Begin this unit with a disappearing definition. Display a definition of a newspaper to the class. Read it through to the students once. Rub out every seventh word, then choose a student to read the whole text again, supplying the missing words. (Choose the least confident students first as the more confident will have to read out the text when more of it is missing.) Rub out more words, then the next student reads the whole text, supplying the missing words. Continue until the whole text is gone, then students write out the text, and correct it from the model.
Students work in pairs. One pair has items of local news, national news and international news to sort. The other has a community paper and a national paper to compare.
Two pairs then get together to share their work and write definitions for local news, national news, and international news, and record three or four differences between community and national papers.
Students draw an Information Grid (Word 25KB) . They tell a partner what they think should go into each column. In each column, write down three ways that newspapers fit the heading or give examples of things in a newspaper that match the heading. Students check their dictionaries to see that they understand the meanings of these three headings.
Students, at home, find a copy of the free community newspaper from the area. Cut out one example for each column (inform, persuade, entertain) and stick it into their books under the right column.
Hand out to each pair the front page sample. The Front Page of a Daily Newspaper
Display the following text to the class and read it aloud:
"The front page of a paper is where the most important news of the day is written. We need to understand two main things about the front page:
Ask students to work in pairs and make a list of what they can see and read about on the front page. Name the parts of the front page layout, for example, the headline.
Hand out labels for the parts of the front page. Ask students to place the labels on the correct parts of the front page and compare their choice with another pair.
Ask students to write a definition for the each part of the front page, then share with a partner.
Published on: 09 Jan 2018
