UNIT 6: IT’S YOUR CALL

WRITING

WARM-UP

Do you usually use mobile phones in class?

Do teachers feel happy when they see you use mobile phones in class?

Do you think that schools should ban mobile phones?

WRITING LESSON

Match the words in the left column with their correct meanings in the right column

1. administrative A. Refuse to do what a law/person says

2. disobey B. Connected with organizing the work of a business or institution

3. disturb C. Make sure that something happens

4. ensure D. Interrupt someone/something

Match the words in the left column with their correct meanings in the right column

1. administrative B. Connected with organizing the work of a business or institution

2. disobey A. Refuse to do what a law/person says

3. disturb D. Interrupt someone/something

4. ensure C. Make sure that something happens

USE OF MOBILE PHONES IN CLASS

• You are going to read a text about a woman who spent a day

with her mobile phone switched off as part of an experiment.

• Seven sentences have been removed from the text. Choose

from sentences A-H the one which best fits each gap (1-7).

There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use.

IntroductionThis report describes problems caused by the use of mobile phones by students, and makes recommendations concerning their use in the school. The information comes from interviews with class teachers and administrative class.

Problems1. There is a rule that students should turn off their phones during lesson time. However, many students either forget or disobey this rule. Their phones often ring during class time and this interrupts the class and disturbs other students.2. Some younger students use their phones to send text messages or play games during class.3. We have had many complaints from parents and students that mobile phones have been lost or stolen in the school.

RecommendationsBecause of these problems, we recommend that no student should be allowed to bring a mobile phone to school. There are several public phones in the school, which students can use if necessary. These should be regularly checked to ensure they are in good working order.

Task 1: Answer these following questions

1. What is the purpose of this report? 2. How can you know that?3. How many main parts does this report have?

What are they?4. What are the purposes of each part?5. Is the language used in this report formal or

informal? Why?6. Does this report have the signature or greeting

parts like a letter?

1. To give information about the use of mobile phones in class.

2. Because the title/heading of the report says that.3. Three parts: introduction, problems and

recommendations.4. The introduction gives an overview about the issue.

The problems mention the difficulties.The recommendations mention the suggestions to

make the problem better.5. Formal. Because it has no contracted forms, phrasal

verbs and use some polite verbs such as: recommendations, should,…

6. No.

FORMAT OF A REPORT

Title

Introduction

Problems

Recommendations

You are a student at a language school. Teachers have complained about the use of mobile phones by students in class. As a result, the director of the school wants to ban mobile phones completely at school.

TASK 2

The language of the report is too informal.

The student’s teacher has underlined the

parts of the report that should be changed.

Use the words and phrases below to make

the necessary changes and write the

corrected report in the notebook.

• IntroductionThis report explains why mobile phones are important for students, and makes recommendations for their use in the school. (1)I had a word with (2)a few students and a couple of parents too. • Why mobile phones are necessary(3)You might need to phone home (4)if you miss the bus or something. Some parents (5)can get really worried if (6)you’re not home on time.(7)You parents might need to (8)get in touch with you (9)in a hurry. (10)Your uncle or someone like that might have been taken to hospital or (11)something else might have happened

• RecommendationsEveryone agrees that mobile phones can (12)get on your nerves but they can (13)come in handy sometimes. We recommend that students should check that phones are switched off before classes start. (14)Still, (15)we think you should let us bring them to school.

• a) urgently• b) several students and their

parents• c) It might be necessary• d) be irritating• e) if a student has transport

problems• f) be extremely useful at times• g) Students’ parents• h) can become anxious• i) A relative• j) contact them• k) some other emergency may

have occurred• l) their son or daughter is late

home• m) we do not believe they should

be banned• n) I interviewed• o) Nevertheless

• IntroductionThis report explains why mobile phones are important for students, and makes recommendations for their use in the school. (1) n) I interviewed (2) b) several students and their parents. • Why mobile phones are necessary(3) c) It might be necessary to phone home (4) e) if a student has transport problems. Some parents (5) h) can become anxious if (6) l) their son or daughter is late home.• (7) g) Students’ parents might need to (8) j) contact them (9) a)

urgently. (10) i) A relative might have been taken to hospital or (11) k) some other emergency may have occurred

• Recommendations• Everyone agrees that mobile phones can (12) d) be irritating but

they can (13) f) be extremely useful at times. We recommend that students should check that phones are switched off before classes start. (14) o) Nevertheless, (15) m) we do not believe they should be banned.

HOMEWORKYou are a student at a language school. Teachers have complained that some students are spending too much time using the computers with Internet connection to visit chat rooms and send email messages to friends. They say this is not a proper use of the school’s equipment and want the director to ban anyone who does this from using the room.

Write a report for the director of the school explaining why Internet access is important and should be available to everyone. Make recommendations about ways in which the situation can be controlled.

Write a report in 120-180 words.