Lesson video

Hello and welcome to the lesson.

Thank you for joining me today.

I'm Mrs. Butterworth and I'm really excited about today's lesson because we are talking and discussing about everything I really love, which is about how language can be used as a vehicle for change.

So we're gonna think about the power of language.

We're gonna read a letter written by Serena Williams who uses language to really empower and explore an issue.

And then we're gonna think about how we can use language to really elevate our discussions and have some great discussions.

So I'm ready, are you?

So by the end of the lesson, you will effectively have discussed how a writer uses language to present a powerful message.

But before we delve into the lesson, let's look at the keywords that are going to help with our learning.

They are instigate, transformative, productive, sustain, and resilience.

But what do these all mean?

Well, instigate is to initiate or provoke an action or event usually with a specific outcome.

So you instigate something and you can see how instigate and initiate are quite similar words.

So you may instigate some action, is a good way to use that in a sentence.

Then we have this lovely word transformative.

And if something is transformative, it has the power or force to bring about change.

And this is often used in a positive or impactful way.

So again, that word transform, it's transformative is powerful.

So productive, which I hope we are going to be in this lesson today.

Now to be productive is to accomplish something in an efficient and effective way.

So this is definitely going to be a productive lesson.

Sustain, you may have heard this with reference to your writing or your ideas.

You know, you might be asked to sustain your ideas and what this means is to maintain or uphold something.

So you sustain something, you keep something going.

And then finally, resilience, which again we may need for this lesson.

And resilience is all about the ability to adapt or bounce back from difficult situations.

And you'll see when we reach Serena Williams's letter, she talks a lot about this either of resilience and how being a resilient person in the face of challenge can actually help us grow and be even better.

So the outline of our lesson, language is a vehicle for change looks like this.

We're going to start by reading that letter from Serena Williams, "A letter to the Dreamers.

" And then we're gonna think about having productive discussions.

So some strategies that we can do to really elevate our discussions or our thinking.

So let's start by reading that letter.

So language is a powerful tool, okay?

So I think this is really important and as I said at the start, this is something I find really interesting and I really enjoy because language is so powerful.

And I want you now to discuss how far do you agree with this statement and can you think of any specific examples?

So you'll need to pause the video so you've got time to discuss or you may want to think to yourself or even jot down a few ideas.

But we'll share our responses in a minute.

Pause the video now.

Fantastic, I'm so pleased that lots of you agree with me because indeed it is very powerful and some really interesting examples coming through there, some that I haven't even thought of myself.

So I'm just gonna share some responses.

So Aisha here has said that language can influence people's thoughts, emotions, and actions.

And this is so true, isn't it?

And again, this is why language can be so meaningful and powerful.

And Aisha come up with this idea of Martin Luther King speech.

It's one of the most famous speeches of all time, his' "I have a Dream" and I'm sure lots of you have heard of this.

So it's one of the most powerful speeches in history and it really demonstrates how language can be used to inspire social change and instigate action.

Like Martin Luther King was an absolute example of someone that used language really well and powerfully to get his message across and inspire people from all walks of life to take action.

And you know, even that "I have a dream" speech, we know that phrase from his speech.

That's a really, really good example.

Thank you.

And Alex has says that he agrees that language can shape perceptions.

Absolutely, we can totally change people's minds with language, which shows how powerful it is.

And Alex has talked about slogans, which is a really good example.

So things like "Black Lives Matter" and "Me Too", very often in politics we see slogans being used.

And again, these can spark debates and conversations and they are just really good examples of how language again can be so powerful.

And I think slogans are an interesting choice because you know, "Black Lives Matter" is three words, "Me Too" is two words.

So even using short statements or a short number of words can be truly powerful.

And thank you fierce language holds immense power in shaping attitudes and driving societal changes.

Absolutely, this is so true and I think the example that you've given, thank you so much, is Nelson Mandela speeches, which was such a driving force in uniting South Africa and it really shows how language can sustain transformative changes.

Oh, excellent.

You've used some of those keywords there.

So sustain transformative changes so to keep going this idea of changing something.

So some really good answers there.

