More Children in the UK Going to School without Breakfast

Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

1. skip (v.) – to not do something

Example: Some women skip meals in order to lose weight.

2. make ends meet (idiom) – to have enough money to pay for things that one needs to live

Example: The young man worked night and day but still couldn’t make ends meet.

3. apathy (n.) – a feeling of not having enough interest in something

Example: Some people feel apathy toward news about wars in other countries.

4. budget cut (n.) – the act of decreasing the budget set aside for something

Example: The company had to introduce budget cuts to cope with the economic problem.

5. disadvantaged (adj.) – poor; in a worse situation than other people

Example: Supporting disadvantaged people is one of the concerns of the government.

Article
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Kellogg’s recent survey of 500 teachers in the UK revealed an alarming number of children skipping their morning meals. Teachers said four out of five children go to school without eating breakfast, and the problem is getting worse. The teachers said that without eating a healthy breakfast, many children behave badly at school and are unable to focus on studying. In the survey, teachers blamed parental apathy most of all. They said parents are often too busy or do not make an effort to prepare meals in the morning. Some parents feed their children junk food such as chocolate and soda for breakfast. Teachers said financial hardship could be another reason why a lot of children are skipping breakfast. Parents who are trying to make ends meet may not have enough money to provide good food to their children. To combat the problem, a third (1/3) of primary school teachers bring food to school. One-sixth (1/6) of the surveyed teachers reported spending £24.99 from their own salary feeding students. Kellogg’s, a food company best known for its breakfast cereals, has been supporting school breakfast clubs all over the UK. Breakfast clubs provide free morning meals to hungry students. However, with recent budget cuts in schools, many teachers worry that breakfast clubs may have to close, and even more children will go hungry. A spokeswoman for the Department of Education commented on the survey results, saying the government too is worried.  She assured people that the Department of Education is protecting the schools’ budgets and is providing monetary support to schools with a high number of disadvantaged pupils.

Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor. 

Discussion A 

·         In your country, what are common reasons for children skipping breakfast?

·         How can we get more children to eat breakfast before going to school?

Discussion B

·         Is it important for people to eat breakfast? Why do you think so?

·         Describe your ideal morning meal. What is the best food to eat for breakfast?

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Father Watches Wife’s Delivery to Twins through Skype

Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

1. contractor (n.) – someone who is hired to supply materials or perform work and services at a specified price and time

Example: The company asked a contractor to look for the materials they need to make the product.

2. visa (n.) – a document presented along with a passport to allow entry or travel to a place

Example: He must apply for a visa before he can work abroad.

3. delivery (n.) – the act of giving birth

Example: She expects her delivery to happen two weeks from now.

4. flawless (adj.) – perfect; without problems or errors

Example: She won after giving a flawless piano performance. 

5. feedback (n.) – comments, reactions or opinions about something

Example: The writer was happy with the good feedbacks on her new novel.

Article
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Technology and the Internet have made communication easier than ever, especially between people far away from each other. Technology definitely made a big impact to Jon Zimbelman, a 31-year old contractor staying in Basrah, Iraq. He was able to watch the birth of his twin children, Braylon and Brielle, who were all the way in Montana, USA. Zimbelman watched their birth with the help of Skype and an iPad. Zimbelman was not able to go home because of problems with his single-entry visa. He could only come home one time, and he used the one trip to go to his mother’s funeral last July. His wife, Erin Zimbelman, had to think of another plan so Jon could still be a part of the babies’ birth. Erin was not sure whether using Skype to watch a birth had been done before, but she knew she had to try anyway. At first, she had problems getting permission from the hospital. Internet connections are not usually allowed in hospital operating rooms. Erin’s doctors, however, agreed to the Skype idea just in time for the delivery. Doctors also allowed Erin’s friend in the room, to hold the iPad while the delivery took place. Jon, too, was worried about the Internet connection in Iraq, but luckily, the connection was flawless during the whole operation. Erin says she has received positive feedback from many people about her experience. She hopes more hospitals would allow people to do the same thing. Zimbelman is hoping to see his babies for the first time later this year if he can go home on the holidays.

Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor. 

Discussion A

Do you agree that hospitals should allow families to watch deliveries through the Internet? Why or why not?

·         How else can technology prevent people from missing important moments or events in life?

Discussion B

·         Do you believe communicating with people through technology is as good as communicating in person with others? Why or why not?

·         With all the benefits of the Internet, do you think it is already essential in a person’s life?

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University of London Joins Online Education Project Coursera

Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

1. course (n.) [kawrs, kohrs] – a series of classes or lessons at school that focus on one subject

Example: To improve his design skills, he took a basic drawing course last college semester.

2. partner (v.) [pahrt-ner] – to work together with another group or person

Example: The school partnered with the city’s research facility for a new project.

3. base (v.) [beys] – to put the headquarters of a company or organization in a specific location

Example: The company’s main office is based in America.

4. accredited (adj.) [uh-kred-i-tid] – accepted by an authority as true or official

Example: Colleges provide graduates with accredited diplomas as proof that the students successfully finished their studies.

5. conventional (adj.) [kuhn-ven-shuh-nl] – traditional or usual

Example: Finding information on the Internet has almost replaced the conventional method of researching in the library.

