Who is Taking Care of the Children?

• newEditor
• English
• 12th Grade

Who is taking care of the children?

Reading Practice

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Lesson Objectives

1.        Students use new vocabulary words in meaningful sentences of their own.

2.       Students read an article and infer main idea and overall meaning of the text.

3.       Interpret and analyse explicit and implicit connections between ideas.

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Pre-assessment: What is the main idea of the following text?

In the UAE’s highly modernised society, working parents raising two babies face demanding challenges. Career pressure, long working hours, and fast-paced lifestyles often conflict with the constant care infants require. While childcare services are accessible, parents frequently experience guilt and emotional strain. Financial burdens and the difficulty of preserving family values alongside professional ambition further complicate daily life, forcing parents to constantly balance work responsibilities with their children’s developmental needs.

A

A. International food is unhealthy and should be avoided.

B

B. Modernisation in the UAE has completely weakened traditional family values.

C

D. Financial pressure is the single most serious problem facing families in the UAE.

D

C. Working parents in the UAE struggle to balance demanding careers with the needs of their young children.

Lesson 15

Skill: Reading and Viewing

Topic: Who’s Taking Care of the Children?

Lesson Goal

Students read an expository article and identify the main ideas of selected paragraphs using topic clues and repeated ideas.

Student Learning Outcomes

• Read and identify the main points.

This lesson is adapted from NI Reading & Writing p64-67. All activities have been adapted or created using the PowerPoint and/or handouts.

Key Vocabulary

breadwinner, clerical, extended family, flextime, glass ceiling, immediate family, in touch, job sharing, portrayed, radically, self-employed

TEACHER OVERVIEW

• Cycle 3 English Language

Identifying the main idea (gist) and skimming (Teacher)

Handout Links:

Handout 1

Useful Links:

Vocabulary Game!

Meaning

New Word

Seeing someone regularly

Close family such as parents and siblings

 The person in a family who works to provide the money

Having your own business

Grandparents and cousins and all family members

breadwinner

Self-employed

in touch

immediate family

extended family

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Lesson 15: Reading and Viewing

Topic: Who’s Taking Care of the Children?

Lesson Goal

Read and find the main idea of each paragraph by looking at the topic, first and last sentences, and repeated words.

• Cycle 3 English Language

In this lesson, I will learn how to…

• read and pick out the most important things that a writer is saying.

Key Vocabulary

breadwinner, clerical, extended family, flextime, glass ceiling, immediate family, in touch, job sharing, portrayed, radically, self-employed

Activity 1

Get ready

Lesson 15

Warm-up

Activity 2

Cool down

Plenary & Reflection

Activity 3

1. Look at the pictures.

2. Discuss the three questions with your partner

• Cycle 3 English Language

Family Roles Then and Now Real World Connection

Activity 1

Get ready

Lesson 15

Warm-up

Activity 2

Cool down

Plenary & Reflection

Activity 3

What new challenges do parents face today?

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1. In pairs, match the three images with the correct title

Matching & Prediction

1. Now open your book to page 65 (Activity 3)

2. Make notes: What do you think the article is about?

3. Compare your ideas with your partner.

Activity 1

Get ready

Lesson 15

Warm-up

Activity 2

Cool down

Plenary & Reflection

Activity 3

What do you think the article is about?

• The article is about how families manage childcare today compared to the past.

• It discusses different childcare options available to parents.

• It explains how parents share responsibilities at home.

• It also looks at new work arrangements that help parents balance jobs and family life.

Activity 1

Get ready

Lesson 15

Warm-up

Activity 2

Cool down

Plenary & Reflection

Activity 3

1. In pairs, think about how young couples raise children today and how this was different in the past.

2. Write your ideas in the chart (Past vs Present) page 64, activity 2.

Thinking and discussing: Past childcare practices vs Present childcare practices.

Step1. Before Reading…

Activity 1

Get ready

Lesson 15

Warm-up

Activity 2

Cool down

Plenary & Reflection

Activity 3

1. Read the article.

2. Add new ideas or correct your notes in the same chart.

3. Compare your updated chart with your partner.

Thinking and discussing: Past childcare practices vs Present childcare practices.

Step 2. After Reading…

Discussion Questions:

• What changed in your ideas?

• Which prediction was accurate?

• What surprised you?

Activity 1

Get ready

Lesson 15

Warm-up

Activity 2

Cool down

Plenary & Reflection

Activity 3

Check your predictions

PAST

PRESENT

• Extended families cared for children at home.

• Mothers stayed home and raised children.

• Fathers were the sole breadwinners.

• Traditional family roles were portrayed in media during the 1950s–1960s.

• Most parents work, including women in professional jobs, because living costs are high.

• Childcare options include day-care centers, preschools, informal care, workplace day-care, and nannies.

• Parents now share childcare and household chores; fathers are more involved.

• Flexible work solutions like flextime, job sharing, and working from home help balance family and jobs.

