Unit 2 Growing pains

Part One Teaching Design

Aims and requirements

♦ Read a play about an American family and two letters

♦ Listen to a radio talk show

♦ Talk about problems common to teenagers

♦ Present a dialogue

♦ Write an advice letter

procedures

●Welcome to the Unit

Step 1: Brainstorming

1. Do you love your parents? Do you think you show respect to your parents?

2. Do you sometimes quarrel with your parents? How do arguments usually happen? Will you give examples of kinds of problems you sometimes have with your parents.

Some parents may interfere in their children's lives and try to influence their decisions about their future career or study plans.

Parents may want to make decisions for their children and also force them into doing things they don't want to, such as household chores or extra study.

Some parents don't always trust that their child is telling the truth. They may ask lots of questions about a child's social activities or the reason why they are late coming home, etc.

Some of the problems we have been discussing are quite common in families nowadays. What should you do to deal with these problems?

Do you nowadays always listen to your parents' instructions? Do you always explain yourselves to your parents and resolve problems peacefully? Or do you disobey your parents and quarrel with them about your decisions?

In every family there are certain issues that cause problems and arguments. What are the most common causes of family arguments? Are these daily conflicts over doing homework, doing household chores and going to bed and getting up on time? Or are they over bigger issues such as study, careers, university and making friends?

Step 2: Discussing and practicing

1. Look at each picture carefully. There are four pictures here. First of all, I'd like you to imagine the situation and try to describe it with your own words.

(The teacher can show an example to students by describing the first picture.)