The Reading / Listening - High Heels - Level 3

Women across Japan are fed up with having to wear high-heeled shoes to work. One woman is so fed up that she started a movement to end the requirement for female employees to wear the shoes. The movement has the hashtag KuToo. This is a combination of the Japanese words "kutsu" (which means shoe) and "kutsuu" (which is the Japanese word for pain). The movement was started by Japanese actress Yumi Ishikawa. She tweeted about her belief that employers in Japan should not require female workers to wear high heels. Ms Ishikawa also launched an online petition. It asks Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare to forbid employers from requiring women to wear certain types of shoes.

Ishikawa's tweet is now spreading across other parts of Asia. Many women in China and South Korea have started their own campaigns against having to wear high heels. Ishikawa told TIME magazine: "I thought that if there are so many people who feel the same as me, why not start some sort of movement." Many women supported Ishikawa on social media. They complained about sore feet, bleeding heels, back pain and other health issues. A visually impaired woman in her 20s who has to wear high heels at work said it is difficult for her to keep her balance and not fall over. A recent survey found that over 70 per cent of women working in Tokyo wear high heels to work at least once a week.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    High Heels - Level 0 High Heels - Level 1   or  High Heels - Level 2

Sources
  • http://time.com/5548873/japan-kutoo-high-heels-metoo/
  • https://www.nippon.com/en/news/yjj2019022501075/more-women-in-japan-complaining-of-being-forced-to-wear-heels.html
  • https://japantoday.com/category/features/lifestyle/high-heel-requirement-for-japanese-women-at-work-sparks-online-movement


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. HIGH HEELS: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about high heels. 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?
       women / Japan / movement / combination / words / pain / actress / belief / employers
       shoes / Asia / campaigns / social media / sore feet / heels / balance / once a week
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. ANYTHING: Students A strongly believe people should be able to wear anything to work; Students B strongly believe the opposite.  Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. FED UP: What are you fed up with about these things? Why? What can you do about it? Complete this table and share what you wrote with your partner(s). Change partners often.

 

What?

Why?

What Can You Do?

English

 

 

 

Your town

 

 

 

Your friends

 

 

 

The world

 

 

 

Your routine

 

 

 

Your looks

 

 

 

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. HASHTAG: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "hashtag". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. FOOTWEAR: Rank these with your partner. Put the best footwear at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • sandals
  • loafers
  • lace-up shoes
  • flip-flops
  • high heels
  • jogging shoes
  • rain boots
  • slippers

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. fed up a. A campaign by a group of people working together to change the world.
      2. movement b. Something someone thinks is true or real.
      3. requirement c. The joining of two or more things together.
      4. combination d. A thing that is needed; a necessary condition.
      5. belief e. Angry or upset at a situation or treatment.
      6. employer f. A list signed by many people to ask governments or organizations to change something.
      7. petition g. A person or organization that has people working for them.

    Paragraph 2

      8. campaign h. Not being able to see well (or at all).
      9. social media i. An organized course of action to achieve a particular goal.
      10. complained j. Losing blood from a part of the body.
      11. sore k. Being able to stand up straight without falling over.
      12. bleeding l. Said you were unhappy, angry or annoyed about something.
      13. visually impaired m. Painful or aching.
      14. balance n. Websites and apps that let users to create and share things or to join in social networking.

 

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

  1. A woman in Japan started a movement against wearing high heels.     T / F
  2. The hashtag #KuToo is a combination of two Japanese words.     T / F
  3. The woman is a politician.     T / F
  4. The woman petitioned Japan's government about employers.     T / F
  5. The article says the woman's tweet has spread across South America.     T / F
  6. The woman spoke to TIME magazine about her feelings.     T / F
  7. The article said women complained about bleeding toes.     T / F
  8. A survey said women in Tokyo wear high heels at least twice a week.     T / F

