The Reading / Listening - Depression - Level 3

The search engine Google will soon start a service that lets people check their mental health online. People searching for "depression" on Google's search page will get a link to a questionnaire along with their search result. The questionnaire will check to see if you could be suffering from depression. There are nine questions on the self-assessment. Google has partnered with America's National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) on the project. A NAMI spokesperson said Google users can take the private questionnaire to help them find out how depressed they are. He said this could help people decide if they need to see a doctor. The questionnaire will initially only be available for Internet users in the USA.

Google's blog said the questionnaire could help people get treatment for depression more quickly. It said: "Statistics show that those who have symptoms of depression experience an average of a six- to eight-year delay in getting treatment after the onset of symptoms. We believe that awareness of depression can help empower and educate you, enabling quicker access to treatment." However, Dr Aaron Balick, an expert on how websites can help people, said Google's questionnaire was the same as reading any online information about depression. He told the BBC: "A better approach would be…offering [people] resources and a direct line - perhaps a chat box - to local psychological services."

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Depression - Level 0 Depression - Level 1   or  Depression - Level 2

Sources
  • http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-41034618
  • https://www.blog.google/products/search/learning-more-about-clinical-depression-phq-9-questionnaire/
  • https://www.theverge.com/2017/8/23/16193236/google-depression-questionnaire-mental-health


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. DEPRESSION: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about depression. 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?

       search engine / mental health / questionnaire / depression / doctor / Internet users /
       treatment / statistics / symptoms / awareness / expert / information / resources / chat

Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.

3. INTERNET HELP: Students A strongly believe the Internet is the best place for help with mental health; Students B strongly believe the opposite.  Change partners again and talk about your conversations.

4. MENTAL HEALTH: How can the following help with mental health issues? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

How they can help

Why?

The Internet

 

 

Music

 

 

Drugs

 

 

Group therapy

 

 

Nature

 

 

Friends

 

 

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. ONLINE: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "online". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

6. HELP: Rank these with your partner. Put the best people to help with depression at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • other sufferers
  • counselors
  • colleagues
  • neighbours
  • Internet experts
  • friends
  • doctors
  • family

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. Google will operate a special website to help with mental health issues.   T / F
  2. There is a questionnaire with 90 questions on it about depression.     T / F
  3. Google will send a mental health doctor to help people.     T / F
  4. Google users all over the world can use the online mental health service. T / F
  5. Statistics show people wait 6 to 7 weeks before getting treatment.     T / F
  6. Awareness of depression can get you treatment more quickly.     T / F
  7. A doctor said Google's help was the same as any online information.     T / F
  8. The doctor said a chat box would be better to help people.     T / F

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

  1. soon
  2. questionnaire
  3. partnered
  4. spokesperson
  5. initially
  6. treatment
  7. symptoms
  8. onset
  9. approach
  10. psychological
  1. medical care
  2. representative
  3. way
  4. survey
  5. signs
  6. before long
  7. mental
  8. at first
  9. teamed up
  10. beginning

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

  1. a service that lets people check their
  2. suffering
  3. There are nine questions
  4. help them find out how
  5. initially only be
  6. help people get treatment
  7. experience an average of a six-
  8. awareness of depression can help
  9. an expert on how
  10. a direct
  1. for depression
  2. websites can help people
  3. depressed they are
  4. mental health online
  5. to eight-year delay
  6. on the self-assessment
  7. line
  8. available for Internet users
  9. empower and educate you
  10. from depression

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
result
doctor
online
users
project
service
find
self

The search engine Google will soon start a (1) ____________ that lets people check their mental health (2) ____________. People searching for "depression" on Google's search page will get a link to a questionnaire along with their search (3) ____________. The questionnaire will check to see if you could be suffering from depression. There are nine questions on the (4) ____________ -assessment. Google has partnered with America's National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) on the (5) ____________. A NAMI spokesperson said Google users can take the private questionnaire to help them (6) ____________ out how depressed they are. He said this could help people decide if they need to see a (7) ____________. The questionnaire will initially only be available for Internet (8) ____________ in the USA.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
information
awareness
access
direct
treatment
approach
average
expert

Google's blog said the questionnaire could help people get (9) ____________ for depression more quickly. It said: "Statistics show that those who have symptoms of depression experience an (10) ____________ of a six- to eight-year delay in getting treatment after the onset of symptoms. We believe that (11) ____________ of depression can help empower and educate you, enabling quicker (12) ____________ to treatment." However, Dr Aaron Balick, an (13) ____________ on how websites can help people, said Google's questionnaire was the same as reading any online (14) ____________ about depression. He told the BBC: "A better (15) ____________ would be…offering [people] resources and a (16) ____________ line - perhaps a chat box - to local psychological services."

