SDG 04 - Quality Education: Year 09

BeMED 18. Young journalists in action!

Title Young journalists in action! Author Audrey Gauci Age Guide Year 7-10 Subject Area English Language (but can be adapted to other languages) Preparation Time Preparation of interview / questionnaires to conduct an investigation in a coastal village/town. Estimated Duration 20 mins – reporting skills 20 mins – information session on marine litter 40 mins – discussion and creation of interview questions 40 mins – investigation outside school / online 40 mins – evaluation and reporting of investigation Site Any site related to the theme chosen – preferably a coastal area where marine litter is most prominent. Educational objectives –   Adhere to the requirements of the English syllabus in relation to report writing –   Learn how to investigate, be critical and assess comments and opinions expressed by others –   Express themselves in journalistic-style writing –   Work in teams Report Writing Report writing involves the production of a formal, informative and systematically presented text concerning a situation, person, place or plan. Report writing needs to evidence three clear characteristics: (a) adherence to the original request or brief; (b) a sustained perspective of who the report is supposedly being written by; and (c) an awareness of intended audience. Candidates should be able to: –    Select which type of report to write in response to a question. –    Employ a formal style of writing. –    State the purpose of the report in the introductory paragraph. –    Organise content by means of separate paragraphs clearly marked with subheadings. – Demonstrate an awareness of intended audience. Learning Outcomes Creative learning: –    I can participate in writing for a wide range of purposes and genres. Expressive language: – I can report, both in speech and in writing, what others have said or written. Managing learning – I can edit and revise my own writing. – I can write appropriately for an audience and with a purpose. – I can vary what I write according to the intended reader Learning to know: – I can justify the importance of identifying problems, reflecting critically, thinking creatively and having a wider vision in order to plan for the future and become an effective agent of change. Learning to do: –   I can use the natural, social and built environment that surrounds me, as a context and source of learning. Learning to be: –   I am a critically reflective person and am able to evaluate decisions, choices and actions. Learning to live together: –    I will challenge unsustainable practices across educational systems, including at the institutional level. Link to SDGs SDG 4: Quality education SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Community* SDG 13: Climate Change SDG 14: Life below water* SDG 15: Life on land* *depends on the theme students select Educational resources required Video tutorials on reporting, in particular to report writing: https://www.yre.global/video-tutorials Interview guide: https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/articles/teaching-content/how-conduct-journalistic-interview/ Appendix 18.1 – Optional PowerPoint (Kindly send email on [email protected] if you wish to obtain this Powerpoint) Internet connection Remote preparation Since both investigation and reporting are required, a session on appropriate reporting skills is …

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Learn About SDG 4 – Quality Education (Year 9 – Year 11)

Ensure Inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. LEARN about SDG 4 by clicking on this link. For all the details and statistics about the targets of SDG No 4 access this link.  

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Follow Up SDG 4 – Malala – The voice of 66 million girls (Year 9 – Year 11)

Around the world 66 million girls wish they could go to school, however unfortunately for various reasons they cannot. Brainstorm together with your elder siblings and/or parents/guardians to try and make a list of what the barriers to education for these girls might be. Now watch this video to find 13 reasons why girls are not in school. Did you guess any of them? Now watch this video. It is around 26 minutes long BUT it is really worth watching. Malala Yousafzai: Nobel Peace Prize Lecture 2014 Why should girls go to school? Why is it important for them? Why shouldn’t they have the right to go to school? During her Nobel Prize speech Malala mentions the 17 Sustainable Development Goals but still finds a lot of shortcomings. Can you mention just a few? Can you find ONE of her most salient quotes in this memorable speech and create a poster with a speech bubble to share it with your family and friends to raise more awareness about the importance of education for all.   For further reading you may wish to borrow or buy the book: I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and was Shot by the Taliban There is also a Maltese version.

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Follow Up SDG 4 – Child labour! (Year 9 – Year 11)

Watch this video: Special report: Inside the Congo cobalt mines that exploit children After these children were discovered working in appalling conditions they were re-traced to offer them a schooling opportunity… Special report: Revisiting the cobalt-mining boys The boarding school is 100 miles away but his father agrees to give his son a chance just the same. How do you think Dorsen’s father feels? How does Dorsen feel? Dorsen might be saved for now as thanks to the media coverage he received people felt really sorry for him ….but what about the thousands of children having to work in atrocious conditions and missing school? What chance do they stand? Are there any companies that are trying to minimise these bad conditions?  Trying to obtain raw materials like cobalt from a more sustainable source? Without having to resort to child labour? When you start nagging for your first mobile or to buy a new one do you ever consider if any child was harmed in the production lines? Is there a way you can know? Are there any labels that puts your mind at rest that no child/ worker was harmed or treated unfairly in the production of your mobile phone? Can you carry out some research to find out if such labels exist?

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Follow Up SDG 4 – Playing truant! (Year 9 – Year 11)

Absenteeism in Malta. In which year did schooling become compulsory in Malta? Carry out some research to find an official date. Over the years the education system in Malta has changed a lot. Yet some students do not attend school. Download and read this document. Browse through the document to find out the main reasons why students are skipping school. Find them and list them. Imagine that you are the Minister for Education and Employment. Choose ONE reason from the list and try to think of a SMART way how to get these students back. Download the SMART goals template form from the attachments and set yourself a plan to respond to ONE of the needs to convince students to return to school.

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Follow Up SDG 4 – A time-bomb! (Year 9 – Year 11)

What is the state doing to assist these students? One of the plans to try and respond to these needs is the My Journey vision. Download the document from this link to investigate if this new vision truly responds to the needs of these students. Can you find anything in this document that is similar to those you have set in your SMART goals template? Besides the My Journey vision the Ministry has also launched the ALP – Alternative Learning Programme. Try to browse on the internet to check what it entails. Here is a video that you might find helpful. What do you think? Is the programme catering for any of the needs mentioned in the absenteeism document? A statement that we came across about the effectiveness of this programme is; ‘A time bomb ready to explode!’ To see why and to read about the Ministry’s reaction go to this link. What is your opinion? Discuss!

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