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

  1. fed up
  2. movement
  3. combination
  4. belief
  5. forbid
  6. spreading
  7. feel
  8. supported
  9. complained
  10. survey
  1. opinion
  2. protested
  3. prohibit
  4. mixture
  5. circulating
  6. tired of
  7. backed
  8. questionnaire
  9. campaign
  10. believe

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

  1. Women across Japan are fed
  2. female
  3. the Japanese word
  4. should not require female workers
  5. requiring women to wear certain
  6. Ishikawa's tweet is now spreading across
  7. there are so many people who
  8. complained about sore
  9. it is difficult for her to keep
  10. wear high heels to work at
  1. employees
  2. least once a week
  3. types of shoes
  4. feet
  5. other parts of Asia
  6. her balance
  7. to wear high heels
  8. feel the same as me
  9. for pain
  10. up

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
movement
belief
petition
certain
fed up
employers
combination
require

Women across Japan are (1) ____________ with having to wear high-heeled shoes to work. One woman is so fed up that she started a (2) ____________ to end the requirement for female employees to wear the shoes. The movement has the hashtag KuToo. This is a (3) ____________ of the Japanese words "kutsu" (which means shoe) and "kutsuu" (which is the Japanese word for pain). The movement was started by Japanese actress Yumi Ishikawa. She tweeted about her (4) ____________ that employers in Japan should not (5) ____________ female workers to wear high heels. Ms Ishikawa also launched an online (6) ____________. It asks Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare to forbid (7) ____________ from requiring women to wear (8) ____________ types of shoes.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
so
sore
least
parts
own
balance
sort
pain

Ishikawa's tweet is now spreading across other (1) ____________ of Asia. Many women in China and South Korea have started their (2) ____________ campaigns against having to wear high heels. Ishikawa told TIME magazine: "I thought that if there are (3) ____________ many people who feel the same as me, why not start some (4) ____________ of movement." Many women supported Ishikawa on social media. They complained about (5) ____________ feet, bleeding heels, back (6) ____________ and other health issues. A visually impaired woman in her 20s who has to wear high heels at work said it is difficult for her to keep her (7) ____________ and not fall over. A recent survey found that over 70 per cent of women working in Tokyo wear high heels to work at (8) ____________ once a week.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  Women across Japan are fed up with having to wear high-heeled ______
     a.  shoe to work
     b.  shoes two works
     c.  shoes to work
     d.  shoes to works
2)  One woman is so fed up that she started ______
     a.  a move meant
     b.  a moved meant
     c.  a movie meant
     d.  a movement
3)  The movement has the ______
     a.  hashed tag KuToo
     b.  hash stag KuToo
     c.  hashtag KuToo
     d.  hash tags KuToo
4)  Ms Ishikawa also launched an ______
     a.  online petitioning
     b.  online petition
     c.  online petitioned
     d.  online petitions
5)  forbid employers from requiring women to wear ______ shoes
     a.  certain type of
     b.  certain types off
     c.  certain type off
     d.  certain types of

6)  Ishikawa's tweet is now spreading across ______ Asia
     a.  other parties off
     b.  other part of
     c.  other parts of
     d.  other parts off
7)  I thought that if there are so many people who feel the ______
     a.  same as me
     b.  some has me
     c.  sane as me
     d.  same was me
8)  They complained about sore feet, bleeding heels, back pain and ______
     a.  other health tissues
     b.  other health reissues
     c.  other health issues
     d.  other health issue
9)  who has to wear high heels at work said it is difficult for her to ______
     a.  have her balance
     b.  reap her balance
     c.  clap her balance
     d.  keep her balance
10)  women working in Tokyo wear high heels to work at ______ week
     a.  last once a
     b.  list once a
     c.  least once a
     d.  leased once a

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Women across Japan are fed (1) ___________________ to wear high-heeled shoes to work. One woman is so fed up that she started a movement to end (2) ___________________ female employees to wear the shoes. The movement has the hashtag KuToo. This is (3) ___________________ the Japanese works "kutsu" (which means shoe) and "kutsuu" (which is the Japanese word for pain). The movement was started by Japanese actress Yumi Ishikawa. She tweeted about (4) ___________________ employers in Japan should not require female workers to wear high heels. Ms Ishikawa also launched (5) ___________________. It asks Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare to forbid employers from requiring women to wear (6) ___________________ shoes.

