Writing about technology
Lead In
What do do you think the negative effects of technology could be? Write down three sentences explaining different negative effects of technology.
Pass the
writing to the student on your left. Everyone reply to one of the comments. Do
you agree/disagree? What can you recommend?
Pass the notes back.
Part 1
Read the title what do you think the article will be about? Read the article. What are the author’s main arguments of the author? Do you agree?
No, mobile phones should not be banned in UK schools
Access to mobile technology can be both a blessing and a curse. Smart phones are used to make calls, run businesses and organise social lives. But they also raise concerns over their potential impact on our health, society – and education.
The UK’s culture secretary has suggested it would be a good idea for schools to ban mobile phones. Matt Hancock, who is in charge of digital policy, said: “I admire headteachers who do not allow mobiles to be used during the school day. I encourage more schools to follow their lead. The evidence is that banning phones in schools works.” He went on: Studies have shown mobile phones can have a real impact on working memory and fluid intelligence, even if the phone is on a table or in a bag.
As a teacher, I personally witnessed the impact that rapidly evolving mobile phones had in the classroom. A new behavioural issue fast became a key challenge – how to deal with yet another distraction.
However, those same phones also became a valuable resource for many innovative teachers. Here was an opportunity to develop innovative learning strategies using technology which provided students with access to a knowledge base far beyond the confines of the classroom.
______________________________________________ such as the game-based platform Kahoot!, which is free but is reliant on students being able to access mobile devices. Others may simply wish their students to use those devices for research when they do not have access to computing facilities. In these cases, it is reasonable for teachers to encourage their students to use their mobile phones.
__________________________________________How can teachers be sure that students are using their phones for learning rather than accessing social media? Students themselves are then expected to justify the use of their mobile phone.
___________________________________________________ Technology has developed at a speed which is difficult to keep up with – and with each advancement comes an expectation for teachers to have either a solution or strategy. This, coupled with the pressure on teachers to keep order in class and achieve good grades can leave little time for new strategies to emerge.
In some respects the culture secretary’s suggestion to ban mobile phones in schools (as France has done) is understandable. The rationale, I suspect, is that by removing the catalyst for poor behaviour (the mobile phone) we remove the issue.
____________________________________________________To start with, we already expect a great deal from our teachers. Do we now believe they should undertake “stop-and-search” surveillance of students entering the school and classroom simply to remove a mobile phone?
____________________________________________________ Education providers are responsible for preparing students for the future. Acquisition of knowledge is not enough – we must ensure young people are ready for the next stage of their lives.
Structure.
For paragraphs 1-3, which sentence is the topic sentence? That is, which sentence gives the argument for the paragraph?
Complete the paragraphs with the following topic sentences:
- Secondly, while the removal of the mobile phone may prevent the short-term issue, it does not prepare our next generation.
- Teachers can find themselves under immense pressure.
- Some teachers use interactive learning activities
- But this response has flaws.
- But this innovative approach comes with complications.
Think of four arguments for the following essay question:
Part 2
Playing video games can be very helpful for children. Discuss.
Read the second part of the article. How does the author think phones should be used in schools?:
A smarter
approach
Whether we embrace it or not, mobile technology is
a fundamental part of the modern world. Today’s students will have jobs that
rely on technology, and they need to be mature enough to use ___________ wisely
– and appropriately.
The solution is not prohibition, but education. __________ is not without its challenges – but if we are shaping the workforce of tomorrow then we have to consider how we prepare _____________ to be part of it. _________________ are important, ___________ so too are wider skills ___________ using technology appropriately and safely, and having the self-discipline to regulate the use of mobile technology – knowing the right time and place to fire up a smart phone.
As a student, I would want to be afforded the opportunity to retain my mobile phone – and be trusted to use it correctly. _______________ , I would expect to learn about appropriate mobile phone use with the guidance and support of my teachers.
As a parent, I would welcome another person taking the time to educate my child about the best way to use mobile phones. ( I’m not the only person nagging: “You’re always on your phone…”)
And as a teacher, I appreciate the challenge that mobile phones bring to the classroom. But I also want to prepare my students for their next steps. ______________ is not going anywhere – and has many educational features. It contains a writing tool, a calculator, and a huge encyclopedia – and I can’t imagine anyone calling for ____________ to be banned at the school gates.
Cohesion
Complete the gaps with the following words:
those, such as, it, This , but , The smart phone, In return, That way, Exam results, students
Which are examples of:
- Reference
- Substitution
- Connectors
Part 3
Take one of your topic sentences in Part 2, and develop it into a 4 sentence paragraph, keeping it cohesive.
Part 4
Share your topic sentences with your partner. Develop one of your partner’s topic sentences into a paragraph.
Part 5.
Complete the essay.
