Mini-Debates

Vaccinations
In this lesson, you will read and talk about vaccinations.
You will consider the health benefits and risks and
debate whether or not immunization programs
should be mandatory.

Pre-Reading
A. Warm-Up Questions

1. Did you receive vaccinations as a child?

2. Do children in your native country

receive vaccinations at school?

3. Why are immunization programs controversial?

B. Vocabulary Preview

Match up as many words and meanings as you can.

Check this exercise again after seeing the words in context on page 2.

1. anxious a) to be more important than something else

2. inject b) long-lasting (a problem)

3. outweigh c) a rule or standard

4. chronic d) nervous, worried

5. principle e) to choose not to accept or participate in

6. mandatory f) powerless, easily harmed

7. pharmaceutical g) required

8. cost-effective h) cheap (in comparison to other options)

9. opt out i) related to the production and sale of medicine or medical supplies

10. vulnerable j) to insert liquid into the body with a needle

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 Vaccinations
Mini-Debates

Reading
VACCINATIONS
Societal duty or personal choice?

1.  n infant's first vaccinations cause even the bravest parents to

A
“It is unacceptable
feel anxious. Caregivers have to trust that medical professionals to hear that
are injecting the correct amounts of a substance for their children and adults
child's immunity. They also trust that the benefits of the vaccine
(disease prevention) outweigh the risks (and sleepless nights).
are dying from
disease where safe
2. Immunization was one of the most important public health
achievements of the 20th century. Vaccines prevent diseases and
and cost‑effective
outbreaks such as mumps, measles, whooping cough, small pox, and vaccines are
polio. In countries wealthy enough to adopt immunization programs, available.”
many vaccine-preventable diseases disappeared. —V ytenis Andriukaitis,
3. N
 ot all parents agree that their children should be vaccinated, however. EU Health Commissioner
Some don't think vaccines are as safe as medical experts suggest. They
worry that vaccines either won't work or will cause unnecessary harm.
Many parents are convinced that chronic illnesses that are on the rise
(e.g., autism, asthma, and allergies) are linked to immunization.

4. S
 ome parents who are against vaccinations are more concerned
about the principle of mandatory vaccinations than the medical risks. Principle Vs. Principal
These people don't want their government or school board deciding
The words "principle" and
what is right for their children. Some feel that certain vaccines (such as "principal" are commonly
the chicken pox vaccine) are unnecessary, while agreeing that others confused. "Principle" is always
(such as the measles vaccine) are important. a noun meaning a rule or
standard. "Principal" can be a
5. A
 nother concern many opponents share is the idea that noun meaning the leader or chief,
pharmaceutical companies and medical professionals profit from or an adjective meaning the
immunization programs. The medical community, however, insists most important.
that preventing a disease is more cost-effective than treating it.

 egardless of the reason for opting out, each time a parent declines
6. R
a child's vaccination, society becomes more vulnerable to disease.
Vaccines provide "herd immunity" to people who are most at risk,
including pregnant women, unvaccinated adults, the elderly, and
babies who are too young for vaccinations.

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 Vaccinations
Mini-Debates

Comprehension
Discuss these questions in pairs, and write the answers in your notebook.

1. How does the article begin? 4. H

 ow does money come into play in
society's debate about vaccinations?
2. Why does the reading mention the 20th century?
5. What is paragraph 6 mainly about?
3. W
 hat are some chronic illnesses that many parents
think are related to immunization?

Vocabulary Review
A. Complete the Questions

Complete the questions using a vocabulary word from page 1.

1. Is your child about getting her shots today?

2. Are these vaccinations for all grade nine girls?

3. Is this a illness, or is he expected to recover quickly?

4. How is it to do the vaccinations at school rather than at a clinic?

5. Why are the elderly more to this disease?

6. Can I of the chicken pox vaccination for my toddler?

B. Synonyms

Circle the two synonyms in each group of words.

1.  ) worried
a 3. a
 ) long-lasting 5. a
 ) injection 7.  ) chronic
a
b) mandatory b) chronic b) shot b) vulnerable
c) anxious c) autism c) immunize c) weak

2. a
 ) money 4. a
 ) prevention 6. a
 ) opt out 8. a
 ) pharmaceuticals
b) cheap b) principle b) decline b) disease
c) cost-effective c) rule c) fear c) medications

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 Vaccinations
Mini-Debates

Vaccine, Vaccination, Immunization

USING THE CORRECT NOUN

The nouns below all have slightly different meanings.

Word Meaning

vaccine the product that provides immunity Shot

The word "shot" is synonymous
vaccination the injection of the vaccine with "vaccination."

the process through which immunity • Did your daughter get her
immunization six-month shots today?
(disease resistance) results from vaccinations

Discuss Debate
Work with a partner or in small groups. Below are two topics to debate in small groups or
Discuss the following questions. pairs. Your teacher will tell you if you will be debating
for or against the idea. You will have ten minutes
1.  hould non-vaccinated kids be allowed to attend
S to prepare your arguments.
day care or school and join teams or clubs?
Topic #1
2. Why does making a program mandatory
cause more people to fear it? Vaccinations are no different from infant car seats
or seat belts. They should all be mandatory in
3. Is it unethical to opt out of an immunization
countries that are fortunate enough to have them.
program on behalf of a child? What effects
might this have in adulthood?
Topic #2
4. Should families who opt out of
Choosing whether or not to immunize one's own
immunization programs pay higher
child is a personal matter and should not be
taxes and insurance premiums?
considered a social responsibility.
5. Many vulnerable people die from the flu.
Should flu shots be mandatory too?