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) Google will soon start a service that lets people check their ______ online
     a.  mentally health
     b.  mental healthy
     c.  mentally healthy
     d.  mental health

2)  Google's search page will get a link to a questionnaire along with ______
     a.  their searches result
     b.  their search resulted
     c.  there search result
     d.  their search result

3)  The questionnaire will check to see if you could be suffering ______
     a.  form depression
     b.  from depression
     c.  from depressive
     d.  from depressing

4)  users can take the private questionnaire to help them find out ______ are
     a.  how depression they
     b.  how depressive they
     c.  how depressed they
     d.  how depresses they

5)  The questionnaire will initially only be available for Internet ______ USA
     a.  usages in the
     b.  uses in the
     c.  users in the
     d.  used in the

6) the questionnaire could help people get treatment for depression ______
     a.  more quicker
     b.  more quick
     c.  more quicken
     d.  more quickly

7)  experience an average of a six- to eight-year delay ______
     a.  in getting treatment
     b.  in get in treatment
     c.  in getting in treatment
     d.  in get thing treatment

8)  We believe that awareness of depression can help empower ______
     a.  and educate you
     b.  and educates you
     c.  and educated you
     d.  and educating you

9)  Google's questionnaire was the same as reading any ______
     a.  on line information
     b.  online info nation
     c.  online informed nation
     d.  online information

10)  He told the BBC: "A better approach would be offering people resources and ______
     a.  a direct line"
     b.  a directs line"
     c.  a directed line"
     d.  a directing line"

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The search engine Google will (1) ___________________ service that lets people check their mental health online. People searching for "depression" on Google's search page will (2) ___________________ a questionnaire along with their search result. The questionnaire will check to see if you could (3) ___________________ depression. There are nine questions on the self-assessment. Google (4) ___________________ America's National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) on the project. A NAMI spokesperson said Google users can take the private questionnaire to (5) _________________ out how depressed they are. He said this could help people decide if they need to see a doctor. The questionnaire will initially only (6) ___________________ Internet users in the USA.

Google's blog said the questionnaire could (7) ___________________ treatment for depression more quickly. It said: "Statistics show that those who have (8) ___________________ depression experience an average of a six- to eight-(9) ___________________ getting treatment after the onset of symptoms. We believe that awareness of depression can help empower and educate you, enabling quicker (10) ___________________ treatment." However, Dr Aaron Balick, an expert on how websites can help people, said Google's questionnaire was the (11) ___________________ any online information about depression. He told the BBC: "A better approach would be…offering [people] resources and (12) ___________________ - perhaps a chat box - to local psychological services."

Comprehension questions

  1. When will Google's new mental health service start?
  2. What will a questionnaire help people check if they are suffering from?
  3. How many questions are there on the questionnaire?
  4. Who might the questionnaire help people decide to see?
  5. Where will the service only be available at first?
  6. How long is the delay in people getting treatment for depression?
  7. What can empower and educate you to get quicker access to treatment?
  8. Who is Dr Aaron Balick?
  9. What kind of line did a doctor suggest there be online?
  10. What kind of box did a doctor suggest there be online?

Multiple choice quiz

1) When will Google's new mental health service start?
a) next week
b) in a few years from now
c) soon
d) January 1

2) What will a questionnaire help people check if they are suffering from?
a) depression
b) Internet addiction
c) headaches
d) survey overload

3) How many questions are there on the questionnaire?
a) 6
b) 7
c) 8
d) 9

4) Who might the questionnaire help people decide to see?
a) a friend
b) a doctor
c) a family member
d) an Internet expert

5) Where will the service only be available at first?
a) shopping malls
b) Japan
c) the USA
d) the UK

6) How long is the delay in people getting treatment for depression?
a) a few years
b) 6-8 years
c) 6-8 weeks
d) a few weeks

7) What can empower and educate you to get quicker access to treatment?
a) friends
b) doctors
c) hospitals
d) awareness of depression

8) Who is Dr Aaron Balick?
a) an expert of depression
b) an expert on how websites can help people
c) an author on mental health
d) a surgeon

9) What kind of line did a doctor suggest there be online?
a) a direct line
b) a hotline
c) a red line
d) online

10) What kind of box did a doctor suggest there be online?
a) a helpful box
b) a cardboard box
c) a big box
d) a chat box

Role play

Role  A – Internet Experts

You think Internet experts are the best people to help someone with depression. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their people aren't as good. Also, tell the others who of these are the least able to help people with depression (and why): other sufferers, friends or family members.

