1. The following statements are against (A) or for (F) BREXIT?
o 1.Save millions ($) in fees and invest this money in new industries.
o 2.Leaving doesn’t mean reduced immigration. UK would have to accept the free movement of people in order to remain in the European common market.
o 3.Britain can negotiate a new trade relationship with the EU without being a member.
o 4.EU has one regulation standard for all its members, which reduces red tape and benefits business.
o 5.A boom in employment as businesses are free from EU laws.
o 6.The UK can return control over employment law, health and safety measures, where it disagrees with EU regulations.
o 7.Savings outweighed by the costs to keep access to single market.
o 8.Britain can change the immigration system that offers an open door to EU citizens and blocks non- EU immigrants who could contribute to the UK.
o 9.Britain avoids exporting tariffs and red tape, which is important as 45% of its exports go to EU.
o 10.Job losses when companies move to lower-cost EU countries.
2. Put the arguments of ex.1 under each of the following categories:
Against / Argument about: / ForTrade
Immigration
Regulation
Jobs
Membership fee
3. What happens next?
4. Check (P) the topics mentioned in the video:
The new prime minister
UK current status in the EU
New referendum
UK choices regarding business with the EU
UK/EU citizens’ status
The collapse of the EU
4. All the following are wrong. Correct them, then watch the video again to see if you are right.
1. The UK will leave immediately.
2. Europe’s main leaders are pleased with BREXIT.
3. There is a 2-year process starting now to regulate the exit.
4. The UK will not do business with the EU anymore.
5. EU citizens living in the UK will have to leave.
6. The laws in the UK will still be the same.
Video taken from: http://www.bbc.com/news/video_and_audio/headlines/36616378
Teacher’s page (for 1h30m class):
Warm-up: Ask Students what they know about the EU, how it works and their opinion of it (pair work). Then write the word Brexit on the board and ask if they know what it means, briefly explain the referendum on the 23rd of June.
Ex.1 – I made some paper strips with each of the arguments for pair work, but you can just give the hand-out and they do by themselves before discussing with their colleagues. Students decide about each argument and discuss them, teacher corrects it.
Answer 1/2 (against in grey): Save millions ($) in fees and invest this money in new industries. (membership fees)
Leaving doesn’t mean reduced immigration. UK would have to accept the free movement of people in order to remain in the European common market. (immigration)
Britain can negotiate a new trade relationship with the EU without being a member. (trade)
EU has one regulation standard for all its members, which reduces red tape and benefits business. (regulation)
A boom in employment as businesses are free from EU laws. (jobs)
The UK can return control over employment law, health and safety measures, where it disagrees with EU regulations. (regulation)
Savings outweighed by the costs to keep access to single market. (membership fees)
Britain can change the immigration system that offers an open door to EU citizens and blocks non- EU immigrants who could contribute to the UK. (immigration)
Britain avoids exporting tariffs and red tape, which is important as 45% of its exports go to EU.(trade)
Job losses when companies move to lower-cost EU countries. (jobs)
Ex.2 – Students must find out which argument belongs to which category. Elicit the categories before going to the exercise (helps if you fold the paper after ex 1); by asking questions: how is it called the activity of buying and selling goods?
Ex.3 – listening for gist: Remember to pre-teach any possibly problematic vocab. Answer: UK current status in the EU/ UK choices regarding business with the EU/ UK/EU citizens’ status
Ex. 4 – listening for detail: Answer:
1. The UK won’t leave immediately.
2. Europe’s main leaders aren’t pleased with BREXIT.
3. There is a 2-year process starting now once the exit is officially announced to regulate the exit.
4. The UK will keep doing business with the EU anymore.
5. EU citizens living in the UK might have to leave. No one ones what will happen
6. The laws in the UK will have to be adapted/changed.
To finish you can role-play conversations between someone against and someone for brexit.