The Reading / Listening - Raising Kids - Level 6

Scandinavia has ranked as the best place in the world to raise children. The Nordic region holds the top three places on the U.S. News & World Report's list of "The Best Countries for Raising Kids" in 2020. The list has been compiled annually since 2016 in collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania. Denmark topped the list, with Sweden a close runner-up, and neighbour Norway edging out Canada for third place. The 2020 listings will come as little surprise as the three nations also ranked highest on the list for 2019. A spokeswoman explained: "These countries tend to have generous paternal leave and maternal leave, offer free preschool and have good overall public education systems."

The listing was released as part of the annual "Best Countries" list. This survey adopted "a global perceptions-based" approach in examining data and attitudes. It used research from the World Bank, as well as the opinions of 20,000 people in the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Researchers tested countries against 65 different metrics, or what the researchers called "country attributes". These included income equality, well-developed public education and healthcare systems, human rights, gender equality, safety, family friendliness and levels of perceived happiness. Switzerland once again topped the "Best Countries" list, followed by Canada and Japan.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Raising Kids - Level 4  or  Raising Kids - Level 5

Sources
  • https://www.cbsnews.com/news/best-country-for-kids-the-list-of-the-best-countries-in-the-world-to-raise-kids-has-been-released-america/
  • https://edition.cnn.com/2020/01/15/health/best-country-to-raise-child-wellness/index.html
  • https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-7890051/Revealed-BEST-countries-world-raise-child-Britain-ranks-11th.html


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. RAISING KIDS: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about raising kids. 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?
       Scandinavia / raise children / top / list / collaboration / runner-up / paternal leave /
       annual / data / attitudes / opinions / metrics / gender / happiness / human rights
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. MY COUNTRY: Students A strongly believe their country is the best country for children to grow up in; Students B strongly believe it isn't.  Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. RAISING CHILDREN: Write what children need and why in the table below. How did this compare with how you grew up? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

The Best Kind

Your Experiences of This

Education

 

 

Music and Art

 

 

Physical activity

 

 

Nutrition

 

 

Games

 

 

Environment

 

 
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. LIST: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "list". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. BEST PLACES: Rank these with your partner. Put the best places to raise children at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • The countryside
  • By the sea
  • New York
  • A mountain village
  • Silicon Valley
  • Hollywood
  • Kyoto
  • Denmark

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. ranked a. A competitor or team taking second place in a contest.
      2. Nordic b. Of or appropriate to a father.
      3. region c. Gave someone or something a rank or place within a grading system.
      4. compiled d. Relating to Scandinavia, Finland, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands.
      5. runner-up e. Collect information in order to produce something.
      6. edging out f. Narrowly defeated / beat a competitor or opponent.
      7. paternal g. An area or division, especially part of a country or the world having definable characteristics but not always fixed boundaries.

    Paragraph 2

      8. adopted h. Which sex someone is (male, female or other).
      9. perception i. A quality or feature regarded as a characteristic or inherent part of someone or something.
      10. data j. A system or standard of measuring things and assessing quality.
      11. metric k. Start to use or follow an idea, method, or course of action.
      12. attribute l. The state of being the same as everyone else, especially in status, rights, and opportunities.
      13. gender m. A way of regarding, understanding, or interpreting something; a mental impression or image.
      14. equality n. Facts and statistics collected together for reference or analysis.

