On Screen p 68. Essay about the impact of social media on human relationships. Written mediation task. Word Formation

 

Read the instructions for the task. With the information given, produce a text using your own words. (approximately 200 words) 

Task description 

You have had a class discussion on the impacts of social media. Now your teacher has asked you to write an essay for your class based on some opinions expressed in the discussion and to analyse the positive and negative impacts of social media. You should say which impacts of social media on human relationships are more significant, giving reasons in support of your answer. Include your own opinions on this subject.

Write your essay

Opinions expressed in the discussion:

"It's easy to keep in touch now that we've left school."

"I've discovered a completely new hobby." 

"It's good to know there are people who share my views." 

"I feel everybody is having more fun than I am. This makes me feel increasingly despondent."

"It seems everybody else has lots of friends. I feel so left out."

"My Instagram friends constantly publish selfies of their beautiful faces and bodies. I wish I were so good-looking" 

"Very often I see groups of friends looking at their phones and not speaking to one another" 

"There are social media users who seem to enjoy taking the mickey out of other more sensitive users" 

 

Sample answer

The impacts of social media on human relationships

Social media has had a (1)_________ (REMARK) effect on human relationships in the last few years. I will focus on the merits and (2)_________ (MERIT) I think are particularly important. On one hand, how social media helps people stay in touch with loved ones and facilitates finding people with shared interests. And on the other hand, how it can damage self-esteem and body image and may even be (3)_______________ (DETRIMENT) to face-to-face communication.
 

To begin with, the main impact of social media is improving our ability to communicate with one another. For example, in the past, when someone left school or university, it was easy to lose touch with their friends. Nowadays, however, not only can people (4)____________ (SUCCESS) communicate with one another on social media platforms, but also keep up to date (5)__________ (SIMPLE) by checking their posts, without needing to directly talk to them. What is more, you can do this with people anywhere in the world, because your geographical location is (6)____________ (RELEVANCE) on social media.

Furthermore, social media platforms are ideal for putting (7)______________ (MIND) people together. There are social media groups or communities for all interests where you can share knowledge and ideas and even form (8)____________ (FRIEND). Say you are fan of a popular TV show and want to discuss it with other fans, you will have no problem finding a forum to discuss it on, no matter where you are in the world.

On the other side of the coin, teenagers on social media spend much of their time observing the lives and images of their peers. This leads to constant comparisons, which can harm their confidence and their self-image, (9)_____________ (EXACERBATION) depression and anxiety among adolescents. This is made even worse by cyberbullying, which remains rampant on social media. Unfortunately, it has been on the rise amongst adolescents due, in part, to increased access to electronic devices, the Internet, and at times lack of (10)_______________ (SUPERVISE) of online activity. It can be argued that cyberbullying is a more (11)___________ (THREATEN) form of aggression than traditional bullying, as cyberbullies can remain (12)____________ (ANONYMITY), causing bullying to occur around the clock. What is also an issue is that the act of a cyberbully can be viewed (13)____________ (REPEAT) and shared with others without limit, making it difficult for support networks to shield victims from cyberbullying. (14)____________ (LIKE) traditional bullying, cyberbullying can be (15)____________ (GO), even after the youth has left school grounds, making a teen feel (16)___________ (HELP) and without haven.

In addition, cell phones connect us to people far away – but distance us from the ones right in front of us. No one would dispute the fact that smartphones have changed the world. As a matter of fact, a quick glance around any street or (17)___________ (COMMUNE) space shows how (18)______________ (DOMINATION) our favourite digital devices have become. We are familiar with the sight of groups of teenagers not talking, but (19)___________ (EAGER) composing messages and posts on their screens. Or seeing couples dining (20)______________ (SILENT) in restaurants, ignoring the romantic (21)____________ (FLICKER) candle in favour of the (22)___________ (COMFORT) blue light of their phones. But why do these devices that are meant to connect us when we are far apart seem to cause so much division when we are close together? There can be no doubt that even in a (23)________ (RAPID) (24)____________ (DIGIT) world, face-to-face interactions remain the most (25)____________ (INTIMACY) ones.

In conclusion, there are many positive aspects of social media for human relationships. Personally speaking, I think the most (26)___________ (SIGNIFICANCE) of these is how it enhances our ability to stay in touch, something that is becoming (27)_____________ (INCREASE) difficult to do in real life due to the changes our society is going through. Nevertheless, we need to be aware of the (28)______________ (DESIRE) effects social media can exert, not (29)__________ (LESS) on young minds and as a society take the necessary measures to avoid any (30)___________ (HARM) consequences.

