spending longer living with their parents instead of renting their own room or apartment. One of the reasons for these behaviours is how much time teenagers spend online. The Internet is keeping teens on social media, looking at videos or playing games instead of living in the "real world". Another reason was parents who try and do too much for their children and protect them too much.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Teenagers - Level 0 Teenagers - Level 1   or  Teenagers - Level 2

Sources
  • https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/09/19/teens-grow-up-slower-study/105758486/
  • http://honey.nine.com.au/2017/09/19/07/34/teens-growing-up-more-slowly-due-to-decline-in-adult-activites
  • https://www.metro.news/kid-you-not-teens-are-growing-up-more-slowly/750932/


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 :-)

Warm-ups

1. TEENAGERS: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about teenagers. Change partners often and share your findings.

2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?

       teenagers / growing up / behaviour / surveys / engage / responsibilities / taking risks
       grandparents / first date / part-time job / apartment / social media / the real world

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

3. TEENAGE YEARS: Students A strongly believe our teenage years are the best years of your life; Students B strongly believe the opposite.  Change partners again and talk about your conversations.

4. RESPONSIBILITIES: What responsibilities do teenagers have? How well did you do with these responsibilities Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

Responsibilities

What

You

To parents

 

 

To themselves

 

 

To teachers

 

 

To friends

 

 

To family

 

 

To their country

 

 

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

5. CHILDREN: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "children". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

6. GROWING UP: Rank these with your partner. Put the most difficult things about growing up at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • dating
  • money
  • bullying
  • confidence
  • friendships
  • parent relationships
  • rules
  • homework

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. Researchers looked at data on people up to the age of 40.     T / F
  2. Researchers looked at data on 8 million teens.     T / F
  3. Researchers compared today's teens with teens from the 1970s.     T / F
  4. Today's 18-year-olds are similar to 15-year-olds in the past.     T / F
  5. The researchers said teenagers are no longer dating.     T / F
  6. A professor said today's teenagers have a 'slow-life strategy'.     T / F
  7. Spending time online makes teenagers more responsible.     T / F
  8. Protective parents make teenagers more responsible.     T / F

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

  1. previous
  2. data
  3. surveys
  4. engage
  5. far
  6. likely
  7. strategy
  8. apartment
  9. reason
  10. protect
  1. probable
  2. join in
  3. a lot
  4. cause
  5. facts
  6. plan
  7. safeguard
  8. earlier
  9. flat
  10. studies

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

  1. growing up more slowly than
  2. looked at data on teenage
  3. It looked at surveys
  4. compared to teenagers
  5. teenagers are taking
  6. They are older when they go
  7. spending longer
  8. renting their
  9. living in the
  10. do too much
  1. from the 70s, 80s and 90s
  2. own room
  3. far fewer risks
  4. behaviour
  5. living with their parents
  6. "real world"
  7. on 8 million teens
  8. for their children
  9. on their first date
  10. previous generations

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
compared
previous
like
surveys
fewer
engage
data
adulthood

A new study says today's teenagers are growing up more slowly than (1) ____________ generations. Research from San Diego State University looked at (2) ____________ on teenage behaviour from the past 40 years, between 1976 and 2016. It looked at (3) ____________ on 8 million teens from seven different countries. Researchers said that (4) ____________ to teenagers from the 70s, 80s and 90s, today's teens, "are taking longer to (5) ____________ in both the pleasures and the responsibilities of (6) ____________ ". Professor Jean Twenge said: "The whole developmental pathway has slowed down." She said today's 18-year-olds are living more (7) ____________ 15-year-olds used to live. She said teenagers are taking far (8) ____________ risks than they did before.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
social
date
drive
protect
reasons
reason
longer
spending

The researchers said today's teenagers are taking (9) ____________ to do things their parents and grandparents did. They are older when they go on their first (10) ___________, less likely to have a part-time job, and are less likely to (11) ____________. Professor Twenge said this is a, "slow life strategy". Researchers also found that more teenagers are (12) ____________ longer living with their parents instead of renting their own room or apartment. One of the (13) __________ for these behaviours is how much time teenagers spend online. The Internet is keeping teens on (14) ____________ media, looking at videos or playing games instead of living in the "real world". Another (15) ____________ was parents who try and do too much for their children and (16) ____________ them too much.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  today's teenagers are growing up more slowly than ______
     a.  previously generations
     b.  impervious generations
     c.  previous generations
     d.  privy us generations

2)  Research from San Diego State University looked at ______ behaviour
     a.  data ton teenage
     b.  data on teenager
     c.  data ton teenaged
     d.  data on teenage