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. Scandinavia is part of the Nordic region.     T / F
  2. The top three countries to raise children are in Scandinavia.     T / F
  3. The USA was fourth on the list of the best places to raise children.     T / F
  4. Scandinavian countries tend to have generous paternity leave.     T / F
  5. Researchers used a global perceptions approach for their report.     T / F
  6. Researchers looked at metrics in 65 different countries.     T / F
  7. Researchers looked at levels of unhappiness in different countries.     T / F
  8. Switzerland was top on the "Best Countries" list.     T / F

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

  1. ranked
  2. top
  3. compiled
  4. collaboration
  5. overall
  6. released
  7. attitudes
  8. attributes
  9. equality
  10. happiness
  1. views
  2. co-operation
  3. general
  4. contentment
  5. issued
  6. leading
  7. parity
  8. rated
  9. qualities
  10. assembled

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

  1. Scandinavia has ranked
  2. The list has been compiled
  3. edging out
  4. These countries tend to have generous
  5. good overall public
  6. This survey adopted a global perceptions
  7. examining data
  8. income
  9. family
  10. levels of perceived
  1. -based approach
  2. equality
  3. education systems
  4. happiness
  5. Canada for third place
  6. paternal leave
  7. friendliness
  8. as the best place
  9. and attitudes
  10. annually since 2016

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
collaboration
overall
ranked
compiled
leave
region
tend
runner-up

Scandinavia has (1) ____________ as the best place in the world to raise children. The Nordic (2) ____________ holds the top three places on the U.S. News & World Report's list of "The Best Countries for Raising Kids" in 2020. The list has been (3) ____________ annually since 2016 in (4) ____________ with the University of Pennsylvania. Denmark topped the list, with Sweden a close (5) ____________, and neighbour Norway edging out Canada for third place. The 2020 listings will come as little surprise as the three nations also ranked highest on the list for 2019. A spokeswoman explained: "These countries (6) ____________ to have generous paternal leave and maternal (7) ____________, offer free preschool and have good (8) ____________ public education systems."

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
public
metrics
perceived
approach
annual
opinions
equality
income

The listing was released as part of the (9) ____________ "Best Countries" list. This survey adopted "a global perceptions-based" (10) ____________ in examining data and attitudes. It used research from the World Bank, as well as the (11) ____________ of 20,000 people in the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Researchers tested countries against 65 different (12) ____________, or what the researchers called "country attributes". These included (13) ____________ equality, well-developed (14) ____________ education and healthcare systems, human rights, gender (15) ____________, safety, family friendliness and levels of (16) ____________ happiness. Switzerland once again topped the "Best Countries" list, followed by Canada and Japan.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  The Nordic region holds the ______
     a.  top three plaice is
     b.  top three play sis
     c.  top three plates
     d.  top three places
2) The list has been compiled annually since 2016 in ______ University
     a.  collaboration with the
     b.  collaborated with the
     c.  collaborate shun with the
     d.  collar aberration with the
3)  Denmark topped the list, with Sweden a ______
     a.  closed runner-up
     b.  close runner-up
     c.  closely runner-up
     d.  clothes runner-up
4) These countries tend to have generous paternal leave and ______
     a.  external leave
     b.  fraternal leave
     c.  maternal leave
     d.  matronly leave
5)  offer free preschool and have good overall public ______
     a.  education system
     b.  education systemic
     c.  education systems
     d.  education systemise

6)  The listing was released as part of the ______ Countries" list
     a.  annually "Best
     b.  annual "Best
     c.  annul "Best
     d.  ennui "Best
7)  This survey adopted "a global ______" approach
     a.  perceptions-basted
     b.  perceptions-biased
     c.  perceptions-paste
     d.  perceptions-based
8)  It used research from the World Bank, as well as the ______ 20,000 people
     a.  aprons of
     b.  opines of
     c.  opinions of
     d.  onions of
9)  Researchers tested countries against 65 ______
     a.  different met ticks
     b.  different met tricks
     c.  different mat tricks
     d.  different metrics
10)  gender equality, safety, family friendliness and levels of ______
     a.  received happiness
     b.  perceived happiness
     c.  pre-seeded happiness
     d.  per sieved happiness

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Scandinavia (1) ___________________ the best place in the world to raise children. The Nordic region holds the (2) ___________________ on the U.S. News & World Report's list of "The Best Countries for Raising Kids" in 2020. The list has been (3) ___________________ 2016 in collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania. Denmark topped the list, with Sweden a close runner-up, and neighbour Norway (4) ___________________ for third place. The 2020 listings will come (5) ___________________ the three nations also ranked highest on the list for 2019. A spokeswoman explained: "These countries tend to have (6) ___________________ and maternal leave, offer free preschool and have good overall public education systems."

