Конспект урока "Would you go to a single-sex school?"

TOPIC: Would you go to a single-sex school?

LEVEL: INTERMEDIATE
AGE: TEENS

1.WARMER :

Complete the sentences using your own words. Use a dictionary to help you.

Girls are _____________________________________________________________________________________

Boys are

2. What does it mean?

Write the words next to their meanings. These words will help you understand the article better. The paragraph numbers and the section titles are given to help you.

distract pay attention depend on mature compete single-sex school segregation annoying confident mixed school

1. a verb meaning to get someone’s attention and prevent them from concentrating on something _____________________ (para 1)

2. an adjective to describe someone who believes in their own abilities and so does not feel nervous or frightened _____________________ (para 1)

3. a type of school that is only for girls or only for boys _____________________. (para 3)

4. a two-word phrase meaning to listen to, watch or consider something or someone very carefully _____________________ (Teacher talks: Boys)

5. a type of school where both girls and boys go _____________________ (para 5)

6. a verb meaning to try to be better and more successful than someone else _____________________ (para 7)

7. a noun that means the policy of keeping people from different groups (e.g. boys and girls) separate _____________________ (para 7)

8. a two-word phrase meaning to need someone to help you do something _____________________ (Teacher talks: Girls)

9. an adjective that describes something that makes you feel slightly angry or impatient _____________________ (para 9)

10. an adjective to describe someone who behaves in the sensible way that you would expect an adult to behave _____________________ (para 9)

8. No boys allowed Since 2002, more and more mixed public schools in the US have been offering pupils the chance to learn in single-sex classrooms.

Teacher talks: Girls Lori Krohn teaches maths and science at New Washington Middle-High School. She says: “We started single-sex classes three years ago. One day, we went on a trip with the girls in one bus and the boys in another. We couldn’t believe how well behaved all the kids were. So we tried the same thing in the classrooms. Since then, our boys and girls have behaved a lot better. They focus more on their lessons and less on who else is in the room. When boys and girls are together, the boys often depend on the girls to help them with their work. When we do group work in girls’ classes, I call the groups ‘families’ – because girls enjoy working together. In boys’ classes, I call the groups ‘teams’ – because boys enjoy competing with each other. Girls like to sit down, read and learn, but boys like to be active and competitive.”

9. Alyssa Brewer, 14, is a pupil at New Washington Middle-High School, in the US state of Indiana. New Washington offers single-sex classes in some subjects to pupils in sixth, seventh and eighth grades. When Alyssa took this opportunity, she got better marks. “I have a hearing problem, and it was hard to hear the teacher in mixed classes. Boys make noise for no reason. It’s annoying,” she says. “All-girls classes are a good idea. At age 11, girls are more mature than boys. They take their work seriously and want to learn. Boys just play around and have fun. But girls want to be successful.

2. Which statements do you agree with? Which do you disagree with? Put a tick (P) in the ‘I agree’ column if you think a statement is true. Then compare and talk about your answers in small groups.

1. DISCUSSION: WHAT WE THINK

Read what the pupils say and then write what you think.

• Would you go to a single-sex school?

Yes, I would. I wouldn’t have to worry about how I look and dress. I could focus on school more and hang out more with girls.

(Isaura, 14)

No, I wouldn’t. At an all-girls school, you would get in more fights because there are no boys to separate you. Girls fight more than boys do. (Jasmine, 14)

No, I wouldn’t go to an all-boys school. Girls are a distraction that needs to be there. (Rainer, 16)

No, I wouldn’t. I’m friends with a lot of girls. If you want a girlfriend, it’s harder to be with her if you’re at a different school. (John, 16)

Cross out the words that are not true for you and complete the sentence below.

I would / wouldn’t like to go to an all-boys / all-girls school because …

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

Read out your sentence.

How many people in your class would like to like to go to a single-sex school and how many wouldn’t?

Do you think your school marks would be better or worse in a single-sex school?

1. WEBQUEST

“What are little boys made of?” is the first line of a traditional British rhyme. Write the line into a search engine. Find out how the rhyme goes on and “what little girls [are] made of”.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2010

SPOT ON NEWS LESSON / No girls, no boys! / Intermediate