Lesson 27 – Keeping an open mind

Warm up

  1. This is the title and the headings of the six sections of the questionnaire:
    Social and environmental issues
    Social welfare
    Justice
    Education
    Social equality
    The environment
    Animal rights
    Work with a partner and think of an example of an issue for each of the six sections.
  2. Which of the six areas is the most important and why?

Main Activity

  1. You are going to do a questionnaire on the issues, read the questions but not answer any. Underline any words you do not know.
    Social and environmental issues questionnaire
    Complete the questionnaire by giving a score of 1 to 5 for each opinion according to how much you agree or disagree with it. Then find your total for each section.
    1. I strongly disagree.
    2. I disagree.
    3. I do not agree or disagree.
    4. I agree.
    5. I strongly agree.
    Now check your scores in the Keeping an open mind comments box.

    1. Keeping an open mind comments
      Social welfare and justice
      0-12 You place great emphasis on individual responsibility and self-reliance. You may feel that our ability to create our own future is one of the key things that makes us human.
      13-18 Although you have a developed sense of social duty and a belief in caring for others, you also believe that people must learn to take control of their own lives.
      19-30 You are deeply socially aware and responsible. You believe that it is society’s duty to take care of its vulnerable members, who may often have little control over their lives.
      Education and social equality
      0-12 You probably feel that education should be for a practical purpose rather than for its own sake. You probably have a strong sense of tradition.
      13-18 You have a strong belief in social justice and equal opportunities for all. You may feel that fate is a stronger force in people’s life than is sometimes acknowledged.
      19-30 You believe in social equality and have a very strong social conscience. You believe in education as a force for equality and personal development.
      The Environment and animal rights
      0-12 You are a strong believer in personal freedom. You may have a sense of there being a hierarchy of living beings.
      13-18 You have a healthy respect for the planet and the other species that share it with us, and you believe that it is our moral duty to take care of them if we can.
      19-30 You feel a keen sense of urgency surrounding the ecological problems facing our planet. You probably find it difficult to understand the sometimes selfish behavior of other people.
  2. Make sure that you understand the instructions for doing the questionnaire and for checking the scores. Ask the teacher if you have questions
  3. Complete it, talking about the ideas with a neighbor as you go.
  4. Do the comments describe you accurately?
  5. Which are the six areas you had your highest and lowest scores in?
  6. You are going to discuss one of the topics. Decide the topic that you prefer. For each topic you choose, who scored above nine and who scored below nine? The high-scoring students on each topic will be together and the low-scoring students on each topic will be together.
  7. The teacher will divide the students into groups of four to six.
  8. Discuss your topics and prepare to explain your opinions to the class.
  9. For each topic, the high-scoring groups will speak to the class, followed by the low-scoring groups.
  10. Before moving on to the next topic, Vote with a show of hands on whether you now agree with the high-scoring groups or the low if for any topic there were only groups of one point of view, put up your hands if the groups made them change your opinions on anything.

Follow up

Choose a subject that you did not speak on, and write an account of the most valid and interesting points made by the other teams.

Exercises

Listen to the audio and answer the questions.