Ishikawa's tweet (7) ___________________ across other parts of Asia. Many women in China and South Korea have started (8) ___________________ against having to wear high heels. Ishikawa told TIME magazine: "I thought that if there are so many people who (9) ___________________ as me, why not start some sort of movement." Many women supported Ishikawa on social media. They complained (10) ___________________, bleeding heels, back pain and other health issues. A visually impaired woman in her 20s who has to wear high heels at work said it is difficult for her to (11) ___________________ and not fall over. A recent survey found that over 70 per cent of women working in Tokyo wear high heels to work at (12) ___________________ week.

Comprehension questions

  1. How do women in Japan feel about having to wear high heels?
  2. What did one woman start?
  3. What is KuToo?
  4. What is the woman's job?
  5. What did the woman start online?
  6. Where did the woman's tweet spread to?
  7. What is the name of the magazine the woman spoke to?
  8. What two things did woman complain about?
  9. What did a visually impaired woman find it hard to do in high heels?
  10. How often do working women in Tokyo wear high heels?

Multiple choice quiz

1) How do women in Japan feel about having to wear high heels?
a) excited
b) bored
c) sad
d) fed up
2) What did one woman start?
a) a shoe company
b) a campaign
c) a fight
d) a website
3) What is KuToo?
a) a website
b) a foot disease
c) a shoe
d) a hashtag
4) What is the woman's job?
a) website designer
b) shoe designer
c) actress
d) foot doctor
5) What did the woman start online?
a) a revolution
b) a game
c) a fight
d) a petition

6) Where did the woman's tweet spread to?
a) the north of Japan
b) her company
c) other parts of Asia
d) New York
7) What is the name of the magazine the woman spoke to?
a) TIME
b) FOOT
c) HEELS
d) PAIN
8) What two things did woman complain about?
a) squashed toes and blisters
b) sore feet and squashed toes
c) sore feet and bleeding heels
d) bunions and blisters
9) What did a visually impaired woman find it hard to do in high heels?
a) walk straight
b) keep her balance
c) put them on
d) polish them
10) How often do working women in Tokyo wear high heels?
a) at least once a week
b) once or twice a week
c) three times a week
d) every day

Role play

Role  A – High Heels
You think high heels are the best shoes. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their shoes. Also, tell the others which are the worst of these (and why): rain boots, slippers or flip-flops.

Role  B – Rain Boots
You think rain boots are the best shoes. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their shoes. Also, tell the others which are the worst of these (and why): high heels, slippers or flip-flops.

Role  C – Slippers
You think slippers are the best shoes. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their shoes. Also, tell the others which are the worst of these (and why): rain boots, high heels or flip-flops.

Role  D – Flip-Flops
You think flip-flops are the best shoes. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their shoes. Also, tell the others which are the worst of these (and why): rain boots, slippers or high heels.

After reading / listening

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

'high'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • and 'heels'.

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

    • own
    • feel
    • supported
    • sore
    • balance
    • least
    • end
    • hashtag
    • combination
    • belief
    • online
    • certain

    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 - Japanese women rebel against high heels

    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 'high'?
    3. What do you think of high heels?
    4. Why do companies require women to wear high heels?
    5. Have you ever been fed up with your shoes?
    6. Should high heels have a health warning?
    7. Are employers who require women to wear high heels bad?
    8. Have you ever signed an online petition?
    9. What advice do you have for women who have to wear heels?
    10. What three adjectives best describe high heels?

    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 'heels'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. What was the person who invented high heels thinking?
    5. Why don't men wear high heels?
    6. What are the dangers of high heels?
    7. Are high heels worth the pain?
    8. Should all workers wear the most comfortable footwear?
    9. How can a company ask a visually impaired woman to wear heels?
    10. What questions would you like to ask Ms Ishikawa?