The listing was released as part (7) ___________________ "Best Countries" list. This survey adopted "(8) ___________________ " approach in examining (9) ___________________. It used research from the World Bank, as well as the opinions of 20,000 people in the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Researchers tested countries against (10) ___________________, or what the researchers called "country attributes". These included income equality, well-developed public education and healthcare systems, human rights, (11) ___________________, family friendliness and levels of perceived happiness. Switzerland (12) ___________________ the "Best Countries" list, followed by Canada and Japan.

Comprehension questions

  1. What region is Scandinavia in?
  2. Since when has this list been compiled?
  3. Which country was the runner-up?
  4. What did the article say was generous in the Scandinavian countries?
  5. What did the article say was free in the Scandinavian countries?
  6. What list was the raising kids list a part of?
  7. How many people's opinions did researchers look at?
  8. How many continents were part of the research?
  9. What kind of friendliness did the researchers look at?
  10. Which country was top of the Best Countries list?

Multiple choice quiz

1)  What region is Scandinavia in?
a) the Steppes
b) the Nordic region
c) the Baltic region
d) Siberia
2)  Since when has this list been compiled?
a) 2014
b) 2014
c) 2015
d) 2016
3) Which country was the runner-up?
a) Sweden
b) Switzerland
c) Canada
d) Norway
4) What did the article say was generous in the Scandinavian countries?
a) gender equality
b) healthcare
c) maternal and paternal leave
d) public education
5) What did the article say was free in the Scandinavian countries?
a) collaboration
b) preschool
c) maternal leave
d) education systems

6) What list was the raising kids list a part of?
a) the Best Countries list
b) the World Education list
c) the WHO list
d) the A-Z of Countries list
7) How many people's opinions did researchers look at?
a) 10,000
b) 30,000
c) 20,000
d) 40,000
8) How many continents were part of the research?
a) 5
b) 4
c) 6
d) 3
9) What kind of friendliness did the researchers look at?
a) family-friendliness
b) child-friendliness
c) user-friendliness
d) teacher-friendliness
10) Which country was top of the Best Countries list?
a) Japan
b) Canada
c) Finland
d) Switzerland

Role play

Role  A – Denmark
You think Denmark is the best place to raise children. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their places. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): Hollywood, Kyoto or New York.

Role  B – Hollywood
You think Hollywood is the best place to raise children. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their places. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): Denmark, Kyoto or New York.

Role  C – Kyoto
You think Kyoto is the best place to raise children. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their places. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): Hollywood, Denmark or New York.

Role  D – New York
You think New York is the best place to raise children. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their places. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): Hollywood, Kyoto or Denmark.

After reading / listening

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

'country'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • and 'kids'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • • 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:

    • holds
    • since
    • topped
    • close
    • little
    • free
    • part
    • data
    • well
    • 65
    • human
    • once

    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 - Raising Kids

    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 'kids'?
    3. Which word do you like better - 'kids' or 'children'?
    4. Where do you think is the best place in the world to raise children?
    5. What is your country like for children?
    6. How good was the place you grew up in?
    7. Why are the Scandinavian countries so good for children?
    8. Where would you like to have grown up as a child?
    9. What is the most important thing a country can give its children?
    10. Where would you like to raise your children?

    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 'country'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. What do you know about Denmark?
    5. What do you think is the best country in the world?
    6. What are the global perceptions of your country?
    7. What is the world's best continent?
    8. How happy a place is your country?
    9. What would you change about tour country to make it better?
    10. What questions would you like to ask a Danish child?