3)  Researchers said that compared to teenagers from the ______
     a.  17s, 18s and 19s
     b.  19s, 18s and 17s
     c.  90s, 80s and 70s
     d.  70s, 80s and 90s

4)  today's 18-year-olds are living more like 15-year-olds ______
     a.  use to live
     b.  used too live
     c.  used to live
     d.  used to alive

5)  She said teenagers are taking far fewer risks than ______
     a.  they did before
     b.  they did be four
     c.  they did bee fall
     d.  they did beef ore

6)  They are older when they go on ______
     a.  their first date
     b.  their first dated
     c.  their first dates
     d.  their first dating

7)  less likely to have a part-time job, and are less ______
     a.  likely to driven
     b.  likely to drive
     c.  liked to drive
     d.  likely too drive

8)  One of the reasons for these behaviours is how much time teenagers ______
     a.  spends online
     b.  spend on the line
     c.  spend online
     d.  spent online

9)  looking at videos or playing games instead of living in ______
     a.  the "really world"
     b.  the "reality world"
     c.  the "real world"
     d.  the "realism world"

10)  parents who try and do too much for their children and protect ______
     a.  they too much
     b.  then too much
     c.  them too much
     d.  there too much

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

A new study says today's teenagers (1) ___________________ more slowly than previous generations. Research from San Diego State University looked (2) ___________________ teenage behaviour from the past 40 years, between 1976 and 2016. It looked (3) ___________________ 8 million teens from seven different countries. Researchers said that compared to teenagers from the 70s, 80s and 90s, today's teens, "are taking (4) ___________________ in both the pleasures and the responsibilities of adulthood". Professor Jean Twenge said: "The whole developmental pathway (5) ___________________." She said today's 18-year-olds are living more like 15-year-olds used to live. She said teenagers are taking (6) ___________________ than they did before.

The researchers said today's teenagers are taking (7) __________________ things their parents and grandparents did. They are older when they go on their first date, (8) ___________________ have a part-time job, and are less likely to drive. Professor Twenge said (9) ___________________ life strategy". Researchers also found that more teenagers are spending longer living with their parents (10) ___________________ their own room or apartment. One of the reasons for these behaviours is how much time teenagers (11) ___________________. The Internet is keeping teens on social media, looking at videos or playing games instead of living in the "real world". Another reason was parents who (12) ___________________ much for their children and protect them too much.

Comprehension questions

  1. How many years of data did researchers look at?
  2. How many different surveys did researchers look at?
  3. Who did researchers compare today's teenagers to?
  4. What are today's 18-year-olds more like?
  5. What are today's teenagers taking fewer of?
  6. What kind of jobs are today's students less likely to do?
  7. What kind of strategy did a professor say today's students have?
  8. What do today's students not rent so much today?
  9. Where did the article suggest teenagers are not living?
  10. What do parents protect too much?

Multiple choice quiz

1)  How many years of data did researchers look at?
a) 30
b) 40
c) 15
d) 10

2)  How many different surveys did researchers look at?
a) 80,000
b) 800,000
c) 8 million
d) 8,000

3)  Who did researchers compare today's teenagers to?
a) old people
b) people in their 20s
c) children
d) teenagers of the past

4)  What are today's 18-year-olds more like?
a) babies
b) 15-year-old of the past
c) pensioners
d) parents

5)  What are today's teenagers taking fewer of?
a) risks
b) chances
c) drugs
d) jobs

6)  What kind of jobs are today's students less likely to do?
a) part-time jobs
b) poorly paid jobs
c) outdoor jobs
d) dirty jobs

7)  What kind of strategy did a professor say today's students have?
a) a thoughtful strategy
b) a high-risk strategy
c) a good strategy
d) a slow-life strategy

8)  What do today's students not rent so much today?
a) videos
b) cars
c) apartments
d) machinery

9)  Where did the article suggest teenagers are not living?
a) on the streets
b) in capital cites
c) with parents
d) in the real world

10)  What do parents protect too much?
a) bank accounts
b) children
c) passwords
d) privacy

Role play

Role  A – Friendships

You think friendships are the most difficult things about growing up. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least difficult of these (and why): rules, dating or confidence.

Role  B – Rules

You think rules are the most difficult things about growing up. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least difficult of these (and why): friendships, dating or confidence.

Role  C – Dating

You think dating is the most difficult thing about growing up. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least difficult of these (and why): rules, friendships or confidence.