So as I keep saying, these excellent examples show how language is empowering and can act social or political changes.

So in this lesson we will be exploring a text, like I said, Serena Williams's letter that uses language to convey a powerful message.

So when reading a text, it is a good idea to make notes or annotations.

So I'm gonna think we're gonna think today about how we can do this effectively.

So having a consistent method will really help to make sure your annotations are efficient.

So really quick and easy to understand.

Because there is nothing worse than annotating a text and then coming back to it and thinking what was that supposed to mean?

So having a clear system really helps to stop that from happening.

So here's a method that I use that we are going to practice using today.

So the first thing you can do is circle key vocabulary.

So any kind of important words that pop out to you in a text, we can circle these.

And again, number two, we're gonna think about underlining important words and phrases.

So when we are thinking about the letter for example, you know, what are those important words or phrases that really convey Serena Williams's important message?

Then you can use square brackets.

And this is probably more important for longer texts, but it can draw attention to important paragraphs.

So if you've got a really long text, just by putting a square bracket around a specific paragraph can remind you when you revisit it that this is the part you need to focus on.

Putting a star next to a key idea is a good one as well, just to kind of draw your attention to specific moments.

And then in the margin or around the text, you want to make some keynotes just to remind yourself of some key inferences and ideas.

So those annotations and those notes are all about your ideas and what you get from the text.

Okay, so let's see how much you remember.

Which of the following annotation symbols would you use to show a key idea?

Is it A, B, or C?

Okay, great.

Well done to everyone that said, C, it is indeed the star.

So now let's think about how we can put those symbols into good use.

So I'd like you to find the letter and as you read, I would like you to annotate your copy using the method.

So I've put that here.

So you are circling these that key vocabulary, you're underlining important words and phrases, using those square brackets for the most important paragraphs, putting a star next to the key idea.

You may only use the star one or two times, but to really emphasize those key ideas and then those all important margin notes and annotations to remember key inferences and ideas so we don't forget those brilliant initial ideas.

When you have annotated and read the letter, I would then like you to summarize the letter in no more than three sentences.

So quite challenging, you've only got three sentences to summarize everything that Serena Williams talks about in that letter.

Okay, so you've got everything you need there to get on with the task.

So are you ready?

Pause the video.

Off you go.

Well done everyone, and thank you for your hard work on that first task.

And hopefully you can see how that annotation can really just help remind you of key things in the text.

And as ever with those sorts of things, it can feel quite a long process when you start doing it, but the more you practice, the quicker it becomes and you'll just see how good it is at reminding you of those key parts of the text when you come back to it.

So do keep practicing that annotation.

It's a really good habit to get into.

So I just want to give you an example of a summary.

So you can use this to check through your own work.

You may have something completely different and that is fine.

You may want to use this just to add to your summary, just to make sure you've got all of those key concepts.

Let's read it through.

So Serena Williams's letter encourages women to defy expectations and pursue their dreams without letting gender stereotypes hold them back.

She argues for equal treatment and pay in sports, emphasizing the importance of resilience and determination in overcoming societal barriers.

Williams hopes to inspire young women to strive for greatness and challenge inequality in pursuit of their aspirations.

Okay, well done everyone.

So I hope to enjoy reading that letter.

I think Serena Williams is really trying to empower us and empower this idea of resilience and chasing our dreams and also fighting for, you know, that all important issue of gender equality.

So think it's a really great letter to read in terms of this idea as language as a vehicle for change.

So what we're gonna do now we have read that is we're gonna think about how we can discuss the text, but in a really productive way.

So this next part is all about having productive discussions.

So, what do you think makes an effective and productive discussion?

So I'm gonna ask you in a moment to pause a video so you can think about this question, what makes an effective and productive discussion?

So you may want to discuss these ideas, you could just think your answers to yourself or you may want to write some answers down.

Just make sure you're giving it a good think about what you think makes an effective and productive discussion.

So pause the video to give yourself time to do that now.

Okay, great.

Let's just feed back some of those answers.

So quite rightly, it is important to take turns.

So this means not interrupting the other speaker.