Role  B – Other Sufferers

You think other sufferers are the best people to help someone with depression. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their people aren't as good. Also, tell the others who of these are the least able to help people with depression (and why): Internet experts, friends or family members.

Role  C – Friends

You think friends are the best people to help someone with depression. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their people aren't as good. Also, tell the others who of these are the least able to help people with depression (and why): other sufferers, Internet experts or family members.

Role  D – Family Members

You think family members are the best people to help someone with depression. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their people aren't as good. Also, tell the others who of these are the least able to help people with depression (and why):  other sufferers, friends or Internet experts.

After reading / listening

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

'mental'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • and 'health'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • • 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:

    • blog
    • quickly
    • average
    • expert
    • information
    • local
    • lets
    • along
    • nine
    • partnered
    • how
    • need

    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 - Google will check to see if you are depressed

    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 'search'?
    3. What do you think of Google?
    4. How important is Google to you?
    5. How is your mental health?
    6. What do you know about depression?
    7. Would you take a mental health questionnaire?
    8. What can we do to beat depression?
    9. What other health tests could people do online?
    10. Why is so little money spent on mental health?

    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 'engine'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. What treatment can people get for depression?
    5. Why do people get depressed?
    6. Why do people wait so long to get treated for depression?
    7. How do people know they are depressed?
    8. How would you help people with depression?
    9. What do you think of the idea of a chat box online?
    10. What questions would you like to ask the doctors?

    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)

    The search engine Google will (1) ____ start a service that lets people check their mental health online. People searching (2) ____ "depression" on Google's search page will get a link to a questionnaire (3) ____ with their search result. The questionnaire will check to see if you could be suffering from depression. There are nine questions on the self-assessment. Google has (4) ____ with America's National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) on the project. A NAMI spokesperson said Google users can take the (5) ____ questionnaire to help them find out how depressed they are. He said this could help people decide if they need to see a doctor. The questionnaire will (6) ____ only be available for Internet users in the USA.

    Google's blog said the questionnaire could help people get treatment for depression more quickly. It said: "Statistics show that (7) ____ who have symptoms of depression experience an average of a six- to eight-year (8) ____ in getting treatment after the (9) ____ of symptoms. We believe that awareness of depression can help empower and educate you, enabling quicker (10) ____ to treatment." However, Dr Aaron Balick, an expert on how websites can help people, said Google's questionnaire was the (11) ____ as reading any online information about depression. He told the BBC: "A better approach would be…offering [people] resources and a direct line - perhaps a chat box - to (12) ____ psychological services."

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     sooner     (b)     soonish     (c)     soon     (d)     soonest    
    2. (a)     for     (b)     on     (c)     as     (d)     by    
    3. (a)     along     (b)     longing     (c)     longed     (d)     longs    
    4. (a)     partnered     (b)     partners     (c)     partnership     (d)     partnering    
    5. (a)     privation     (b)     private     (c)     privacy     (d)     privet    
    6. (a)     initial     (b)     initialise     (c)     initials     (d)     initially    
    7. (a)     them     (b)     these     (c)     those     (d)     they     
    8. (a)     dally     (b)     rally     (c)     relay     (d)     delay    
    9. (a)     onset     (b)     upset     (c)     offset     (d)     reset    
    10. (a)     access     (b)     excess     (c)     recess     (d)     assess    
    11. (a)     twin     (b)     same     (c)     alike     (d)     similar    
    12. (a)     rival     (b)     legal     (c)     local     (d)     regal

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. check their mental health nnlieo
    2. you could be giffunesr from depression
    3. self-mssastesne
    4. take the private inouirteesnaq
    5. help people diceed
    6. only be vaellaabi for Internet users

    Paragraph 2

    1. have mmsopyst of depression
    2. a six- to eight-year lyaed
    3. ranasesew of depression
    4. an erxpet on how
    5. A better aarcphpo
    6. a ectird line

    Put the text back together

    (    )     see a doctor. The questionnaire will initially only be available for Internet users in the USA.