Activity 1

Get ready

Lesson 15

Warm-up

Activity 2

Cool down

Plenary & Reflection

Activity 3

1. Go to page 67 and read the Skills Focus box: Identifying the Main Idea of Paragraphs.

2. Highlight the tip you think is most useful.

3. Use Handout 1 with 6 questions.

4. Work in pairs or small groups to discuss and circle the correct answer to the questions.

Skills Focus-Main Idea Strategy Quiz

Activity 1

Get ready

Lesson 15

Warm-up

Activity 2

Cool down

Plenary & Reflection

Activity 3

Differentiated Reading Worksheets

Each student will receive a worksheet from the teacher according to their level.

Levels are 1: Needing Support

2: Average

3: Advanced and critical thinking

4: SEN

Sit with your reading twin partner as per list and level. Each student has 2-3 tasks to finish and 12 minutes to finish those tasks. Check the timer. Tell teacher when you are done.

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Skills Focus-Main Idea Strategy Quiz

Understanding Main Idea Strategy

Q2. Where is the main idea often found?

A) In the title of the article only

B) In the middle sentence of the paragraph

C) In the first or last sentence of the paragraph

Q3. Which step should you take first when finding the main idea?

A) Count the number of sentences in the paragraph

B) Identify who or what the paragraph is about

C) Look only at the longest sentence in the paragraph

A) The most important point the author wants to communicate

B) Every example and detail in the paragraph

C) The meaning of difficult words in the paragraph

Q1. What does the main idea of a paragraph tell you?

Activity 1

Get ready

Lesson 15

Warm-up

Activity 2

Cool down

Plenary & Reflection

Activity 3

Skills Focus-Main Idea Strategy Quiz

Q5. Why is summarizing the paragraph in one sentence useful?

A) It helps you understand what the paragraph is generally about

B) It replaces the author’s ideas with your own opinion

C) It allows you to ignore the details completely

Q6. Which of these is NOT a good strategy for finding the main idea?

A) Focus on the topic and repeated ideas

B) Only read the examples and ignore the topic sentence

C) Check the first and last sentences for clues

A) Memorize every sentence in the paragraph

B) Skip the paragraph and move to the next one

C) Look for repeated words, phrases, and ideas

Q4. When a paragraph has a lot of information, what should you do?

Activity 1

Get ready

Lesson 15

Warm-up

Activity 2

Cool down

Plenary & Reflection

Activity 3

1. Form groups of 3–4.

2. Read paragraphs A, B, C, E, F, G on pages 65–66.

3. Use the Skills Focus tips (page 67) to:

• Write the topic and main idea for each paragraph in your book chart (Page 67 – Activity 5).

1. After completing the chart:

• Compare answers with another group.

  • Reporting: Each group will share one assigned paragraph.

Find the Main Idea – Group Challenge

Activity 1

Get ready

Lesson 15

Warm-up

Activity 2

Cool down

Plenary & Reflection

Activity 3

• Cycle 3 English Language

Find the Main Idea – Group Challenge

Monetary reasons for working

Change in women’s roles since the 1950s

Extended families vs immediate families

Childcare options today

Sharing childcare responsibilities

Rising living costs mean both parents must work to support the family.

Women’s roles have changed radically from stay-at-home mothers to working professionals.

Childcare by extended families has declined as families became smaller and moved to cities.

Parents use day-care centers, informal care, workplace day-care, or hire nannies.

Couples now share childcare and household chores, and fathers are more involved.

Activity 1

Get ready

Lesson 15

Warm-up

Activity 2

Cool down

Plenary & Reflection

Activity 3

• Cycle 3 English Language

• Cycle 3 English Language

Quick Poll & Reflection – Childcare in the Workplace

Do you agree or disagree?

Real-World Connection

Read each statement and show your opinion by raising your hand or moving to the “Agree” or “Disagree” side of the room.

1. Companies should provide free childcare for employees.

2. Flexible work hours are more helpful than free childcare.

3. Parents should pay for childcare themselves, not employers.

4. Working from home is the best solution for childcare problems.

5. Governments should support childcare more than companies.

Activity 1

Get ready

Lesson 15

Warm-up

Activity 2

Cool down

Plenary & Reflection

Activity 3

Lesson outcome check!

• I can read and pick out the most important things that a writer is saying.

• I can write clear, organised notes in my own words that are correct, have the right details, give the exact information I need and include the most important information for my purpose about what I am reading.

• Cycle 3 English Language

Activity 1

Get ready

Lesson 15

Warm-up

Activity 2

Cool down

Plenary & Reflection

Activity 3

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Postassessment:What is the main idea of this text:

Choosing the best childcare option is a critical decision for working parents, particularly in fast-paced, modern societies. Parents must evaluate factors such as safety, emotional support, cost, and flexibility when selecting between nurseries, nannies, or family-based care. While professional childcare offers structure and reliability, it may lack personal attention. Ultimately, the most effective option is one that aligns with a child’s developmental needs while supporting parents’ work responsibilities.

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A

A. Professional nurseries are always better than home-based childcare.

B

C. The best childcare option depends on balancing children’s needs with parents’ circumstances.

C

B. Parents should prioritise cost over quality when choosing childcare.

D

D. Family-based childcare is becoming unnecessary in modern societies.

LMS Exit Ticket : Courses - Smart Learning Gateway

Main Idea | Free Interactive Worksheets | 615116

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