PROTOTYPE LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH, THIRD YEAR

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

QUARTER Week

1: 1:

IN THE REALM OF THOUGHTS Seeing Patterns

I. OBJECTIVES A. Listening 1. Listen to narrate a story 2. Listen to note details B. Speaking 1. Express agreement/disagreement in appropriate English 2. Convey intended meaning through the use of correct juncture C. Reading 1. Determine the meaning of words through its use in the sentence 2. Identify the main idea and authors purpose 3. Pick out significant insights derived from the essay D. Literature 1. Discriminate between positive and negative values 2. Single out worthwhile human values E. Writing Write a short essay on a topic related to values F. Grammar Use the modals can, must, may and will correctly II. SUBJECT MATTER A. B. C. D. Listening: Values by Khalil Gibran Reading: Changing World Lasting Values by Andre Maurois Literature: Honesty: Is It Going Out of Style? by Stacia Robins Grammar Points: Modals can, must, may and will Functions: Expressing Agreement/ Disagreement References: 1. New Horizons in Learning English III (Manual). Ladera, Dela Cruz, Flores (Manual), p. 211 2. New Horizons in Learning English III. Ladera, Dela Cruz, Flores pp. 262-281

PROTOTYPE LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH, THIRD YEAR

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

III. PROCEDURE Day 1

A. Previewing What comes into your mind when you read this word?

Value

1. When do you say something is of value? 2. When do you say someone has values? B. Tasks Task 1 Picture Talk

Directions: [The students are to answer the following questions.] a. b. c. d. Words: What words do you associate with this picture? Facts: What do you see in the picture? Interpretation: What does the picture tell about the man? Imagination: What would be an appropriate title for this picture? Would you imagine yourself in the picture? What role will you play?

PROTOTYPE LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH, THIRD YEAR

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Differences in the way we value events that happen in our lives, people we meet and the places that we go to affect how we think, feel and act. Task 2 Retelling the story from listening [The teacher will read the story twice. After the first reading, the students will retell the story. After the second reading, they will give the details of the story.] Values A man unearthed a marble statue while plowing his field. It was very beautiful. He took it to a collector and offered it for sale. The collector, who loved all beautiful things dearly, bought it at a large price. As the man walked home with his money, he said to himself, How much life this money means! How can anyone give all this for a dead carved stone buried in the earth for a thousand years? The collector was looking at his statue. He said, It is mine, all mine! What a beauty! What life! The dream of what a soul! How can anyone give all this for money, dead and dreamless?
Kahlil Gibran Adapted

Task 3 1. Compare the two mens regard for money. 2. Compare the two mens regard for the statue. 3. What did the rich man collect? 4. Is the title appropriate? Why? 5. If you were the farmer, would you sell the statue? 6. Do you think each man is happy with his decision? 7. Choose the word or word-group from the box that best completes the statement. practical values the sculptors well-being beauty differ in values

a. The things we consider important and the choices we make depend on our sense of ________. b. The story tells us how the two men _______. c. The farmer preferred money to beauty. He also preferred something useful to him. He thought he could use money to buy many things. The farmer was ________. 3

PROTOTYPE LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH, THIRD YEAR

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

d. The collector found joy in the beautiful marble statue. He spent a great deal of money to have it. The collector was a lover of ________. e. The dream of what a soul! The soul referred to in this line is that of ________. Task 4 Communication Activity: Dyads Here is a list of value statements. Do you agree or disagree with each statement? Why? 1. Money makes me happy, 2. Money enables me to help others. 3. Money is the most important thing in life. 4. Love is more important than money. 5. We need beauty in our lives. C. Closure In small groups, discuss each statement. Present your opinion. Then, one of you should report the result of your discussion to the class. D. Assignment Look up the following words in the dictionary. absurd ceaselessly senile petty meditate veritable Day 2 A. Recapitulation In the story that you listened to yesterday, what did each man value? What did we say about values? B. Tasks Task 1 These words are found in the reading text and they were given to you yesterday so you can look them up in the dictionary. Note: The following words are to be written in flashcards. absurd senile meditate ceaselessly petty veritable

