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A Comprehensive CEFR C1/C2 Course Bridging Global Challenges and Personal Relevance

Nomination Description

Teenage Issues is an advanced language supplementary course tailored for CEFR C1/C2 students, featuring 10 comprehensive units that delve into both pressing global challenges and personal topics. The curriculum covers significant societal issues such as climate change and teenage aggression, along with subjects closer to students’ daily lives, such as the impacts of social media, evolving teenager-parent relationships, and the dynamics of traveling with peers versus family.

Uniquely, the course design empowers students by allowing them to select five of the ten topics, ensuring the content is directly relevant and engaging to them. This participatory approach not only boosts motivation but also fosters a deeper connection to the material, as students explore themes they are genuinely interested in.

The primary objective of Issues is to equip learners with the tools necessary to express their opinions confidently and effectively. Through engaging texts, critical thinking exercises, and structured writing tasks, the course enhances students’ language skills. It encourages active participation in discussions and strengthens writing abilities by providing targeted vocabulary, structured brainstorming sessions, and a thorough contextual understanding, all aimed at fostering meaningful conversations and reflections.

 

Structure of the Course

The course is divided into two sections:

1. Core Units:
   The program includes five mandatory units focusing on global and social issues, such as:
   • Climate Change
   • Teenage Aggression and Bullying
2. Elective Units:
   Students personalize their learning by selecting five additional units from a list of eight topics tailored to their interests and experiences. Options include:
   • Social Media Overexposure
   • Teenager-Parent Relationships
   • Traveling with Parents or Friends
   • Shopping and Consumer Habits

Each unit is structured to maximize engagement and critical thinking:

• Initial Questionnaire:
  Each unit begins with a questionnaire that invites students to share their initial opinions and experiences, setting the stage for deeper exploration.
• Core Reading Material:
  The first text in each unit provides an in-depth analysis of the topic, introducing students to essential vocabulary and key concepts. A secondary text, often formatted as a blog or forum post, presents alternative perspectives, fostering a more nuanced understanding.
• Critical Thinking Activities:
  Interactive sections encourage collaborative discussions in pair or group formats, allowing students to articulate and debate their viewpoints effectively.
• Final Writing Task:
  To consolidate learning, students are tasked with expressing their opinions on the topic through structured writing assignments, such as opinion essays, blog posts, or reviews. By this stage, students have acquired the relevant vocabulary and insights to present their ideas confidently and persuasively.

By integrating real-world issues with student-centered learning, Issues ensures a holistic approach to language acquisition, empowering learners to express themselves with clarity and confidence in both written and spoken communication.