    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)

    Scandinavia has (1) ____ as the best place in the world to raise children. The Nordic region holds the top three places on the U.S. News & World Report's list of "The Best Countries for Raising Kids" in 2020. The list has been (2) ______ annually since 2016 (3) ______ collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania. Denmark topped the list, with Sweden a close runner-up, and neighbour Norway edging (4) ______ Canada for third place. The 2020 listings will come as little surprise as the three nations also ranked highest on the list for 2019. A spokeswoman explained: "These countries (5) ______ to have generous paternal leave and maternal leave, offer free preschool and have good (6) ______ public education systems."

    The listing was released (7) ______ part of the annual "Best Countries" list. This survey adopted "a global perceptions-based" approach (8) ______ examining data and attitudes. It used research from the World Bank, as well as the opinions of 20,000 people in the (9) ______, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Researchers tested countries against 65 different (10) ______, or what the researchers called "country attributes". These included income equality, well-developed public education and healthcare systems, (11) ______ rights, gender equality, safety, family friendliness and levels of perceived happiness. Switzerland once again (12) ______ the "Best Countries" list, followed by Canada and Japan.

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     wrinkled     (b)     wrangled     (c)     rankled     (d)     ranked    
    2. (a)     combed     (b)     collided     (c)     complied     (d)     compiled    
    3. (a)     on     (b)     in     (c)     of     (d)     at    
    4. (a)     up     (b)     in     (c)     out     (d)     of    
    5. (a)     tend     (b)     trend     (c)     tread     (d)     treat    
    6. (a)     overall     (b)     overalls     (c)     overly     (d)     overtly    
    7. (a)     has     (b)     is     (c)     was     (d)     as    
    8. (a)     in     (b)     to     (c)     up     (d)     on    
    9. (a)     Americans     (b)     Americas     (c)     America     (d)     American    
    10. (a)     metres     (b)     mortises     (c)     metrics     (d)     matrices    
    11. (a)     humanly     (b)     humane     (c)     human     (d)     humanist    
    12. (a)     tipped     (b)     topped     (c)     tapped     (d)     tepid

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. The doriNc region
    2. The list has been dclipmoe annually
    3. in tlornilacoboa with the University
    4. with Sweden a close uenrrn-pu
    5. generous apltrnea leave
    6. good levlroa public education

    Paragraph 2

    1. a global peinctroeps-based" approach
    2. examining data and austtdeit
    3. tested countries against 65 different mtiresc
    4. country uesbaitttr
    5. gender tyqaluei
    6. levels of edvrepiec happiness

    Put the text back together

    (...)  The listing was released as part of the annual "Best Countries" list. This survey adopted "a global perceptions-
    (...)  leave and maternal leave, offer free preschool and have good overall public education systems."
    (...)  based" approach in examining data and attitudes. It used research from the World Bank, as well as the
    (...)  in 2020. The list has been compiled annually since 2016 in collaboration with the University
    (...)  region holds the top three places on the U.S. News & World Report's list of "The Best Countries for Raising Kids"
    (...)  equality, well-developed public education and healthcare systems, human rights, gender equality, safety, family
    (...)  highest on the list for 2019. A spokeswoman explained: "These countries tend to have generous paternal
    (...)  friendliness and levels of perceived happiness. Switzerland once
    (...)  opinions of 20,000 people in the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Researchers tested countries against 65 different
    (...)  again topped the "Best Countries" list, followed by Canada and Japan.
    (...)  out Canada for third place. The 2020 listings will come as little surprise as the three nations also ranked
    (...)  of Pennsylvania. Denmark topped the list, with Sweden a close runner-up, and neighbour Norway edging
    (  1  ) Scandinavia has ranked as the best place in the world to raise children. The Nordic
    (...)  metrics, or what the researchers called "country attributes". These included income