PROTOTYPE LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH, THIRD YEAR

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Complete each sentence below with the appropriate word. (Use the flashcards). 1. There seems to be no end to his work. He ________ works from morning till night. 2. With all its pitfalls and problems, its twists and ironies, life can become ridiculous. Life can become so _______ that some people find it foolish or useless to go on striving. 3. Monks are used to a life of deep and serious thinking, They ________ so much they can even find answers to the absurdities of life. 4. The inner world is as real as the outer world. As a matter of fact, the inner world is a ________ source of strength and wisdom. 5. Men and women of wisdom are concerned only with the important things in life. They do not bother themselves with ________ problems. 6. More and more people nowadays reach a ripe old age of seventy or eighty but they do not become weak in mind or body. They are not ________. Task 2 The title of the essay you are about to read is Changing World Lasting Values. Read it aloud. Will it make a difference if you pause after changing or if you pause after world? What do you think is the essay about? Which of these questions will it answer? Can world lasting values be changed? Do values last when the world changes? What is the right reading of the title? Answer these questions after reading. Now, read the essay silently. Changing World Lasting Values
Andre Maurois Andrey Morwa

You hear many tales nowadays that the world is absurd, that everything has changed, that the old moral values have died. This is all nonsense, for if you look for reality beneath the clutter of words which hide it, you will rediscover the eternal man. True values were not invented for the pleasure of senile moralists. They exist because without them, neither society nor happiness could survive. Here, then, are a few rules as old as civilization itself which remain true despite the advances of science and technology. 5

PROTOTYPE LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH, THIRD YEAR

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

The first is that man must live for something other than himself. The man who meditates ceaselessly about himself finds a thousand reasons to be unhappy. He has not accomplished everything he wanted to or should have done; he has not gotten everything he thought he deserved; he has not been loved as he dreamed of being loved. But if he lives for ideals outside of himself for his faith or his country, for his friends, his wife and family, he miraculously forgets all his petty worries. In trying to make others happy, he also makes himself happy. The veritable inner world is the veritable outer world. The second rule is that man must act. The joy of the soul is in action. Instead of lamenting the absurdity of the world, let us try to transform our own little corner. It is not impossible. We cannot change the whole universe, but who hopes to do that? Our objective is much more simple; to do our job and do it well, to become a master at it. Each one works in his own field. I write books, the carpenter assembles my bookshelves, the policeman directs traffic, the engineer constructs, and the minister governs. All of them, kept busy at work which they know how to do well, are happy. This is true that when people have leisure time, they keep busy with apparently useless activities such as games and sports. As for useful action, we know from experience that it is effective: an active mayor makes a city prosperous; an active priest brings vitality to a parish. Happy are those in whose eyes men look for order. The third rule is that one must believe in the power of the will. It is not true that the future is predetermined. A great man can change the course of history. Any man who has the courage and the will can change his own future. Naturally, none of us is all-powerful. Each mans freedom has its limits. Freedom lies between the border of the possible and the will. It is beyond my power to prevent war, but I can perform an act which, multiplied by millions, will be effective. It is not possible for me to win a battle, but it is up to me to be a courageous soldier. Since this limitation of the will is dependent on what one dares, one must not worry about his limitations but do the best he can. Finally, the fourth, and most precious of all values, is faithfulness. Faithfulness to promises, contracts, to others, and to oneself. One must be among those who can be counted upon. Faithfulness is not an easy virtue. Thousands of temptations are thrown across our paths. Faithfulness in marriage, said Bernard Shaw, is no more natural to man than the cage to the tiger. Undoubtedly. No faithfulness is natural. It is born of a voluntary decision, constantly renewed, which helps us to rise above our natures. But it gives us the lasting joy of being at peace with ourselves. I may forego an immediate pleasure to assure myself the 6

