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ESL materials & ideas developed in China
"China In The Twenty-first Century" lesson plan
a) Scenario
1. The Australian Broadcasting Commission (the ABC) wants to make a program on China in the 21st Century
2. The ABC decides to hold a contest to get the best script from a cross-section of young adults in China itself. The prize is an all-expenses paid trip to Australia for three months for the winning team.
3. Young adults in some chosen universities and workplaces are asked form small discussion groups.
4. Each discussion group must think up five key themes for a thirty minute radio program. That is, each theme will be covered in six minutes.
5. The ABC reminds discussion groups that Australians have only limited knowledge of what China is really like. However they do recognize propaganda quickly, and will switch off if they are bored. The information must therefore be fresh, and perhaps a bit controversial.
6. After each group has selected five themes, the ABC wants each group to develop one theme as a pilot demonstration.
7. The demonstration theme must be exactly six minutes long. It should be informative, very interesting, and answer several key questions on that theme, about China in the 21st Century. Audiences will better trust a segment that offers more than one point of view.
b) Project Plan
1. form small discussion groups
2. appoint a secretary
3. give your group the name of a university or organization or company in China. No other group can have that name.
4. brainstorm possible themes for the radio broadcast
5. choose the five themes.
6. decide which theme to develop as a model demonstration
7. brainstorm possible key questions to develop for the demonstration theme.
8. select the key questions to use, then develop a short, interesting text for each one. Remember that the material must sound good when spoken.
9. Rehearse your demonstration theme within the group, and edit it to six minutes exactly.
10. Present your demonstration theme to the class, using two or more speakers.
11. The class will vote on which demonstration theme is the best.
"China in the 21st Century lesson plan" copyrighted to Thor May 1999; all rights reservedback to Last Message index