Breaking News English Lesson on Alexa

Home | Help This Site

Amazon Alexa to answer questions on health (12th July, 2019)

The Reading / Listening - Alexa - Level 3

Technology has taken another step in helping us with our healthcare. We can now ask the digital device Alexa for advice if we are worried about our health. Alexa is a virtual assistant created by the website Amazon.com. It is capable of listening to people and answering their questions. As well as voice interaction capabilities, Alexa can make to-do lists, play music upon voice request, and give us the latest news. Now Alexa can answer our health queries. Amazon has linked up with the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK to add a health advice capability to the software. Alexa will be able to search the NHS website for information and find an answer that is agreed on by many health experts.

Alexa's new health advice capability has been met with a mixed response. The UK Health Secretary said: "Technology like this is a great example of how people can access reliable, world-leading advice from the comfort of their home, reducing the pressure on our hardworking doctors and pharmacists." He added: "We want to empower every patient to take better control of their healthcare." Other people say we need to be careful about trusting the advice of a piece of software. They say we must go to a human doctor if we have serious health problems. Other people are concerned about privacy. The group Big Brother Watch is worried about hacking. It said: "It's a data protection disaster waiting to happen."

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

Alexa - Level 0, Alexa - Level 1 or Alexa - Level 2

Sources

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/9473561/amazon-alexa-health-queries-nhs/
https://www.bbc.com/news/health-48925345
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/jul/10/nhs-teams-up-with-amazon-to-bring-alexa-to-patients

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. HEALTHCARE: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about healthcare. 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?
technology / step / healthcare / virtual / assistant / capabilities / software / experts /
advice / response / reliable / pharmacists / patient / software / doctor / protection
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. ALEXA HEALTHCARE: Students A strongly believe Alexa is a great way of getting healthcare advice; Students B strongly believe the opposite. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. HEALTH ADVICE: How good are these things at providing health advice? Would you follow this advice? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

	How Good?	Would You Follow This Advice?
Alexa
The Internet
Your grandmother
Magazines
Medical journals
Free-phone numbers

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. DEVICE: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "device". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. DIGITAL DEVICES: Rank these with your partner. Put the things digital devices are best for at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

home security
managing money
playing music
homework
health advice
telling the time
videos of cats
exercise

Vocabulary

Paragraph 1

1.	step	a.	Not physically real, but made by software to look real.
2.	device	b.	Actions taken in order to reach a goal.
3.	virtual	c.	A helper.
4.	assistant	d.	Having the ability, fitness, or quality necessary to do or achieve something.
5.	capable	e.	A thing made or changed for a particular purpose, especially a piece of mechanical or electronic equipment.
6.	linked up	f.	Someone who knows everything about a topic.
7.	expert	g.	Joined with something or someone else to do something together.

Paragraph 2

8.	mixed response	h.	Get to use something.
9.	access	i.	Showing or believing in a person's honesty or sincerity.
10.	reliable	j.	Good and bad feelings from people about something.
11.	pressure	k.	Always good in quality or performance; able to be trusted.
12.	trusting	l.	The state or condition of being free from being looked at by other people.
13.	privacy	m.	The feeling of stress caused by being too busy or by having to do something important quickly.
14.	disaster	n.	A sudden event that causes great damage or loss of life.

Before reading / listening

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

The article said healthcare has taken a step towards helping technology. T / F
We won't be able to ask Alexa for health advice. T / F
Amazon teamed Alexa up with the UK's national health service. T / F
The article said Alexa will search the world's health service databases. T / F
Everyone praised the new Alexa health advice function. T / F
Alexa could reduce pressure on doctors who are hardworking. T / F
People said we should see a doctor for serious health problems. T / F
A data protection group said Alexa could be a disaster for privacy. T / F

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

step
worried
latest
linked up
experts
response
reliable
pressure
serious
disaster

trustworthy
specialists
major
advance
reaction
stress
concerned
most recent
catastrophe
combined

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

Technology has taken another
if we are worried
listening to people and answering
give us
an answer that is agreed on by
met with a mixed
people can access reliable, world-
We want to empower
be careful about trusting
It's a data protection disaster

many health experts
response
waiting to happen
every patient
about our health
the latest news
step in helping us
the advice
their questions
leading advice