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

great joy in the future of looking at my past without shame, but with pride. Every society in which citizens live for naught but fleeting pleasures, where men no longer trust each other, and whose members let themselves go is doomed. When Rome let go and ceased to set store by the values which made her great, she perished. When France clung to eternal values, she was saved. Modern technology may change ones modes of action, but they change neither its values, the reasons for it, nor the duty of faithfulness. Thus it was in the beginning and so it will always be. Task 3 In small groups, discuss the following: 1. What is the main idea of the essay? How should the title be read? 2. Do you agree that without true values, society could not survive? Why? 3. What four values does Maurois consider important? 4. Why does Maurois refer to the four values as rules? 5. Which value do you consider most important? Why? Complete the outline below with details from the essay. (Note that the outline is composed of three parts; title, main idea or thesis, and the body.) Changing World Lasting Values Main idea: There are four values that have endured in spite of the changes brought about by science and technology I. We must live for others A. We must constantly think of others. B. We become happy by __________ C. ____________________. II. _______________________ A. ____________________ B. We must _____ and do it well. III. We ____________________ A. _____________________ B. _____________________ IV. _____________________ A. We must be faithful to _____________________ B. _____________________

PROTOTYPE LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH, THIRD YEAR

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

C. Closure Choose the word or word-group that best completes each sentence. Write only the letter. 1. The essay tells us that in spite of the changes in our world brought about by science and technology a. our lifestyle does not change b. fundamental values do not change c. our standard of living remains the same d. our economic status remains the same 2. To be truly happy, we must live for a. ourselves b. our goals c. fame d. others 3. Maurois says that nobody can change the whole world, but we can do our a. job b. writing c. thinking d. reading 4. Maurois believes that the most important value is a. selflessness b. action c. courage d. faithfulness 5. The essay is a. humorous b. formal c. informal d. sarcastic 6. Old moral values have died. The author a. agrees to this idea b. does not believe it c. is doubtful about it d. thinks it is true 7. Without them, neither society nor happiness could survive. Them refers to: a. true values b. senile moralists c. science and technology d. many tales 8

PROTOTYPE LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH, THIRD YEAR

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

8. Without them, neither society nor happiness could survive. This statement means that without values: a. happiness could survive b. society could survive c. both society and happiness could not survive d. both society and happiness could survive 9. To impress upon the reader that some values are vital or essential, the author states them in the form of a. stories that give lessons b. jokes that make people laugh c. problems that must be solved d. rules that must be followed 10. The main purpose of the writer is to a. draw conclusions b. give advice c. give information d. pass judgments D. Assignment Using your completed outline (in Task 3), write a summary or prcis of the essay. Day 3 A. Recapitulation Reading of at least two summaries. (volunteer/random) B. Tasks Task 1 Study the following sets of sentences and tell the difference. Set 1 1. Man must live for something other than himself. 2. A great man can change the course of history. 3. Modern technology may change ones modes of action. 4. An art will be effective. Set 2 1. Man lives for something other than himself. 2. A great man changes the course of history. 3. Modern technology changes ones modes of action. 4. An art is effective. Is the meaning changed or modified if the underlined words are removed? 9

PROTOTYPE LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH, THIRD YEAR

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Grammar Recall: Can, must, may, and will belong to a class of auxiliaries because their present and past forms can combine with a be-phrase or verb phrase to make a predicate of a sentence. Examples: can go, must be, shall win, may paint The present and past forms of the common modals are as follows: Present can will shall may must Past could would should might had to

The modals express a variety of meanings. 1. Can denote a) ability, b) permission or request, or c) possibility. Examples: a. Myra can design dresses. She could work for hours. b. Can I leave a message? Could you switch off the light? c. Life can be difficult. Traffic could be heavy on weekends. 2. Will indicates a) futurity, or b) willingness or choice Examples: The investigation will start tomorrow. I will serve the salad now. Will you help us, please? Would expresses a) willingness in a potential way, b) polite question requests, c) future intention from the past point of view, or d) past habitual action a. b. c. d. I would build a house if I had money. Would you help me cross the street? The lawyer said he would file the case. When they were young, they would go fishing every day.

