Learning English with CBC
Listening Lessons for Intermediate Students
Based on CBC Manitoba Radio Broadcasts
December 14, 2012
Lesson 84: Teacher’s Edition
Level: CLB 5 and up
Topic: The Christmas Season
Language Skills and Functions: Listening – listening to a short interview for fact and detail
Speaking – expressing opinions
Reading – reading a text for main ideas
Writing – filling in a form
Language Competencies: Vocabulary, Pronunciation, Listening and Speaking Strategies, Socio-cultural/sociolinguistic Competence
Language Tasks: Discussing holiday traditions in different cultures
Using new vocabulary in context
Listening for fact and detail in a radio interview about Operation Christmas Child, a gift-giving program for needy children
Expressing opinions on the role of faith in gift-giving
Using seasonal vocabulary - matching words with pictures
Finding information about the Christmas Cheer Board on the organization’s website and answering detail questions
Filling out a Feed-A-Family form for the Christmas Cheer Board
Using reading strategies to read the text “Canadian Schools struggle with what to do about Christmas” and summarize the main ideas
Essential Skills: Reading text, working with others, oral communication, writing
Worksheets[1]: 1. Find the Correct Definition
2. Listen for Fact and Detail
3. Think, Pair, Share – The Role of Faith in Gift-Giving
4. Seasonal Vocabulary Match
5. Find Information on the Christmas Cheer Board Website
6. Complete a Feed-A-Family Request Form
7. Read a News Story and Summarize the Main Ideas
Appendices: Transcript of the podcast
Text: Canadian schools struggle with what to do about Christmas
Manitoba Memo
It seems that the moment Halloween is over, the Christmas season begins. During November and December, the evidence of the holiday season is everywhere in Manitoba. Christmas lights go up on homes, storefronts and city streets. Shopping malls get ready for the bustle of Christmas shopping and play carols on their audio systems. Churches host carol services and display nativity scenes. Santa makes appearances all over town. Television and radio ads and newspaper flyers bombard us with gift-giving ideas. Supermarket isles are full of holiday treats like mandarin oranges, candy canes, shortbread and chocolate.
Have the commercial aspects of Christmas taken over the spiritual message of the holiday? Although many continue to celebrate the religious roots of the holiday, Christmas is increasingly seen by many Canadians as a non-religious celebration. They see the season as one of traditions, family get-togethers and as a time to celebrate peace and goodwill toward others. Perhaps the movement away from a faith-based celebration is simply a reflection of changes in Canadian society. The percentage of Canadians who consider themselves Christians is declining, while the percentage of atheists and of non-Christian religions is growing.
If Christmas isn’t your holiday, what do you do when the sights and sounds of the season are all around you? That’s a question Jewish immigrants to Canada have struggled with for decades. Do you effectively “boycott” the holiday, or do you join in? Jewish people in Canada have done a little of both. Some people of Jewish faith believe that the true meaning of their own December holiday, Hanukkah, has been overpowered by Christmas. They fear that the roots of Hanukkah have been forgotten and the message of Hanukkah and of Christmas have become intertwined. Some families have changed or added to the Hanukkah traditions of candles and small monetary gifts and moved toward giving their children larger gifts – similar to those their children’s friends would receive from Santa.
Schools also struggle with how to maintain the Christmas traditions many enjoy, but at the same time, ensure that students who don’t celebrate Christmas don’t feel left out.
What is the best way to accommodate those amongst us who don’t celebrate Christmas? While some favour banning Christmas concerts and Christian symbols altogether, others believe these moves go too far. One suggested compromise is to encourage families from all faiths and cultures to build their own cultural and religious traditions throughout the year. Schools, workplaces and neighbours can then share aspects of these various celebrations with each other.
Even if you do not celebrate Christmas, you can learn about it and participate in some of its traditions. You can volunteer with the Christmas Cheer Board or find another way to help a needy family. You can share in the many seasonal traditions that bring people together at this time of year. Then, when your own holidays and important events take place, you can invite friends and colleagues from other cultures to share some of your traditions. That’s the kind of reciprocal sharing that helps build a strong multicultural society.
Pre-listening activities
1. Discuss holiday traditions as a class
Ask students to reflect on holiday traditions in their community and to think about ways that people share with others during these holidays. Discuss the following questions as a class:
} What is a main holiday that you and your family celebrate?
} How do you celebrate this holiday? Do you have family gatherings, special food, gift exchanges etc.?
} Does the holiday include special traditions where people share with others? For example, are there community events where large groups of people receive a free meal or give gifts to others?
} Who would organize this kind of community event? Would it be a temple, mosque, synagogue, church or another organization?
} Do faith groups incorporate a religious aspect into their gift–giving? For example, are people who receive a free meal expected to attend a religious service? Would a gift include a message about the faith of the organization providing the gift?
2. Vocabulary
Elicit or present key vocabulary that students need to understand prior to listening to the podcast (see suggested vocabulary and explanations which follow). You can write the words on the board and elicit possible meanings from the class or break students into groups and give each group a few words to review. Groups can then present the vocabulary to the rest of the class. You can also ask students to mark the syllables and stress for each word, identify word families and practise pronouncing the words. You may want to ask students to think of sentences that use the new vocabulary. If your students keep a vocabulary journal, they can copy the vocabulary into their journal.
Vocabulary
a season A season is the usual time of time of year when something takes place. Examples of seasons are the Christmas holiday season and the flu season.
a gift exchange A gift exchange is when you give a gift to someone and you get a gift back from them.
