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Innovation in Learning
A A GENERAL ENGLISH
Fake news
Lesson code: 8C3V-S17A-7RR6 INTERMEDIATE+
1 Warm-up
What is fake news?
2 Key words
Match the words to their definitions.
1. fact a. annoyed because things don't happen how you want them to
2. frustrated b. an organisation that protects the rights of workers
3. accept c. causing you to feel anxious
4. influence d. not fake
5. a union e. something that happened which there is information about
6. worrying f. to affect how someone behaves
7. real g. to believe that something is true, especially when it is bad
8. judge h. to form an opinion after carefully thinking about something
3 Reading
You are going to read an article about how pupils in the UK are using fake news in their schoolwork.
Before you read, put `T' (True) or 'F' (False) next to each of the statements below, then scan the text
on the next page to find out if your answers are correct.
4. Pupils still believe that false news is true even when their teachers tell them it is fake.
5. Websites could get a 50 million euro fine if they don't remove fake news posts.
6. Most fake news posts will need to be removed quickly from websites.
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Fake news
Innovation in Learning
A A A A GENERAL ENGLISH
1 Pupils believe that fake news is fact and are 9 Commenting on the results of the survey, Ms
repeating it in lessons and using it in written work, Keates said that she was worried about the trend,
teachers have warned. particularly because many young people have
never known a world without internet, and are less
2 More than a third of teachers say their students
able to judge whether information that they read
have used false information that they found online,
online is real or fake.
according to a survey by a teacher's union.
3 The union's general secretary, Chris Keates, said 10 She added that: "It is important for children and
that the information was "worrying" and it showed young people to be made aware that not
that internet companies have a lot of power to everything they see and read online is real."
influence people's opinions, especially young
people. 11 She said that teachers are trying to help educate
4 International education experts are becoming more pupils about using false information, but added
worried about the situation and say that teachers that it was important for internet providers and
will need to teach children how to spot fake news. websites to take responsibility for any material
that is available, and also to deal with people who
5 Others were frustrated that students didn't believe misuse their services.
that news they had seen on Facebook and other
social media sites was not true, even when the 12 Last month Andreas Schleicher, the director of
problem was explained to them. education and skills at OECD, (The Organisation
6 One teacher said that pupils often thought that for Economic Co-operation and Development),
fake news sites were real, and also that anything said that in the modern age, being able to tell the
that President Donald Trump said was a fact. difference between what is real and what is fake is
a critical skill.
7 Last week, German officials said they would give
fines of up to 50 million euros to social networks 13 He added that: "This is something that we believe
if they didn't take down illegal fake news posts. schools can do something about."
8 The new law would give social networks 24 hours
to delete or block the content and seven days to Adapted from the Independent by Rachel Pells,
concentrate on more complicated cases. 12th of April 2017
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Fake news
Innovation in Learning
A A A A GENERAL ENGLISH
5 Internet language
Choose the correct words to complete each of the sentences below.
6 Talking point
Discuss any of the questions below.
1. Do you think that most people are able to spot if news is fake or real? Why/why not?
2. Do you think that experts are right to be worried about the power of fake news? Why/why not?
3. How do you think that we can deal with the problem on the internet?
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Fake news
Innovation in Learning
A A A A GENERAL ENGLISH
1. 2.
3. 4.
5. 6.
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Fake news - Key
Innovation in Learning
A A A A GENERAL ENGLISH
1- Warm-up
Encourage a short discussion. Fake news is news that isn't real, but is created by someone and presented as
fact. Many fake news stories are read by millions of people because they cover popular topics.
2- Key words
Students can work in pairs and then check with the teacher.
1. e 2. a 3. g 4. f 5. b 6. c 7. d 8. h
3- Reading
1. F - The article doesn't mention this, only that they are using fake news from the internet in their
school work.
2. F - Over a third of teachers in a survey said that their pupils used fake news as fact in schoolwork.
3. T
4. F - Pupils often still won't accept that the fake news isn't true.
5. T
6. T - Websites will have 24hrs to do this, but 7 days if the case is more complicated.
Students can work in pairs and check their answers with the teacher.
1. according to 2. spot 3. take down
4. block 5. concentrate on 6. misuse
7. deal with 8. critical
5- Internet language
6- Talking point
Monitor the activity. Make a note of any typical errors and write up useful language on the board.
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