Role  D – Confidence

You think confidence is the most difficult thing about growing up. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least difficult of these (and why):  rules, dating or friendships.

After reading / listening

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

'teen'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • and 'age'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • • 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:

    • date
    • slow
    • own
    • spend
    • real
    • children
    • previous
    • data
    • seven
    • both
    • whole
    • far

    Student survey

    Write five GOOD questions about this topic 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.

    (Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

    Discussion - Today's teenagers growing up more slowly

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

    1. What did you think when you read the headline?
    2. What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'teen'?
    3. What do you think of teenagers?
    4. What is the best thing about being a teenager?
    5. How are teenagers different to other people?
    6. What do teenagers learn about life?
    7. Are teenagers different today?
    8. Is it good to be a teenager today?
    9. What responsibilities do teenagers have?
    10. Why are today's teenagers growing up more slowly?

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

    1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
    2. What do you think of when you hear the word 'age'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. Did you or do you enjoy being a teenager?
    5. What is the worst thing about being a teenager?
    6. What is the best age for a first date?
    7. Should teenagers live with their parents?
    8. What problems are there with teenagers always being online?
    9. Do parents do too much for teenagers?
    10. What questions would you like to ask a teenager?

    Discussion — Write your own questions

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

    (a) ________________

    (b) ________________

    (c) ________________

    (d) ________________

    (e) ________________

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

    (f) ________________

    (g) ________________

    (h) ________________

    (i) ________________

    (j) ________________

    Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

    A new study says today's teenagers are growing up more (1) ____ than previous generations. Research from San Diego State University looked (2) ____ data on teenage behaviour from the past 40 years, between 1976 and 2016. It looked at (3) ____ on 8 million teens from seven different countries. Researchers said that compared to teenagers from the 70s, 80s and 90s, today's teens, "are taking longer to (4) ____ in both the pleasures and the responsibilities of adulthood". Professor Jean Twenge said: "The (5) ____ developmental pathway has slowed down." She said today's 18-year-olds are living more like 15-year-olds used to live. She said teenagers are taking (6) ____ fewer risks than they did before.

    The researchers said today's teenagers are (7) ____ longer to do things their parents and grandparents did. They are older when they go on their first (8) ____, less likely to have a part-time job, and are less (9) ____ to drive. Professor Twenge said this is a, "slow life strategy". Researchers also found that more teenagers are spending longer living with their parents instead (10) ____ renting their own room or apartment. One of the reasons for these behaviours is how much time teenagers spend online. The Internet is keeping teens on (11) ____ media, looking at videos or playing games instead of living in the "real world". Another reason was parents who try and do too (12) ____ for their children and protect them too much.

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     slowed     (b)     slow     (c)     slowish     (d)     slowly    
    2. (a)     of     (b)     as     (c)     in     (d)     at    
    3. (a)     survey     (b)     surveys     (c)     surveyed     (d)     surveillance    
    4. (a)     disengage     (b)     outrage     (c)     engage     (d)     enrage    
    5. (a)     every     (b)     all     (c)     whole     (d)     entirely    
    6. (a)     far     (b)     fir     (c)     for     (d)     fur    
    7. (a)     take     (b)     taking     (c)     took     (d)     taken    
    8. (a)     date     (b)     week     (c)     age     (d)     occasion    
    9. (a)     likelihood     (b)     likely     (c)     liking     (d)     liked    
    10. (a)     for     (b)     from     (c)     of     (d)     off    
    11. (a)     socially     (b)     socialist     (c)     social     (d)     socialism    
    12. (a)     many     (b)     more     (c)     most     (d)     much

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. more slowly than rsepuvoi generations
    2. teenage rbveiouah
    3. vsesyru on 8 million teens
    4. ameopcdr to teenagers
    5. taking longer to angeeg
    6. taking far eerfw risks

    Paragraph 2

    1. less kleyli to drive
    2. a slow life yrttsage
    3. their own room or amntperta
    4. One of the saesnor
    5. atdenis of living in the "real world"
    6. epttcor them too much

    Put the text back together

    (    )     like 15-year-olds used to live. She said teenagers are taking far fewer risks than they did before.

    (    )     in the "real world". Another reason was parents who try and do too much for their children and protect them too much.