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

health
step
experts
capable
latest
search
lists
advice

Technology has taken another (1) ____________ in helping us with our healthcare. We can now ask the digital device Alexa for (2) ____________ if we are worried about our health. Alexa is a virtual assistant created by the website Amazon.com. It is (3) ____________ of listening to people and answering their questions. As well as voice interaction capabilities, Alexa can make to-do (4) ____________, play music upon voice request, and give us the (5) ____________ news. Now Alexa can answer our health queries. Amazon has linked up with the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK to add a (6) ____________ advice capability to the software. Alexa will be able to (7) ____________ the NHS website for information and find an answer that is agreed on by many health (8) ____________.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

doctors
example
disaster
comfort
piece
mixed
privacy
control

Alexa's new health advice capability has been met with a (9) ____________ response. The UK Health Secretary said: "Technology like this is a great (10) ____________ of how people can access reliable, world-leading advice from the (11) ____________ of their home, reducing the pressure on our hardworking (12) ____________ and pharmacists." He added: "We want to empower every patient to take better (13) ____________ of their healthcare." Other people say we need to be careful about trusting the advice of a (14) ____________ of software. They say we must go to a human doctor if we have serious health problems. Other people are concerned about (15) ____________. The group Big Brother Watch is worried about hacking. It said: "It's a data protection (16) ____________ waiting to happen."

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) Technology has taken another step in helping ______ healthcare
     a. us within our
     b. us wither our
     c. us without our
     d. us with our
2) We can now ask the digital device ______
     a. Alexa for advise
     b. Alexa for advice
     c. Alexa for advisory
     d. Alexa for advised
3) Alexa can make to-do lists, play music upon voice request, and give ______ news
     a. use the latest
     b. useful the latest
     c. us the latest
     d. uses the latest
4) linked up with the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK to ______ advice capability
     a. add a health
     b. adder health
     c. ad a health
     d. add the health
5) find an answer that is agreed on by many ______
     a. wealthy experts
     b. health experts
     c. health expert
     d. wealth experts

6) Alexa's new health advice capability has been met with ______
     a. a mixture response
     b. a mixed responses
     c. a mix response
     d. a mixed response
7) access reliable, world-leading advice from the ______ home
     a. comforts of their
     b. comfort of their
     c. comfort off their
     d. comforts off their
8) We want to empower every patient to take better control ______
     a. of their healthcare
     b. off there healthcare
     c. of their healthy care
     d. of they're healthcare
9) we need to be careful about trusting the advice of a ______
     a. piece of hardware
     b. piece of software
     c. pieces of software
     d. pieces of hardware
10) It said: "It's a data protection ______ to happen."
     a. disaster weight in
     b. disaster wait in
     c. disaster whey tin
     d. disaster waiting

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Technology has taken another step (1) ___________________ with our healthcare. We can now ask the digital device Alexa for advice if we are worried about our health. Alexa is (2) ___________________ created by the website Amazon.com. It (3) ___________________ listening to people and answering their questions. As well as voice interaction capabilities, Alexa can make to-do lists, play music (4) ___________________, and give us the latest news. Now Alexa can answer our health queries. Amazon has linked up with the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK to add a health advice capability (5) ___________________. Alexa will be able to search the NHS website for information and find an answer that (6) ___________________ by many health experts.

Alexa's new health advice capability has been met with (7) ___________________. The UK Health Secretary said: "Technology like this is a great example of how people (8) ___________________, world-leading advice from the comfort of their home, reducing the pressure on our hardworking doctors and pharmacists." He added: "We (9) ___________________ every patient to take better control of their healthcare." Other people say we need to be careful (10) ___________________ advice of a piece of software. They say we must go to a human doctor if we have serious health problems. Other people are (11) ___________________. The group Big Brother Watch is worried about hacking. It said: "It's a data protection (12) ___________________ happen."

Comprehension questions

What did the article say technology had taken?
What did the article say Alexa was?
What kind of lists can Alexa help people with?
Who did Amazon team up with on a database?
Who has the health advice on Alexa been agreed by?
What kind of response did Alexa's health advice get?
Who said technology like this was a great example of advice?
What did some people say we needed to be careful of?
What should we do if we have serious problems?
What did a group say was waiting to happen?