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PROTOTYPE LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH, THIRD YEAR

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

3. Shall expresses suggestion in a yes-no question. Shall we leave early? Shall we go? Shall is used in the same way as will, but is often used in ceremonies when protocol is an important factor. The Prime Minister shall welcome the delegates We shall begin with an invocation. Should expresses obligation. Citizens should pay taxes. 4. May expresses a) permission, b) probability, or c) a wish a. You may go home now. May I walk with you? b. It may be cloudy tomorrow. The balloon may burst. They may win the game. c. May there be peace in this World. May God bless you. Might is used to express less probability. He told us he might come. The balloons might burst. They might win the game. It might be cloudy tomorrow. 5. Must is used a) to express very strong obligation or necessity, or b) in making inferences or logical conclusions Examples: a. We must graduate with honors. We must serve our country. b. (It barks. It wags its tail.) It must be a dog. c. (She wears a school uniform. She carries books.) She must be a student. Task 2 Complete each sentence with the appropriate modal. The intended meaning is given in parenthesis. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Mylene _____ train in computers next year. (futurity) Lizzy _____ go see a doctor right away. (necessity) The tank _____ overheat and explode. (probability) Some people _____ be allergic to sweet potato. (strong probability) Overwork _____ make people sick. (possibility) 11

PROTOTYPE LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH, THIRD YEAR

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

6. Emil _____ make an excellent teacher if he tried harder (willingness in a potential way) 7. Michael _____ fly a helicopter. (ability) 8. ____ we give them excellent service (suggestion) 9. The book is not in my bag. I _____ have left it in my room. (inference) 10. When Lucy was living with us, she ______ exercise regularly. (past habitual action) 11. ______ you always remain true to your ideals (wish) 12. Classes are over. _____ we go to the library? (suggestion) Task 3 Choose the letter that corresponds to the appropriate expression of an inference or logical conclusion. 1. Nora is yawning. a. She is sleepy. b. She may be sleepy. c. She can be sleepy. d. She must be sleepy.

2. Cindy is knocking on the door of the apartment. She has rung the doorbell several times. Nobody has answered the door. a. Nobody is at home. c . Nobody might be at home. b. Nobody must be at home. d. Nobody could be at home. 3. Cesar looks very tired. He has been sneezing and coughing. He has a headache. a. He must be sick. c. He may be sick. b. He could be sick d. He is sick. 4. Joanna has walked in the hot sun for an hour. She had just drunk one glass of water. Right now she is refilling her glass. a. She is thirsty. c. She must be thirsty. b. She might be thirsty. d. She could be thirsty. 5. When the teacher asked Noel a question, he blushed and his ears became red. He looked down and did not answer. a. He is shy. c. He must be shy. b. He might be shy. d. He could be shy. Task 4 Make logical conclusion based on the information given; then, complete the short dialogues. 1. Arnel: I stayed up until 3:00 in the morning to finish my report. And I got up at seven this morning. Yoli: You ____________________________

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

2. Frank: What country does Carlos come from? Do you remember? Mila: I know he speaks Spanish. He might be from Mexico.

Frank: Wait a minute! I remember he told me that his parents live in Madrid. Mila: Oh, he ________________ from Spain then.

3. Camille: Alexis, do you know where Christian is? I called her house, but there was no answer. Alexis: I dont know. He might be at the office. Camille: Now I remember. He has to work overtime today. He _________ at the office. 4. Topsie: I dont feel well. Gina: Whats wrong?