    Put the words in the right order

    1. in   best   the   Ranked   as   place   world   .   the
    2. holds   top   region   Nordic   places   .   three   the   The
    3. since   The   compiled   annually   has   list   2016   .   been
    4. as   surprise   .   will   little   listings   come   2020   The
    5. to   leave   .   These   paternal   have   tend   generous   countries
    6. a   approach   .   This   survey   perceptions-based   global   adopted
    7. Americas   .   of   opinions   in   20,000   The   the   people
    8. against   metrics   .   tested   countries   Researchers   65   different
    9. and   friendliness   of   Family   happiness   .   levels   perceived
    10. again   Best   Countries   once   the   list   .   Switzerland   topped

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    Scandinavia has ranked as the best place in the world to arise / raise children. The Nordic region holds / grips the top three places on the U.S. News & World Report's list of "The Best Countries for Raising Kids" in 2020. The list has been complied / compiled annually since 2016 in collaborator / collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania. Denmark topped the list, with Sweden a close cool down / runner-up, and neighbour Norway edging / bordering out Canada for third place. The 2020 listings will come as little / few surprise as the three nations also ranked / linked highest on the list for 2019. A spokeswoman explained: "These countries attend / tend to have generous paternal leave and maternal leave, offer free preschool and have good overall / overlay public education systems."

    The listing was released as part of the annually / annual "Best Countries" list. This survey adopted "a global perceptions-based" reproach / approach in examining data / datum and attitudes. It used research from the World Bank, as well as the opines / opinions of 20,000 people in the America / Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Researchers tested countries against 65 different mathematics / metrics, or what the researchers called / culled "country attributes". These included income equality, well-developed public education and healthcare system / systems, human rights, gender equality, safety, family friendliness and levels of perception / perceived happiness. Switzerland once again topped the "Best Countries" list, followed by / in Canada and Japan.

    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)

    S c_n d_n_v__ h_s r_n k_d _s t h_ b_s t p l_c_ _n t h_ w_r l d t_ r__ s_ c h_l d r_n . T h_ N_r d_c r_g__ n h_l d s t h_ t_p t h r__ p l_c_s _n t h_ U . S . N_w s & W_r l d R_p_r t ' s l_s t _f " T h_ B_s t C__ n t r__ s f_r R__ s_n g K_d s " _n 2 0 2 0 . T h_ l_s t h_s b__ n c_m p_l_d _n n__ l l y s_n c_ 2 0 1 6 _n c_l l_b_r_t__ n w_t h t h_ U n_v_r s_t y _f P_n n s y l v_n__ . D_n m_r k t_p p_d t h_ l_s t , w_t h S w_d_n _ c l_s_ r_n n_r -_p , _n d n__ g h b__ r N_r w_y _d g_n g __ t C_n_d_ f_r t h_r d p l_c_. T h_ 2 0 2 0 l_s t_n g s w_l l c_m_ _s l_t t l_ s_r p r_s_ _s t h_ t h r__ n_t__ n s _l s_ r_n k_d h_g h_s t _n t h_ l_s t f_r 2 0 1 9 . A s p_k_s w_m_n _x p l__ n_d : " T h_s_ c__ n t r__ s t_n d t_ h_v_ g_n_r__ s p_t_r n_l l__ v_ _n d m_t_r n_l l__ v_, _f f_r f r__ p r_s c h__ l _n d h_v_ g__ d _v_r_l l p_b l_c _d_c_t__ n s y s t_m s . "

