The Reading / Listening - Level 1

An education adviser has made teachers in Britain angry. The adviser works with the UK Education Secretary Michael Gove. British teachers do not like Mr Gove. The adviser made a new report. He said education in Britain wasn't so good. He said most teachers do not do a good job and that "real talent is rare". He said few teachers can teach basic extended writing, mathematics, science or problem-solving.

Mr Cummings also said Britain wastes billions of dollars on poor students and unnecessary university courses. He said many university courses do not help students get a job and that students should study more. Cummings angered teachers by saying 70% of learning is because of genes from parents, and not because of teachers. Many people want Mr Cummings and Mr Gove to be fired. They said Cummings has too many "mad" ideas.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 0,  Level 2   or  Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/michael-gove-adviser-says-teachers-2366294
  • http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/oct/11/genetics-teaching-gove-adviser


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 :-)



The Activities

MATCHING

PARAGRAPH ONE:

1.

An education adviser has made teachers

a.

so good

2.

British teachers do not

b.

good job

3.

made a

c.

like Mr Gove

4.

education in Britain wasn't

d.

writing

5.

do a

e.

new report

6.

real talent

f.

solving

7.

teach basic extended

g.

in Britain angry

8.

problem-

h.

is rare

MY e-BOOK
ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
See a sample

PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.

Britain wastes

a.

study more

2.

poor

b.

from parents

3.

university

c.

get a job

4.

help students

d.

students

5.

students should

e.

to be fired

6.

70%

f.

billions of dollars

7.

genes

g.

courses

8.

people want Mr Cummings and Mr Gove

h.

of learning

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

An education adviser (1) ___________________ in Britain angry. The adviser (2) ___________________ Education Secretary Michael Gove. British teachers do not like Mr Gove. The adviser made (3) ___________________. He said education in Britain wasn't so good. He said most teachers                                     (4) ___________________ good job and that "real (5) ___________________ ". He said few teachers can teach (6) ___________________, mathematics, science or problem-solving.

Mr Cummings also said Britain (7) ___________________ dollars on poor students (8) ___________________ university courses. He said many university (9) ___________________ students get a job and that students should study more. Cummings angered teachers by saying 70% of (10) ___________________ of genes from parents, (11) ___________________ of teachers. Many people want Mr Cummings and Mr Gove to be fired. They said Cummings has (12) ___________________ ideas.

PUT A SLASH ( / )WHERE THE SPACES ARE

AneducationadviserhasmadeteachersinBritainangry.Theadviserw
orkswiththeUKEducationSecretaryMichaelGove.Britishteachersd
onotlikeMrGove.Theadvisermadeanewreport.HesaideducationinB
ritainwasn'tsogood.Hesaidmostteachersdonotdoagoodjobandtha
t"realtalentisrare".Hesaidfewteacherscanteachbasicextendedwrit
ing,mathematics,scienceorproblem-solving.MrCummingsalsosai
dBritainwastesbillionsofdollarsonpoorstudentsandunnecessaryun
iversitycourses.Hesaidmanyuniversitycoursesdonothelpstudents
getajobandthatstudentsshouldstudymore.Cummingsangeredtea
chersbysaying70%oflearningisbecauseofgenesfromparents,andn
otbecauseofteachers.ManypeoplewantMrCummingsandMrGovet
obefired.TheysaidCummingshastoomany"mad"ideas.

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

Student A: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

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Student B: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

WRITING

Write about teachers for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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