Topsie: I have a headache. My joints are painful. Gina: C. Closure Fill in the blanks with the appropriate modals. 1. __________ denotes ability, permission/request, possibility 2. __________ indicates futurity, willingness or choice 3. __________ expresses suggestion in a yes-no question 4. __________ expresses permission, probability, wish 5. __________ expresses less probability 6. expresses very strong obligation/necessity in making inferences or logical conclusion Enrichment Exercises (Optional) Exercise 1 This exercise will enable you to indicate degrees of certainty through a choice of modals. Using the information about the given situation, complete the sentences. 1. Situation: Someones knocking at the door. I wonder who it is. Information: Rick is out of town. You __________ the flu. Drink plenty of water and rest.

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Roxy promised to come and see me today. Ester, my neighbor, drops by every now and then. a. It must be ____________. b. It couldnt be __________. c. It might be ___________. 2. Situation: The meeting starts in half an hour. I wonder who is coming. Information: Helen called up. Shes on her way. Faith seldom misses a meeting. Francis is out of town. Ric sometimes comes to the meetings; sometimes he doesnt. a. __________ wont be at the meeting. b. __________ might come. c. __________ will attend the meeting. d. __________ should be at the meeting. 3. Situation: Someone ran into a tree in front of our house. I wonder who did it. Information: Susan has a car and was out driving last night. Andy has a car, but Im pretty sure he was at home last night. Lindon doesnt have a car, and she doesnt know how to drive. Carlo was out driving last night, and today his car has a big dent in front. a. It couldnt have been __________. b. It must not have been __________. c. It could have been __________. d. It must have been __________. Exercise 2 Choose the expression that best completes the sentence. 1. Ivy is sitting at her desk. Shes reading her botany book because she has a test tomorrow. She __________. a. will study b. might study c. must be studying d. should be studying

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

2. When Mr. Reyes was younger, he __________ work in the garden for hours. He loves gardening. Now he has to take frequent rests because he has asthma. a. can c. could b. would d. would be able to 3. Since we have to be there before the concert starts, we __________ take a taxi. a. can c. may b. might d. should 4. It __________ rain tonight. Why dont you bring an umbrella? Thats a good idea. May I borrow yours? a. might c. can b. must d. should 5. You havent eaten since last night. You __________ be very hungry. a. might c. must b. will d. can 6. __________ you hand me the can opener, please? a. Might c. Must b. Will d. Should 7. We need a secretary who is excellent at computers and __________ do correspondence. a. might c. must b. will d. can 8. Is littering against the law? Yes, theres a law that says that you __________ throw trash on the streets. a. dont have to c. must not b. couldnt d. might not 9. Have you finished answering? Yes __________ I leave the room now? a. may c. might b. should d. will 10. My teacher always looks over my shoulder when I write something. That __________ bother you. But it does. a. cant c. shouldnt b. wont d. may not 15

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

D. Assignment Complete the following paragraph with appropriate modals to show degrees of certainty. Im in a hotel lobby. Im looking at a man who is wearing a brown suit and carrying a briefcase. He is talking to a man at the registration desk. He______(1) be registering to stay in the hotel. Or he (2) be simply asking a question, but I doubt it. Judging from his clothes, he (3) be a businessman. He is (4) be a doctor or a professor. He has salt-and-pepper and not too many wrinkles. He (5) be about 50 or 53 tall. He doesnt have any luggage with him. The porter has taken his suitcase. The hotel clerk is handing the man a key. Aha! I was right. He has registered to stay in the hotel. Day 4 A. Recapitulation 1. Name a modal and tell what it expresses. Ask a classmate to use it in a sentence. 2. Sharing on assigned task. Tasks

B.

