Abortion, crime, euthanasia -- these subjects are almost guaranteed to generate debate.
That's what ESL instructors Wendy Royal and Christine Hoppenrath were counting on when they wrote The World Around Us: Canadian Social Issues for ESL Students.
"You learn when you're motivated," says Hoppenrath, who, with Royal, teaches in UBC's English Language Institute (ELI). "And you're motivated if the work is interesting and relevant."
With this in mind, the authors selected a variety of materials from North American newspapers, diaries, magazines and books to create a workbook for ESL students.
The learning revolves around short articles on current controversial issues. Working in small groups, students complete questionnaires or interviews with English speakers in the community. Instructors ask them to give opinions and compare arguments.
The book, Hoppenrath and Royal's first, is the product of more than 20 years of teaching at the ELI.
"It's very satisfying to see how this material really grabs the students," says Hoppenrath. "They don't hesitate -- they jump right into discussions."
ELI students come from everywhere from Turkey to Taiwan. Participants include homestay students, business people from Canada and abroad, and UBC international students.
Hoppenrath and Royal encourage students to compare the values in their own country with those presented in the workbook.
"The students are learning not only the language, but also the cultural underpinnings of the language," says Royal.
Hoppenrath and Royal aren't concerned about the material in the text becoming dated.
"These issues come around again and again," says Royal.