Do newspapers have a place in your classroom? Can they be used as a learning tool in our classes? These are simple questions; give them a thought and a response.
Can you agree with the idea that: “the newspaper is a flexible and adaptable learning resource that can be used effectively in almost all curriculum subjects (Kossack, 1989) and in any situation (ANPAF, 1999).”
Or, how can you debate with Prof. Rafael A. Olivares of Queens College, City University of New York in his article that newspapers can be useful tool in bilingual class and going a head to say: “Teaching with newspapers is effective because they motivate content learning and develop language skills.”
I can hear you formulating your own world about newspapers in relation to learning, but pause. “Learning from the real world has a magnetic appeal for the students…. Using newspaper in the classroom improves student vocabulary skills, increases knowledge and encourages a positive attitude toward learning,” USA WEEKEND writer enthralls.
Aren’t you asking, “can’t books play such a role in a more refined and in-depth manner than newspapers?” yes, go a head to agree or disagree with Ruth Jurma and Bill McClune of Queen’s University Belfast, graduate school on : why use newspapers in a science classroom? They say that many young people relish the opportunity to relate to the world as they see it from the adult material and indeed they get captivated by the ‘real world’ quality newspaper.
So far what is your opinion on this argument?
“The newspapers offer a goldmine of activities for the students,” says Elaine Hardt a teacher at Phonix, Arizona. To her the newspapers are easy and cheap to “perk up an otherwise ordinary lesson. With little planning, you can integrate social studies with reading, mathematics, and language. Even creative writing can evolve from using the newspapers,” she explains.
Hardt reasons that newspaper can offer “a somewhat different approach to improved reading comprehension ability,” which “involves proving much more extensive experience with writing.” This “promotes a process (versus product) view of writing” and it has “a great potential for enhancing student reading as well as writing abilities.”
A teacher is called upon cherish the great pain of explaining to the students’ important terms such as “headline,” “byline,” “mast head,” “column,”… -lexicons of the newspapers journalism.
On the other side of the coin a curtain should be lifted for the students to understand what the freedom of the press means from the social studies context in relation to our daily living: how it unveils stories that would have not seen the light. This can be chewed up with Thomas Jefferson’s memento: “Were it left to me to decide whether we should have the government with newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the later. But I should mean that every man should receive those papers and be capable of reading them.” Assign students to find examples from the newspaper to support this statement.
The above is a social science background, but newspapers are handy too in science classes. They can be used to illustrate the ‘relevance’ of science particularly in relation to tropical and local issues – illustrating the ‘nature’ of science particularly in relation to science-in-the-making. Yes, in context for developing ‘general literacy,’ particularly in relation to skills and ideas associated with reading, research, and communication linked with critical thinking about science, ‘science for citizenship’ and life long learning.
From here why don’t we take an adventure with the newspapers?
One, locate places in a map that are making news according the subject of study, for example, let learners locate Stockholm where Noble Prizes are a warded every year and respective countries of where laureates are coming from as you discus their various exploits in Economics, Science, Literature, and Peace.
Two, let students peruse through the newspapers taking note of the pictures –classifying them as those that depict sadness versus happiness. Measure the space given for example to sports in comparison to other subjects, skimming through the headlines to categorize news as ‘good’ or ‘bad’- as they defend their classification.
Three, select various articles, cut off or block the headlines – let the student read each article and make up their own headlines for the stories.
Four, over several days let the students count to see if there are more complements in the letter to the editor. Discuss the possible subjects and guidelines, and then have the students actually write to the editor.
Five, let the students take note of the various columns that appear in the newspapers. Have them write one for themselves.
Six, using classified ads, allot each student some money to ‘buy’ some accessories for themselves. Have then list the purchases and prizes, and then add up to balance the two.
Seven, have students read ads in the classified section – let them write one to sell a property from their home.
Eight, ask students to skim the job ads – let them write an application for a job they‘d like to have.
Nine, let students read some feature articles on human interest from various newspapers – ask them to write one for themselves.
Ten, skim through the newspaper and make a list of vocabulary words. Have students find them in the paper (you may want to provide some hints). They should then use the dictionary to define each word.
Eleven discuss school news the student would like to see published in the newspaper. Have them write news or feature article and submit it to the newspaper.
Twelve take note of currency – exchange – trends and draw graphs. This can be done for weather – temperatures, rainfall....
Thirteen after you have drawn as many lessons as possible from the newspapers, save them to make papier-mâché. You can turn them into object d’art.
Do you think it is worthwhile to embrace newspapers in your lessons? Go a head and do it. Soon than later we’ll see your testimony published for all to share your new beginning, your new perspective with newspapers. Bravo.
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