Task 1 1. Guided Writing [Ask the class to work in pairs] After the second sentence, every seventh word is omitted from the text. Go over the entire text briefly. Then, choose the most appropriate word from the numbered list to complete each sentence. You will find the list after the text. Give your completed text a title. The Philippines is rich in a spectrum of values and thus of choices in its pursuit of national development. There must be national unity, whereby all sectors of the Filipino people are integrated into one purpose, the (1) Filipino values _________________ pagsasarili, pakikisama, pagkakaisa, (2) pagkabayani, and pakikipagkapwa-tao be very relevant. A (3) Filipino must pagsasarili or self-reliance in order to overcome (4) (5) _________and, thus be responsible for himself. _________ must act by (7) (6) himself, think for ______ ___, and possess his own self. It ________ (8) (9) only then that he can share _______ others whatever he is; it is ________ (10) then that he can share with ______________ what ever he owns; it is only (11) _ that he can have the value __________ pakikisama-sharing (12) _____ (13) his human and natural __ with his fellow Filipinos. Sharing 16

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

or (14) will help him and his fellow to be self-reliant, (16) independent and responsible. ________ natural outcome of the sharing or (17) _ is unity or pagkakaisa. It brings _________ together into one (18) (19) nation, one people, _________ community or bayan. Pagkabayani, which (20) (21) is ____________ of ones country, results in patriotism, _______ (22) dedication of ones life to ones and fellowmen. Jose Rizal (23) and Gregorio del Pilar are ___________ of heroes or bayani because they (25) (24) ______ their lives for their country. When __ have (26) learned to give their lives fellow Filipinos, they have learned (27) the _________________ of pakikipagkapwa-tao or human fellowship. The (28) (29) ______ should learn not only to become ____ tao but also how (30) to magpakatao ______ makipagkapwa-tao. He should be a brother and a friend to every fellow Filipino.
Adapted from: Understanding Filipino Values by Tomas D. Andres

(15)

2. Cooperative checking by the whole class List of Words 1. from of for 5. He She They 9. also only thus 13. belongings resources assets 17. pakikisama pagkakaisa pagkatao 21. partial divided total

2. can must shall 6. themselves himself herself 10. them himself others 14. pagkatao pagkaisa bayanihan 18. men people women 22. land country people

3. desire encourage have 7. is was can 11. thus there then 15. humans Filipinos creatures 19. one a the 23. examples proofs names

4. sovereignty freedom dependence 8. to for with 12. of to from 16. The A Some 20. remembrance dream love 24. gave offered dedicated

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25. citizen Filipinos heroes 29. one a the

26. to from for 30. but or and

27. skill value truth

28. Filipino citizen person

Give title to your completed text. Task 2 [Ask the class to group themselves into 3s or 4s] 1. Re-read the text. 2. Pick out one sentence that tells about a Filipino value. Use it as your main idea. Provide sub-ideas to support it. 3. Write your answer in the form of a one-step outline. Example: I. A Filipino must have pagsasarili or self-reliance A B. sub-ideas/details in support of the topic sentence C. C. Closure Using the outline that your group has made, write a short essay about the Filipino value that you have chosen. D. Assignment Write a well-thought out short essay to answer one of these questions: How can I improve myself as a person? What values do I need to develop? What values do Filipinos need to develop to have a sense of nationhood? Day 5 A. Recapitulation 1. develop? 2. What are some values that we Filipinos need to Sharing on assigned task. 18

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

3. B. Tasks

Is honesty a value that we cherish?

Task 1 Get the meaning of the underlined word from the sentences given. [Teacher may use other way of unlocking vocabulary words] a. After all, most students have been faced with the temptation to peek at a neighbors test paper. b. A case in point is students in New York State who faced criminal misdemeanor charges for possessing and selling advance copies of State Regents examinations. c. Students who said they had left their ID in the dorm or at home had a mug shot taken. d. The purpose of the campaign was to catch ringers students who take tests for other students. e. Majority of Americans still believe that honesty is an important part of the American Character. For that reason, there are numerous watch-dog committees at all levels of society. f. There is some evidence that dishonesty may ebb and flow. Task 2 Go over the following information related to the text. Information Related to the Text Public opinion poll: a method of learning what people think and how they feel about issues or problems. Competency test: a test to determine whether or not a person has a certain skill. State Regents examinations: In New York State the Department of Education requires high school students to take a year end examination in science, math and language subjects. Mostly multiple choice questions, these examinations are made by the regents themselves and nobody else is supposed to see them before the examination. 19

