Teacher Notes

LESSON PLAN 1 HOUR - 2 HOUR SESSION

To develop learners’ skills in predicting informationTo develop learners’ skills in reading to confirm expectationsTo develop learners speaking and listening skills in the context of aninformal discussion on teenage pregnancies and possible solutions tothis issueTo develop learners’ skills in reading for gist and specific informationTo review ways of asking questions in a formal contextTo give learners practice in writing formal letters (focus on layout andcontent)To develop learners’ skills in proof reading

Sources- BBC news online, Sunday Independent, Metro online

SUGGESTED PROCEDURE

Teacher writes the following headline: “Workhouses” for teenagemothers

Teacher asks “what does this mean?” Learners discusss (Feedback – elicit Victorian times)

TASK - PRE-READING ACTIVITY 15 MINS

Learners discuss

1) Why does the government want to send young mothers to special centres?2) Do you agree / not agree? 3) Why does the UK have the highest rate of teenage pregnancies in Europe?4) What else can the government do about this problem?

Feedback: Is there any other information you want to find out?Questions on wipe board.

TASK - READING ACTIVITIES 15 MINS

Reading 1 – Text A (page 3) & Text B (page 3)

1) Why does the government want to send young mothers to special centres?2) Does everyone think the government’s proposed policy is a good one?

Learners read and answer questions before comparing with their partner.Feedback

Reading 2 Differentiation Questions on page 6 for weaker learners and on page 5 for strongerstudent.

‘Workhouses’ for teenage mothers 1

‘Workhouses’ for teenage mothers

Created by Rena Basak Published by Jane Mansouri Guemili Hammersmith, Ealing and West London College

Gordon Brown delivers his keynote speech at the Labour PartyConference. Photograph: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images

Teacher pre-teaches – myth & abound and reinforcing

1) What is the name being given to these centres?2) Will all teenagers have to go to these centres?3) Will the young mothers be able to do what they like in these centres or will there still be strict rules?4) What myths are there concerning teenage parents? (line 26-28)5) Why will this proposed policy lead to people believing even more in these myths?

Learners compare and feedback.

TASK - DISCUSSION ACTIVITY 30 MINS

Further Reading

Decide if the writer is for or against the policy - see writercomments opposite.

Discussion

Who do you agree with then?

TASK - LANGUAGE FOCUS ACTIVITIES 30 MINS

Language Focus 1 – embedded questions /direct questions - seeLanguage Focus 1

Context: teacher tells learners that they are going to write a letterto Gordon Brown about the foyers. Teacher tells learners to think ofquestions they would like answering.

‘Workhouses for TeenageMothers’WRITER COMMENTS

The current system obviously isn't working and even acts as anincentive for young women to get pregnant. Of course we need toprotect young women and their children but we are doing them nofavours by sticking them in grotty council flats and condemningthem to a life lived on handouts from the taxpayer. Hopefully thenew scheme will encourage girls to aspire to more than collectingtheir benefits and give their children a better start in life.Karen, London

I was in a 'mother and baby' home for some months - not as ateenager, and through no fault of my own. Putting teenagemothers together in one of these places and expecting it to helpwith the upbringing of the children is ridiculous! There was bicker-ing, fighting, stealing and even physical violence. Post was stolen,visitors were subject to items being dropped on them from upperwindows, the shared kitchen was a joke with regard to corporatesharing and there was no form of order in place by the live-incouple who ran the place. The children did not learn anythingother than how to put self first and that often resulted in yet morestealth and violence. If we want to teach teenagers how to be-come parents we need to lead the way by example. It they donot have a suitable role model in their family, then we should givethem one by way of neighbours. What a shame we no longerhave the extended families who can help and instruct, and thatour children are not taught the wisdom of listening to and learningfrom our elders.

Helen, Devon

These young girls do not and will never pay their own way. thetax payer should not be left to foot the bill. They should live insupervised homes in the cheapest possible way, and if they don'tlike it, they know where the door is. I say Gordon Brown shouldpush things even further and make them pay the costs back when,errr sorry, if they ever get a job!!!!!

Mark Carmody, Sunderland

I think the wording used here is horrible. Having been a youngmum at 17 and managed perfectly fine to continue at college andthen uni, and look after my child 'properly', despite living in acouncil house for the first year, i think GB has totally misunder-stood the issues here. If the aim was to provide optional supportfor those who are struggling then fair enough but to assume allyoung parents are irresponsible, cant look after their children andshouldn't be trusted on their own is a pretty ignorant viewpoint soany policy based on this is flawed in my opinion.....

Kittyb1979

Comments were taken from BBC news on line & theindependent on Sunday

LANGUAGE FOCUS 1

You want to ask Gordon Brown the following questions in a letter:

• Why do you want foyers to be set up?

• Do you think these foyers will help the girls become better mothers?

• How much will it cost to set up one of these foyers?

• How do you explain the fact that the UK has the highest rate of

teenage pregnancies in Europe?

• Who is to blame for this?

• What else can be done to reduce this rate?

You want to ask Gordon Brown the following questions in a letter:

• Why do you want foyers to be set up?

• Do you think these foyers will help the girls become better mothers?

