. Person of the Year - ESL Lesson Plan - Breaking News English Lesson
Person of the Year - ESL Lesson Plan - Breaking News English Lesson
Person of the Year - ESL Lesson Plan - Breaking News English Lesson

Breaking News English Lesson: Person of the Year

TIME magazine has announced its 2025 Person of the Year. The annual award goes to a group of people: the "architects of AI". The accolade is bestowed on "the person or persons who most affected the news and our lives, for good or ill, and embodied what was important about the year, for better or for worse". Some of these architects appear on TIME's two cover photos. They include the CEOs of Google DeepMind, Meta, Nvidia, OpenAI, and Tesla. TIME said the technology magnates brought about "one of the biggest physical infrastructure projects of all time." It described 2025 as the year that AI "roared into view," showing its world-changing potential.

TIME's editor-in-chief, Sam Jacobs, commented on the decision to recognize the AI architects. He wrote: "It was hard to read or watch anything without being confronted with news about the rapid advancement of a technology and the people driving it. Those stories unleashed a million debates about how disruptive AI would be for our lives. No business leader could talk about the future without invoking the impact of this technological revolution. No parent or teacher could ignore how their teenager or student was using it." He also noted the "trade-offs" associated with AI. These included vast energy requirements, job losses, the proliferation of misinformation, and cyberattacks.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

  • https://time.com/7339685/person-of-the-year-2025-ai-architects/
  • https://techcrunch.com/2025/12/11/time-names-architects-of-ai-its-person-of-the-year/
  • https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/12/11/time-person-of-the-year-2025-architects-ai/87714617007/

Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

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News

"Much has been said and written on the utility of newspapers; but one principal advantage which might be derived from these publications has been neglected; we mean that of reading them in schools."

The Portland Eastern Herald (June 8, 1795)

"News is history in its first and best form, its vivid and fascinating form, and. history is the pale and tranquil reflection of it."

Mark Twain, in his autobiography (1906)

"Current events provide authentic learning experiences for students at all grade levels. In studying current events, students are required to use a range of cognitive, affective, critical thinking and research skills."

Haas, M. and Laughlin, M. (2000) Teaching Current Events: It's Status in Social Studies Today.

Warm-ups

1. A.I.: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about A.I. Change partners often and share your findings. 2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life? magazines / Person of the Year / architects / AI / CEOs / technology / infrastructure / editor / decision / news / debates / the future / revolution / job losses / cyberattacks Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently. 3. AI ARCHITECTS: Students A strongly believe the architects of AI will change the world for the good; Students B strongly believe the opposite. Change partners again and talk about your conversations. 4. PERSON OF THE YEAR: Who should be person of 2025 in these categories? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

Who?

Why?

Technology

Politics

Sport

Business

Film

Gaming

MY e-BOOK See a sample
  • 24/7 availabilty
  • Personalization
  • Cost reduction
  • Innovation
  • Research
  • Learning English
  • Digital creativeness
  • Customer service
Vocabulary

Paragraph 1

1. architects a. Shown clearly in a person or thing. 2. accolade b. Given to someone, often as an honour. 3. bestowed on c. Praise or an award given to someone. 4. ill d. Basic systems like roads, bridges, and power that a country needs. 5. embodied e. People who are responsible for inventing or realizing a particular idea or project. 6. magnates f. Bad or harmful. 7. infrastructure g. Very rich and powerful business people.

