RUE Episode 48: Zoos and Discussion Skills 2

A hippopotamus can be seen at the zoo – even a long way from Africa.

Episode Summary

Discussion Skills are the focus of this Episode. We saw videos about zoos in Episode 47, which also contained a brief discussion about the validity of zoos from 2 opposite viewpoints. We repeat that discussion to set up for the lesson on the vocabulary and phrasing that facilitate respectful discussions. We also look at a kind of zoos for marine animals: an aquarium.

Watching Episode 48

View Episode 48 as seen on RVTV. Click on Episode 48.

You can also watch the episode in segments. Click here to watch Segment 1.

Watch Segment 2.

Segment 3

Videos used in Episode 48

We featured a video clip about aquariums. Click here to watch the video ad-free on archive.org.

Click here to watch the video on You Tube.

Language Objectives

Use appropriate phrases to invite yourself or others into a discussion. Use appropriate phrases to validate the contrary opinion of another person in a discussion. Use appropriate phrases to signal a contrary opinion. Use appropriate phrases to express interest in hearing the opinion of others. Use an “I Statement” to express an opinion in a discussion.

Academic Content Objectives

Social Studies: Participate in public discourse about an issue on which you have an opinion. Restate an opinion that’s contrary to your own. Summarize the pros and cons of a discussion about public affairs. Science: Explain the habitat needs of certain animals and how zoos meet and fail to meet those needs. List threats to some animal species and how those threats are mitigated by zoos and the limitations of those responses.

Episode Details

Using the discussion conducted in Episode 47, we again see arespectful discussion about the validity of zoos. The discussion is followed by presentation of the words and phrases that allow participation in a discussion in which contrary ideas are expressed. This is the heart of the 2 episodes on discussion skills. Participating in a discussion requires a mastery of English at a high level of proficiency. We’ve ramped up the basic language of expressing an opinion to assure civility and respect when expressing an opinion contrary to that of another, as well as the language that indicates a willingness to consider an opinion different from the one already held by oneself. In the final segment, we expanded our understanding of zoos with a video about aquariums.