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Thinking about the future

Source
Asia 2000 (out of print), Dufty, D. & Dufty, H.
ISBN 1 86366 257 X

Learning area
Studies of society and environment

Level
Lower secondary

Description
Students consider what they will be doing and thinking five years from today and compare their ideas with those of their Asian counterparts.

Purpose
To develop understandings of self and others in social contexts, today and in future years.

Duration
50 minutes

Possible outcomes
In relation to Studies of society and environment — a curriculum profile for Australian schools, this lesson can contribute to outcomes in the following strands:

Materials required
Class set of the handout Asian students' views about the year 2000 (from below)

Procedure

  1. Myself five years from now
    Without initial discussion, ask students to imagine themselves five years from now and to write a few paragraphs in response to the following questions:

    • How old are you?
    • Where are you living?
    • What activities are you most interested in?
    • What job or educational course are you doing?
    • Are you happy with what you are doing?
    • What did you have to do to get to where you are now?
    • Are you optimistic or pessimistic about the future? Why?

    Students can then discuss their responses with one or two others or a class discussion can be held.

  2. The views of students in Asia
    In 1994–95, some students in Asia were asked similar questions. Provide each student in the class with a copy of the Handout Asian students' views about the year 2000 and ask them to read it. Then use the following questions as a guide for student discussion, either as a class or in small groups:

    • What statements made by students in Asia are similar to those of the class?
    • What statements are different?
    • What possible explanations are there for any differences?
    • Do the students in Asia seem more or less optimistic than students in the class?

  3. Writing task

    Ask students to complete two short pieces of writing as follows:

    • things that young people hope for in the future
    • things that worry young people about the future

    In their written work, students should use quotes from the comments of Asian students and from their own class.

Extension activities

  1. The class as a whole
    Students collect the 'five years from now' pieces of writing from the whole class and devise a way to collate and analyse the data. If desired, further data can be obtained from other classes in the school.

  2. Australia five years from now
    Ask students to write a piece in which they imagine the changes that might have taken place in Australia five years into the future. What has changed for the better and what problems exist? Discuss responses.

Acknowledgments
Asia 2000 is part of the Access Asia series, funded by the Commonwealth Department of Education, Science and Training through the Asia Education Foundation.

Related resources

Handout
Asian students' views about the year 2000

China
'I will work hard for my country. I will be a zoology scientist.'

Hong Kong
'I am optimistic about the future because I think that my life or my fate is totally under my control. No matter what happens in the future I must face them bravely.'

'If I can do it I must make it good.'

Japan
'I am a university student and I travel to many countries while I have a concession for my travel.'

Korea
'If I'm lucky, I may be working.'

Malaysia
'I am very optimistic about the future because I am in the real challenging world where I have to give my best to enjoy the nectar of life in the years to come.'

Vietnam
'I am interested in going abroad. I've graduated. Perhaps I am working in a large university as a teacher of English.'

'I am pessimistic about the future. I'm afraid of being jobless. The population of Vietnam is more and more increasing. There are many young people looking for jobs.'

'I have a husband and a year later we'll have a baby. We'll bring up our child to become a good person. We do together the things we like such as reading books, travelling and speaking English to each other at some time of the day.'