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 Vaccinations
Mini-Debates

Research & Critical Thinking

One of the growing concerns parents have about vaccinations is the
unproven link to autism. Do some research to find out when and how this
concern emerged. Why do scientists and medical experts insist there is
no connection?

Writing
Choose one of the questions from the Discuss section on page 4.
Then write a paragraph stating your own opinion.

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 Vaccinations
Mini-Debates

Useful Expressions and Transitions for Debating

Agreeing and Disagreeing Expressing an Opinion

• That doesn’t take away from the fact that... • In my honest opinion...
• That’s beside the point. • It is my belief that...
• With all due respect... • From my experience...
• I agree with you there. • From where I look at it...
• I agree with ---- (name). • From my point of view...
• I see your point, but...
• That may be true, but...
Clarifying / Rephrasing
• We’re going to have to agree to disagree.
• I get/see where you’re coming from, but... • Let’s be clear here.
• I’m afraid I disagree entirely. • I think you misunderstood what I said.
• I’m afraid I’d have to disagree. • What I said was... (repeat a point
• I agree to some extent, but... that was misunderstood or confused)
• I disagree with you there. • What I meant to say was...
• Pardon me for disagreeing, but... (rephrase something in a way that is clearer)
• In other words...
• What I was trying to say
Interrupting / Asking to Contribute
before I was interrupted is that...
• I hate to interrupt, but...
• If I may come in here...
Summarizing / Concluding
• I’d like to add something.
• Would you like to contribute something? • So let me get this straight. You think...
• I’d like to raise a point. • To conclude...
• If I could speak for a moment... • I’d just like to summarize by saying...
• I’d like to cut in here. • Finally, I’d like to reiterate that...
• You haven’t answered my question. • It’s time to take stock of what we’ve heard today.
• Both sides have some valid points.
• The stronger argument/team today is...
Persuading

• Can you see where I’m coming from?

• I challenge you to give this a try/chance.
• I want you to see it my way.
• Put yourself in my shoes.
• Am I getting through to you?

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 Vaccinations
Mini-Debates

Answer Key
LESSON DESCRIPTION: LEVEL: Int – Adv

Students read about vaccinations and discuss why some parents TIME: 1.5–2 hours
are anxious and/or opposed to immunization programs. The lesson
TAGS: discussion, health, vaccine, vaccination,
includes vocabulary review exercises, comprehension questions,
immunization, immunity, shots, public health
discussion questions, and debate questions. It also includes useful
expressions for debates.

Pre-Reading Comprehension

A. WARM-UP QUESTIONS 1. The article begins by describing how it

feels to take an infant for his/her first shots.
Have students work in small groups or as a class. Answers will vary.
2. The reading mentions the 20th century because this is
when the medical breakthrough of immunization took place.
B. VOCABULARY PREVIEW
3. Some illnesses that many parents think are related to
1. d 3. a 5. c 7. i 9. e immunization are autism, asthma, and allergies.
2. j 4. b 6. g 8. h 10. f 4. Some people do not trust immunization programs
because the medical industry is profiting from vaccinations.

Reading
Read individually, in small groups, or as a class. Discuss the
quote. You can also play the listening as your students read
along. Help your students with vocabulary and expressions
that they are unfamiliar with.
Review the commonly confused words principle and principal.
On the other hand, medical experts say that it's cheaper
to prevent disease than to treat it.
5. Paragraph 6 is mainly about "herd immunity" and society's
responsibility to protect its most vulnerable members.
Vocabulary Review
A. COMPLETE THE QUESTIONS

1. anxious 3. chronic 5. vulnerable

2. mandatory 4. cost-effective 6. opt out

B. SYNONYMS

1. a, c 3. a, b 5. a, b 7. b, c
2. b, c 4. b, c 6. a, b 8. a, c

(continued on the next page...)

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 Vaccinations
Mini-Debates

Answer Key cont.

Vaccine, Vaccination, Immunization

You and your students may be confused about these similar words.
Review the subtle differences and introduce the commonly used
word "shot(s)."

Discuss

Have students discuss in small groups or pairs. Answers will vary.

Debate

Review language used in debates (see page 6). Then divide students
into pairs or groups, with some arguing for and others arguing
against one or both of the topics. Alternatively, allow students to
choose one topic to debate as a class. If all students want to argue
the same side, assign some students to be on the other side of the
debate. Give students time to practice making statements about
their opinions.

Remind students to defend their opinions with real-life examples

and details. They may also need to be reminded to respect the
opinions of others. You could also practice interrupting politely.
(See our Functional English lesson plan on Interrupting:
https://esllibrary.com/courses/92/lessons/1747)

Consult our Teachers’ Notes for more ideas on using ESL Library’s
Mini-Debates in the classroom: https://esllibrary.com/courses/73/
lessons/1311

Research & Critical Thinking

Optional task. Assign this topic to students who want to learn more.

Writing

Answers will vary.

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