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1. They take pictures & videos at school -> post on social media.

2. The students in the picture will not concentrate on studying after reading those articles.

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Shutterstock

Two years ago, when Mayor de Blasio and Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña lifted the ban on cellphones in New York City public schools, they also instituted what they called a "Misuse It, You Lose It" policy to prevent cyberbullying - which has increased 351 percent in that time.

According to a Post analysis, there were 804 reported incidents in the 2015-16 school year, compared to 686 the prior year and 178 in 2013-14, the year before the cellphone ban was lifted. The most common types of incidents involve fat-shaming and harassment over race, gender and sexual orientation.

Some experts believe the spike in numbers is due to increased vigilance: We are more aware of cyberbullying, and so more likely to report it. But this is probably wishful thinking.

The case of Megan Meier, the teen who committed suicide after classmates bombarded her with hurtful messages on MySpace, happened in 2006. It was in 2010 that Tyler Clementi jumped off the George Washington Bridge after his roommate used a computer to spy on him and then shared footage with other classmates at Rutgers University.

Heck, there was a 2011 movie called "Cyberbully." This isn't a new phenomenon.

The more likely scenario is that cyberbullying in New York City schools has risen in tandem with the number of hours a day that students have access to cyberspace. In other words, thanks to the fact that cellphones are now allowed in school, students have another seven or eight hours each day in which to insult one another online.

A 2011 study in the journal Children and Society found that "frequent Internet users are more likely to perpetrate acts of cyberbullying." A 2011 survey of 500 American teens sponsored by the Telecom firm Openet found that 42 percent of heavy cellphone users - those who send more than 60 texts on a typical school day - have engaged in negative or inappropriate activity on their phones compared to just 18 percent of light users.

But heavy cellphone use is not only correlated with bullying. It's correlated with being bullied. According to the survey, "46 percent of heavy users experience cyberbullying on their cell phones, a much higher rate compared to just 23 percent of teenagers who are within the 'normal usage' bracket."

Would these kids simply shift their cyberbullying to another time of day? Doubtful: There are too many hours to make up for.

Moreover, studies show that adult supervision of technology makes cyberbullying less likely. So it's harder to do on home computers or when parents are looking over their kids' shoulders.

While there are supposed to be strict rules about the use of phones inside of city schools - depending on the school, they may be restricted to lunch or free time - students will tell you that plainly isn't working. In any classroom where cellphones are allowed - from elementary school through college - students will be busy tapping away when they're supposed to be learning.

And the more opportunity they have to tap, the more likely they are to be tapping things they shouldn't be.

In fact, schools elsewhere have instituted bans on cellphones as a way of reducing bullying (both real life and in cyberspace). A high school in Alabama launched a ban in 2014 after students kept going on the site Yik Yak to post abusive comments about other students and even teachers. At one school in New Zealand, the principal explained, "Cellphones were sometimes the source of the problem." In addition to mocking others online, students were using phones to film fights.

The use of phones to record other students is perhaps one of the biggest ways these devices can become problematic in schools. In a place where students are supposed to feel safe physically and emotionally, more and more students know that any comment in a classroom or social misstep in the cafeteria can be recorded and posted on Instagram before the end of the period.

This kind of environment isn't conducive to learning. There's plenty of evidence that cellphones are detrimental to academic achievement, particularly for students who are less advantaged to begin with. But it's clear that allowing cellphones in schools has made what is an already difficult environment much worse.
Naomi Schaefer Riley is a senior fellow at the Independent Women's Forum.

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To fight cyberbullying, ban cellphones from school

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Two years ago, when Mayor de Blasio and Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña lifted the ban on cellphones in New York City public schools, they also instituted what they called a "Misuse It, You Lose It" policy to prevent cyberbullying - which has increased 351 percent in that time.

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1. They can easy to cheat by use phone.

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In Australia, cheating by HSC students leaps by more than 25 per cent

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1. They don't focus on studying.

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"I think you should be able to have your phone but maybe put away in class and just don't use it in class unless the teacher wants you to use it for learning purposes," she says.

France has banned smartphones at schools for students younger than 15.

However, educators and academics are divided on whether phones should be banned in NSW classrooms, with schools adopting different policies on their use during school hours.

Finnish education expert Dr Pasi Sahlberg believes smartphone-related distraction is one of the main reasons why Australia and similar countries had fallen in Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) rankings. However, Sahlberg says a complete ban at high school level would be difficult.