Multiple choice quiz

1) What did the article say technology had taken?
a) a lot of electricity
b) another step in helping us with our healthcare
c) too much
d) a huge leap forward in keeping us well
2) What did the article say Alexa was?
a) healthy
b) the way forward
c) amazing
d) a virtual assistant
3) What kind of lists can Alexa help people with?
a) shopping lists
b) "top 10" lists
c) to-do lists
d) "best of" lists
4) Who did Amazon team up with on a database?
a) the UK National Health Service
b) Google and Facebook
c) doctors and nurses
d) patients
5) Who has the health advice on Alexa been agreed by?
a) Amazon
b) health experts
c) health journals
d) patients

6) What kind of response did Alexa's health advice get?
a) a mixed response
b) a positive response
c) a negative response
d) a healthy response
7) Who said technology like this was a great example of advice?
a) doctors
b) Amazon
c) the UK Health Secretary
d) patients
8) What did some people say we needed to be careful of?
a) trusting the advice of software
b) Alexa
c) digital devices
d) viruses
9) What should we do if we have serious problems?
a) buy medicine from Amazon
b) go to bed and sleep
c) ask Alexa
d) see a doctor
10) What did a group say was waiting to happen?
a) major diseases
b) a virtual assistance
c) a data protection disaster
d) better health

Role play

Role A – Health Advice
You think health advice is the best use for digital devices. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their uses. Also, tell the others which is the least useful of these (and why): home security, homework or exercise.

Role B – Home Security
You think home security is the best use for digital devices. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their uses. Also, tell the others which is the least useful of these (and why): health advice, homework or exercise.

Role C – Homework
You think homework is the best use for digital devices. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their uses. Also, tell the others which is the least useful of these (and why): home security, health advice or exercise.

Role D – Exercise
You think exercise is the best use for digital devices. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their uses. Also, tell the others which is the least useful of these (and why): home security, homework or health advice.

After reading / listening

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

'health'

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

and 'care'.
________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

• 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:

mixed

great

pressure

control

serious

happen

technology

device

lists

queries

linked

agreed

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 - Amazon Alexa to answer questions on health

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

What did you think when you read the headline?
What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'health'?
What do you know about Alexa?
How useful is technology in healthcare?
Where do you go for healthcare advice?
Would you ask Alexa for health advice?
What problems are there in asking Alexa for health advice?
What is on your to-do list for today?
When was the last time you asked for health advice?
Do you ever use the Internet for health advice?

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

Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
What do you think of when you hear the word 'advice'?
What do you think about what you read?
Do people need health advice from their home?
Do doctors need less pressure?
Will software be better than doctors one day?
What is healthcare like in your country?
What do you think healthcare will be like in the future?
Would you worry about your privacy if you used Alexa?
What questions would you like to ask Alexa?

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)

Technology has taken another (1) ____ in helping us with our healthcare. We can now ask the digital device Alexa for (2) ____ if we are worried about our health. Alexa is a virtual assistant created by the website Amazon.com. It is capable (3) ____ listening to people and answering their questions. As well as voice interaction capabilities, Alexa can make to-do (4) ____, play music upon voice request, and give us the latest news. Now Alexa can answer our health queries. Amazon has linked (5) ____ with the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK to add a health advice capability to the software. Alexa will be able to search the NHS website for information and find an answer that is (6) ____ on by many health experts.

Alexa's new health advice capability has been (7) ____ with a mixed response. The UK Health Secretary said: "Technology like this is a great example of how people can access (8) ____, world-leading advice from the comfort of their home, reducing the pressure (9) ____ our hardworking doctors and pharmacists." He added: "We want to empower every patient to take better control of their healthcare." Other people say we need to (10) ____ careful about trusting the advice of a piece of software. They say we must go to a human doctor if we have serious health problems. Other people are (11) ____ about privacy. The group Big Brother Watch is worried about hacking. It said: "It's a data protection disaster (12) ____ to happen."

Which of these words go in the above text?

(a) step (b) stop (c) taps (d) spot
(a) advise (b) advisory (c) advice (d) advising
(a) in (b) by (c) of (d) at
(a) rites (b) wrists (c) writs (d) lists
(a) on (b) down (c) up (d) of
(a) agreeable (b) agreed (c) agrees (d) agree
(a) gather (b) met (c) assemble (d) encounter
(a) pliable (b) reliable (c) ability (d) health
(a) at (b) by (c) on (d) as
(a) do (b) take (c) have (d) be
(a) cornering (b) concern (c) cornered (d) concerned
(a) backing (b) heading (c) footing (d) waiting

Spelling

Paragraph 1

Alexa is a ilrvaut assistant
baapecl of listening to people
play music upon voice esqurte
answer our health queiser
caehsr the NHS website for information
agreed on by many health sterxpe

Paragraph 2

met with a mixed nseropse
access aeiebllr, world-leading advice
from the omrfcot of their home
reducing the puessrer
Other people are concerned about ypvcair
a data octenotrpi disaster

