Developing Talk
These activities focus on urban development in Rio de Janerio, Brazil. The stimulus material was sourced from Geography in the News and the aim is to reveal the geographical patterns, processes and understandings behind news items.
1. Initial stimulus
The class discuss what the local or personal scale could mean and how scale is a significant concept in geography. Students are asked to think about winners and losers in relation to changes to a place they know at a personal scale. They then consider a shorthand definition of development and are asked to refer to the definition throughout the investigation.
2. Mediation of geographical understanding
The Development Compass Rose can be used to generate talk relating to a favela in Rio de Janerio. The class should be divided into two groups. Give one group a copy of Figure A and the other Figure B. The students work individually, then in pairs within the same group making notes about the place represented. After the pairs have shared their descriptions, a pair from Group A work with a pair from Group B. They then pool their descriptions in fours.
3. Making sense of the matter
Each group of four is given an Oral Presentation Matrix and asked to prepare a presentation focusing on a different aspect of the favela. Group A should think about the natural elements (N), Group B the natural and economic (NE), Group C the economic (E), and so on.
4. Refining thinking
After the presentations encourage the students to think about how their understanding of the favela development programme is growing.
5. Reflection
During the plenary, make links with the importance of representing ideas and arguments, using evidence and judgement. Encourage students to relate how they used global dimension concepts.
Resources and Links
Download the Venn diagram designed to help you plan your 'Developing Talk' activities.
Rights/respect
- QCA Respect for All
- UNICEF Education - includes lesson plans and activities from a rights perspective
- UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the UN Declaration of Human Rights - are useful for background information on rights issues
Geography in the media
- Geography in the News - an RGS-IBG website
- Global Eye - up-to-date case studies on development issues
- Global Express - an up-to-the-minute magazine for teachers of 8-14 year olds on global issues
- Online Newspapers - provides links to the media across the world
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