Paragraph 2

8. confronted h. Calling on or using something, like a rule or idea. 9. unleashed i. Very big or very large. 10. disruptive j. Situations where you give up one thing to get another. 11. invoking k. Caused a strong force to be released or become uncontrolled. 12. trade-offs l. Fast growth or increase in number. 13. vast m. Faced a difficult situation or problem. 14. proliferation n. Causing problems or big changes to the normal way. Before reading / listening 1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).
  1. The TIME Person of the Year is the person who invented AI. T / F
  2. The Person of the Year is only for people who have benefitted the world. T / F
  3. TIME said magnets were responsible for infrastructure projects. T / F
  4. TIME said 2025 is the year AI showed its potential to change the world. T / F
  5. An editor at TIME suggested news of AI was pretty much ubiquitous. T / F
  6. The editor said he wanted one million debates on AI. T / F
  7. The editor said parents could not ignore how teenagers were using AI. T / F
  8. The editor suggested a downside to AI was the energy it required. T / F
2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.
  1. choice
  2. bad
  3. possibilities
  4. huge
  5. reported
  6. let loose
  7. growth
  8. awarded to
  9. causing
  10. entrepreneur
3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)
  1. The annual award goes
  2. who most affected the news and our lives,
  3. technology
  4. one of the biggest physical infrastructure
  5. the year that AI roared
  6. news about the rapid advancement
  7. how disruptive AI would
  8. without invoking the impact of this
  9. vast energy
  10. the proliferation of misinformation,
  1. be for our lives
  2. into view
  3. and cyberattacks
  4. magnates
  5. requirements
  6. for good or ill
  7. technological revolution
  8. to a group of people
  9. of a technology
  10. projects of all time
Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below. ill view bestowed announced potential appear annual magnates

TIME magazine has (1) _________________________________ its 2025 Person of the Year. The (2) _________________________________ award goes to a group of people: the "architects of AI". The accolade is (3) _________________________________ on "the person or persons who most affected the news and our lives, for good or (4) _________________________________, and embodied what was important about the year, for better or for worse". Some of the architects (5) _________________________________ on TIME's two cover photos. They include the CEOs of Google DeepMind, Meta, Nvidia, OpenAI, and Tesla. TIME said the technology (6) _________________________________ brought about "one of the biggest physical infrastructure projects of all time." It described 2025 as the year that AI "roared into (7) _________________________________," showing its world-changing (8) _________________________________.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

confronted associated impact energy decision proliferation debates ignore

TIME's editor-in-chief, Sam Jacobs, commented on the (9) _________________________________ to recognize the AI architects. He wrote: "It was hard to read or watch anything without being (10) _________________________________ with news about the rapid advancement of a technology and the people driving it. Those stories unleashed a million (11) _________________________________ about how disruptive AI would be for our lives. No business leader could talk about the future without invoking the (12) _________________________________ of this technological revolution. No parent or teacher could (13) _________________________________ how their teenager or student was using it." He also noted the "trade-offs" (14) _________________________________ with AI. These included vast (15) _________________________________ requirements, job losses, the (16) _________________________________ of misinformation, and cyberattacks.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) the person or persons who most affected the news and our lives, for ______ a. good aural b. good or will c. good or sick d. good or ill 2) and embodied what was important about the year, for better ______ a. or for worst b. or for wurst c. or for worse d. or for worsen 3) Some of the architects appear on TIME's ______ a. two covered photos b. two covers photos c. two clover photos d. two cover photos 4) brought about one of the biggest physical infrastructure projects ______ a. of all time b. of every time c. off all time d. of fall time 5) It described 2025 as the year that AI ______ a. roared in two views b. roared into view c. roared into a view d. roared unto view

6) TIME's editor-in-chief, Sam Jacobs, commented ______ a. on the deciding b. on the decision c. on the derision d. on the incision 7) It was hard to read or watch anything without being ______ a. confront it with news b. confronted without news c. confronted wither news d. confronted with news 8) Those stories unleashed a million debates about how disruptive ______ a. AI would been b. AI would being c. AI would be d. AI would have 9) No business leader could talk about the future without invoking the ______ a. impact of this b. compact of this c. imprint of this d. impart of this 10) vast energy requirements, job losses, the ______ a. proletariat of misinformation b. profiterole of misinformation c. pro-life ration of misinformation d. proliferation of misinformation

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

TIME magazine has announced its 2025 Person of the Year. The (1) _______________________________________________ to a group of people: the "architects of AI". The accolade is bestowed on "the person or persons who most affected the news and our lives, for (2) _______________________________________________, and embodied what was important about the year, for better or for worse". Some of the (3) _______________________________________________ TIME's two cover photos. They include the CEOs of Google DeepMind, Meta, Nvidia, OpenAI, and Tesla. TIME said the technology (4) _______________________________________________ "one of the biggest physical infrastructure (5) _______________________________________________ time." It described 2025 as the year that AI "roared into view," showing its (6) _______________________________________________.

