Topic: “Death Penalty. For and Against”
Aims:
- To review the words on the topic "Crime and Punishment"
- To practise listening-comprehension.
- To teach the students to express their ideas supporting or opposing to somebody's views.
- To improve the skills of working in groups.
- To bring up to be tolerant, merciful and just.
Resources: Tape recorder, texts on the topic "Death Penalty", a table, lists of words, papers with tasks.
Steps:
Introduction:
Crime and Punishment. This problem is very urgent nowadays because the crime rate in different spheres of our life has been increasing, especially in this country. Today I would like us to discuss the problems of punishment as it is difficult to choose the right punishment and there are different attitudes to the sorts of punishing criminals.
Warming Up:
Let us start with the statement: "The stricter the punishment, the lesser the crime rate, or is it?"
Comment on it expressing your view.
Speech Drills:
Read the list of crimes and say what sorts of crimes are usually considered serious enough for the death penalty.
Assault
Manslaughter
Blackmail
Fraud
Robbery
Pick pocketing
Shoplifting
Mugging
Burglary
Theft
Murder
Car jacking
Tell if death penalty exists in this country.
(The teacher gives some information about capital punishment in different times illustrating that the attitude to this problem was and is not simple).
Listening:
Listen to Michael Swarovski, a candidate for the Senate in the State of Taxis. In this radio interview he gives his views on the death penalty. Is he for or against? Checking the listening-comprehension.
1. Look at the numbers. What do these numbers on the tape refer to?
32 500 2 20 100,000 3 million
2. Here are some points on the other side of the argument. What does Mr. Swarovsky say about each of these points?
a. We must not kill a person just to save money.
b. A killer can be treated by a psychologist and become a normal person.
c. Revenge is not the same as justice. We must look for the right punishment.
d. While a prisoner is alive, he has hope.
e. The death penalty does not stop killers.
Speaking:
Britain gave up using the death penalty in 1965. In the argument for and against this issue, what does the table mean to you? (The students look at the table on the BB)
Reading:
Read some information about the attitude to the death penalty in other countries and
comment on it.
(The students read the information)
Role-Playing:
Some of your classmates got the task to write a screenplay for a film about a murder. Listen to the dialogue between a man who is going to be executed tomorrow morning, and a priest who is visiting him.
Speak about the feeling the murder has. Must we take the murder's feelings into consideration judging him?
Debates:
We've discussed some points of view on the capital (death) punishment. I guess we are ready to have debates on this topic.
To get ready for this I'd like you to make your mind what you are for and think over your arguments.
For our debates we'll need those who will speak for their opponents and two speakers to organize the talk.
(The students choose parts and get ready for the debates)
Debates:
The students discuss their "for and against" and make a conclusion.
*** Additional Task: I see that you are aware of the problem. Imagine that you are writing a letter to Mr. Swarovsky what you would write.
Start your letter like this:
"I heard your interview on the radio this morning. I would just like to tell you.... ".
Finishing the lesson:
The teacher thanks the students for their work and asks what their attitude to the lesson is, if they find it interesting or not.