Minecraft video 'more popular than Bieber'

The Reading / Listening - Level 4

Minecraft can be a worry for parents. Their children spend endless hours in their own cyber-world. One man has made millions of fans and a small fortune from the game. Joseph Garrett makes YouTube videos in his bedroom about his Minecraft adventures. He gets 30 million hits a week - more than Justin Bieber. He is a celebrity in the gaming world. He told the BBC: "I'm really happy, I'm not going to lie, I think I've got the best job in the world."

Minecraft has 100 million registered users. Teachers say it is useful in the classroom. Gamepedia.com says it, "can have huge educational benefits….It can help teach numerous subjects both with and without adults". Minecraft can be faster than traditional education because children are more motivated. They feel what they learn is more useful. Kids pick up skills in maths, geometry, music and science, as well as social skills and computer coding.

Try the same news story at these levels:

Level 5 or Level 6

Sources

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-hampshire-26327661
http://minecraft.gamepedia.com/Minecraft_in_education
http://www.npr.org/2014/03/04/285744084/can-playing-minecraft-teach-kids-to-code

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.	Minecraft can be a	a.	the gaming world
2.	children spend endless	b.	fortune
3.	a small	c.	worry for parents
4.	He gets 30 million	d.	going to lie
5.	He is a celebrity in	e.	hours in their own cyber-world
6.	I'm not	f.	hits a week

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.	Minecraft has 100 million	a.	benefits
2.	have huge educational	b.	motivated
3.	It can help teach	c.	coding
4.	children are more	d.	up skills in maths
5.	Kids pick	e.	numerous subjects
6.	computer	f.	registered users

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

Minecraft (1) ___________________ parents. Their children spend endless hours in (2) ___________________. One man has made millions of fans and a (3) ___________________ game. Joseph Garrett makes YouTube videos in his bedroom about his Minecraft adventures. (4) ___________________ a week - more than Justin Bieber. He is a celebrity (5) ___________________. He told the BBC: "I'm really happy, I'm not going to lie, I think I've got the (6) ___________________."

Minecraft has 100 (7) ___________________. Teachers say it is useful in the classroom. Gamepedia.com says it, "can (8) ___________________ benefits….It can help (9) ___________________ both with and without adults". Minecraft (10) ___________________ traditional education because children are more motivated. They feel (11) ___________________ more useful. Kids pick up skills in maths, geometry, music and science, as well as social skills (12) ___________________.

ONLINE GAMES SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about online games 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.

	STUDENT 1 _____________	STUDENT 2 _____________	STUDENT 3 _____________
Q.1.
Q.2.
Q.3.
Q.4.
Q.5.

Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.

Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

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)	________________________________________________________

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

a)	________________________________________________________
b)	________________________________________________________
c)	________________________________________________________
d)	________________________________________________________
e)	________________________________________________________
f)	________________________________________________________
g)	________________________________________________________
h)	________________________________________________________

FREE WRITING

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

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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