TIME's editor-in-chief, Sam Jacobs, commented on the (7) _______________________________________________ the AI architects. He wrote: "It was hard to read or watch anything without (8) _______________________________________________ news about the rapid advancement of a technology and the people driving it. Those stories (9) _______________________________________________ debates about how disruptive AI would be for our lives. No business leader could talk about the future without (10) _______________________________________________ of this technological revolution. No parent or teacher (11) _______________________________________________ their teenager or student was using it." He also (12) _______________________________________________ associated with AI. These included vast energy requirements, job losses, the proliferation of misinformation, and cyberattacks.

Comprehension questions
  1. What must the winner of the award do to our lives?
  2. On how many TIME magazine covers did the architects of AI appear?
  3. Who brought one of the biggest physical infrastructure projects ever?
  4. What did an editor at TIME say had "roared into view" in 2025?
  5. What potential did the article say AI had?
  6. What is the job of Sam Jacobs?
  7. What does Sam Jacobs say news stories of AI unleashed?
  8. Who could not talk about the future without discussing the impact of AI?
  9. What did Sam Jacobs say was associated with AI?
  10. What did Sam Jacobs say there was a proliferation of?
Multiple choice quiz

1) What must the winner of the award do to our lives? a) improve them b) affect them c) financially enrich them d) mirror them 2) On how many TIME magazine covers did the architects of AI appear? a) three b) just one c) two d) thousands 3) Who brought one of the biggest physical infrastructure projects ever? a) a Chinese entrepreneur b) workers of the 1920s c) Bill Gates d) technology magnates 4) What did an editor at TIME say had "roared into view" in 2025? a) a lion b) AI c) incredible wealth d) record wealth disparity 5) What potential did the article say AI had? a) world-changing potential b) coding potential c) learning potential d) money-making potential

6) What is the job of Sam Jacobs? a) editor-in-chief at TIME b) chief coder c) industry analyst at a tech company d) an architect of the future 7) What does Sam Jacobs say news stories of AI unleashed? a) uncertainty b) chaos c) a billion new websites d) a million debates 8) Who could not talk about the future without discussing the impact of AI? a) Elon Musk b) Sam Jacobs c) no business leader d) a prominent AI coder 9) What did Sam Jacobs say was associated with AI? a) dread b) IA c) hope d) trade-offs 10) What did Sam Jacobs say there was a proliferation of? a) websites b) misinformation c) award winners d) coding problems

Role play

Role A – 24/7 Availability You think 24/7 availability is the biggest merit of AI. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as good. Also, tell the others which is the least desirable of these (and why): personalization, learning English or digital creativeness.

Role B – Personalization You think personalization is the biggest merit of AI. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as good. Also, tell the others which is the least desirable of these (and why): 24/7 availability, learning English or digital creativeness.

Role C – Learning English You think learning English is the biggest merit of AI. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as good. Also, tell the others which is the least desirable of these (and why): personalization, 24/7 availability or digital creativeness.

Role D – Digital Creativeness You think digital creativeness is the biggest merit of AI. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as good. Also, tell the others which is the least desirable of these (and why): personalization, learning English or 24/7 availability.

After reading / listening

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words.

• Share your findings with your partners.

• Make questions using the words you found.

• Ask your partner / group your questions.

2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

•Share your questions with other classmates / groups. •Ask your partner / group your questions.

3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion - Person of the Year

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

  1. What did you think when you read the headline?
  2. What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'architect'?
  3. Who is your person of the year?
  4. What do you think of the architects of AI getting the award?
  5. Have you ever received an award?
  6. What would you like to receive an award for?
  7. How has AI changed your life?
  8. What do you think of the technology CEOs?
  9. What is the 'world-changing potential' of AI?
  10. What advice do you have for the technology CEOs?