 

KEY

 

1. remarkable 

 

 

 

2. demerits 

 

 

 

3. detrimental 

 

 

 

4. successfully 

 

 

 

5. simply 

 

 

6. irrelevant 

 

 

 

7. like-minded 

 

 

 

8. friendships 

 

 

 

9. exacerbating 

 

 

 

10. supervision 

 

 

 

11. threatening  

 

 

 

12. anonymous 

 

 

 

13. repeatedly 

 

 

 

14. Unlike 

 

 

 

15. ongoing 

 

 

 

16. helpless 

 

 

 

17. communal 

 

 

 

18. dominant 

 

 

 

19. eagerly 

 

 

 

20. silently 

 

 

 

21. flickering 

 

 

 

22. comforting 

 

 

 

23. rapidly 

 

 

 

24. digitised  

 

 

 

25. intimate 

 

 

 

26. significant 

 

 

 

27. increasingly 

 

 

 

28. undesirable 

 

 

 

29. least 

 

 

 

30. harmful 

On Screen p 26. Communities. Written Mediation. Cloze

 

Written mediation task

Read the instructions for the task. With the information given, produce a text using your own words. (approximately 200 words)

Task description: 

Write a blog entry for your website based on two texts that you have recently read and analyse the role of community development in our society as you inform your readers about the special position of community development workers and how challenging social problems can be resolved. Include your own ideas in your answer.

1) Text 1

Collective Action

The idea behind community development is simple: residents come together to generate solutions to common problems. Engagement in community service generates a participatory energy that makes people feel integrated and involved. This sense of community brings out the best in people, and inspires them to do more for themselves and their communities. In working together they not only improve the quality of their lives but also of those that need it the most as they address social issues related to poverty, crime and health, which has a positive impact on society at large.

2) Text 2

Social Work

The role of a community development worker depends on the needs of the people they serve. Their main objective is to generate community involvement programs that allow local citizens to contribute to their community's development plans. Some administer programmes designed to help specific groups as well as assess community needs on a larger scale. As counsellors, they have an important role in helping communities overcome grave social issues by providing the energy that empowers residents to use their knowledge and resources to make a difference in their communities by volunteering for social causes.

 

 

Sample answer:

Many Hands Make Light Work. Open Cloze test:

Have you ever stopped to consider how we can create a better future? Are you willing to play an active role in it?

The saying "many hands make light work" is an example of how our very language reveals the level of importance placed (1)___________ cooperation. Likewise, both the collective action involved in community development and the workers (2)___________ facilitate it have powerful positive influences.

First of all, we can all obtain substantial benefits (3)___________ people are working together to solve problems in their communities. This form of community development is said to make citizens feel (4)__________ important members of a group when they play a meaningful role in community projects, which improves their well-being. At the same (5)_________, this participation helps to resolve challenging social problems, which helps the whole community. These points provide a convincing argument for the good that comes from collective action. An additional benefit is that solutions reached by a community working together are more (6)__________ to persist because each individual understands and values them.

Secondly, we should not lose (7)__________ of the special responsibilities of the community development worker, who are the people who make plans and create effective ways to engage all members of a community (8)_________ development projects. Additionally, they also have the duty of supporting individuals and help them develop the mental strength to work with their community towards solutions, which seems to be an accurate portrayal of this essential role. Furthermore, it is (9)_________ adding that they also guide the process of conflict resolution, whenever necessary, to help residents reach agreements (10)_________ the best way forward.

All in all, I agree with the view that it is of paramount importance that all citizens work together for community development, and that community development workers have a special position in the process. (11)___________ we all engage in this way, surely we can create a better future.

 

KEY

 

1. on

 

 

 

2. who

 

 

3. when, whenever, if

 

 

4. like

 

 

5. time

 

 

6. likely

 

 

7. sight

 

 

8. in

 

 

9. worth

 

 

10. on

 

 

11. If

 

On Screen p 26. A Summer Job. Written mediation task

 

Written MEDIATION TASK

TOPIC: WORK

TASK DESCRIPTION:

Scenario:


One of your classmates, Daniel, is looking for a summer job in order to start making his own pocket money. He is a sociable teenager, very talkative, extremely organised, enthusiastic and responsible. He speaks English eloquently and writes it well too. He loves participating in sport and nature activities. However, he has never had a serious job before. He has only done babysitting for his neighbours. He asks you for some ideas. You find this infographic at your local youth club and think some of the jobs here are just meant for him. 