    T h_ l_s t_n g w_s r_l__ s_d _s p_r t _f t h_ _n n__ l " B_s t C__ n t r__ s " l_s t . T h_s s_r v_y _d_p t_d "_ g l_b_l p_r c_p t__ n s - b_s_d " _p p r__ c h _n _x_m_n_n g d_t_ _n d _t t_t_d_s . I t _s_d r_s__ r c h f r_m t h_ W_r l d B_n k , _s w_l l _s t h_ _p_n__ n s _f 2 0 , 0 0 0 p__ p l_ _n t h_ A m_r_c_s , A s__ , E_r_p_, t h_ M_d d l_ E_s t _n d A f r_c_. R_s__ r c h_r s t_s t_d c__ n t r__ s _g__ n s t 6 5 d_f f_r_n t m_t r_c s , _r w h_t t h_ r_s__ r c h_r s c_l l_d " c__ n t r y _t t r_b_t_s " . T h_s_ _n c l_d_d _n c_m_ _q__ l_t y , w_l l - d_v_l_p_d p_b l_c _d_c_t__ n _n d h__ l t h c_r_ s y s t_m s , h_m_n r_g h t s , g_n d_r _q__ l_t y , s_f_t y , f_m_l y f r__ n d l_n_s s _n d l_v_l s _f p_r c__ v_d h_p p_n_s s . S w_t z_r l_n d _n c_ _g__ n t_p p_d t h_ " B_s t C__ n t r__ s " l_s t , f_l l_w_d b y C_n_d_ _n d J_p_n .

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    scandinavia has ranked as the best place in the world to raise children the nordic region holds the top three places on the us news  world reports list of the best countries for raising kids in 2020 the list has been compiled annually since 2016 in collaboration with the university of pennsylvania denmark topped the list with sweden a close runnerup and neighbour norway edging out canada for third place the 2020 listings will come as little surprise as the three nations also ranked highest on the list for 2019 a spokeswoman explained these countries tend to have generous paternal leave and maternal leave offer free preschool and have good overall public education systems

    the listing was released as part of the annual best countries list this survey adopted a global perceptionsbased approach in examining data and attitudes it used research from the world bank as well as the opinions of 20000 people in the americas asia europe the middle east and africa researchers tested countries against 65 different metrics or what the researchers called country attributes these included income equality welldeveloped public education and healthcare systems human rights gender equality safety family friendliness and levels of perceived happiness switzerland once again topped the best countries list followed by canada and japan

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    Scandinaviahasrankedasthebestplaceintheworldtoraisechildren.Th
    eNordicregionholdsthetopthreeplacesontheU.S.News&WorldReport
    'slistof"TheBestCountriesforRaisingKids"in2020.Thelisthasbeenco
    mpiledannuallysince2016incollaborationwiththeUniversityofPennsy
    lvania.Denmarktoppedthelist,withSwedenacloserunner-up,andne
    ighbourNorwayedgingoutCanadaforthirdplace.The2020listingswillc
    omeaslittlesurpriseasthethreenationsalsorankedhighestonthelistfo
    r2019.Aspokeswomanexplained:"Thesecountriestendtohavegener
    ouspaternalleaveandmaternalleave,offerfreepreschoolandhavegoo
    doverallpubliceducationsystems."Thelistingwasreleasedaspartofth
    eannual"BestCountries"list.Thissurveyadopted"aglobalperceptions
    -based"approachinexaminingdataandattitudes.Itusedresearchfro
    mtheWorldBank,aswellastheopinionsof20,000peopleintheAmericas
    ,Asia,Europe,theMiddleEastandAfrica.Researcherstestedcountriesa
    gainst65differentmetrics,orwhattheresearcherscalled"countryattri
    butes".Theseincludedincomeequality,well-developedpubliceducat
    ionandhealthcaresystems,humanrights,genderequality,safety,fami
    lyfriendlinessandlevelsofperceivedhappiness.Switzerlandonceagai
    ntoppedthe"BestCountries"list,followedbyCanadaandJapan.

    Free writing

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

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    Academic writing

    "I believe my country is the best country in the world." Argue why this is true.

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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. RAISING KIDS: Make a poster about raising kids. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. HARDER: Write a magazine article about it being harder to raise kids these days than before. Include imaginary interviews with people who afree and disagree with 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 raising kids. Ask him/her three questions about this. Give him/her three of your ideas on how best to bring up children. 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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