    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)

    Women across Japan are fed (1) ____ with having to wear high-heeled shoes to work. One woman is (2) ____ fed up that she started a movement to end the requirement for female employees to wear the shoes. The movement has the (3) ____ KuToo. This is a combination of the Japanese words "kutsu" (which means shoe) and "kutsuu" (which is the Japanese word for pain). The movement was started by Japanese actress Yumi Ishikawa. She tweeted about her (4) ____ that employers in Japan should not require female workers to wear high heels. Ms Ishikawa also (5) ____ an online petition. It asks Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare to forbid employers from requiring women to wear (6) ____ types of shoes.

    Ishikawa's tweet is now spreading across (7) ____ parts of Asia. Many women in China and South Korea have started their (8) ____ campaigns against having to wear high heels. Ishikawa told TIME magazine: "I thought that if there are so many people who feel the same (9) ____ me, why not start some sort of movement." Many women supported Ishikawa on social media. They complained about sore feet, bleeding heels, back (10) ____ and other health issues. A visually impaired woman in her 20s who has to wear high heels at work said it is difficult for her to keep her (11) ____ and not fall over. A recent survey found that over 70 per cent of women working in Tokyo wear high heels to work at (12) ____ once a week.

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     down     (b)     up     (c)     in     (d)     over    
    2. (a)     such     (b)     so     (c)     then     (d)     how    
    3. (a)     ampersand     (b)     comma     (c)     period     (d)     hashtag    
    4. (a)     believe     (b)     belief     (c)     believer     (d)     believing    
    5. (a)     lunched     (b)     launched     (c)     latched     (d)     landed    
    6. (a)     contain     (b)     curtain     (c)     certain     (d)     cretin    
    7. (a)     another     (b)     others     (c)     other     (d)     the others    
    8. (a)     down     (b)     sown     (c)     own     (d)     town    
    9. (a)     is     (b)     was     (c)     has     (d)     as    
    10. (a)     pain     (b)     painful     (c)     hurt     (d)     sore    
    11. (a)     balance     (b)     weight     (c)     scales     (d)     even     
    12. (a)     last     (b)     lost     (c)     least     (d)     lest

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. a movement to end the quemerneirt
    2. This is a ocniaitmobn
    3. eeruqri female workers
    4. launched an online pneitiot
    5. forbid pemryseol
    6. wear critnea types of shoes

    Paragraph 2

    1. started their own capnigsam
    2. on social maied
    3. A luavlsyi impaired woman
    4. keep her calaben
    5. A cnetre survey
    6. at slaet once a week

    Put the text back together

    (...)  and South Korea have started their own campaigns against having to wear high heels. Ishikawa told TIME
    (...)  fed up that she started a movement to end the requirement for female employees to wear the
    (...)  workers to wear high heels. Ms Ishikawa also launched an online petition. It asks Japan's
    (...)  survey found that over 70 per cent of women working in Tokyo wear high heels to work at least once a week.
    (...)  Ishikawa's tweet is now spreading across other parts of Asia. Many women in China
    (...)  at work said it is difficult for her to keep her balance and not fall over. A recent
    1  ) Women across Japan are fed up with having to wear high-heeled shoes to work. One woman is so
    (...)  feet, bleeding heels, back pain and other health issues. A visually impaired woman in her 20s who has to wear high heels
    (...)  by Japanese actress Yumi Ishikawa. She tweeted about her belief that employers in Japan should not require female
    (...)  (which means shoe) and "kutsuu" (which is the Japanese word for pain). The movement was started
    (...)  magazine: "I thought that if there are so many people who feel the same as me, why not start some
    (...)  shoes. The movement has the hashtag KuToo. This is a combination of the Japanese works "kutsu"
    (...)  Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare to forbid employers from requiring women to wear certain types of shoes.
    (...)  sort of movement." Many women supported Ishikawa on social media. They complained about sore