Operation Christmas Child Operation Christmas Child is the name of a program operated by a Christian Ministry called Samaritan’s Purse. The Ministry works with churches and schools in many countries to collect shoeboxes filled with small gifts. The shoeboxes are distributed to needy children around the world. The gift is often accompanied by information on Jesus Christ and Christianity.
to participate in something If you participate in something, you take part in it.
a ministry The work done by a religious person or group as a result of their religious beliefs is sometimes referred to as the work of a ministry.
essentially Essentially is a synonym for basically. It is used when you want to state the most basic facts about something. For example: Operation Christmas Child is essentially or basically a gift exchange program that gives gifts to children in many countries around the world.
a global program A global program operates in many countries.
typically The word typically is used to describe the way a particular type of thing usually happens. For example: Typically, we don’t usually do a lot of work in class the week before the Christmas holiday break.
a personal item A personal item is an item that belongs or relates to one particular person, rather than to other people or to people in general. For example: Among the personal items I brought with me are my hairbrush and my toothbrush.
impoverished children If a child is impoverished, it means that they and their family are very poor.
to put a heavy emphasis
on something If you put or place a heavy emphasis on something, it means that you pay special attention to it or you stress its importance.
to be heavily weighted If something is heavily weighted in a certain direction or a certain way, it means you give it a special advantage. For example: The contents of the shoeboxes are heavily weighted toward items that children could use at school. Most of the contents of the box are things like pencils and erasers.
hygiene items Hygiene items are items you use to help you stay clean. They can also help prevent disease. For example, using a hygiene item like soap to wash your hands reduces the likelihood you will become ill due to germs.
a facecloth A facecloth is a small square cloth that is used to wash your face.
a bouncing ball A bouncing ball is a ball that moves immediately up and away from a surface after it hits it. Bouncing balls are usually small in size.
to be squished up If you squish something up, you press it into a flatter and smaller shape. For example: After you let the air out of that beach ball, squish it up so it can easily fit in your suitcase.
a pump A pump is a piece of equipment used to put air in something, for example, a tire or a ball.
hoopla Hoopla is an expression used to describe a situation that gets a lot of attention and where people get very excited. For example: There was a lot of hoopla and excitement when IKEA opened its new store in Winnipeg.
apparently We use the word apparently when we want to say that we have heard something is true, but we aren’t completely sure that’s the case. For example: Apparently our school is going to put a float in the parade. That’s what my friend heard and she’s pretty sure it’s true.
to move someone emotionally If you move someone emotionally, you make them feel strong emotions, for example sadness or sympathy. For example: Our class was very moved when we heard our classmate’s story. It made us sad to think about all the challenges his family faced before they came to Canada.
3. Vocabulary match activity - select the correct definition
Hand out Worksheet 1. Ask students to work with a partner to complete it. Take up the answers as a class.
4. Predict what the interview is about
In this interview, Joff Schmidt interviews Lori Bettig of Grant Memorial Church. Lori is involved in a gift exchange called Operation Christmas Child. In this gift exchange, shoeboxes filled with small gifts are sent to needy children in many different countries. Ask students if they can predict what kinds of items might be packed in the shoeboxes.
Here are a few examples:
One item that might be packed in the shoebox is… shoes.
Maybe the shoeboxes are packed with…small toys and books.
I wonder if they pack…candy or other food.
Perhaps they pack…sports equipment.
While-listening activities
1. Introduce the podcast
Tell students that in this podcast, they will hear three speakers. They will hear:
Marcy Markusa – host
Joff Schmidt – interviewer
Lori Bettig – Volunteer for Operation Christmas Child
2. Listen for facts and details
Handout Worksheet 2 and review it with students. Ask students to work with a partner to complete it. Take up the answers as a class.
After-listening activities
1. Review pre-listening predictions
Ask students whether they were able to predict things that were packed in the shoeboxes.
2. Think, pair, share on the role of faith in gift-giving
Handout and review Worksheet 3. After students have shared their opinions with their partner, discuss the topic as a class.
Extension activities
1. Match the seasonal picture with the vocabulary word
Handout and review Worksheet 4. Ask students to work individually or with a partner. Take up the answers as a class.
2. Find information on the Christmas Cheer Board website and answer detail questions
Handout and review Worksheet 5. Ask students to work with a partner. Take up the answers as a class.
3. Fill out the Christmas Cheer Board’s Feed-A-Family form
Handout and review Worksheet 6. Ask students to work with a partner to complete it.
4. Use reading strategies to read the text “Canadian Schools struggle with what to do about Christmas”
Handout and review Worksheet 7. Ask students to work in groups of four to complete it.
Want to know more…
The website for the Christmas Cheer Board is: www.christmascheerboard.ca/
The website for Operation Christmas Child is:
www.samaritanspurse.ca/operation-christmas-child/
CBC does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of external websites
Worksheet 1: Find the Correct Definition
Can you find the definition for the following vocabulary words and phrases? Work with your partner. Which of the answers is the correct match? The first one is completed for you as an example. Use your dictionary if you need help.
1. a season
a) the best time for something to happen
b) the usual time when something happens
c) the exact date when something happens
2. a gift exchange
a) a monetary donation to a cause
b) a gift certificate
c) when you give a gift to someone and you get a gift back from them
3. participating
a) taking part
b) practising
c) waiting for
4. essentially
a) especially
b) hardly
c) basically
5. a personal item
a) something that belongs to you
b) something that belongs to your family
c) something that is private
6. impoverished
a) powerless
b) very poor
c) imperfect
7. to emphasize
a) to put special importance on something
b) to recommend
c) to increase in size
8. hygiene
a) someone who works in a dental office
b) beauty routines
c) grooming habits that keep you healthy
9. to squish
a) to twist
b) to flatten
c) to mix