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Income Tax: a government tax on a persons or a corporations income. The U.S. has had income tax laws since 1913. The system: the network of political, social, economic, and educational institutions that controls a country. Task 3 Reading of the Text Honesty: Is It going Out Of Style
Adapted from: Senior Scholastic 31 October 1980

According to a recent poll, 61 percent of American high school students have admitted to cheating on exams at least once. It can be argued such a response may not mean much. After all, most students have been faced with the temptation to peek at a neighbors test paper. And students can be hard on themselves in judging such behavior. However, there are other indications that high school cheating may be on the rise. More and more states are requiring students to pass competency tests in order to receive high school diplomas. Many educators feel that an increase in the use of state examinations will lead to a corresponding rise in cheating. A case in point is students in New York State who faced criminal misdemeanor charges for possessing and selling advance copies of State Regents examinations. Cheating is now considered to be a major problem in colleges and universities. Several professors say theyve dropped the traditional term paper requirement because many students buy prewritten term papers, and they cant track down all the cheaters anymore. Colleges and universities across the nation have decided to do more than talk about the rise in student cheating. For instance, the Department of Psychology at the University of Maryland launched a campaign to stop a form of cheating. As 409 students filed out of their examination, they found all but one exit blocked. Proctors asked each student to produce an ID card with an attached photo. Students who said they had left theirs in the dorm or at home had a mug shot taken. The purpose of the campaign was to catch ringers, students who take tests for other students.

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

The majority of students at the University of Maryland applauded the campaign. The campus newspaper editorial said, Like police arresting speeders, the intent is not to catch everyone but rather to catch enough to spread the word. We frequently hear about the good old days, when Americans were better, happier, and more honest. But were they more honest? Maybe yes, a long time ago when life was very difficult from what is today. School children used to know the story of how Abraham Lincoln walked five miles to return a penny hed overcharged a customer. Its the kind of story we think of as myth. But in the case of Lincoln, the story is true unlike the story of George Washington and the cherry tree. Washingtons first biographer invented the tale of little George saying to his father, I cannot tell a lie. I did it with my axe. What is important in both stories, however, is that honesty was seen as an important part of the American character. And these are just two stories out of many. Students in the last century usually didnt read fun stories. They read stories that taught moral values. Such stories pointed out quite clearly that children who lied, cheated, or stole came to bad ends. Parents may have further reinforced these values. Its difficult to know. We do know that children didnt hear their parents talk of cheating the government on income taxes there werent any. Although signs of dishonesty in school, business, and government seem much more numerous in recent years than in the past, could it be that we are getting better at revealing such dishonesty? There is some evidence that dishonesty may ebb and flow. When times are hard, incidents of theft and cheating usually go up. And when times get better, such incidents tend to go down. Cheating in school also tends to ebb and flow. But it doesnt seem linked to the economy. 21

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Many educators feel that as students gain confidence in themselves and their abilities, they are less likely to cheat. Surprisingly, some efforts to prevent cheating may actually encourage cheating a person may feel they dont trust me anyway, and be tempted to beat the system. Distrust can be contagious. But, so can trust!

Task 4 Post-reading 1. What question does the title ask? Based on the text, what is the answer to the question? Do you agree? Explain your answer. 2. Why have professors stopped requiring students to write term papers? 3. Do you agree with the author that people need to know one another to be at their honest best? 4. Would dishonesty have something to do with distrust? Give your reasons. 5. What devices did the author use to emphasize his point? C. Closure You are failing in your Math subject. You must pass it this time or else your father will disallow you to go to school. A friend of yours is giving you a copy of a test paper in Math. What will you do? D. Assignment 1. Think about the lessons we had discussed the past week. Write a brief reflection on what you have learned. 2. What are video games?

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