 
Task:

Select the jobs you find most suitable, explain to him why and expand on them. You can also say why you consider the others less appropriate. Finally, try to positively encourage him to choose one and strongly support him by telling him which aspects you value most about him.

Send him an email
Write about 150 words

 

 

Useful language:

Hi Daniel! 

The purpose of this email is to let you know that this morning I went to my youth club and I came across a leaflet with summer job offers. I immediately thought of you. As a matter of fact, several of them would be good for you.  

The only exception would be the position of beach lifeguard. The reasons are that you need to be at least 20 and you also need some experience in this field.

As for the other possible jobs, one of them is a post of Red Cross volunteer. In this job you would have to take care of people who have had accidents or who are homeless or needy. Although they don't ask for any previous experience, they are looking for people who can speak English well. I am sure you wouldn't have any problems in this area.

Another job that you could do is the public relations officer one. If you chose it, your duty would be to advertise businesses online and on the street. Even though they don't require that candidates have any previous experience, they look for people who can not only speak good English but also do public speaking and write very well. Again, these are all skills you are great at. 

That being said, I personally feel that you could apply for the position of group leader in a summer camp. Let me explain why. First and foremost, you will love this job since you will enjoy working with children. A second area to consider is that you fulfil the English requirement. I say that because you really have a flair for English. Don't worry if you have not done anything like this before as they don't require any previous experience. Having said that, you have sometimes told me that you often do babysitting for your neighbours' sons and daughters, therefore it goes without saying that you must have gained some valuable experience working with children. What's more, you must have learnt to be very patient with them. In addition, you always take part in the school sports and outdoor programme. Evidently, this experience will also come in handy.  If this were not enough, you are a punctual and responsible person. And on top of all that, I am sure you will excel at this job because you are really keen, remarkably energetic and have an outgoing personality.

All in all, I encourage you to make the most of this opportunity and ask for an interview. You would be a great asset to an organisation like that. You won't let them down.

All the best, 

On Screen p 26. Volunteering. Blog entry. Written mediation task. Word formation

 

Read the instructions for the task. With the information given, produce a text using your own words. (approximately 200 words)

Task description: 

Write a blog entry for your website based on two texts that you have recently read and analyse the role of volunteers in our society as you inform your readers how the internet is making volunteering easier.

1) TEXT 1

Global Charity Work

Demands on volunteers are growing globally. More and more inner city communities around the world are plagued by social issues such as poverty, homelessness and unemployment and non-governmental organisations and volunteers are doing their upmost to campaign and fundraise in order to meet the growing need. Though authorities are reluctant to accept responsibility, by providing political and economic frameworks that support long-term solutions, volunteers' efforts are still worthwhile. Any help at all can make a difference.

2) TEXT 2

Virtual volunteering

The nature of volunteer work is changing. Nowadays people are actively searching for volunteering opportunities that they can carry out online such as writing emails and newsletters or designing websites for charitable organisations. This is because time constraints or personal obligations prevent them from providing assistance in person. It may not seem like much, but the accumulation of these small actions can have a significant effect, and moreover, can contribute towards creating a culture of community involvement in the future. 

Tips

- When you write a blog post remember to write a headline, an introduction that will catch the reader's eye, and a conclusion.

- READ the instructions well: What's my role? To whom do I need to write? What about? Why? To what effect? How? What is the context?...
- Identify and select the relevant information.
- Use your own words, paraphrase (do not just copy from the text you are given), expand the information (explain, comment, clarify), connect ideas (compare and contrast, exemplify, relate to what you know), talk about the intentions, nuances and connotations of the text.
- Take into account the audience you are writing to and the context and adapt the discourse appropriately: formal / informal

 

 

Sample answer:

The pleasures of (1)______________(VOLUNTARILY)

Are you thinking about stepping forward to help others but at the same time you feel that you are too (2)________________ (PRESSURE) for time? (3)______________(DOUBT), you are not alone.

By and large, most people would agree that charities and action groups play an important role in assisting communities affected by social and economic (4)______________ (HARD), especially now that we are dealing with the (5)____________ (AFTER) of a global pandemic. Without a doubt, most citizens support this notion and have (6)____________ (NUMBER) reasons for the (7)_____________ (IMPORTANT) of helping others.

As a general rule any (8)_______________ (CHARITY) efforts an individual can make are (9)_____________ (WHILE). As a matter of fact, there is a growing necessity of charity work at a (10)_________________ (GOVERN) and local community level.  

It is true that we need to (11)_______________ (KNOW) the difficulties that arise from a lack of (12)________________ (GOVERN) support. However, we are witnessing the rise of a growing movement of people who offer their talents online to support positive change.

