1 Lead-in

Ss describe and compare pictures of various classrooms (p. S1–S3). These can be also downloaded from www.globalissues.eu.

Variation 1: class work and a projector

Choose one of the pictures of classrooms from the developing world and project it on the screen.

Task for Ss: Find 10 similarities and differences between the picture and their own classroom.

Project another picture – this time a classroom from the developed world.

Task for Ss: Find 10 similarities and differences between their own classroom.

Variation 2: pairwork and printed pictures

Hand out pictures of classrooms so that each student in a pair ends up with a different picture. They are not supposed to show them to each other.

Task: Find as many similarities and differences between the pictures as possible. Tell the students they mustn‘t look at their partner‘s picture. Only talk about your picture and ask questions.

Set a time limit of about fi ve minutes.

When the time is up Ss show their pictures and compare them.

2 Thinking about the pictures (class work)

Choose some pictures from page S1, S2 and S3 for discussion and show them to the whole class – starting from the worst equip-ped classroom in ascending order. Put up a map of the world.

Can you guess where the picture is from? What makes you think so? (show the right answers on the map)

Compare it with your own classroom at elementary school. /

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ON BEING ILLITERATE

T1

Time 45 minutes

Level pre-intermediate

Skills speaking

Knowledge goal raising awareness of the importance of education and literacy for the developing world

Materials Ss’ worksheet: p. S1 – pic. 1, pic. 2 (India)

p. S2 – pic. 3 (India), pic. 4 (Kenya)

p. S3 – pic. 5, pic. 6 (Uganda)

p. S4 – pic. of Japanese writing, An illiterate person’s life worksheet – one per student

Compare it with the previous picture.

What do you like about it and what don’t you like about it?

If you could change one thing about it, what would it be? Would you change anything?

Background information

Primary school attendance

(Unicef 2000-2005)

Adult literacy rate(Unicef 2000-2004)

India 76% 61%

Kenya 76% 74%

Uganda 87% 67%

3 Discussion

Ask Ss to answer the questions in pairs or small groups:

What do you think are the most important things for good learning and teaching?

What are the most important things children learn at elementary school?

What is the minimum equipment a classroom should have?

What is the ideal equipment?

4 Illiteracy in the world

Let Ss guess:

How many people in the world are unable to read or write?

Options: a) 74 mil b) 474 mil c) 774 mil

Correct answer: c) 774 mil which is 18% of the world’s population

You can point out that the situation is slowly getting better. Adult literacy rate has risen from 76% to 82% in the last 20 years. (Source: EFA Global Monitoring Report 2008)

5 Imagining illiteracy

Explain the meaning of the word literacy.

Show Ss some texts written in Japanese characters and ask them to imagine that all writing looks like this to them. They can neither read it nor write it. Stick the texts on the board so that Ss can see them during the following activity.

Hand out worksheets An illiterate person’s life (p. S4). Ss work in pairs or small groups and try to imagine and write down all the things such a person can do in life but also all the things that are denied to them and the things that they have diffi culties with. Set a time limit.

6 Class feedback

Ss compare their ideas. Ask further questions:

What are the worst things about being illiterate?

What is the future of a child who never learns to read and write?

Is there anything about being illiterate that is good? In what way?

Is it possible to hide the fact that you can’t read or write?

Photos: Pic. 2, 3 – India, author: Jan ZemenPic. 4 – KenyaPic. 5 – author: Lada SitováPic. 6 – Uganda, author: Michaela Chatrná

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T2

ON BEING ILLITERATE

S1

WORKSHEET

Pic. 2

Pic. 1

S2

Pic. 4

Pic. 3

S3

Pic. 6

Pic. 5

S4

Motto: Being illiterate is like being blind, dumb or paralysed