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

  1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
  2. What do you think of when you hear the word 'AI'?
  3. What do you think about what you read?
  4. What recent news have you read about AI?
  5. How will AI disrupt our lives?
  6. How should student be using AI?
  7. What do you think of AI leading to job losses?
  8. How can we protect jobs from being lost because of AI?
  9. What impact is AI having on what we see online?
  10. What questions would you like to ask a tech CEO?
Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

TIME magazine has announced its 2025 Person of the Year. The (1) ____ award goes to a group of people: the "architects of AI". The (2) ____ is bestowed on "the person or persons who most affected the news and our lives, for good or (3) ____, and embodied what was important about the year, for better or for (4) ____". Some of the architects appear on TIME's two cover photos. They include the CEOs of Google DeepMind, Meta, Nvidia, OpenAI, and Tesla. TIME said the technology magnates brought (5) ____ "one of the biggest physical infrastructure projects of all time." It described 2025 as the year that AI "(6) ____ into view," showing its world-changing potential.

TIME's editor-in-chief, Sam Jacobs, commented on the (7) ____ to recognize the AI architects. He wrote: "It was hard to read or watch anything without being (8) ____ with news about the rapid advancement of a technology and the people driving it. Those stories unleashed a million debates about (9) ____ disruptive AI would be for our lives. No business leader could talk about the future (10) ____ invoking the impact of this technological revolution. No parent or teacher could ignore how their teenager or student was using it." He also noted the "trade-offs" associated (11) ____ AI. These included vast energy requirements, job losses, the proliferation (12) ____ misinformation, and cyberattacks.

Which of these words go in the above text?

  1. (a) annually (b) annual (c) annul (d) annulled
  2. (a) accept (b) accrued (c) accented (d) accolade
  3. (a) sick (b) ill (c) unhealthy (d) disorder
  4. (a) worsen (b) worst (c) worse (d) wurst
  5. (a) about (b) up (c) around (d) rough
  6. (a) roared (b) reared (c) raved (d) rowed
  7. (a) deciding (b) deride (c) derision (d) decision
  8. (a) confronted (b) confrontation (c) confront (d) confronts
  9. (a) what (b) how (c) which (d) thus
  10. (a) such (b) thus (c) without (d) and
  11. (a) of (b) with (c) at (d) by
  12. (a) at (b) of (c) on (d) to
Spelling Paragraph 1
  1. dnceannuo its 2025 Person of the Year
  2. anlaun award
  3. ddiboeem what was important about the year
  4. technology stmneaga
  5. the biggest physical rineuctsfrtrua projects
  6. showing its world-changing tolpnaiet
Paragraph 2
  1. being onecrofndt with news
  2. nlausheed a million debates
  3. how rpitvsidue AI would be
  4. ivingonk the impact of this
  5. edrta-fofs associated with AI
  6. misinformation and rtbsktaacyec
Put the text back together

( ) 2025 as the year that AI "roared into view," showing its world-changing potential. ( ) disruptive AI would be for our lives. No business leader could talk about the future without invoking the ( ) energy requirements, job losses, the proliferation of misinformation, and cyberattacks. ( ) group of people: the "architects of AI". The accolade is bestowed on "the person or persons who most affected ( ) impact of this technological revolution. No parent or teacher could ignore how their ( ) magnates brought about "one of the biggest physical infrastructure projects of all time." It described ( ) of Google DeepMind, Meta, Nvidia, OpenAI, and Tesla. TIME said the technology ( ) technology and the people driving it. Those stories unleashed a million debates about how ( ) teenager or student was using it." He also noted the "trade-offs" associated with AI. These included vast ( ) the news and our lives, for good or ill, and embodied what was important about the year, for better or for ( 1 ) TIME magazine has announced its 2025 Person of the Year. The annual award goes to a ( ) TIME's editor-in-chief, Sam Jacobs, commented on the decision to recognize the AI architects. He wrote: "It was hard ( ) to read or watch anything without being confronted with news about the rapid advancement of a ( ) worse". Some of the architects appear on TIME's two cover photos. They include the CEOs