Lesson Plan: Writing about technology
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Lead In
What do do you think the negative effects of technology could be? Write down three sentences explaining different negative effects of technology.
Pass the
writing to the student on your left. Everyone reply to one of the comments. Do
you agree/disagree? What can you recommend?
Pass the notes back.
Part 1
Read the title what do you think the article will be about? Read the article. What are the author’s main arguments of the author? Do you agree?
No, mobile phones should not be banned in UK schools
Access to mobile technology can be both a blessing and a curse. Smart phones are used to make calls, run businesses and organise social lives. But they also raise concerns over their potential impact on our health, society – and education.
The UK’s culture secretary has suggested it would be a good idea for schools to ban mobile phones. Matt Hancock, who is in charge of digital policy, said: “I admire headteachers who do not allow mobiles to be used during the school day. I encourage more schools to follow their lead. The evidence is that banning phones in schools works.” He went on: Studies have shown mobile phones can have a real impact on working memory and fluid intelligence, even if the phone is on a table or in a bag.
As a teacher, I personally witnessed the impact that rapidly evolving mobile phones had in the classroom. A new behavioural issue fast became a key challenge – how to deal with yet another distraction.
However, those same phones also became a valuable resource for many innovative teachers. Here was an opportunity to develop innovative learning strategies using technology which provided students with access to a knowledge base far beyond the confines of the classroom.
______________________________________________ such as the game-based platform Kahoot!, which is free but is reliant on students being able to access mobile devices. Others may simply wish their students to use those devices for research when they do not have access to computing facilities. In these cases, it is reasonable for teachers to encourage their students to use their mobile phones.
__________________________________________How can teachers be sure that students are using their phones for learning rather than accessing social media? Students themselves are then expected to justify the use of their mobile phone.
___________________________________________________ Technology has developed at a speed which is difficult to keep up with – and with each advancement comes an expectation for teachers to have either a solution or strategy. This, coupled with the pressure on teachers to keep order in class and achieve good grades can leave little time for new strategies to emerge.
In some respects the culture secretary’s suggestion to ban mobile phones in schools (as France has done) is understandable. The rationale, I suspect, is that by removing the catalyst for poor behaviour (the mobile phone) we remove the issue.
____________________________________________________To start with, we already expect a great deal from our teachers. Do we now believe they should undertake “stop-and-search” surveillance of students entering the school and classroom simply to remove a mobile phone?
____________________________________________________ Education providers are responsible for preparing students for the future. Acquisition of knowledge is not enough – we must ensure young people are ready for the next stage of their lives.
Structure.
For paragraphs 1-3, which sentence is the topic sentence? That is, which sentence gives the argument for the paragraph?
Complete the paragraphs with the following topic sentences:
- Secondly, while the removal of the mobile phone may prevent the short-term issue, it does not prepare our next generation.
- Teachers can find themselves under immense pressure.
- Some teachers use interactive learning activities
- But this response has flaws.
- But this innovative approach comes with complications.
Think of four arguments for the following essay question:
Part 2
Playing video games can be very helpful for children. Discuss.
Read the second part of the article. How does the author think phones should be used in schools?:
A smarter
approach
Whether we embrace it or not, mobile technology is
a fundamental part of the modern world. Today’s students will have jobs that
rely on technology, and they need to be mature enough to use ___________ wisely
– and appropriately.
The solution is not prohibition, but education. __________ is not without its challenges – but if we are shaping the workforce of tomorrow then we have to consider how we prepare _____________ to be part of it. _________________ are important, ___________ so too are wider skills ___________ using technology appropriately and safely, and having the self-discipline to regulate the use of mobile technology – knowing the right time and place to fire up a smart phone.
As a student, I would want to be afforded the opportunity to retain my mobile phone – and be trusted to use it correctly. _______________ , I would expect to learn about appropriate mobile phone use with the guidance and support of my teachers.
As a parent, I would welcome another person taking the time to educate my child about the best way to use mobile phones. ( I’m not the only person nagging: “You’re always on your phone…”)
And as a teacher, I appreciate the challenge that mobile phones bring to the classroom. But I also want to prepare my students for their next steps. ______________ is not going anywhere – and has many educational features. It contains a writing tool, a calculator, and a huge encyclopedia – and I can’t imagine anyone calling for ____________ to be banned at the school gates.
Cohesion
Complete the gaps with the following words:
those, such as, it, This , but , The smart phone, In return, That way, Exam results, students
Which are examples of:
- Reference
- Substitution
- Connectors
Part 3
Take one of your topic sentences in Part 2, and develop it into a 4 sentence paragraph, keeping it cohesive.
Part 4
Share your topic sentences with your partner. Develop one of your partner’s topic sentences into a paragraph.
Part 5.
Complete the essay.