    (    )     The search engine Google will soon start a service that lets people check their mental health

    (    )     any online information about depression. He told the BBC: "A better approach would be…

    (    )     depression. There are nine questions on the self-assessment. Google has partnered with America's National Alliance

    (    )     empower and educate you, enabling quicker access to treatment." However, Dr Aaron Balick, an expert

    (    )     show that those who have symptoms of depression experience an average of a six- to eight-year delay

    (    )     questionnaire to help them find out how depressed they are. He said this could help people decide if they need to

    (    )     with their search result. The questionnaire will check to see if you could be suffering from

    (    )     online. People searching for "depression" on Google's search page will get a link to a questionnaire along

    (    )     offering [people] resources and a direct line - perhaps a chat box - to local psychological services."

    (    )     in getting treatment after the onset of symptoms. We believe that awareness of depression can help

    (    )     on how websites can help people, said Google's questionnaire was the same as reading

    (    )     on Mental Illness (NAMI) on the project. A NAMI spokesperson said Google users can take the private

    (    )     Google's blog said the questionnaire could help people get treatment for depression more quickly. It said: "Statistics

    Put the words in the right order

    1. A   check   service   their   that   mental   lets   health   people   .
    2. Check   if   be   depression   see   could   from   to   you   suffering   .
    3. Google   can   the   questionnaire   users   take   private   .
    4. need  they   if   decide  people   help  could  This   doctor  a   see   to   .
    5. only   Initially   USA   the   in   users   Internet   for   available   be   .
    6. get   people   Help   quickly   more   depression   for   treatment   .
    7. that   depression   can   help   We   believe   of   awareness   .
    8. on   expert   An   people   help   can   websites   how   .
    9. online   The   as   any   information   same   reading   .
    10. better   A   resources   people   offering   be   would   approach   .

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    The search engine Google will soon start a service / servicing that lets people check their mental health / healthy online. People searching for "depression" on Google's search page will get a linked / link to a questionnaire along with their search result / resulted. The questionnaire will check to see if you could be suffer / suffering from depression. There are nine questions on the self-assessment. Google has partnered / partner with America's National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) on the project. A NAMI spokesperson said Google users can taking / take the private questionnaire to help them find out how depressed / depression they are. He said this could help people decide if they necessary / need to see a doctor. The questionnaire will initially only be available / availability for Internet users in the USA.

    Google's blog said the questioned / questionnaire could help people get treatment for depression / depressive more quickly. It said: "Statistics show that them / those who have symptoms of depression experience an / a average of a six- to eight-year delay in getting treatment after the onset / offset of symptoms. We believe that awareness of depression can help empower and education / educate you, enabling quicker access to treatment." However, Dr Aaron Balick, an expert on how websites can help people, said Google's questionnaire was the similar / same as reading any online information about depression. He told the BBC: "A better approach would be…offering / offer people resources and a direct / direction line - perhaps a chat box - to local / rival psychological services."

    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)

    Th_ s__rch _ng_n_ G__gl_ w_ll s__n st_rt _ s_rv_c_ th_t l_ts p__pl_ ch_ck th__r m_nt_l h__lth _nl_n_. P__pl_ s__rch_ng f_r "d_pr_ss__n" _n G__gl_'s s__rch p_g_ w_ll g_t _ l_nk t_ _ q__st__nn__r_ _l_ng w_th th__r s__rch r_s_lt. Th_ q__st__nn__r_ w_ll ch_ck t_ s__ _f y__ c__ld b_ s_ff_r_ng fr_m d_pr_ss__n. Th_r_ _r_ n_n_ q__st__ns _n th_ s_lf-_ss_ssm_nt. G__gl_ h_s p_rtn_r_d w_th _m_r_c_'s N_t__n_l _ll__nc_ _n M_nt_l _lln_ss (N_M_) _n th_ pr_j_ct. _ N_M_ sp_k_sp_rs_n s__d G__gl_ _s_rs c_n t_k_ th_ pr_v_t_ q__st__nn__r_ t_ h_lp th_m f_nd __t h_w d_pr_ss_d th_y _r_. H_ s__d th_s c__ld h_lp p__pl_ d_c_d_ _f th_y n__d t_ s__ _ d_ct_r. Th_ q__st__nn__r_ w_ll _n_t__lly _nly b_ _v__l_bl_ f_r _nt_rn_t _s_rs _n th_ _S_.

