Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. emphasis
    • ex. Lea puts emphasis on the time of the meeting so that no one will be late.
  2. a tablet
    • ex. I gave my son a tablet for his birthday because he likes playing video games and watching cartoons.
  3. a decline
    • ex. The decline in the students’ test scores made the teacher feel worried.
  4. impair
    • ex. Jane’s injury impaired her ability to play the piano.
  5. enhance
    • ex. Mark practices football every day to enhance his skills.

Article

Read the article below and answer your tutor's questions.

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In Sweden, teachers are putting emphasis on printed books, quiet reading time, and handwriting practice. Less time is given to tablets, independent online research, and typing skills. This is because politicians and experts think that the use of technology in education might have led to a decline in students’ basic skills.

Sweden’s Karolinska Institute said, “There’s clear scientific evidence that digital tools impair rather than enhance student learning.” According to an international assessment of fourth-grade reading levels, there has been a decline in the reading abilities of Swedish children from 2016 to 2021. This may be due to the pandemic or the growing number of foreign students in Sweden. However, education experts say that too much use of screens during lessons can be the reason for this.

UNESCO published an “urgent call for appropriate use of technology in education.” The call promotes the balance between the use of technology and the interaction between teachers and students at school. Liveon Palmer, 9 years old, approves of spending more school hours offline. “I like writing more in school, like on paper because it just feels better, you know,” he said.

This material was based on an article by The Associated Press.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Books vs. Tablets

  • Which do you prefer, reading actual books or reading on a tablet/computer? Why? Discuss.
  • Which is more convenient for you, writing with pen and paper or using a tablet/computer? Why? Discuss.
  • Do you think that computers will replace books in the future? Why or why not? Discuss.

Technology in Education

  • At what grade level did you start using computers in school? Discuss.
  • Do you agree that digital tools impair student learning? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Do you think computer skills will be helpful for students? Why or why not? Discuss.