Who or what is a “news junkie”?
A news junkie is a kind of info junkie. According to the Urban Dictionary, it is a word for someone who is always looking to learn new information. The junkie part comes in when the person seems to be ‘addicted’ to any new information. Such a person frequents news sites, technology journals, reads many books, and seems to understand all this. Chosen topics of interest can be varied. An info junkie is usually a first point of contact when your computer breaks down, when you are stuck doing a crossword puzzle or when you need some sound advice.
What is the ELN News Junkie Club?
The ELN News Junkie Club is virtual community of those who want to practise speaking English in small groups using such web conferencing software as Skype. Club meetings are initiated by ELN community members themselves. The time of each meeting is negotiated in advance. Topics and articles for discussion are usually suggested by the more active club members. ELN News Junkie Club meetings are special because they are moderated either by English teachers or by those ELN Community members whose level of English is advanced or higher.
How to join the ELN News Junkie Club?
To be eligible to take part in the ELN News Junkie Club meetings you have to be either the ELN project participant or a client of EnglishLab.Net. If you are one of those, you should create an ELN account on www.study-english-online.net . Once your account is approved, depending on your user status, you will be able to join those ELN News Junkie Meetings the times of which are visible on the ELN Community schedule provided there are places available.
The ELN Project – Ways to let your tutor know which news items or issues you would like to discuss in your next News Junkie Club Meeting
The easiest way to do that is to email your tutor the URL of the web resources you would like your groupmates to discuss. It also makes sense to add 4-5 discussion questions so that every club meeting participant could contemplate the issues that you find to be worth discussing.
TEMPLATE (email)
subject: ELN project – News Junkie Club Meeting, Date + London Time/BST, Your Display Name, ARTICLE URL & Qs
ARTICLE
URL
POSSIBLE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
(the kinds of questions that can spark a lively conversation are rather special
– note the difference between comprehension checking questions and discussion ones)
What do you think of … ?
Is/are …. the same or different in your country/area?
Do you think …. in the future?
Why do you think …. ?
Do you agree that …. ?
What are the pros and cons of … ?
If you were responsible for …, what would you do?
etc
EXAMPLE #1
TOPIC Climate Change – rising sea levels
Name of Article: Shanghai Struggles to Save Itself from the Sea
Article URL http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=shanghai-struggles-to-save-itself-from-east-china-sea
POSSIBLE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
What do you think of … ?
Is/are …. the same or different in your country/area?
Do you think …. in the future?
Why do you think …. ?
Do you agree that …. ?
What are the pros and cons of … ?
If you were responsible for …, what would you do?
etc
EXAMPLE #2 (a real lesson that happened on Tuesday, 27 September, 2011)
TOPIC Nippers
Related Videos: URLs
POSSIBLE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Could you tell me (*why the Nipper movement is so popular in Australia)? (*note the word order!)
2. Have you ever seen anything similar in your country or other countries?
3. What kind of training DO they get? // Do you know (*what kind of training _ they get)? (*note the word order!)
4. Why do children and their parents like to participate in Nipper training?
5. What are the advantages and disadvantages to/of being a Nipper?