• How much will it cost to set up one of these foyers?

• How do you explain the fact that the UK has the highest rate of teenage

pregnancies in Europe?

• Who is to blame for this?

• What else can be done to reduce this rate?

• Could you tell me……………..?

• I would be grateful if you…………….

• I also need to know……………

• I was wondering if you could……..

• It is important for me to know……….

• Would you mind …………………..?

• Do you think you could possibly……..?

• Could you tell me……………..?

• I would be grateful if you…………….

• I also need to know……………

• I was wondering if you could……..

• It is important for me to know……….

• Would you mind …………………..?

• Do you think you could possibly……..?

Teacher boards questions and asks if direct questions areappropriate in a formal letter. Elicit ways of asking indirectquestions – see language box for exponents.

Learners work in pairs and transform direct questions intoindirect ones using exponents.

‘Workhouses for Teenage Mothers 2 Created by Rena Basak Published by Jane Mansouri Guemili Hammersmith, Ealing and West London College

‘Workhouses for Teenage Mothers 3Created by Rena Basak Published by Jane Mansouri Guemili Hammersmith, Ealing and West London College

Language Focus 2 – see letter

Further language task: Learners discuss how theletter can be improved. Focus on indirect questions: e.g I would like to know / Could you tell me etc. Learners also correct spelling mistakes. Feedback.

TASK - WRITING ACTIVITY 30 MINS

Learners write their own letters to the managers ofthe foyers.

Differentiation

Stronger learners write to Gordon Brown and express their views.

Either : Write to Gordon Brown and tell him whatyou think about his proposed policy.

Or : You have a friend who is pregnant. The foyerin your area has offered her a place. She hasasked you to write to the foyer in order to find outmore information about it.

Write a letter to the manager of the foyer

• explain why you are writing• tell the manager that your friend is not sure if she should move to the foyer or stay at home with her parents• ask about the bedroom your friend will be staying in. Will she be sharing? Will she have her own room?• find out what your friend will be able to do at the foyer during the day. You want to know if

TEXT A

Young mothers will be sent to special centres where they are taught to be good par-

ents instead of getting council houses under plans unveiled yesterday.

The so-called Foyers will house up to 100 teenagers and operate strict regimes.

Those who want to stay living with their parents will be allowed.

But all 16 and 17-yearolds who want local authority accommodation will be put in

supported housing.

They will have to sign pledges promising good behaviour and will be moved to an-

other centre if they break them. Local authorities will be given £30million over three

years to build homes that can take 500 young people.

The hard-line plans have worried charities and risk a row with Labour MPs.

But Gordon Brown said he was determined to "address a problem that for too long

has gone unspoken, the number of children having children". The PM declared: "It

cannot be right for a girl of 16 to get pregnant, be given the keys to a council house

and be left on her own. From now on, all 16 and 17-yearold parents who get sup-

port from the taxpayer will be placed in a network of supervised homes.

"These shared homes will offer not just a roof over their heads but a new start in life

where they learn responsibility and how to raise their children properly."

But Fiona Weir, of single parent charity Gingerbread, warned: "Damaging myths

abound about young parents.

"Far from 'being handed the keys to a council flat' young people under 18 are in fact

not allowed to hold a tenancy.

"Most teenage parents already live at home and homeless under 18s are already

supposed to be get supported accommodation by their local authority."

www.mirror.co.uk 29.09.09

TEXT B

Teenage mothers are to be placed in supervised homes, Gordon Brown an-

nounced yesterday.

In his speech yesterday at the Labour Party Conference, he said in his speech: “I

stand with the people who are sick and tired of others playing by different rules

or no rules at all”.

But critics said the plan for dealing with young mothers smacked of the Victorian

workhouses.

He declared war on 16 and 17 year old mothers on benefits, saying that from

2012 they would all be offered a place in a network of shared “supervised

homes” where they would learn about responsibility and how to raise their chil-

dren properly”.

Mr Brown told conference: “That’s better for them, better for their babies and bet-

ter for us all in the long run”.

Campaign group Big Brother Watch said of his plans for teenage mothers: “It

sounds like going back to the Victorian era of hiding away the unfortunate souls

of British society.

Charity Gingerbread said he was reinforcing myths about single mothers.

www.metro.co.uk 30.09.09

LANGUAGE FOCUS 2 - LETTER

Dear Sir,

I am writting on behalf of my friend who is pregant and has been

ofered a place in one of your foyers. She is not certaine that this will

be the place for her to go to with her new kid. She has asked me to

write to you in order to get more information.

Firstley she wants to know what will her bedroom be like? She does-

n’t want to share with others. Will she have her own room?

She is alos interested in knowing what facilities their will be in the

foyer. Will She be able to cook for herself. Will she have her own

bathroom? Is their a television?

Finally she wants to know if guest can bring there friends. She is in

love with her boyfriend and it is important that she can see him and

he can see his son.

It would be good if we could come and meet you. We can come to

your office at any time

your friend will be able to go out.• find out about the food. Will there be facilities for your friend to use?• ask if your friend will be able to receive friends and family• ask if you can come and visit the foyer with your friend to meet the manager and see the foyer

Your address is 30 Gloucester Place, London NW10 8HY