I think that's a really great point.

So when you are having a discussion, you need to make sure that you are taking turns and also not interrupting.

It can be so hard, can't it?

Sometimes when you are feeling really impassioned or feel quite strongly about a topic and you just wanna jump in, but we have to really fight that urge in order to make it productive 'cause we have to be able to listen and take turns.

So developing your points or arguments by using evidence for examples, that's a great one, isn't it?

So yes, it's great to put forward your opinion, but you really want to bolster your arguments by using evidence or examples.

It just gives validity to your discussion.

And responding to the other speaker.

Now this means listening to what they are saying as well as thinking about your own points.

And this kind of links back to the first point about taking turns and not interrupting.

It's so easy just to think about what you want to say on your own ideas, but it's so important that you try to be responsive so you are really listening to what the other person is saying so that you can engage with what they're saying.

You can create a discussion as opposed to your own speech if you like.

So it's so important that you're considering the other person in the discussion or the other people even in your discussion as well as just yourself.

Now, sometimes it can be difficult to know how to respond to another speaker or develop the points being made.

I know I've definitely been there where I'm expected to have a discussion, someone saying something and I'm like, oh, I don't know what to say.

So hopefully I'm going to give you a strategy that's going to really help you out of that situation.

So I always think about this idea of A, B, C.

Now, this isn't to do with the alphabet, this is about choosing one of the following options.

So when someone speaks to you in a discussion and you need to respond, you could do one of the following, you could agree with their comment, you could even build on their comment.

And I always think that's quite a nice thing to do if you're struggling to come up with your own idea or you may feel quite strong and you want to challenge their comment in an effective way.

So you can agree, you can build or you can challenge, you can see that A, B, C there.

Now what you can also use are these phrases.

So if you want to agree with someone, you could say I agree because, or you could say I share the same viewpoint because.

So again, having these phrases ready to go will just help you be able to respond in an effective manner.

And if you want to build on it, you could say expanding on this, I would add that, or another aspect to consider would be, so you can see that building is, it is sort of agreeing, but you can also take it on a slightly different, a slightly different route if you like.

So another aspect to be considered.

So yes, I agree, but furthermore, so it's about really developing those comments.

And then you might challenge by saying, I see it differently because, and it's worth questioning whether.

.

.

Now you'll notice as well that these sentences really give you the opportunity to develop your comments further so to add evidence or to add examples.

So I see it differently because.

So when we're having discussions, we want to get away from just giving yes no or I agree or I don't agree answers.

We want to be able to have fully developed discussions.

So we have three comments below, should we read them together first?

Okay, so we're gonna read them together first.

So expanding on this, Williams also says we can't let labels define us.

I share the same viewpoint because it has been revealed that women are paid less.

It is worth questioning the involvement of sports education in the role of gender inequality.

So I'd like you to label the comments.

Do they agree, build or challenge?

So think about the phrases, the phrases they start with that will help you.

So pause the video and decide, do they agree, build or challenge?

Off you go.

Okay, excellent.

That was quite tricky, wasn't it?

So let's just share our answers just to make sure.

So expanding on this, that phrase there, that's building on the argument or the discussion point that someone has put forward expanding on this.

I share the same viewpoint, would suggest that it agrees that's right, which means that finally the last one must be to challenge, it is worth questioning the involvement of sports education.

Well done everyone, let's keep going.

So another thing that we can do to really develop our discussion, because like I've said, we don't just want to say yes, no, or I agree or I disagree.

'cause that doesn't really keep the discussion flowing or say anything interesting, does it?

So another strategy is to use adverbs in front of your statements because this can also show the extent to which you agree with a statement.

So it allows you to, again, to develop those answers.

So let's have a look at the statement.

So the statement is, how far do you agree with Williams's statement that we shouldn't let labels define us?

So here is the answer to that.

So embracing individuality and breaking free from societal labels allows us to pursue our passions and define ourselves in our own terms.

So that's already a really great response to that statement.

So that question, how far do you agree with Williams's statement?

Okay, so it's a really good answer to that.