(13)___________________ (REGRET), many people feel (14)___________ (HELP) in the face of not only the current health situation but also the difficult (15)___________ (POLITICS) and (16)_______________ (ECONOMY) conditions. (17)_____________ (SIMILAR), other people (18)____________ (SURE) feel vulnerable due to their own demanding circumstances. On the other hand, there are many volunteers eager to shoulder the responsibility of lending a helping hand and go to great (19)____________ (LONG) to contribute their time to charitable causes.  (20)_______________ (ADDITION),  there are ways to stay involved that suit our modern (21)_________________ (LIFE).  A (22)_______________ (FAR) point on this theme is that people with neither free time nor special digital skills can still do their part by donating money.

All in all, I believe that it is essential that the people working to improve our community do not lose heart and give up. Secondly, it is also crucial that they, and society in general, recognise the small (23)________________________ (ACCOMPLISH) and keep their eyes on the goal, however (24)_________________ (ATTAIN) it may seem. If we all do what we can, things can only improve.

KEY

1. volunteering

 

 

 

2. pressed

 

 

3. Undoubtedly

 

 

4. hardship

hardship: 

something that makes your life difficult or unpleasant, especially a lack of money, or the condition of having a difficult life. E.g. an economic policy that caused great hardship for many people. Many students are suffering severe financial hardship. 

 

 

5. aftermath

 

 

 

6. numerous, innumerable 

 

 

 

7. importance 

 

 

 

8. charitable 

 

 

 

9. worthwhile 

 

 

 

10. non-governmental 

 

 

 

11. acknowledge 

 

 

 

12. governmental  

 

 

 

13.Regrettably 

 

 

 

14. helpless 

 

 

 

15. political 

 

 

 

16. economic 

 

 

 

17. Similarly,

 

 

 

18. surely 

 

 

 

19. lengths 

 

 

 

20. Additionally 

 

 

 

21. lifestyles 

 

 

 

22. further 

 

 

 

23. accomplishments  

 

 

 

24. unattainable 

 

Useful language

To Engage the reader

Have you ever wondered what/how/why...
What would your life be like if...?
What would you do if...?

Did you know…? 
Are you one of those people who ...

Isn't it extraordinary how/that...? 
Imagine if/ what...
Suppose that ...

Let us suppose, for example, that..

 

To Sequence

Firstly, .../In the first place, ... / To begin with, …To start with,...
Secondly,.../A second area to consider is …
Another point to remember is ...
Last but not least, I would like to add that...

 

Addition
In addition...
What is more...
Besides...
Moreover...
Furthermore...
In addition to being...

 

To Paraphrase

 
In other words,
Or, to put it another way, ...
What I mean by that is that ...

To emphasise a point

Clearly,...

Especially,

Indeed,

As a matter of fact,

In (actual) fact,

 

To express similar ideas

Similarly/ Likewise/ In the same way,...

 

To express contrast

However/ On the other hand/ Nevertheless,...

Despite 

In spite of

Although

Even though

 

To express result

By doing this/ In this way/ As a result/ Consequently,..

 

To express generalisations

As a (general) rule/ Mainly/ Generally speaking/ By and large,...

 

To express agreement

Without a doubt/ Undoubtedly,...

I'm convinced that...

I'm inclined to agree that ...

I tend to feel that ...

 

To express disagreement

It's doubtful that...

I'm not convinced that...

It's highly unlikely that...

I'm strongly opposed to

 

To give your opinion

As far as I am aware,...

In my experience,...

To my mind, ...

Personally I feel that ... Let me explain why.
As I see it, … The reason is ...
It seems to me that… This is because ...

I would argue that for the following reasons:...

I feel very strongly that ...

I am convinced that ...

I am inclined to believe that...

I am of the opinion that ...

The reasons why I believe that prisons should be more about rehabilitation are as follows...

I think it is true that ...
I shudder to think...

• shudder: to shake because you are cold or frightened, or because of a strong feeling. E.g. Just thinking about the accident makes me shudder. Shudder to do something: I shudder to think how much this is all going to cost (= I don't want to think about it because it is too unpleasant).

In my view, ...

It is questionable whether …
It beggars belief how a person can ever learn to be more humane without any models of good behaviour.
It is true that ... On the other hand, ...

While nobody can deny that ... , I would like to point out that …
At first sight ....,but in fact ...

Although it is true that... , we must  take into account that...

It could be argued that … However, I would like to point out that ...

