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Teacher Has Camera in Back of Head (14th December, 2010)

Teachers have always wanted eyes in the back of their heads. One professor is now a step closer to making that a reality. Wafaa Bilal, a photography lecturer from New York’s Tisch School of the Arts, has had a camera installed in the back of his head. It is part of an art project called “The 3rd I” from the Mathaf Arab Museum of Modern Art in Doha, Qatar. The camera will take a snap shot every minute for one year of Professor Bilal's everyday activities. Bilal said: "I see myself as a mirror reflecting some of the social conditions that we ignore."

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This project seems quite interesting, but it does raise questions about privacy. Many people will not want the photos taken by Professor Bilal’s camera to be put online. The question of having cameras in the classroom is also a sensitive one. His university has told students their teacher will need to cover the camera lens while he is teaching. A school spokesman said: “We take seriously the privacy issues his project raises.” Bilal’s work should result in 525,600 photos, if he takes one a minute. Maybe this idea will catch on and we will all have head cameras one day.

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PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.	eyes in the back	a.	closer
2	now a step	b.	a snap shot
3.	making that	c.	of their heads
4.	part of an	d.	as a mirror
5.	The camera will take	e.	a reality
6.	I see myself	f.	art project

Paragraph 2

1.	raise questions	a.	Professor Bilal’s camera
2	photos taken by	b.	camera lens
3.	The question of having	c.	about privacy
4.	cover the	d.	raises
5.	privacy issues his project	e.	on
6.	this idea will catch	f.	cameras in the classroom

LISTENING GAP FILL

Teachers ________________________ eyes in the back of their heads. One professor is ________________________ making that a reality. Wafaa Bilal, a photography lecturer from New York’s Tisch School of the Arts, has ________________________ in the back of his head. It is ________________________ called “The 3rd I” from the Mathaf Arab Museum of Modern Art in Doha, Qatar. The camera ________________________ every minute for one year of Professor Bilal's everyday activities. Bilal said: "I see myself ________________________ some of the social conditions that we ignore."

This project seems quite interesting, but ________________________ about privacy. Many people will not want the photos taken by Professor Bilal’s camera to be put online. ________________________ cameras in the classroom is also a sensitive one. His university has told students their teacher ________________________ camera lens while he is teaching. A school spokesman said: “We take seriously ________________________ project raises.” Bilal’s work should result in 525,600 photos, if ________________________. Maybe this ________________________ and we will all have head cameras one day.

MULTIPLE CHOICE

Teachers have always wanted (1) ____ in the back of their heads. One professor is now a step closer to making that a (2) ____. Wafaa Bilal, a photography lecturer from New York’s Tisch School of the Arts, has had a camera installed in the back of his head. It is (3) ____ of an art project called “The 3rd I” from the Mathaf Arab Museum of Modern Art in Doha, Qatar. The camera will take a (4) ____ shot every minute for one year of Professor Bilal's everyday (5) ____. Bilal said: "I see myself (6) ____ a mirror reflecting some of the social conditions that we ignore."

This project seems (7) ____ interesting, but it does raise questions about privacy. Many people will not want the photos taken by Professor Bilal’s camera to be put (8) ____. The question of having cameras in the classroom is also a sensitive (9) ____. His university has told students their teacher will need to cover the camera lens while he is teaching. A school spokesman said: “We (10) ____ seriously the privacy issues his project (11) ____.” Bilal’s work should result in 525,600 photos, if he takes one a minute. Maybe this idea will catch (12) ____ and we will all have head cameras one day.

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.	(a)	eyes	(b)	feet	(c)	hair
2.	(a)	real	(b)	really	(c)	reality
3.	(a)	partly	(b)	part	(c)	party
4.	(a)	snip	(b)	snap	(c)	snipe
5.	(a)	activities	(b)	actively	(c)	active
6.	(a)	was	(b)	has	(c)	as
7.	(a)	quite	(b)	quiet	(c)	quit
8.	(a)	inline	(b)	online	(c)	offline
9.	(a)	once	(b)	only	(c)	one
10.	(a)	take	(b)	give	(c)	do
11.	(a)	ups	(b)	increases	(c)	raises
12	(a)	up	(b)	on	(c)	off

SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1
1.	a step cslreo
2.	making that a rtailey
3.	part of an art tepojrc
4.	edrveyay activities
5.	I see myself as a iromrr
6.	siocla conditions
Paragraph 2
7.	questions about cyivarp
8.	photos akten
9.	a sinsteive one
10.	issues his project rsiesa
11.	treuls in 525,600 photos
12.	Maybe this idea will athcc on

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	had a camera installed in the back of his head. It is part of an art project called “The 3rd I” from the Mathaf
( )	Arab Museum of Modern Art in Doha, Qatar. The camera will take a snap shot every minute for one year of Professor Bilal's
( )	everyday activities. Bilal said: "I see myself as a mirror reflecting some of the social conditions that we ignore."
( )	is also a sensitive one. His university has told students their teacher will need to cover the camera
( )	This project seems quite interesting, but it does raise questions about privacy. Many people will not
( )	lens while he is teaching. A school spokesman said: “We take seriously the privacy issues his project raises.” Bilal’s work
( 1 )	Teachers have always wanted eyes in the back of their heads. One professor is now a step closer
( )	should result in 525,600 photos, if he takes one a minute. Maybe this idea will catch on and we will all have head cameras one day.
( )	to making that a reality. Wafaa Bilal, a photography lecturer from New York’s Tisch School of the Arts, has
( )	want the photos taken by Professor Bilal’s camera to be put online. The question of having cameras in the classroom

THE READING / TAPESCRIPT

With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.

1.	in Eyes heads their of back the.
2.	reality to making A that step a closer.
3.	project art an of part is It.
4.	shot minute Take snap every a.
5.	the conditions Reflecting of social some.
6.	does questions privacy It raise about.
7.	the want not will People taken photos.
8.	teaching lens while Cover he the is camera.
9.	The issues project privacy his raises.
10.	will on Maybe idea catch this.

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

WRITING

Write about video cameras for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.

______________________________________________________________________________

HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. THE 3rd I: Search the Internet and find more information about “The 3rd I” project. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about art projects. Include imaginary interviews with artists. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

4. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

5. LETTER: Write a letter to the head of the museum. Ask him/her three questions about art projects. Give him/her three of your opinions on art. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Your partner will answer the questions you asked.

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News English Lessons FREE Handout, Listening & Quizzes on a Video Camera (11 Pages of Materials & 8 Online Activities)