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This column is for self-study or classroom use and gives guided help with reading the wide variety of writing styles and topics that appear as feature articles in the Bangkok Post. The lessons include background information, skill-building practice and vocabulary explanations. August 8, 2006 The mother of all lessons INTRODUCTION

Today's lesson is about Mother's Day, which is on Saturday, if you hadn't noticed. Most people in the class will have something to say about their mothers - you might even find it hard to stop some of them talking. The article is taken from the Bangkok Post archives, having first appeared on Mother's Day last year. It reveals several interesting statistics and tells us something about the relationship between mothers and children in Thailand. Teacher's notes Warm up the class by showing some pictures of your own mother (students are notoriously nosy creatures), or some famous mothers and children, and eliciting the relationship. Maybe some of the students have pictures of their own mothers with them. It is, however, important to be wary of pushing students who appear reluctant to talk. Not everyone has a perfect home life and private lives are, after all, private. Ask your students what was special about last Saturday and what, if anything, they did to mark the occasion. Tell them when Mother's Day is celebrated in your own country, and what you usually do: Give your mum a bunch of her favourite flowers? Take her out for a slap-up meal? Completely forget and spend the next day grovelling? The article itself should not prove particularly demanding on a language level, and could be used with most classes from pre-intermediate upwards. For a pre-reading activity, write the following notes on the board. Mothers most important (%) Fathers most important (%) Don't talk to mother about: Argue with mother about: Explain the notes in the context of the article and ask the students to predict the answers. When the class has finished reading the piece, go back and compare the class's predictions with the results of the survey. Activity Now conduct a survey in your class. Work in small groups and make up questions related to the article above, or Mother's Day in general. For example: Who is the most important person in your life? How could you be a better son/daughter? What will you do on Mother's Day? When you have at least five questions, go and survey other students in your class. Turn your results into percentages and report back to the class. For example: "Sixty percent of respondents said they should tidy their room more often."

OUR STORY FROM THE BANGKOK POST Mums closer to Thai young than anyone, including dad Rattana Sajathep hugs her children after being named 'Outstanding Mother' by Satri Withaya 2 School in 2003.— PHRAKRIT JUNTAWONG Mothers are closer to the hearts of Thai youngsters than anyone else, including fathers, according to a poll. Bangkok Poll Research Centre of Bangkok University said it surveyed 1,111 young people aged 13 to 22 in Bangkok and surrounding areas on August 8 and 9 [2005] on what they thought of their mothers. Thailand celebrates Mother's Day today, which is also Her Majesty the Queen's birthday. The poll said almost all respondents - 96.8 percent - said their mothers are the most important people in their lives while only 1.8 percent said their fathers are the best. Slightly more than half, or 53.2 percent, keep no secrets from their mothers, saying they can tell them everything. The others said they feel uneasy talking to their mothers about romantic relationships and studying, drinking, smoking, gambling, debt and drug problems. Three quarters of respondents have quarrelled with their mothers about spending money, the amount of time they spend going out, playing computer games and talking on the telephone, family problems, their studies and gambling and drug problems. Asked if they thought their mothers should change, about a quarter said they should complain less. About 47 percent said they want their mothers to trust and understand them more, give them more time and love them the way they love their brothers or sisters. About 28 percent said their mothers are already great and do not need to change. The young people promised to concentrate more on their studies, stop arguing with their mothers, help with housework, stop spending lavishly and stop behaving badly. To show they really love their mothers, almost 50 percent said they would follow their mother's advice. Others said they would hug their mothers, help them with work, stay home with them, buy them presents, tell them they love them and take them out. poll/survey a report which shows people's answers to a set of questions surrounding areas places nearby respondent a person who answers questions, especially in a survey quarrel an angry argument concentrate to give all your attention lavishly too much; excessively hug embrace; hold in your arms Read our other instant lesson here. Return to our home page. | © The Post Publishing Public Co., Ltd. All rights reserved 2006 | Last modified: August 7, 2006