    Put the words in the right order

    1. to   high-heeled   shoes   to   wear   Having   work   .
    2. she   that   movement   .   So   fed   up   a   started
    3. to   The   the   for   women   wear   requirement   shoes   .
    4. heels   .   workers   wear   not   to   require   Should   female
    5. women   of   to   types   certain   Requiring   wear   shoes   .
    6. Many   China   in   campaigns   .   their   started   women   own
    7. many   are   feel   same   .   people   who   There   the
    8. A   visually   woman   her   in   impaired   20s   .
    9. balance   fall   over   .   not   her   and   Keep
    10. a   least   once   at   week   .   Wear   heels   high

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    Women across Japan are fed down / up with having to wear high-heeled shoes to work. One woman is so / such fed up that she started a movement to end the requirement / require for female employees to wear the shoes. The moment / movement has the hashtag KuToo. This is a combine / combination of the Japanese words "kutsu" (which means shoe) and "kutsuu" (which is the Japanese word for pain). The movement was started by Japanese actress Yumi Ishikawa. She tweeted about her believe / belief that employers in Japan should not require / requirement female workers to wear high heels. Ms Ishikawa also launched an online / inline petition. It asks Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare to outbid / forbid employers from requiring women to wear certain types for / of shoes.

    Ishikawa's tweet is now spreading across another / other parts of Asia. Many women in China and South Korea have started their down / own campaigns against having to wear high heels. Ishikawa told / tell TIME magazine: "I thought that if there are so much / many people who feel the same was / as me, why not start some sort of movement." Many women supported Ishikawa on social media. They complained / compiled about sore feet, bleeding heels, back pain and other health issues. A visually repaired / impaired woman in / on her 20s who has to wear high heels at work said it is difficult for her to keep her balance and not fall under / over. A recent survey found that over 70 per cent of women working in Tokyo wear high heels to work at least / lest once a week.

    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)

    W_m_n _c r_s s J_p_n _r_ f_d _p w_t h h_v_n g t_ w__ r h_g h - h__ l_d s h__ s t_ w_r k . O n_ w_m_n _s s_ f_d _p t h_t s h_ s t_r t_d _ m_v_m_n t t_ _n d t h_ r_q__ r_m_n t f_r f_m_l_ _m p l_y__ s t_ w __r t h_ s h__ s . T h_ m_v_m_n t h_s t h_ h_s h t_g K_T__ . T h_s _s _ c_m b_n_t__ n _f t h_ J_p_n_s_ w_r d s " k_t s_" ( w h_c h m__ n s s h__ ) _n d " k_t s__ " ( w h_c h _s t h_ J_p_n_s_ w_r d f_r p__ n ) . T h_ m_v_m_n t w_s s t_r t_d b y J_p_n_s_ _c t r_s s Y_m_ I s h_k_w_. S h_ t w__ t_d _b__ t h_r b_l__ f t h_t _m p l_y_r s _n J_p_n s h__ l d n_t r_q__ r_ f_m_l_ w_r k_r s t_ w__ r h_g h h__ l s . M s I s h_k_w_ _l s_ l__ n c h_d _n _n l_n_ p_t_t__ n . I t _s k s J_p_n ' s M_n_s t r y _f H__ l t h , L_b_r _n d W_l f_r_ t_ f_r b_d _m p l_y_r s f r_m r_q__ r_n g w_m_n t_ w__ r c_r t__ n t y p_s _f s h__ s .