    G__gl_'s bl_g s__d th_ q__st__nn__r_ c__ld h_lp p__pl_ g_t tr__tm_nt f_r d_pr_ss__n m_r_ q__ckly. _t s__d: "St_t_st_cs sh_w th_t th_s_ wh_ h_v_ sympt_ms _f d_pr_ss__n _xp_r__nc_ _n _v_r_g_ _f _ s_x- t_ __ght-y__r d_l_y _n g_tt_ng tr__tm_nt _ft_r th_ _ns_t _f sympt_ms. W_ b_l__v_ th_t _w_r_n_ss _f d_pr_ss__n c_n h_lp _mp_w_r _nd _d_c_t_ y__, _n_bl_ng q__ck_r _cc_ss t_ tr__tm_nt." H_w_v_r, Dr __r_n B_l_ck, _n _xp_rt _n h_w w_bs_t_s c_n h_lp p__pl_, s__d G__gl_'s q__st__nn__r_ w_s th_ s_m_ _s r__d_ng _ny _nl_n_ _nf_rm_t__n _b__t d_pr_ss__n. H_ t_ld th_ BBC: "_ b_tt_r _ppr__ch w__ld b_…_ff_r_ng [p__pl_] r_s__rc_s _nd _ d_r_ct l_n_ - p_rh_ps _ ch_t b_x - t_ l_c_l psych_l_g_c_l s_rv_c_s."

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    the search engine google will soon start a service that lets people check their mental health online people searching for "depression" on google's search page will get a link to a questionnaire along with their search result the questionnaire will check to see if you could be suffering from depression there are nine questions on the self-assessment google has partnered with america's national alliance on mental illness (nami) on the project a nami spokesperson said google users can take the private questionnaire to help them find out how depressed they are he said this could help people decide if they need to see a doctor the questionnaire will initially only be available for internet users in the usa

    google's blog said the questionnaire could help people get treatment for depression more quickly it said "statistics show that those who have symptoms of depression experience an average of a six- to eight-year delay in getting treatment after the onset of symptoms we believe that awareness of depression can help empower and educate you enabling quicker access to treatment" however dr aaron balick an expert on how websites can help people said google's questionnaire was the same as reading any online information about depression he told the bbc "a better approach would be…offering [people] resources and a direct line - perhaps a chat box - to local psychological services"

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    ThesearchengineGooglewillsoonstartaservicethatletspeoplecheckt
    heirmentalhealthonline.Peoplesearchingfor"depression"onGoogle's
    searchpagewillgetalinktoaquestionnairealongwiththeirsearchresult
    .Thequestionnairewillchecktoseeifyoucouldbesufferingfromdepress
    ion.Thereareninequestionsontheself-assessment.Googlehaspartn
    eredwithAmerica'sNationalAllianceonMentalIllness(NAMI)onthepro
    ject.ANAMIspokespersonsaidGoogleuserscantaketheprivatequestio
    nnairetohelpthemfindouthowdepressedtheyare.Hesaidthiscouldhel
    ppeopledecideiftheyneedtoseeadoctor.Thequestionnairewillinitially
    onlybeavailableforInternetusersintheUSA.Google'sblogsaidtheques
    tionnairecouldhelppeoplegettreatmentfordepressionmorequickly.It
    said:"Statisticsshowthatthosewhohavesymptomsofdepressionexpe
    rienceanaverageofasix-toeight-yeardelayingettingtreatmentaftert
    heonsetofsymptoms.Webelievethatawarenessofdepressioncanhelp
    empowerandeducateyou,enablingquickeraccesstotreatment."How
    ever,DrAaronBalick,anexpertonhowwebsitescanhelppeople,saidGo
    ogle'squestionnairewasthesameasreadinganyonlineinformationabo
    utdepression.HetoldtheBBC:"Abetterapproachwouldbe…offering[p
    eople]resourcesandadirectline-perhapsachatbox-tolocalpsycholo
    gicalservices."

    Free writing

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

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

     

    Academic writing

    The Internet is as important for checking health as doctors are. Discuss.

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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. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

    3. DEPRESSION: Make a poster about depression. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?

    4. THE INTERNET: Write a magazine article about the Internet being used as a tool to help with mental health. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against 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 depression. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your ideas on how to defeat it. 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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