    (    )     apartment. One of the reasons for these behaviours is how much time teenagers spend

    (    )     online. The Internet is keeping teens on social media, looking at videos or playing games instead of living

    (    )     likely to drive. Professor Twenge said this is a, "slow life strategy". Researchers also found that more

    (    )     did. They are older when they go on their first date, less likely to have a part-time job, and are less

    (    )     to engage in both the pleasures and the responsibilities of adulthood". Professor Jean Twenge said: "The

    1  )     A new study says today's teenagers are growing up more slowly than previous

    (    )     The researchers said today's teenagers are taking longer to do things their parents and grandparents

    (    )     40 years, between 1976 and 2016. It looked at surveys on 8 million teens from seven different

    (    )     whole developmental pathway has slowed down." She said today's 18-year-olds are living more

    (    )     generations. Research from San Diego State University looked at data on teenage behaviour from the past

    (    )     teenagers are spending longer living with their parents instead of renting their own room or

    (    )     countries. Researchers said that compared to teenagers from the 70s, 80s and 90s, today's teens, "are taking longer

    Put the words in the right order

    1. at   Looked   teenage  the  years  on   from  40  data  behaviour  past  .
    2. surveys   at   looked   It   teens   million   8   on   .
    3. has   down   whole   pathway   slowed   The   developmental   .
    4. live   to   Living   more   like   15-   olds   year-   used   .
    5. risks   did   are   fewer   they   Teenagers   far   than   before   taking   .
    6. things   do   to   longer   taking   are   teenagers   Today's   .
    7. go   first   are   they   their   They   when   on   date   older   .
    8. living  teenagers   with   are   their   spending  parents   longer   More  .
    9. games   instead   world"   of   living   in   the   "real   .   Playing   .
    10. too   their   who   do   for   Parents   and   much   children   try   .

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    A new study says today's teenagers are grown / growing up more slowly than previous / previously generations. Research from San Diego State University looked at data in / on teenage behaviour from the passed / past 40 years, between 1976 and 2016. It looked at survey / surveys on 8 million teens from seven different countries. Researchers said that comparison / compared to teenagers from the 70s, 80s and 90s, today's teens, "are taking longer to engage / enrage in both the pleasures and the responsibilities of adulthood". Professor Jean Twenge said: "The whole / hole developmental pathway has slowed / slowing down." She said today's 18-year-olds are living more like 15-year-olds used to live. She said teenagers are taking far fewer risky / risks than they did before.

    The researchers said today's teenagers are taken / taking longer to do things their parents and grandparents did. They are older when they go on / in their first date, less likely / liked to have a part-time job, and are less likely for / to drive. Professor Twenge said this is a, "slow life strategy". Researchers also found that more teenagers are spending / spent longer living with their parents instead of ranting / renting their own room or apartment. One of the reasons / reason for these behaviours is how much time teenagers spend / spending online. The Internet is keeping teens on social media, looking at videos or playing games instead for / of living in the "real world". Another reason was parents who try and do too much for their children and protect they / them too much.

    Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct.

    Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

    _ n_w st_dy s_ys t_d_y's t__n_g_rs _r_ gr_w_ng _p m_r_ sl_wly th_n pr_v___s g_n_r_t__ns. R_s__rch fr_m S_n D__g_ St_t_ _n_v_rs_ty l__k_d _t d_t_ _n t__n_g_ b_h_v___r fr_m th_ p_st 40 y__rs, b_tw__n 1976 _nd 2016. _t l__k_d _t s_rv_ys _n 8 m_ll__n t__ns fr_m s_v_n d_ff_r_nt c__ntr__s. R_s__rch_rs s__d th_t c_mp_r_d t_ t__n_g_rs fr_m th_ 70s, 80s _nd 90s, t_d_y's t__ns, "_r_ t_k_ng l_ng_r t_ _ng_g_ _n b_th th_ pl__s_r_s _nd th_ r_sp_ns_b_l_t__s _f _d_lth__d". Pr_f_ss_r J__n Tw_ng_ s__d: "Th_ wh_l_ d_v_l_pm_nt_l p_thw_y h_s sl_w_d d_wn." Sh_ s__d t_d_y's 18-y__r-_lds _r_ l_v_ng m_r_ l_k_ 15-y__r-_lds _s_d t_ l_v_. Sh_ s__d t__n_g_rs _r_ t_k_ng f_r f_w_r r_sks th_n th_y d_d b_f_r_.

