The Housing Crisis in Ireland

http://www.irishtimes.com/business/economy/grappling-with-the-housing-crisis-fresh-approaches-needed-1.2586066


Read the article and work in groups of five, highlighting the main ideas of each of the 5 people.

Family Relationship Bill

http://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/editorial/family-relationships-bill-is-welcome-and-long-overdue-1.2108523

What's this Bill all about? Is Ireland more backward than Spain?

Welfare versus work.

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/welfare-versus-work-does-it-pay-to-take-up-a-low-paid-job-1.1944722?page=3

Read the article and write down a list of at least ten topic-specific lexical items which you want to be able to use in the dialogue with your classmates. Is welfare an incentive or a disincentive to work. What is the Welfare System like in your country? Use the internet to find out about Social Welfare support in Spain and tell of cases in your family circle or in your circle of friends.

Maternity/Paternity Leave.

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/irish-policy-on-parental-leave-is-maternalist-1.1940295?page=2
What golden opportunity does Ireland now have as regards Parental Leave? What are the statutory rights in Spain on this issue?

Addiction to Tablets (technological ones)

http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/high-tech-parents-low-tech-kids-1.1934899?page=2

Read the text, jot down the main points and debate them with your classmates. How do you monitor your kids' use of technology? Do you snoop? Do you know of any severe cases of device addiction? What treatment/therapy is there available?

Are holidays good for you?

http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/travel/holidays-are-good-for-you-aren-t-they-1.1885057

Top American High Schools

 http://huff.to/1jzuRey

Read the article and report back to your classmates about "ill-prepared graduates", and "how schools are evaluated".

Early Bird or Night Owl?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/01/morning-people-lark-early-bird_n_5044818.html?ir=Arts
Read the article and position yourself on it by giving examples of people you know. Speak for 4 minutes on the topic, using the vocabulary and ideas expressed in the article.

Changes in Educational Training

http://www.irishtimes.com/business/sectors/retail-and-services/futureproof-adjusting-to-changing-needs-in-education-1.1568302

What are the salient features of this article?

Are Irish teachers really the best paid in Europe? - Education News | Primary, Secondary & Third Level | The Irish Time - Tue, Oct 22, 2013

Are Irish teachers really the best paid in Europe? - Education News | Primary, Secondary & Third Level | The Irish Time - Tue, Oct 22, 2013

1. Define "on the airwaves", "it's a polarising issue", "a cushy number".
2. Why is it difficult for teachers to win public sympathy?
3. What does the OECD survey show?
4. What does "variables" refer to?
5. What is a "regime"?
6. How might teachers' workloads differ?
7. Does the Eurydice Report clarify the issue?
8. Give a synonym for "statutory".
9. How do Bulgarian teachers earn extra allowances?
10. What incentives are there in the UK and other EU countries?
11. What do we deduce from pay scales in Luxemburg and Lichtenstein?
12. How do German Primary Teachers fare?
13. Explain the metaphor  "the first rung of the ladder".
14. How do "actual working weeks" compare for teachers within the EU?
15. What conclusion is reached about the Irish teacher's workload?
16. Define "pension entitlement" ?
17. Compare the meanings of "boon" and "millstone".

Write a summary of the main issues mentioned in the article.