Put the text back together

(.1.) Technology has taken another step in helping us with our healthcare. We can now ask the digital device Alexa for
(...) Amazon.com. It is capable of listening to people and answering their questions. As well
(...) as voice interaction capabilities, Alexa can make to-do lists, play music upon voice request, and give us the latest
(...) home, reducing the pressure on our hardworking doctors and pharmacists." He added: "We want to empower every
(...) in the UK to add a health advice capability to the software. Alexa will be able to search the NHS website
(...) news. Now Alexa can answer our health queries. Amazon has linked up with the National Health Service (NHS)
(...) this is a great example of how people can access reliable, world-leading advice from the comfort of their
(...) about trusting the advice of a piece of software. They say we must go to a human doctor if we have
(...) serious health problems. Other people are concerned about privacy. The group Big Brother Watch
(...) for information and find an answer that is agreed on by many health experts.
(...) advice if we are worried about our health. Alexa is a virtual assistant created by the website
(...) Alexa's new health advice capability has been met with a mixed response. The UK Health Secretary said: "Technology like
(...) is worried about hacking. It said: "It's a data protection disaster waiting to happen."
(...) patient to take better control of their healthcare." Other people say we need to be careful

Put the words in the right order

in us our healthcare . step with helping Another
device the We for digital can advice . ask
to people their Listening answering questions . and
our answer Alexa health can queries . Now
the will Alexa website . able search to be
this great is a like Technology example .
control . Empower every take better patient to
be We to need advice . about trusting careful
say a must we doctor . They go to
protection happen . disaster to data A waiting

Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

Technology has taken / taking another step in helping us with our healthcare. We can now asks / ask the digital device Alexa for advice if we are worried / worry about our health. Alexa is a virtual / virtually assistant created by the website Amazon.com. It is capable / capability of listening to people and answering their questions. As well as voice interaction capabilities, Alexa can make to-do lists, play music under / upon under voice request, and give us the last / latest news. Now Alexa can answer our health queries. Amazon has linked up / down with the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK to add a health advice capability to the software. Alexa will be able to scorch / search the NHS website for information and find an answer that is agreed on by many health experts / expertise.

Alexa's new health advice capability has been meet / met with a mixed response. The UK Health Secretary said: "Technology like this is a great example of how people can access rely / reliable, world-leading advice from the comfort / comfortable of their home, reducing the press / pressure on our hardworking doctors and pharmacists / pharmacy." He added: "We want to empower every patient / patience to take better control of their healthcare." Other people say we need to be careful / carefully about trusting the advice of a peace / piece of software. They say we must go to a human doctor if we have serious health problems. Other people are concerned about private / privacy. The group Big Brother Watch is worried about hacking. It said: "It's a data protection disaster wait / waiting to happen."

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)

T_c h n_l_g y h_s t_k_n _n_t h_r s t_p _n h_l p_n g _s w_t h __ r h__ l t h c_r_. W_ c_n n_w _s k t h_ d_g_t_l d_v_c_ A l_x_ f_r _d v_c_ _f w_ _r_ w_r r__ d _b__ t __ r h__ l t h . A l_x_ _s _ v_r t__ l _s s_s t_n t c r__ t_d b y t h_ w_b s_t_ A m_z_n . c_m . I t _s c_p_b l_ _f l_s t_n_n g t_ p__ p l_ _n d _n s w_r_n g t h__ r q__ s t__ n s . A s w_l l _s v__ c_ _n t_r_c t__ n c_p_b_l_t__ s , A l_x_ c_n m_k_ t_- d_ l_s t s , p l_y m_s_c _p_n v__ c_ r_q__ s t , _n d g_v_ _s t h_ l_t_s t n_w s . N_w A l_x_ c_n _n s w_r __ r h__ l t h q__ r__ s . A m_z_n h_s l_n k_d _p w_t h t h_ N_t__ n_l H__ l t h S_r v_c_ ( N H S ) _n t h_ U K t_ _d d _ h__ l t h _d v_c_ c_p_b_l_t y t_ t h_ s_f t w_r_. A l_x_ w_l l b_ _b l_ t_ s__ r c h t h_ N H S w_b s_t_ f_r _n f_r m_t__ n _n d f_n d _n _n s w_r t h_t _s _g r__ d _n b y m_n y h__ l t h _x p_r t s .

