(2) Mini debate: Cheating and plagiarism in schools
Reading (listening) of a short passage about the topic, vocabulary, discussion of some related questions in pairs, and lastly, short mini debates in small groups.
P.S.
1. Sorry, the pictures didn't want to line up correctly today. :(
2. Students, I'm asking for the last time that you read the attachments before your comments. If you haven't followed Tony's (Meng Guimiao) advice, please contact him again and install the software now. Thank you.
Replies
Yes Ann, it has appeared to me to that cheating is an acceptable behavior in China. But even if 1 billion people engage in it, it is still wrong! So, how does one break a wrong habit that has become a formal thing over the years ..? I hope there will be some answers tomorrow. :)
Well Jackie, I hope you are right that the mini debates would be a good environment for the students to practice their language skills. I believe it must be easier for the student as it is more difficult to talk in the bigger group (the class). So, I hope they would all benefit by the small debates and the short discussions prior to the debates. :)
That is right, Cynthia, honesty is a great quality among people, especially among students. However, my question is then why do the students not stop cheating? Or why do the parents not discourage this bad phenomenon among their children (as the children do not listen to the teachers not to cheat)? There are more questions than answers.
Thank you Zhou Yuqi, for a good comment too. There is much one can say about cheating, but I believe the bottom line is that the authorities do not do enough to discourage it. They say one thing (pretend that they believe it to be wrong), but they don't seriously apply what they say. And in many instances, they are dishonest themselves. so, the younger generations grow up in an environment where they can see that cheating and dishonesty are being tolerated. So, why then stop? We'll hear tomorrow what the others have to say about this. :)
Thank you Ada; I can see you are putting extra effort in with your comments. It makes sense what you say and it reads well. Thank you. And thanks for the additional information about the 2010 landslide in Zhouqu county; I didn't know that. It was equally sad; I agree.
Tan Jingping, if plagiarism is illegal, then cheating should be too as they fall into the same category of dishonesty, don't you think so? I am sure that a person who has 'successfully' cheated in is life (never been caught), would also commit plagiarism when he gets the opportunity. They are related. See you. :)
I'm happy to read that you have never cheated before, Kelly. I admire you then as you are one of the exceptions. I have cheated once when I was in grade 3, but I was caught and the punishment was so severe that I decided to never do that again in my life. And I kept that promise to myself. :)
So, how are they going to stop it, Zhou Ying? Or do you also think (like me) they don't really want to stop it? But do you think it should only be the schools that should implement measures to prevent it? The government officials and politicians are showing the people how to be dishonest .. so, why would the people want to stop it at the schools? Maybe the leaders should show the people how to live honest lives and not just talk and pretend ... Talk is cheap.
Well Pauline, that is how they get rid of cheating and other wrong behaviors in the western countries - they punish the offenders. But in China, cheating is so common, that most people have cheated to get where they are in life - also the teachers and professors (not to even mention plagiarism). So, that makes it much more difficult to punish the offenders as those dishing out punishment would then be big hypocrites as they themselves have cheated to obtain their positions at the universities and schools. So, what is the result ...? They just turn a blind eye to cheating in general, and the students carry on the tradition of cheating. Oh yes, now and then they catch an unlucky student and punish him as an example to show that they don't agree with cheating. But their continued actions speak something differently. So, it is my believe that cheating would never be stopped in China as the will to do that, is absent. :)
Yes, you are right that it is a serious problem in China. I wasn't aware of it until I start working here. I think it is much worse here than in the western countries due to the education system you have here. The system encourages cheating. I am sure the authorities are very much aware of this, but they are not prepared to change the system. So, I believe that they don't care whether the students cheat or not (though they always say it is not right - but talk is cheap ...).
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