Put the words in the right order
  1. award The to goes group a people of .
  2. It what embodied important was the about year .
  3. of Some architects the on appear photos two .
  4. The physical biggest projects infrastructure all of time .
  5. the It's that year roared AI view into .
  6. The to decision the recognize architects AI .
  7. News the about advancement rapid a of technology .
  8. million A about debates disruptive how is AI .
  9. Talk the about without future the invoking impact .
  10. also He the noted associated trade-offs AI with .
Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

TIME magazine has announced its 2025 Person of the Year. The annul / annual award goes to a group of people: the "architects of AI". The acolyte / accolade is bestowed on "the person or persons who most / must affected the news and our lives, for good or sick / ill, and embodied what was important about the year, for better or from / for worse". Some of the architects appear on / at TIME's two cover photos. They include the CEOs of Google DeepMind, Meta, Nvidia, OpenAI, and Tesla. TIME said the technology magnates / magnets brought about "one of the biggest physical infrastructure projects of every / all time." It described 2025 as / was the year that AI "reared / roared into view," showing its world-changing potential.

TIME's editor-in-chief, Sam Jacobs, commented on / in the decision to recognize the AI architects. He wrote: "It was hard to read or watch anything without being / be confronted with news about the rapid advancement of / at a technology and the people driving / driven it. Those stories unleashed the / a million debates about how disruptive AI would be for our lives. No business leader could talk about the future with / without invoking the impact of this technological revolution. No parent or teacher could ignore what / how their teenager or student was using it." He also / addition noted the "trade-offs" associated with AI. These included fast / vast energy requirements, job losses, the proliferation of / to misinformation, and cyberattacks.

Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct. Look up the definition of new words.

Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

T_M_ m_g_z_n_ h_s _nn__nc_d _ts 2025 P_rs_n _f th_ Y__r. Th_ _nn__l _w_rd g__s t_ _ gr__p _f p__pl_: th_ "_rch_t_cts _f __". Th_ _cc_l_d_ _s b_st_w_d _n "th_ p_rs_n _r p_rs_ns wh_ m_st _ff_ct_d th_ n_ws _nd __r l_v_s, f_r g__d _r _ll, _nd _mb_d__d wh_t w_s _mp_rt_nt _b__t th_ y__r, f_r b_tt_r _r f_r w_rs_". S_m_ _f th_ _rch_t_cts _pp__r _n T_M_'s tw_ c_v_r ph_t_s. Th_y _ncl_d_ th_ C__s _f G__gl_ D__pM_nd, M_t_, Nv_d__, _p_n__, _nd T_sl_. T_M_ s__d th_ t_chn_l_gy m_gn_t_s br__ght _b__t "_n_ _f th_ b_gg_st phys_c_l _nfr_str_ct_r_ pr_j_cts _f _ll t_m_." _t d_scr_b_d 2025 _s th_ y__r th_t __ "r__r_d _nt_ v__w," sh_w_ng _ts w_rld-ch_ng_ng p_t_nt__l.

T_M_'s _d_t_r-_n-ch__f, S_m J_c_bs, c_mm_nt_d _n th_ d_c_s__n t_ r_c_gn_z_ th_ __ _rch_t_cts. H_ wr_t_: "_t w_s h_rd t_ r__d _r w_tch _nyth_ng w_th__t b__ng c_nfr_nt_d w_th n_ws _b__t th_ r_p_d _dv_nc_m_nt _f _ t_chn_l_gy _nd th_ p__pl_ dr_v_ng _t. Th_s_ st_r__s _nl__sh_d _ m_ll__n d_b_t_s _b__t h_w d_sr_pt_v_ __ w__ld b_ f_r __r l_v_s. N_ b_s_n_ss l__d_r c__ld t_lk _b__t th_ f_t_r_ w_th__t _nv_k_ng th_ _mp_ct _f th_s t_chn_l_g_c_l r_v_l_t__n. N_ p_r_nt _r t__ch_r c__ld _gn_r_ h_w th__r t__n_g_r _r st_d_nt w_s _s_ng _t." H_ _ls_ n_t_d th_ "tr_d_-_ffs" _ss_c__t_d w_th __. Th_s_ _ncl_d_d v_st _n_rgy r_q__r_m_nts, j_b l_ss_s, th_ pr_l_f_r_t__n _f m_s_nf_rm_t__n, _nd cyb_r_tt_cks.

