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Learning Goals
- Expand Vocabulary: you will learn new vocabulary relevant to real-world scenarios you may encounter in academic and social settings.
- Application in Public Speaking: You will practice using new vocabulary confidently in public speaking exercises.
- Active Recall and Usage: You will engage in activities that require active recall and usage of newly learned words in various contexts.
CONTENT
This vocabulary set provides a foundation for discussions and activities surrounding modern issues and societal trends, giving students practical and contemporary language skills
VOCABULARY LIST
- Sustainability (noun)
- Meaning: The ability to maintain or improve standards of living without damaging or depleting natural resources for the future.
- Usage: “Companies are now focusing more on sustainability and environmental responsibility.”
- Innovate (verb)
- Meaning: To introduce something new or make changes in anything established.
- Usage: “Tech startups are competing to innovate faster and disrupt traditional markets.”
- Blockchain (noun)
- Meaning: A system in which records of transactions are maintained across several computers that are linked in a peer-to-peer network.
- Usage: “Blockchain technology can revolutionize more than just currency; it can change how we share information.”
- Multicultural (adjective)
- Meaning: Relating to or constituting several cultural or ethnic groups within a society.
- Usage: “In our multicultural society, it’s important to learn about and respect each other’s traditions.”
- Empathy (noun)
- Meaning: The ability to understand and share the feelings of another.
- Usage: “Good leaders show empathy towards their team members.”
- Cryptocurrency (noun)
- Meaning: A digital currency in which transactions are verified and records maintained by a decentralized system using cryptography, rather than by a centralized authority.
- Usage: “Many investors are starting to include cryptocurrency in their portfolios.”
- Visual Aid: Graph showing the growth of a popular cryptocurrency like Bitcoin.
- Algorithm (noun)
- Meaning: A process or set of rules to be followed in calculations or other problem-solving operations, especially by a computer.
- Usage: “Social media platforms use algorithms to determine which content appears in your feed.”
- Stereotype (noun)
- Meaning: A widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing.
- Usage: “It’s harmful to stereotype people based on their backgrounds.”
- E-commerce (noun)
- Meaning: The practice of buying and selling goods and services over the Internet.
- Usage: “E-commerce sales have surged in the past year due to the global pandemic.”
- Biodiversity (noun)
- Meaning: The variety of plant and animal life in the world or in a particular habitat, a high level of which is usually considered to be important and desirable.
- Usage: “Conserving our forest’s biodiversity is crucial for maintaining ecological balance.”
ACTIVITIES
Role-Play Conversations Using New Vocabulary
Objectives:
- Vocabulary Application: Ensure you can apply newly learned vocabulary in context, enhancing you speaking and listening skills.
- Interactive Learning: Foster interaction through role-playing, which aids in memorizing and understanding vocabulary by using it in practical scenarios.
- Enhance Communication Skills: Develop your ability to communicate effectively in various social, academic, and professional situations.
- Encourage Critical Thinking: Stimulate your ability to think on your feet during debates or discussions on different topics using specific terminology.
Instructions:
- Introduction (5 minutes):
- The structure of the role-play activity and the importance of using the new vocabulary accurately and effectively in different contexts will be explained.
- Preparation (10 minutes):
- Role-play cards will be distributed to pairs. Each card contains a scenario description and specific roles or perspectives each of you should adopt. Each scenario requires the use of at least two to three of the new vocabulary words.
- Example scenarios include:
- Debating a Topic: One student argues the benefits of blockchain technology in financial security, while the other debates potential privacy concerns.
- Planning an Event: Plan a multicultural festival at your school, discussing how to showcase different cultures and promote empathy and understanding.
- Discussing an Academic Subject: Discuss the impact of e-commerce on traditional businesses and local economies.
- Role-Play Activity (20 minutes):
- Engage in your assigned role-plays. Be sure to use the new vocabulary naturally within your dialogues.
- You have 10 minutes per role-play, you’ll have to switch roles or scenarios halfway through to ensure dynamic engagement and exposure to different terms.
- Group Feedback Session (10 minutes):
- After the role-plays, reconvene as a class. Each pair shares a brief overview of their discussion and how you incorporated the new vocabulary.
- Encourage other students to provide constructive feedback, focusing on vocabulary usage and the effectiveness of the communication.
- Reflection (5 minutes):
- We will conclude the activity with a reflective discussion. Share how using the vocabulary in a role-play helped you understand and remember the words better.
- Discuss any challenges you faced during the role-plays and how you overcame them.
Speech Crafting Using New Vocabulary
Objectives:
- Enhance Vocabulary Integration: Integrate newly learned vocabulary into structured speech, demonstrating understanding and appropriate usage.