Article
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The University of London’s International Program has recently joined the free online education project Coursera. Through Coursera, the university will be offering five online courses in psychology, law, computer programming, photojournalism and digital media. Online university project Coursera has so far partnered with more than 30 universities located in America, Hong Kong, Australia, Britain and other countries. Based in California, Coursera was started by scholars in Stanford University. It now offers over 200 free courses designed by the different universities. About 1.3 million students are currently enrolled in the online project. Coursera co-founder Daphne Koller said they wanted to make education easy to access globally. She said they are proud to give students a variety of educational experience through universities around the world.  The project offers students another option to conventional campus-based classes, which are frequently costly. As of now, however, Coursera does not offer accredited degrees to students when they complete a course, but other methods are being done to recognize online students’ work. Jonathan Kydd, dean of University of London’s International Programs, hopes that students who try the free online courses at Coursera will be encouraged to take up full degree courses. Other universities that have recently joined Coursera are Brown University, University of Florida and Vanderbilt University in the US, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel, the University of British Columbia in Canada and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.  

Discussion A 

·         Would online courses like Coursera be popular among students in your country? Please explain your answer.

·         Do you think that taking online classes is better than having lessons in a classroom? Why or why not?

Discussion B

·         How does the Internet help students with their studies?  

·         What can be the disadvantages of using the Internet as a learning tool?

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Middle Age Comes Much Later for the British

Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

1. middle age (n.) [mid-l][eyj] – a period of time when a person is not considered a child anymore, but also not yet considered old

Example: When people enter middle age, their hair starts to become gray and they may also start gaining weight.

2. respondent (n.) [ri-spon-duhnt] – person answering a survey or question

Example: The interviewer asked 30 respondents the same questions.

3. life span (n.) [lahyf][span] – the length of time between a person’s or animal’s birth and death

Example: The average life span of a human being today is 67.2 years.

4. state of mind (expr.) [steyt][uhv, ov][mahynd] – the condition of one’s mind at a specific time

Example: Doctors say our state of mind is affected by sleep and physical exercise.

5. turn (v.) [turn] – to reach a certain age

Example: She turned 40 years old on her birthday.

Article
Read the text below.

Recent research suggests that the British think middle age starts at 55 and ends at 69. Previously, middle age was thought to start at 36 years old. Love to Learn, a UK adult learning website, asked 1,000 people aged 50 years old and above to complete an online survey. Seventy percent of the survey respondents in their early 50s classified themselves as middle-aged while twenty percent believed middle age started only after 60 years old.  In the past, a 60 year old would be considered old. These findings point to an aging population. At the moment, there are more elderly people than children in the UK. Because more people now have longer life spans, the concept of middle age has changed. Nowadays, people in their middle ages have more active minds and act much younger than older people generations before. For 19% of the surveyed respondents, middle age is more of a state of mind rather than something that begins at a specific age.   More than half of the research participants in their 50s felt good about their age. They claimed to feel more confident, more experienced, and less afraid of committing mistakes. In another similar survey done by Age UK, it was found that Europeans believe that old age starts at 62; however, views on middle age vary from country to country. In Sweden, people believe middle age begins at the age of 34. In Greece, it starts when a person turns 52.

Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor. 

Discussion A 

·         Do you agree that being old is a state of mind? Why or why not?

·         What do you think are some of the reasons why people nowadays generally have longer life span?

Discussion B

·         What are some benefits of getting older?

·         What things about yourself have changed for the better as you grew older?

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More “Free Schools” to Open in England

Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

1. set up (phrasal v.) [set-uhp] – to create or to make something for a specific reason

Example: My friend and I want to set up our own computer software company.

2. pioneer (adj.) [pahy-uh-neer] – being the first of a group or set of something

Example: The company released the pioneer batch of their new products to selected malls.

3. abandon (v.) [uh-ban-duh n] – to stop helping or supporting someone or something

Example: The funding organization abandoned the project because of the economic problems.

4. lay off (phrasal v.) [ley] [awf, of] – to remove an employee from work

Example: The employee was laid off because he violated the company rule.

5. dismantle (v.) [dis-man-tl] – to break apart

Example: It is hard to dismantle the machine because of its small parts.

Article
Read the text below.

The UK government announced that fifty-five new “free schools” plan to open this year in England The “free schools” is a major project by Education Secretary Michael Gove’s. These free schools can be set up by parents, teachers, charities, businesses, universities, and voluntary or religious groups. Such schools are funded by the central government, but local government authorities have no control over them in terms of how these schools train children or manage funds. According to Gove, free schools can offer more parents and their children the chance and the choice to go to excellent schools, without paying expensive fees for high quality education. The pioneer batch of free schools, 24 schools in all, opened in September last year. Gove said these schools have become popular and successful. However, Gove has received many criticisms regarding the policy. Critics say that large amounts of public funds have been spent on free schools that were discontinued or abandoned. Many teachers also reported that they were laid off when free schools took the place of schools run by the local government. Christine Blower of the National Union of Teachers said the policy dismantles the local education system. The local education system makes local governments responsible for schools, but free schools can be set up by any sponsor who may not have good management skills or experience. Chris Keates from the union said free schools also divide the limited budget for other public schools. Despite the criticisms, the program will continue. An additional 114 schools are expected to be set up next year.

Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor. 

Discussion A

·         What do you think is the advantage of schools that are not under the government’s control?

·         Do you think setting up free schools in your country would be helpful? Why or why not?

Discussion B

·         What do you think is the main reason for a school’s success (e.g., students, teachers, facilities)?

·         If you were to set up your own school, what kind of school would it be? How would it be different from other schools?

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