Solutions to Problems
Lesson Plan- Solution to Problems
Problems abound in life and many concerned people are constantly looking for solutions to these problems. You may find yourself in a very serious discussion about some the more pressing problems facing the world today. Many times in these kinds of discussions, the answers proposed are just possibilities or suggestions. There are certain structures that can be used when talking in possibilities. Look at these examples.
English Expressions- Solution to Problems
Asking about solutions
Expression: What should we do about (… high rate of absenteeism in public schools)?
Response: Maybe we should ( … hire truant officers to visit the student’s home or contact the parents when students are absent).
Expression: What can be done to (… get more people to vote during national elections)?
Response: How about (…passing a law that taxes them if they don’t vote).
Expression: What is a solution for ( … reducing the hearing lose of employees at this plant? The machines are so loud they are effecting peoples hearing).
Response: Why don’t we ( … make it mandatory that all employees wear ear plugs).
Expression: How do we ( … get traffic to slow down on 5th Street? There have been 7 accidents on that street in the last month because drivers are going to fast).
Response: The city needs to ( … install speed bumps along that stretch of road. That will slow people down).
Dialogue- Solution to Problems
Professor: One of the biggest problems facing this country today is illegal
drug use. What are some of your suggestions for solving this grave
social plight?
Student A: Put all the drug users in jail. If they are in jail, they can’t get
or use the drugs.
Professor: That’s a little naive. Illegal drugs are fairly easy to get in
prison, if you know the right people. Another solution.
Student B: I think rehabilitating drug users is the best solution.
Professor: Possible, for some individuals it would work, but, I suspect,
not all.
Student C: The schools need better education programs to warn and
instruct kids about the dangers and consequences of drugs. If kids
never start taking drugs, there is no problem.
Professor: That’s true, but children get much of their education of life on
the streets, not in the classroom.
Student D: Attack it at its source. Bust all the dealers and suppliers
of drugs.
Professor: That might work, if it weren’t impossible to do. I think that
we would all agree, that arresting all dealers and suppliers would be
virtually impossible and prohibitively expensive in terms of money
and manpower.
Student E: In my opinion, one of the reasons that drug use is so attractive
to kids is because of its mystique. Their parents say they can’t or
shouldn’t use them, which of course tempts kids to want to try it even
more. People always want what they can’t have. If you eliminate the
mystique, you eliminate the problem.
Professor: I’m sure that’s true of a small percentage of people, but not all.
Student F: How about monetary incentives. The government could give
people money- cash, not tax breaks or other such things, but cold hard
cash, for not taking drugs.
Professor: Now that is a solution I have never heard of or contemplated
before. It might have merit, but it would be very, very expensive.
Student G: I don’t think there is any one solution. All the suggestions
offered so far have merits and faults. It seems to me that using a
combination of all those solutions could be effective.
Professor: I think you’re right. There are no easy answers and it will take
multifaceted approach to eliminate the problem.
Conversation Activities- Solution to Problems
1. Group or Pair Work- debate
Get into two groups of four or six each for a debate. One group take the pro
side and the other group the con side. If working in pairs one person take
the pro side and the other the con side.
The teams will be debating the merits and faults of the given solutions to
the problems below. Use the suggestions listed, in addition to your own
thoughts, for possible points to cover in the debate.
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1. Problem: Littering Solution: Moderate fines for people that litter |
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Pro |
Con |
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● will generate income for the government |
● doesn’t educate people about the problem |
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● will focus peoples attention to the problem |
● cost more to implement than income it would |
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● it will serve as just punishment |
● could create ill will among the populace |
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2. Problem: Pollution caused by power plants using fossil fuels |
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Pro ● eliminates major source of pollution |
Con ● too expensive to replace existing fossil fuel plants |
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● generates more electricity for less cost |
● would have world wide economic impact (if fossil |
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● benefits non-oil producing countries |
● fear and danger of nuclear accident |
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● conserves natural resources |
● fear and danger of terrorist attacks |
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● creates higher educated and technologically advanced workers |
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● is relatively safe |
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● there are less health related concerns |
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3. Problem: Use of hand guns in crimes Solution: Mandatory 20 year prison sentence for any violation, 30 years prison if the weapon is fired |
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Pro |
Con |
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● is easy to verify and implement |
● would increase already unmanageable prison populations |
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● offers greater assurance to potential victims |
● would not really act as a deterrent |
2. Group or Pair Work- discussion
Get into groups of three or four people. You are members of the U. N.
addressing world wide issues. Select one of the topics below (or choose
your own) and discuss and present your solutions to them. Cover each
of the areas under the identification and solution of the problem.
Identify
why it is a problem
the people who it is a problem for
its effect on those people
Problem
Illiteracy Water pollution
Population explosion World hungry
Drug use AIDS epidemic
Nuclear proliferation Terrorist groups
Fair and equal access to medical treatment and medicine
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