Punctuate the text and add capitals

time magazine has announced its 2025 person of the year the annual award goes to a group of people the architects of ai the accolade is bestowed on the person or persons who most affected the news and our lives for good or ill and embodied what was important about the year for better or for worse some of the architects appear on times two cover photos they include the ceos of google deepmind meta nvidia openai and tesla time said the technology magnates brought about one of the biggest physical infrastructure projects of all time it described 2025 as the year that ai roared into view showing its worldchanging potential

times editorinchief sam jacobs commented on the decision to recognize the ai architects he wrote it was hard to read or watch anything without being confronted with news about the rapid advancement of a technology and the people driving it those stories unleashed a million debates about how disruptive ai would be for our lives no business leader could talk about the future without invoking the impact of this technological revolution no parent or teacher could ignore how their teenager or student was using it he also noted the tradeoffs associated with ai these included vast energy requirements job losses the proliferation of misinformation and cyberattacks

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

TIMEmagazinehasannouncedits2025PersonoftheYear.Theannuala wardgoestoagroupofpeople:the"architectsofAI".Theaccoladeisbest owedon"thepersonorpersonswhomostaffectedthenewsandourlives, forgoodorill,andembodiedwhatwasimportantabouttheyear,forbette rorforworse".SomeofthesearchitectsappearonTIME'stwocoverphot os.TheyincludetheCEOsofGoogleDeepMind,Meta,Nvidia,OpenAI,an dTesla.TIMEsaidthetechnologymagnatesbroughtabout"oneofthebig gestphysicalinfrastructureprojectsofalltime."Itdescribed2025asthe yearthatAI"roaredintoview,"showingitsworld-changingpotential.T IME'seditor-in-chief,SamJacobs,commentedonthedecisiontoreco gnizetheAIarchitects.Hewrote:"Itwashardtoreadorwatchanythingw ithoutbeingconfrontedwithnewsabouttherapidadvancementofatech nologyandthepeopledrivingit.Thosestoriesunleashedamilliondebate sabouthowdisruptiveAIwouldbeforourlives.Nobusinessleadercouldt alkaboutthefuturewithoutinvokingtheimpactofthistechnologicalrev olution.Noparentorteachercouldignorehowtheirteenagerorstudent wasusingit."Healsonotedthe"trade-offs"associatedwithAI.Theseinc ludedvastenergyrequirements,joblosses,theproliferationofmisinfor mation,andcyberattacks.

Free writing

Write about architects of AI for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

Academic writing

The architects of AI deserve the Person of the Year award. Discuss.

Homework

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word. 2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about this news story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson. 3. PERSON OF THE YEAR: Make a poster about A.I. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things? 4. AI: Write a magazine article about slowing down the advance of AI. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against this. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s). 5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles. 6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on A.I. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your opinions on it. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

A Few Additional Activities for Students

Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

Also.

Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

  • News
  • Warm ups
  • Pre-reading / Post-reading
  • Using headlines
  • Working with words
  • While-reading / While-listening
  • Moving from text to speech
  • Post-reading / Post-listening
  • Discussions
  • Using opinions
  • Plans
  • Language
  • Using lists
  • Using quotes
  • Task-based activities
  • Role plays
  • Using the central characters in the article
  • Using themes from the news
  • Homework

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Answers

(Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

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