Topic-based materials for teaching teenagers
Student-centred activities based around the news, culture, festivals and cities.
Why a topical or student-centred approach?
- Teenagers are hard to please
- Teenagers often do not like the materials that books provide
- Teenagers enjoy rebelling against a prescriptive approach
- Teenagers get bored quickly
- Teenagers crave independence
- Left to their own devices teenagers are often more responsible, cooperative and sensible than we give them credit for
- Teenagers often have stronger opinions about life than many adults
So, in the following topic-based activities:
- Teenagers set their own activities within a secure framework
- Teenagers get to work in groups helping and teaching each other
- Teenagers choose what to read
- Teenagers get to set their own questions and goals
- Teacher acts as a facilitator and co-learner
- Teenagers get to feel good about what they do know rather than feeling bad about what they don’t know
Inside Topic-based materials for teenagers
Culture
A selection of culture news lessons from The Guardian Weekly, focusing on general interest stories, each with an accompanying worksheet of activities.
Webquests
A selection of fun lesson plans on festivals, including Valentine’s Day, Halloween and Christmas, that practise web-based skills.
Festivals
Information and webquests associated with a selection of festivals and celebrations from different cultures and religions all over the world.
Using the news
Some great ideas for news-based activities to do with your class of teenagers.
