The Reading / Listening - Clapping - Level 4

A university voted to replace clapping with 'jazz-hand waving'. The University of Manchester Students' Union voted to respect people who are affected by loud noise. The 'jazz hands' wave is the British Sign Language's form of clapping. A Students' Union spokeswoman said many people with conditions like autism, sensory issues and deafness often avoid public events because of loud clapping and cheering.

There has been a lot of criticism of the vote A broadcaster tweeted that, "Britain is losing its mind". Even former Florida governor Jeb Bush tweeted: "Not cool, University of Manchester. Not Cool." The Students' Union said it represents the majority of students' views. It wants, "to make...events more accessible and inclusive for all". It added: "We are not banning...clapping. We understand that some people may be more comfortable to continue using it."

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Clapping - Level 5 or  Clapping - Level 6

Sources
  • https://abcnews.go.com/International/universitys-move-replace-clapping-jazz-hands-sparks-controversy/story?id=58254353
  • https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/clapping-banned-manchester-university-students-union-jazz-hands-applause-a8566531.html
  • https://news.sky.com/story/student-union-bans-clapping-to-make-events-inclusive-11515241


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 :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. jazz-hand
  2. The University of Manchester
  3. people who are affected
  4. form
  5. people with conditions
  6. sensory
  7. public
  8. loud clapping
  1. like autism
  2. waving
  3. events
  4. by loud noise
  5. and cheering
  6. Students' Union
  7. issues
  8. of clapping

Paragraph 2

  1. There has been a lot
  2. Britain is losing its
  3. it represents the
  4. students'
  5. make events more
  6. inclusive for
  7. We are not
  8. some people may be more
  1. majority
  2. comfortable
  3. accessible
  4. of criticism
  5. banning clapping
  6. mind
  7. views
  8. all

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

A university (1) ___________________ clapping with 'jazz-hand waving'. The University of Manchester Students' Union (2) ___________________ people who are affected (3) ___________________. The 'jazz hands' wave is the British Sign Language's (4) ___________________. A Students' Union spokeswoman said the (5) ___________________ conditions like autism, sensory issues and deafness often (6) ___________________ because of loud clapping and cheering.

There has (7) ___________________ of criticism of the vote A broadcaster tweeted that, "Britain is (8) ___________________". Even former Florida governor Jeb Bush tweeted: "Not cool, University of Manchester. Not Cool." The Students' Union said it represents (9) ___________________ students' views. It wants, "(10) ___________________ more accessible and (11) ___________________". It added: "We are not banning...clapping. We understand that some people (12) ___________________ comfortable to continue using it."

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Auniversityvotedtoreplaceclappingwith'jazz-handwaving'.TheUniv
ersityofManchesterStudents'Unionvotedtorespectpeoplewhoareaff
ectedbyloudnoise.The'jazzhands'waveistheBritishSignLanguage'sf
ormofclapping.AStudents'Unionspokeswomansaidthemanypeople
withconditionslikeautism,sensoryissuesanddeafnessoftenavoidpubl
iceventsbecauseofloudclappingandcheering.Therehasbeenalotofcri
ticismofthevoteAbroadcastertweetedthat,"Britainislosingitsmind".E
venformerFloridagovernorJebBushtweeted:"Notcool,UniversityofM
anchester.NotCool."TheStudents'Unionsaiditrepresentsthemajority
ofstudents'views.Itwants,"tomake...eventsmoreaccessibleandinclu
siveforall".Itadded:"Wearenotbanning...clapping.Weunderstandth
atsomepeoplemaybemorecomfortabletocontinueusingit."

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 — Write your own questions

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

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

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

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic 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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