American Culture Webinars

For English Language Teachers

Brought to you by :U.S. Embassy Lima’s Public Affairs Section

WELCOME!

Our goal: to provide info on U.S. culture AND to help you create an effective plan to use in your classroom.

Please ask questions! That’s why we’re here.

Freedom of Expression

Founding Fathers and Freedom

U.S. Constitution“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

– From the Preamble of the U.S. Constitution, signed on September 17, 1787

The First Amendment“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

– From the Bill of Rights (the first ten Amendments to the U.S. Constitution

Freedom of Speech

• The U.S. government and its citizen take the right to Freedom of Speech very seriously, but sometimes Freedom of Speech is controversial, even today.

• Still, there are some restrictions: speech that is considered an “incitement to crime, true threats, commercial speech, defamation of character….” These are just a few examples and relate to cases that have reached the U.S. Supreme Court.

• Discussion question for students: Is Freedom of Speech in your community? In your school? Can you give an example of Free Speech from your own experience?

Freedom of Speech in U.S. history

Freedom of the Press

• Freedom of Press in the United States means the government is prohibited from interfering in the publication or distribution of news, information, or opinion.

• Like Freedom of Speech, there are some restrictions under the law, against defamation or copyright infringement.

• In the United States, like many countries around the world, citizens rely on the media to investigate what the government says or individual politicians say. Sometimes this leads to conflict between the media and the government, but both have an important role to play in a democratic society.

• Question for student discussion: Do you believe what you read newspapers (hear on tv, radio, etc…)? Why or Why not? Do you think it is the media’s responsibility to tell the truth?

Freedom of the Press

UNESCO’s World Press Freedom Day celebrated each year on May 3

Statistics from 2012

• 121 journalists were killed (nearly double from 2011)

• 38 journalists were kidnapped• 879 journalists were arrested• 1,993 journalists were physically

attacked or threatened

Tawakkol Karman, 2011 Laureate for the Nobel Peace Prize delivering the keynote speech during the World Press Freedom Day 2012 in Tunis, Tunisia

Internet Freedom

• Internet Freedom not covered in the First Amendment – a new area for Freedom of Expression.

• U.S Congress issued a resolution in 2012, stating that “it is the consistent and unequivocal policy of the United States to promote a global Internet free from government control.”

• Countries have different laws about Internet freedom, some countries do not allow their citizens to access the Internet without restriction.

• UNESCO is also focused on Internet freedom, particularly on setting standards for laws and regulations in member states, as another component of its overall efforts to promote Freedom of Expression.

Why does Freedom of Expression Matter?

• Young people all over the world are faced with questions about free speech. Increased use of the Internet for social interaction and activism will only continue to increase.

• Language, like information and Internet access, is a tool. Rules and laws governing freedom of expression influence how we use these important tools.

• Can you think of any other reasons?

Plan Your Lesson Plan

1) What are your topics?

2) What kind of questions/conversations starters will you ask?

3) What new vocabulary do you need?

4) What activities can you do with your students?

Discussion Questions

• Does Free Speech mean you can say whatever you want? What if it hurts someone’s feelings? Puts someone in danger?

• How is Freedom of Speech protected in my/your/our country?

• Should everyone have access to the Internet? Should Internet access be Free? Why or Why not?

Vocabulary

FREEDOM LIBERTY

SPEECH FOUNDING FATHERS

PRESS UNALIENABLE RIGHTS

CITIZEN BILL OF RIGHTS

VALUE AMENDMENT

INTERNET JOURNALIST

SOCIAL MEDIA SELF-EXPRESSION

ACCESS CENSORSHIP

Activities

1) Activity #1 – Personal Identity Expression• Brainstorm a list of adjectives that might describe a person.

Encourage students to write them on the board. Identify whether each adjective is positive (+) or negative (-). * Remember! An adjective could be both positive and negative depending on context.

• Distribute a notecard-sized index card and magazines. Ask the following question: “Which adjective(s) most describe you?”

• Have students cut out adjectives from magazines that describe themselves.

Activity #1 Photos

Activities

2) Activity #2 – Free Speech and Social Media

• Students trade their identity cards created in Activity 1 with another person in the class. Students write out a ‘faux’ Facebook message posting based on the identity they see from the cards.

• Ask students to read these postings to their classmates. What would their comments be? How does it feel when someone responds negatively to your post? How about positively?

• Students discuss whether their comments on FB should be more positive or negative in content and tone.

Activities3) Activity #3 – Citizen Journalism (For Advanced

Students)

• Pick a question or topic. Ask students to write a paragraph expressing their opinion. If time allows, look for pictures in a magazine or online that illustrates the topic. Combine all the pieces onto one-two page “newspaper” and publish it, by printing copies for all the students.

• Investigate a topic. Separate students into small groups. Each group will investigate an issue at their school or neighborhood and then write a 1 paragraph news story. This story should include the most important questions of journalism, “Who, What, Where, When and Why?” Compile the news articles on onto one-two page “newspaper” and publish it, by printing copies for all the students. Have students read each others stories and ask questions.

Note: This Citizen Journalism activity can be used for many topics to practice – not just Freedom of Expression!

Resources

American English webpage:

americanenglish.state.govRELO Andes webpage:

reloandes.comRELO Andes webinar archive:

goo.gl/K7TIS

QUESTIONS?

Remember:You can check out the webinars and the

corresponding resources on the RELO Andes blog - reloandes.com