International Issues

Le cours

1. Topic Presentation\n\nStarter dialogue\nTeacher: Today's listening is about water scarcity. Why is water an international issue?\nAminata: Because rivers flow through many countries. If one country builds a dam, it affects others.\nTeacher: Exactly. The Nile River is an example. What organizations help solve such disputes?\nMoussa: The United Nations, maybe the African Union?\n\nKey vocabulary\nInternational, organization, conflict, cooperation, resource, scarcity, dispute, diplomacy, resolution, humanitarian aid, foreign language, peacekeeping, summit.\n\n## 2. Listening & Reading Comprehension\n\n### 2.1 Authentic text\nA simplified UN or AU press release about a humanitarian response to a crisis in the Sahel region (e.g., food insecurity).\n- Comprehension: What is the crisis? Which organizations are responding? What aid is being provided?\n- Reflection: Why is international cooperation necessary for such crises?\n\n### 2.2 Listening activities\nAudio: A news clip about a diplomatic meeting between ECOWAS leaders to discuss a regional issue.\nExercises: Listen and note down the issue discussed and one agreed action.\n\n## 3. Speaking & Writing Expression\n\n### 3.1 Guided practice\n- Practice reported speech: 'The reporter said that water was a critical issue.'\n- Model dialogue: Two delegates at the Model UN negotiating a clause for their resolution.\n- Role-play: A press conference where a spokesperson answers questions about their country's foreign policy.\n\n### 3.2 Free production\n- Discussion: 'Is humanitarian aid the best way to help countries after natural disasters, or should the focus be on building local capacity?'\n- Short writing: Write one body paragraph for an essay arguing 'Learning English is essential for Ivorian youth.' Provide one main reason and one example.\n\n## 4. Grammar in context\n\n### 4.1 Clear and simple explanation\n- Reported Speech & Indirect Questions:\n - Tense often shifts back (present → past): 'I need help.' → She said she needed help.\n - Questions become statements: 'Where is the meeting?' → He asked where the meeting was.\n - Common reporting verbs: said, told, asked, explained.\n- Common mistake: Forgetting to change the tense or the pronoun.\n\n### 4.2 Application exercises\n- Recognition: Change direct quotes from the press release into reported speech.\n- Production: Write two sentences reporting what a classmate said during the discussion on humanitarian aid.\n\n## 5. Cultural aspects\n\n### 5.1 English-speaking cultures\n- Focus on the United Kingdom/USA as major players in international diplomacy and humanitarian work. Discuss the role of their languages (English) and media (BBC, CNN) in shaping global narratives.\n- Similarities/Differences: Compare the role of the Commonwealth (English-speaking nations) with that of La Francophonie for French-speaking countries like Ivory Coast.\n- Stereotype to avoid: Western countries are not the only providers of aid; countries like China, Turkey, and Gulf states are also major players, and African countries aid each other.\n\n### 5.2 English in Ivory Coast\n- English is a working language of the United Nations, African Union, and ECOWAS. Ivorian diplomats and officials need it.\n- Ivorian soldiers participating in UN or AU peacekeeping missions require English to communicate with other contingents.\n- Understanding English allows Ivorians to access a wider range of international news and analysis beyond French-language sources.\n\n## 6. Formative assessment\n\n### 6.1 Self-assessment\n- I can report what someone said using reported speech (with tense change). [ ] Yes [ ] Not yet\n- I can name two international organizations and their general purpose. [ ] Yes [ ] Not yet\n- I can discuss a global issue using terms like 'cooperation' and 'humanitarian aid'. [ ] Yes [ ] Not yet\n\n### 6.2 Final project\n- Participate in a simplified class Model UN debate. Research and represent a country's position on a chosen issue (e.g., 'Access to Clean Water'). Prepare a 1-minute opening statement.\n- Rubric: Research & Content (4pts), Use of formal English (3pts), Persuasion & Clarity (2pts), Respect for procedure (1pt).\n\n## 7. Additional resources\n\n### 7.1 For practice\n- Website: The UN's 'Cyberschoolbus' for students with simplified materials.\n- Game: Online simulations of diplomatic negotiations.\n\n### 7.2 To go deeper\n- Document: The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) - how are they international issues?\n- Research: Ivory Coast's contribution to UN peacekeeping missions.