- Promote Public Speaking Skills: Develop your abilities to articulate their ideas clearly and confidently in a public setting.
- Encourage Research and Critical Thinking: Research and think critically about a topic that interests you, using relevant vocabulary to express complex ideas.
- Foster Reflective Learning: Reflect on your learning process and the practical application of vocabulary in real-life contexts.
Instructions:
- Introduction (5 minutes):
- We will recap the list of new vocabulary words (sustainability, innovate, blockchain, multicultural, empathy, cryptocurrency, algorithm, stereotype, e-commerce, biodiversity) and their meanings.
- The importance of using these words effectively in speeches to enhance clarity and engagement will be explained.
- Topic Selection (10 minutes):
- You have to select a topic for your speech. Topics should be broad enough to incorporate at least three of the new vocabulary words. Suggested topics include:
- Personal Ambition: Discuss an ambition or goal, like starting a tech company or launching a sustainability initiative.
- Recent Technology: Explore recent technological advancements such as blockchain in finance, the rise of cryptocurrency, or innovations in AI algorithms.
- Global Issue: Address global issues like the need for greater empathy in multicultural societies, the impact of e-commerce on traditional businesses, or the importance of biodiversity conservation.
- You have to select a topic for your speech. Topics should be broad enough to incorporate at least three of the new vocabulary words. Suggested topics include:
- Research and Speech Writing (30 minutes):
- You’ll have time to research your chosen topic and draft a 1-2 minute speech. Use the new vocabulary accurately and persuasively.
- Your aim is to define or clearly explain each vocabulary word within the context of their speech to demonstrate full understanding.
- Practice and Peer Feedback (15 minutes):
- You’ll have time to practice your speech in small groups or pairs. Peers should provide feedback not only on the use of vocabulary but also on clarity, delivery, and engagement of the speech.
- Refine your speech based on the feedback you receive.
- Speech Presentations (30 minutes):
- Present your speeches to the class.
- Class Discussion and Reflection (10 minutes):
- After all presentations, brief discussion about the speeches will be held. Discuss how effectively the vocabulary was used and how it enhanced the understanding of the topics.
- Reflect on what you learned from this exercise and how you can apply these vocabulary words in other academic or real-world contexts.
Group Challenge – Collaborative Story or Dialogue Creation
Objectives:
- Reinforce Vocabulary Mastery: Strengthen your understanding and application of new vocabulary in a collaborative and creative context.
- Enhance Teamwork and Collaboration: Develop your ability to work effectively in teams, combining individual ideas to create a cohesive narrative.
- Promote Creative Expression: Use your imagination to weave vocabulary into a narrative or dialogue creatively.
- Improve Contextual Understanding: Grasp the practical use of vocabulary through its integration into meaningful written communication.
Instructions:
- Introduction (5 minutes):
- We will begin with a quick review of the new vocabulary: sustainability, innovate, blockchain, multicultural, empathy, cryptocurrency, algorithm, stereotype, e-commerce, biodiversity.
- The importance of using these terms correctly and creatively in written form will be explained.
- Group Formation (5 minutes):
- We will divide the class into small groups of 3-4 students. Each group will work together to create a story or dialogue incorporating all the new vocabulary words.
- Brainstorming Session (10 minutes):
- Each group spends a few minutes brainstorming ideas for their story or dialogue. Think of scenarios where you can naturally use words like “blockchain,” “empathy,” or “biodiversity.”
- Possible scenarios could include:
- A debate about the role of cryptocurrency in modern economics.
- A discussion between characters from different cultural backgrounds, highlighting “multicultural” and “stereotype.”
- A business meeting where a new “sustainable” product or “innovation” is being planned.
- Writing the Story or Dialogue (20 minutes):
- Groups write their story or dialogue. Each member should contribute to ensure that the vocabulary is used correctly and effectively.
- Remember to aim for a narrative or dialogue that not only includes the vocabulary but also makes sense and is engaging to read.
- Peer Review (10 minutes):
- Once the stories or dialogues are drafted, groups to exchange your work with another group for peer review. Each group provides feedback on the use of vocabulary, creativity, and the overall flow of the narrative.
- Revisions (10 minutes):
- Groups revise their stories or dialogues based on the feedback received, refining their usage of vocabulary and improving narrative coherence.
- Presentation (20 minutes):
- Groups present their final stories or dialogues to the class. This could be done through a simple reading or a more dynamic enactment.
- Listen actively and think about how effectively each group used the vocabulary.
- Reflection and Discussion (10 minutes):
- We will conclude with a class discussion about the activity. Share what you learned about the vocabulary and its application.
- We will discuss any challenges you faced during the creative process and how you overcame them.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Check out this Quizlet activity for you to practice the new vocabulary.