    Th_ r_s__rch_rs s__d t_d_y's t__n_g_rs _r_ t_k_ng l_ng_r t_ d_ th_ngs th__r p_r_nts _nd gr_ndp_r_nts d_d. Th_y _r_ _ld_r wh_n th_y g_ _n th__r f_rst d_t_, l_ss l_k_ly t_ h_v_ _ p_rt-t_m_ j_b, _nd _r_ l_ss l_k_ly t_ dr_v_. Pr_f_ss_r Tw_ng_ s__d th_s _s _, "sl_w l_f_ str_t_gy". R_s__rch_rs _ls_ f__nd th_t m_r_ t__n_g_rs _r_ sp_nd_ng l_ng_r l_v_ng w_th th__r p_r_nts _nst__d _f r_nt_ng th__r _wn r__m _r _p_rtm_nt. _n_ _f th_ r__s_ns f_r th_s_ b_h_v___rs _s h_w m_ch t_m_ t__n_g_rs sp_nd _nl_n_. Th_ _nt_rn_t _s k__p_ng t__ns _n s_c__l m_d__, l__k_ng _t v_d__s _r pl_y_ng g_m_s _nst__d _f l_v_ng _n th_ "r__l w_rld". _n_th_r r__s_n w_s p_r_nts wh_ try _nd d_ t__ m_ch f_r th__r ch_ldr_n _nd pr_t_ct th_m t__ m_ch.

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    a new study says today's teenagers are growing up more slowly than previous generations research from san diego state university looked at data on teenage behaviour from the past 40 years between 1976 and 2016 it looked at surveys on 8 million teens from seven different countries researchers said that compared to teenagers from the 70s 80s and 90s today's teens "are taking longer to engage in both the pleasures and the responsibilities of adulthood" professor jean twenge said "the whole developmental pathway has slowed down" she said today's 18-year-olds are living more like 15-year-olds used to live she said teenagers are taking far fewer risks than they did before

    the researchers said today's teenagers are taking longer to do things their parents and grandparents did they are older when they go on their first date less likely to have a part-time job and are less likely to drive professor twenge said this is a "slow life strategy" researchers also found that more teenagers are spending longer living with their parents instead of renting their own room or apartment one of the reasons for these behaviours is how much time teenagers spend online the internet is keeping teens on social media looking at videos or playing games instead of living in the "real world" another reason was parents who try and do too much for their children and protect them too much

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    Anewstudysaystoday'steenagersaregrowingupmoreslowlythanprev
    iousgenerations.ResearchfromSanDiegoStateUniversitylookedatda
    taonteenagebehaviourfromthepast40years,between1976and2016.
    Itlookedatsurveyson8millionteensfromsevendifferentcountries.Res
    earcherssaidthatcomparedtoteenagersfromthe70s,80sand90s,tod
    ay'steens,"aretakinglongertoengageinboththepleasuresandtheresp
    onsibilitiesofadulthood".ProfessorJeanTwengesaid:"Thewholedevel
    opmentalpathwayhassloweddown."Shesaidtoday's18-year-oldsar
    elivingmorelike15-year-oldsusedtolive.Shesaidteenagersaretakin
    gfarfewerrisksthantheydidbefore.Theresearcherssaidtoday'steena
    gersaretakinglongertodothingstheirparentsandgrandparentsdid.Th
    eyareolderwhentheygoontheirfirstdate,lesslikelytohaveapart-tim
    ejob,andarelesslikelytodrive.ProfessorTwengesaidthisisa,"slowlifes
    trategy".Researchersalsofoundthatmoreteenagersarespendinglong
    erlivingwiththeirparentsinsteadofrentingtheirownroomorapartment
    .Oneofthereasonsforthesebehavioursishowmuchtimeteenagersspe
    ndonline.TheInternetiskeepingteensonsocialmedia,lookingatvideos
    orplayinggamesinsteadoflivinginthe"realworld".Anotherreasonwas
    parentswhotryanddotoomuchfortheirchildrenandprotectthemtoom
    uch.

    Free writing

    Write about the lesson page for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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    Academic writing

    Today's teenagers are more mature than ever before. Discuss.

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

    3. TEENAGERS: Make a poster about teenagers. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?

    4. LEAVING HOME TRAINING: Write a magazine article about all teenagers needing leaving home training. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against it.

    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. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

    6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on teenagers. Ask him/her three questions about them. Give him/her three of your ideas. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

    A Few Additional Activities for Students

    Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

    Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

    Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

    Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

    Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

    Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

    Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

    Also...

    Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

    • News
    • Warm ups
    • Pre-reading / Post-reading
    • Using headlines
    • Working with words
    • While-reading / While-listening
    • Moving from text to speech
    • Post-reading / Post-listening
    • Discussions
    • Using opinions
    • Plans
    • Language
    • Using lists
    • Using quotes
    • Task-based activities
    • Role plays
    • Using the central characters in the article
    • Using themes from the news
    • Homework

    Buy my book

    $US 9.99

    Answers

    (Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

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