A l_x_' s n_w h__ l t h _d v_c_ c_p_b_l_t y h_s b__ n m_t w_t h _ m_x_d r_s p_n s_. T h_ U K H__ l t h S_c r_t_r y s__ d : " T_c h n_l_g y l_k_ t h_s _s _ g r__ t _x_m p l_ _f h_w p__ p l_ c_n _c c_s s r_l__ b l_, w_r l d - l__ d_n g _d v_c_ f r_m t h_ c_m f_r t _f t h__ r h_m_, r_d_c_n g t h_ p r_s s_r_ _n __ r h_r d w_r k_n g d_c t_r s _n d p h_r m_c_s t s . " H_ _d d_d : " W_ w_n t t_ _m p_w_r _v_r y p_t__ n t t_ t_k_ b_t t_r c_n t r_l _f t h__ r h__ l t h c_r_. " O t h_r p__ p l_ s_y w_ n__ d t_ b_ c_r_f_l _b__ t t r_s t_n g t h_ _d v_c_ _f _ p__ c_ _f s_f t w_r_. T h_y s_y w_ m_s t g_ t_ _ h_m_n d_c t_r _f w_ h_v_ s_r___s h__ l t h p r_b l_m s . O t h_r p__ p l_ _r_ c_n c_r n_d _b__ t p r_v_c y . T h_ g r__ p B_g B r_t h_r W_t c h _s w_r r__ d _b__ t h_c k_n g . I t s__ d : " I t ' s _ d_t_ p r_t_c t__ n d_s_s t_r w__ t_n g t_ h_p p_n . "

Punctuate the text and add capitals

technology has taken another step in helping us with our healthcare we can now ask the digital device alexa for advice if we are worried about our health alexa is a virtual assistant created by the website amazoncom it is capable of listening to people and answering their questions as well as voice interaction capabilities alexa can make todo lists play music upon voice request and give us the latest news now alexa can answer our health queries amazon has linked up with the national health service nhs in the uk to add a health advice capability to the software alexa will be able to search the nhs website for information and find an answer that is agreed on by many health experts

alexas new health advice capability has been met with a mixed response the uk health secretary said technology like this is a great example of how people can access reliable worldleading advice from the comfort of their home reducing the pressure on our hardworking doctors and pharmacists he added we want to empower every patient to take better control of their healthcare other people say we need to be careful about trusting the advice of a piece of software they say we must go to a human doctor if we have serious health problems other people are concerned about privacy the group big brother watch is worried about hacking it said its a data protection disaster waiting to happen

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Technologyhastakenanotherstepinhelpinguswithourhealthcare.We
cannowaskthedigitaldeviceAlexaforadviceifweareworriedaboutourh
ealth.AlexaisavirtualassistantcreatedbythewebsiteAmazon.com.Iti
scapableoflisteningtopeopleandansweringtheirquestions.Aswellasv
oiceinteractioncapabilities,Alexacanmaketo-dolists,playmusicupo
nvoicerequest,andgiveusthelatestnews.NowAlexacananswerourhe
althqueries.AmazonhaslinkedupwiththeNationalHealthService(NHS
)intheUKtoaddahealthadvicecapabilitytothesoftware.Alexawillbeabl
etosearchtheNHSwebsiteforinformationandfindananswerthatisagre
edonbymanyhealthexperts.Alexa'snewhealthadvicecapabilityhasbe
enmetwithamixedresponse.TheUKHealthSecretarysaid:"Technolog
ylikethisisagreatexampleofhowpeoplecanaccessreliable,world-leadi
ngadvicefromthecomfortoftheirhome,reducingthepressureonourha
rdworkingdoctorsandpharmacists."Headded:"Wewanttoempowere
verypatienttotakebettercontroloftheirhealthcare."Otherpeoplesay
weneedtobecarefulabouttrustingtheadviceofapieceofsoftware.They
saywemustgotoahumandoctorifwehaveserioushealthproblems.Oth
erpeopleareconcernedaboutprivacy.ThegroupBigBrotherWatchisw
orriedabouthacking.Itsaid:"It'sadataprotectiondisasterwaitingtoha
ppen."

Free writing

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

_____________________________________________________________________________

Academic writing

It is very dangerous to use software to get healthcare advice. Discuss.

_____________________________________________________________________________

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. HEALTHCARE: Make a poster about healthcare. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
4. ALEXA: Write a magazine article about healthcare advice being by a piece of software. 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. HEALTH: Write a letter to an expert on healthcare advice. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your ideas on what we should do to get advice on our health. 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.)

Back to the top

Help Support This Web Site

Please consider helping Breaking News English.com

Sean Banville's Book

Download a sample of my book "1,000 Ideas & Activities for Language Teachers".

Breaking News English Lesson on Alexa

Home | Help This Site

PRINT

LISTEN

READ

GRAMMAR

SPELL

WORDS