Despite all the arguments, I still feel that ...

It may be true that ... . However, ...

In no way would I agree that...

Surely it is completely unacceptable that...Nevertheless,...

I am sure you will agree that…

My take on this issue is that...

Surely you must agree that…

I was extremely impressed by…

What is particularly spectacular/interesting is…

I would like to stress that...

It should be noted that...

It is worth bearing in mind that... 

I was rather disappointed by…

My overall impression was that …

On the whole, it appears/seems that ...

In general,…

Generally speaking,…  Broadly speaking,  

Strangely,… 

Surprisingly,… 

Evidently,…

Indeed,…  In fact,… 

Admittedly, 

Admittedly: /ədˈmɪtɪdli/ used when you are accepting that something is true. Sp. cierto es que, ciertamente.

Presumably,...
Presumably: /prɪˈzjuːməbli/ used to say that you think that something is probably true. Sp. Supuestamente

 

While some prisoners ... , others may....

A major problem is that ...

We must take into account the fact that ....

It goes without saying that ...

Needless to say,

Without a shadow of a doubt...

I can speak from experience when I say that  

The government should take action to prevent and resolve

The action taken to deal with these issues leaves a lot to be desired.

A prison system that focus on rehabilitation can make a difference.

It is also up to politicians to tackle these issues

 

To conclude

To conclude,

All things considered, I believe that ...

All in all, I think that ...

On balance, it seems to me that...

To finish with, I would like to say that...

Finally, ...

To sum up, I believe that ...

In conclusion, her actions suggest that ...

 

Assessment List

 
When you write a blog entry make sure:      

1. APPROPRIACY                                                           

a. The content is dealt with appropriately.
b. It contains an attention-grabbing headline.
c. The introduction clearly introduces the main ideas.
d. Each paragraph has appropriate and accurate details to support each main idea.
e. All of the main ideas are clearly related to the topic.
f. The conclusion sums up the points made in an interesting, thoughtful, and unique manner.
g. Register and format are consistently appropriate to the task and target audience.
h. The writing fully achieves the desired effect on the target reader. The writer communicates well with its intended audience.
i. The writing is neat and presentable.
j. It has approximately the right number of words.


2. COHESION AND COHERENCE                                      

 a. Information and ideas are skilfully organised through a range of linking devices.
b. The main ideas are organized into a logical sequence.
c. The transitions from one main idea to the next are smooth.
d. The text is a pleasure to read and poses no difficulty to the reader.

3. RANGE OF VOCABULARY AND STRUCTURES       

a. The choice of words and grammatical structures is appropriate, varied, and creates a natural voice.
b. There is a wide range of vocabulary and structures.
b. Good use of idiomatic expressions.
c. Good command of collocations.
d. Good command of grammatical structures.

4. ACCURACY                                                                      
a. Contains correct spelling, grammar, and vocabulary.

 

WRITTEN MEDIATION: Marking criteria

To correct a piece of writing in which you have to mediate your teacher will give you a mark (from 0 to 10) for each of the following criteria. Each criterion has the same value, that is, they are all equally important.

To pass you need to get a mark of 20 out of 40, that is, a 5 out of 10.


1- SOURCE COMPREHENSION → Let’s show how well we understand and select the information we are given! - 10 points


The message from the input (the source text or infographic) is correctly understood.


The relevant information for the task is identified (what contents, details, explicit intentions in the input are important?).


The significant information from the input is included in the output.


2- CONTENT MANAGEMENT → Let’s show how well we process the information! - 10 points


The message from the input is correctly processed by using the appropriate mediation strategy-/ies depending on the task:


Expanding the information by explaining, commenting, clarifying, giving examples...


Reducing the information by summarizing, synthesising


Connecting, relating ideas or data by comparing and linking with previous or new knowledge


Reformulating by rewording, translating or adapting the language to the reader


The text produced is “fresh”, it departs from a literal quote of the source.


3- ADAPTATION TO SITUATION AND CONTEXT→ Let’s show how well we can communicate in a given situation! 10 points


The text produced is effectively adapted to the context or situation.


The text produced is effectively adapted to the reason why it is written.


The text produced is effectively adapted to the reader/s.


The reader’s needs are taken into account (age, background, origin, culture…)


The text produced solves the problem in communication.


4- ORGANIZATION AND ACCURACY → Let’s show we control the language! 10 points


The text produced is well organized.


The information is coherent.


The message is clear, unambiguous.


The grammatical and lexical items used are correct.



TOTAL MARK: 40 points. Pass mark: 20 points.