    I s h_k_w_' s t w__ t _s n_w s p r__ d_n g _c r_s s _t h_r p_r t s _f A s__ . M_n y w_m_n _n C h_n_ _n d S__ t h K_r__ h_v_ s t_r t_d t h__ r _w n c_m p__ g n s _g__ n s t h_v_n g t_ w__ r h_g h h__ l s . I s h_k_w_ t_l d T I M E m_g_z_n_: " I t h__ g h t t h_t _f t h_r_ _r_ s_ m_n y p__ p l_ w h_ f__ l t h_ s_m_ _s m_, w h y n_t s t_r t s_m_ s_r t _f m_v_m_n t . " M_n y w_m_n s_p p_r t_d I s h_k_w_ _n s_c__ l m_d__ . T h_y c_m p l__ n_d _b__ t s_r_ f__ t , b l__ d_n g h__ l s , b_c k p__ n _n d _t h_r h__ l t h _s s__ s . A v_s__ l l y _m p__ r_d w_m_n _n h_r 2 0 s w h_ h_s t_ w__ r h_g h h__ l s _t w_r k s__ d _t _s d_f f_c_l t f_r h_r t_ k__ p h_r b_l_n c_ _n d n_t f_l l _v_r . A r_c_n t s_r v_y f__ n d t h_t _v_r 7 0 p_r c_n t _f w_m_n w_r k_n g _n T_k y_ w__ r h_g h h__ l s t_ w_r k _t l__ s t _n c_ _ w__ k .

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    women across japan are fed up with having to wear highheeled shoes to work one woman is so fed up that she started a movement to end the requirement for female employees to wear the shoes the movement has the hashtag kutoo this is a combination of the Japanese words kutsu which means shoe and kutsuu which is the japanese word for pain the movement was started by japanese actress yumi ishikawa she tweeted about her belief that employers in japan should not require female workers to wear high heels ms ishikawa also launched an online petition it asks japans ministry of health labor and welfare to forbid employers from requiring women to wear certain types of shoes

    ishikawas tweet is now spreading across other parts of asia many women in china and south korea have started their own campaigns against having to wear high heels ishikawa told time magazine i thought that if there are so many people who feel the same as me why not start some sort of movement many women supported ishikawa on social media they complained about sore feet bleeding heels back pain and other health issues a visually impaired woman in her 20s who has to wear high heels at work said it is difficult for her to keep her balance and not fall over a recent survey found that over 70 per cent of women working in tokyo wear high heels to work at least once a week.

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    WomenacrossJapanarefedupwithhavingtowearhigh-heeledshoest
    owork.Onewomanissofedupthatshestartedamovementtoendthereq
    uirementforfemaleemployeestowheretheshoes.Themovementhast
    hehashtagKuToo.ThisisacombinationoftheJapanesewords"kutsu"(
    whichmeansshoe)and"kutsuu"(whichistheJapanesewordforpain).T
    hemovementwasstartedbyJapaneseactressYumiIshikawa.Shetwee
    tedaboutherbeliefthatemployersinJapanshouldnotrequirefemalewo
    rkerstowearhighheels.MsIshikawaalsolaunchedanonlinepetition.Ita
    sksJapan'sMinistryofHealth,LaborandWelfaretoforbidemployersfro
    mrequiringwomentowearcertaintypesofshoes.Ishikawa'stweetisno
    wspreadingacrossotherpartsofAsia.ManywomeninChinaandSouthK
    oreahavestartedtheirowncampaignsagainsthavingtowearhighheels
    .IshikawatoldTIMEmagazine:"Ithoughtthatiftherearesomanypeopl
    ewhofeelthesameasme,whynotstartsomesortofmovement."Manyw
    omensupportedIshikawaonsocialmedia.Theycomplainedaboutsoref
    eet,bleedingheels,backpainandotherhealthissues.Avisuallyimpaire
    dwomaninher20swhohastowearhighheelsatworksaiditisdifficultforh
    ertokeepherbalanceandnotfallover.Arecentsurveyfoundthatover70
    percentofwomenworkinginTokyowearhighheelstoworkatleastoncea
    week.

    Free writing

    Write about high heels for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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    Academic writing

    People should be able to wear what they want at their place of work. 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 story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
    3. HIGH HEELS: Make a poster about high heels. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. WORKPLACE CLOTHES: Write a magazine article about people being able to wear what they want in the workplace. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against this.
    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 high heels. Ask him/her three questions about them. Give him/her three of your opinions on high heels. 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

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    Answers

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

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