Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. restrict
    • ex. Our teacher restricts us from using our phones during class.
  2. verify
    • ex. Please verify your email address to complete the registration.
  3. sign up
    • ex. Chris wants to sign up for a social media account to connect with friends.
  4. feel left out
    • ex. Maggie felt left out when her friends didn't invite her to the party.
  5. navigate
    • ex. Joshua is learning how to navigate the apps on his new phone.

Article

Read the article below and answer your tutor's questions.

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Many young people use social media apps, like TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram every day. And many parents are concerned about how these apps affect children. Policymakers are discussing online safety for children. However, no new rules have been made yet. What should parents do now to keep their kids safe online?

At what age should kids be on social media? Expert Christine Elgersma suggests that 13 is not the best age for kids to be on social media, but there’s no perfect age. Lawmakers are considering restricting kids under 13 from social media, but it’s impossible to verify the ages when users sign up. Some parents have chosen to not let their kids use social media completely. However, this could make kids feel left out from their friends.

Should kids be on social media? Social media is impossible to escape. So, Elgersma suggests teaching kids how to navigate it early. Don’t tell kids directly to stop using their phones. Instead, ask questions about what they’re doing and be open to what they share. This helps children to learn to be responsible in using social media.

This material was based on an article by The Associated Press.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Online Safety for Children

  • Policymakers are discussing online safety for children, but no new rules have been made yet. Should policymakers prioritize making new rules for kids’ social media use? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Some parents don’t let their kids use social media, but kids might feel left out from their friends. In your opinion, is social media now a necessary tool to socialize with others? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Expert Christine Elgersma said that 13 is not the best age for kids to be on social media, but there is no perfect age. Do you agree with her? Why or why not? Discuss.

Navigating Social Media

  • Elgersma says that social media is impossible to escape, so kids should learn how to navigate it early. Do you agree with her? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Elgersma also suggests not to tell kids directly to stop using their phones. Instead, have an open discussion about it. Why do you think she suggested this (ex. because kids might feel annoyed))? Discuss.
  • According to Elgersma, it’s impossible to escape social media. Why do you think this is the case? Discuss.