When MySpace ends in tears by AnitaGrncarevska on Scribd

When MySpace ends in tears

The Age Fairfax Digital

Calliste Weitenberg

February 1, 2009

Australian teachers are failing to effectively intervene in school cyber bullying, with "significant progress" needed to help bring them up to speed with interactive internet tools. A report published by the federally funded Australian Clearinghouse for Youth Studies found the internet plays a critical role in the lives of primary school-aged children. Sixty-five per cent of five- to14-year-olds use the internet during or outside school, with a large number using email and messaging programs. But teachers largely remained unfamiliar with types of internet communications - such as MySpace and Facebook - used by students as young as five in cases of online harassment and denigration, the report found.

"A significant proportion of teachers do not use or understand interactive online technologies, "Macquarie University lecturer Damian Maher said in the report. "Significant progress in this area is required. "

Latest research suggests as many as one in three students aged 10 to 14 experience forms of cyber bullying, typified by harassment through email, text messaging and online chats. Despite this, Dr Maher said teachers remained "very hesitant" in exploring and using interactive cyber technology, which meant they struggled to monitor and control cyber bullying.

"Appropriate training for teachers needs to be developed," he said.

NSW Teachers Federation president Bob Lipscomb said no policy-based training programs on cyber bullying were available for his members. But information bulletins compiled by the Department of Education and Training were in place to ensure teachers were equipped to respond to classroom cyber bullying; while cases demanding greater action should be referred directly to the Department. Author of website cyberbullying.info, Chris Webster, said teachers with a limited understanding of online tools faced the greatest challenges.

"The majority of students will not report cyber bullying or internet safety incidents to their teachers or parents if [they] believe that the adults around them don't understand this technology," he said. "[They worry that] the way these adults will 'solve' the problem is by removing access to the technology - the absolute last thing any teenager wants, as this technology acts as a social lifeline for these teenagers to their peers.

"Some argue that cyber bullying typically occurs outside school hours and off the school grounds. However, it is difficult to argue that schools are in a vacuum, as they obviously are not.

PART A:

1.What is the purpose of the author in writing of this article?

The aim of the author in this article is to report the fact about the matter of cyber bullying in primary school ages while the teachers largely remained unfamiliar with using cyberspace platform and are not trained suitably that can help their students being bullied and this should be changed.

2.Skim the text and answer True or False to the following statements.

a) Teachers cannot help much in cyber bullying ______ True

b) Teachers are very confident with different kinds of internet communications ______False

c) Teachers could not observe and control cyber bullying ______True

d) There were policy-based programs on cyber bullying for teachers ______False

e) Most of students will report cyber bullying only to their parents ______False

PART B:

 3. Match the following words to their meaning.

1 cyber bullying    d bullying electronically

2 proportion         f part

3 significant        g important

4 equipped          a prepared

5 interactive        b cooperative

6 monitor             h observe

7 intervene          c take part

8 harassment         e intimidation

4. Circle the part of speech of the following words in the text 

a) interactive: article adjective verb adverb 

b) monitor: noun verb preposition adjective 

c) training: adverb noun verb article

5. Scan the text and answer the following:

a) How many students experience forms of cyber bullying? ______________________one in three students aged 10 – to 14

b) How many percent of students use internet during or outside school? ___________ sixty five per cent of five – to 14 year olds

c) What are the two internet communications used by students?

MySpace and Facebook

d) Who is the author of website cyberbullying info?

Calliste Weitenberg

6. Answer in detail:

a) Why are teachers failing to intervene in school cyber bullying?   

Teachers remained "very hesitant" in exploring and using interactive cyber technology, which meant they struggled to monitor and control cyber bullying

b) What is required so teachers can monitor and control cyber bullying? 

Appropriate training for teachers 

c) What is the reason that the majority of students will not report cyber bullying to their teachers or parents? 

They worry that] the way these adults will 'solve' the problem is by removing access to the technology

7. Explain the meaning of the words in bold

a) faced the greatest challenges.
challenges = difficulties,

     b) they struggled  to monitor and control cyber bullying 
      struggled =  worked hard and challengingly

    c) schools are in a vacuum

in a vacumm = there is no situation of, don't have any ...

    8. This newspaper article is about: (circle the correct answer)

a) Bullying at schools

b) Bullying online and

c) Teachers not being able to intervene in cyber bullying

9. Where is the text from? 

the text is from a journalist of The Age Fairfax Digital

10. When was written?

February 1, 2009

11. What is the headline? 

When MySpace ends in tears

What do you think it means?

It means that many people have to end their using of cyperspace means in tears because of bullying without intervention and helps.

12. What is the main information of the text? 

One in three students aged 10 to 14 experience forms of cyber bullying and Australian teachers are failing to effectively intervene in school cyber bullying while 
no policy-based training programs on cyber bullying are available for them.

13. Who would read this kind of text? public, teacher, government.