Elizabeth Stone, the principal of Queenwood School for Girls in Mosman, says the school asks parents of K-6 students to give them basic mobile phones without internet access.

"For older students, mobiles must be invisible and inaudible during the school day," she says. "Students can keep their phones with them, but we expect them to talk to their friends, not text them, and we will swoop and confiscate them if they come out at break."

Stone says Queenwood used mobile phones in limited ways, but she questions whether they are essential for learning.

"Of course they are distracting and addictive," she says. "Adults struggle to keep them within limits, let alone children.

"I've worked in schools without restrictions and kids will literally sit at the same table and text each other, or they go off to a corner and watch YouTube at lunchtime. That's not what our school is about."

A similarly strict policy is enforced at St Andrew's Cathedral School in Sydney, according to the deputy head Brad Swibel. "Students are not allowed to use mobile phones during school hours."

If caught with a phone in their hands, a student is required to hand it in until the end of the school day.

Swibel says computers and other devices use the school's network, which has firewalls to prevent students accessing games, social media and inappropriate sites. This could be circumvented if students could use their smartphones.

He also says smartphones are addictive, distracting and raised privacy concerns.

But Swibel says: "We don't want to touch their phones for a number of reasons because they are highly expensive. We don't want to lose them."

Mobile phones must remain switched off and in a student's school bag at Kamaroi Rudolf Steiner School in Belrose.

The school's principal Olga Blasch says the school accepted that parents gave their children mobile phones because of "an ever-increasing concern about children travelling alone on public transport or commuting long distances to school".

"This will be the only reason permitted for a child having a mobile phone at school," she says.

Blasch says the school did not use mobile phones as learning tools.

She says mobile phones and other electronic devices can create a range of hazards such as bullying when brought to school or can be easily lost, stolen or damaged.

"There is also an increasing trend of high school students who use their mobile phones at school to publicly review their school/s without the knowledge of their parents or an understanding of future consequences for their actions," she says.

Cranbrook School in Bellevue Hill has a less strict attitude to mobile phones for its senior students.

Headmaster Nicholas Sampson says the school seeks to teach its students age-appropriate messages on how to be responsible digital citizens, including guidance on how to stay safe online.

"All students are permitted to bring a mobile phone to school: however, Junior School students and students in Years 7 to 9 are not permitted to have this phone turned on during school hours and must keep it secured in their bag or locker," he says.

"Students in Years 10 to 12 may use phones during recess and lunch breaks for communication purposes only."

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'Distracting and addictive': School rules for mobile phones

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Opinion is divided on whether mobile phones should be allowed in schools as the NSW government contemplates restricting or banning their use.

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We asked three student reporters to respond to an issue affecting students. Being from NSW, they decided to reflect on the recent ban of mobile phones at all NSW public high schools.
Since the beginning of Term 4, students at New South Wales public schools have been required to have their mobile phones turned off and out of sight.

This ban by the NSW government follows similar bans in Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania.

The NSW Department of Education has offered schools four options for implementing the mobile phone ban:

1. 1. Off and away - Phones are switched off at the start of the school day and are kept away, usually in backpacks for the duration of the school day.

2. 2. Phone in lockers - Phones are kept in a locker for the entire school day.

3. 3. Locked phone pouch - Students place their phones in a magnetically locked pouch that is unlocked at the end of the school day.

4. 4. Phones collected at the front office - Students deposit their phones at the front office, collecting them at the end of the day.

The ban is an essential tool that helps avoid distraction in an "attention economy"
Amira Rahman, Year 10:
The ban raised questions about its necessity. It seemed like a turn back to a time when smartphones weren't an extension of our lives. However, over the course of several weeks, my perspective on the matter evolved.

Our school opted for the "off and away" approach, which mandated the turning off of phones at the beginning of the school day and their storage in backpacks.

As I rolled my eyes at the days of not being able to check timetables and train times, I couldn't help but reflect on the ban's underlying purpose in combating the attention economy - a concept I was increasingly aware of.

The attention economy, a term that has gained prominence in recent years, refers to the fierce competition for our limited cognitive resources and focus.

In a world filled with notifications, apps and digital distractions, our attention has become a highly sought-after commodity, and its management has significant consequences for our daily lives.

The ban curtails the pervasive influence of technologies' inherent addictive qualities in our school.

As a result, it has contributed to the growth of a generation that can value genuine face-to-face interactions without being bored or unsatisfied.