But if we use an adverb, so undeniably watch how this changes the tone of that statement.

Undeniably embracing individuality and breaking free from societal labels allows us to pursue our passions and define ourselves in our own terms.

So it shows how you really agree and it changes the tone of that.

You are not just agreeing, you are absolutely saying that you undeniably agree with that statement.

So it's just a really good way to add a bit of nuance, a bit of shade to your responses.

So let's try this one.

So Williams' statement comes from a place of immense success, which could mean that some feel excluded when they read it.

Again, a perfectly fine statement, but watch how we can change it with an adverb.

So we've got the adverb here, arguably.

So here, arguably Williams's statement comes from a place of immense success.

So again, using that adverb just adds a little bit of shade to the response.

So arguably, there is a little bit of kind of wiggle room there in terms of what you have said.

You are not saying absolutely this is the way it is, you are saying, hmm, I guess arguably we could say.

So you can see how it really changes the statements that you can make and again, gives them that nuance, gives them that shade.

Okay, so A, B, or C time, which of these statements does not use an adverb to initiate their argument?

Is it A, B, or C?

Okay, it's, that's right, it's C, Williams reveals the disparity between male and female athletes.

So again, a perfectly good statement, it just doesn't use that adverb to initiate the argument, whereas A and B, we've got arguably and undoubtedly.

We have reached our second and final practice task.

So there is still a little bit more work to do.

So in a moment you are going to discuss how far you agreed with the following statement: Serena Williams's letter effectively communicates the importance of resilience and pursuing dreams despite obstacles.

So in a moment you're going to discuss how far you agree with that statement.

I want you to make sort sure you use the A, B, C phrases and adverbs to help you respond effectively and elevate your discussion.

So remember, they look like this.

Now, you may not wish to discuss your ideas at this moment, which is absolutely fine.

You can actually do this as a written task.

So you can just write how far you agree with the statement and you can still use those A, B, C phrases and the adverbs to develop your responses.

So, you're going to need to pause a video to give yourself plenty of time to do this and to discuss effectively and productively.

So discuss how far you agree with the statement.

Pause the video now.

Excellent work.

Some really lively discussions there.

Well done and I loved seeing how there were much more developed responses happening.

So there weren't many yes or no or I agree or I don't knows, you were really using those phrases to develop your comments.

And actually practicing this in your discussions will help your written work too.

So it's a really good thing to do.

So well done everyone.

So I just wanna take an example.

So here is part of our pupil Izzy's discussion.

Now this is what she says.

"Expanding on this, I would add that the letter really shows why resilience is crucial and how we shouldn't give up on our dreams.

She talks about facing challenges, but not letting them stop her from reaching her goals, which is inspiring.

It's like a reminder that with determination we can overcome anything and keep chasing our dreams.

" Wow, what a lovely statement from Izzy regarding that statement that was about Williams's letter.

So Izzy is given a what went well and an even better if.

So, the what went well, is there is a really good use of build phrases to develop the discussion, which there is, expanding on this I would add that.

So there's a really lovely way to start that.

And the examples that she gives are fantastic too.

So to push this even further, Izzy could initiate conversations using adverbs.

She could try doing that.

But it is a really good example of discussion.

So what I would like you to do now is think about your own discussions.

What went well and even better if so, WWW and EBI, would you give yourself in terms of your discussion.

Pause the video so you've got time to do this now.

Well done everyone.

We have reached the end of the lesson.

And thank you so much for joining me today to complete that.

I really hope you enjoyed reading Serena Williams's letter and you know, exploring this idea that language really is a powerful tool for change.

So let's just remind ourself of everything that we have done.

We know that language is empowering and enables us to enact social or political changes.

Having a consistent method will help to make sure your annotations are efficient and easy to understand.

And remember, the more you practice those annotations, the quicker, more effective they'll become.

Effective discussions will take turns, develop ideas, use evidence, and respond to the other speaker and adverbs, such as arguably and undeniably can be used to show the extent to which we agree with an idea or statement.

So again, thank you so much and a really very well done.

I look forward to seeing you all again in another lesson soon.

But until then, goodbye.