It has taught me that being constantly "plugged in" isn't the only route to enjoyment.

In a world where attention is the new-found currency, the ban has emerged as an essential tool for navigating the complexities of the attention economy.

Students are now more engaged in class, but phone addiction is still a problem
Shreyan Addanki, Year 10:
When the NSW state government first announced the ban on mobile phones back in April 2023, I was initially quite critical and sceptical of the proposition.

I felt that my personal freedoms were being stripped away from me, and I wasn't really sure how effective the ban would be - a common opinion shared by many of my classmates.

I remember one of my mates telling me: "I can't live without my phone on me."

It was around the end of Term 3 when our deputy principal briefed us on how the phone ban would work in our school. My school adopted the "off and away" policy, responding to breaches with a warning, and then a confiscation of the phone if repeated.

Over the first couple of days of Term 4, I initially struggled to adapt to the ban. However after a while it became natural for me to live six hours without my phone.

I noticed that my focus during class had increased significantly, as did the focus of my peers.

My teachers no longer had to spend a large amount of the lesson policing students who had their phones out during class, leaving more valuable time for learning.

Since the phone ban has been enforced, my opinion on it has changed drastically. I now view it as a positive measure that ensures students are attentive and ready to learn in school.

But it doesn't solve the root of the problem, which is phone addiction. Students are now more inclined to spend increasingly longer amounts of time on their phones after school.

Less phone time means more time for other interests and to make new connections
Hayley Paterson, Year 8:
Until the start of this term when the government changed the law to ban phones in schools, I could walk around the school and see groups of students all engrossed in their phones.

Since the phone ban, I have seen so many more students taking opportunities to engage in activities at break times.

At my school, there have been a variety of new initiatives and activities for the students to participate in.

Some of the prefects created a study group for younger students, another student started a book club, a teacher started a new tabletop games club, alongside a new robotics club.

My friends and I got involved by starting a crochet and knitting club. We wanted to create a space for students to go where they felt comfortable and were able to learn something new or do something they enjoyed.

When their phones aren't constantly in their face, there isn't the same pressure to answer notifications or be on social media, creating the option for students to pursue other interests.

Those who previously used their phones heavily have been participating in these activities, making new connections to people in the process.

While controversial, the phone ban was a catalyst in creating these opportunities for the students.

Responses are mixed, and we wait to see the long-term impacts

The phone ban so far has had varying responses and reactions from students, teachers and parents.

Whether it will have long-term impacts on academic outcomes of students still has to be seen.

But we can already see in our schools the increased amount of time students spend socialising during breaks, their increased focus in class and the increased time for more opportunities in terms of extracurricular activities.

Amira Rahman wants to pursue a career in journalism and public relations. Amira has won the Nan Manefield Award two years in a row and the Penguin Bookhouse x CYA competition for under 18s.
Shreyan Addanki wants to work in corporate law and politics. Shreyan is a flautist, a sergeant in the school army cadet unit, an SRC executive, a debating team member and a 1st dan black belt in taekwondo. Hayley Paterson wants to work in journalism and creative writing. She plays underwater hockey and is training with the NSW Under 15s development squad towards the 2024 National Championship.

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Students say mobile phone bans at school help them avoid distractions and create room for other interests - ABC Education

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We asked three student reporters to respond to an issue affecting students. They decided to reflect on the recent ban of mobile phones at their high schools.

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Killara High in Sydney, one of the states' top-performing public schools, is among the latest to sign up to the Yondr pouch system that securely locks phones away during school hours.

In a statement on their Facebook page, a representative for Killara High said their decision to ban phones heralds a new beginning for the school.

"Students are encouraged to focus on themselves, their learning and their wellbeing - and to be here - now, without their mobile phone as a distraction," the statement reads.

"Our students are taking control of their technology and not allowing technology to control them.

"It was certainly louder in the playground today. Laughter, conversations, positive energy and strengthening of friendships - everywhere. And not a phone in sight! Teachers reported positive gains in the classroom."

The momentum to ban smartphones in NSW high schools began building after Michael Carr-Gregg, the lead author of a 2018 review into the issue, said last year that an outright ban is 'more urgent than ever'.

"Banning phones in high schools from first bell to last, including recess and lunch, would be an investment in students' mental health," Carr-Gregg told The Sydney Morning Herald in 2022.

"Kids have been saturated in technology and psychological problems have accumulated."

High school teacher Ms Williams* agrees with the need for a blanket smartphone ban for the sake of the students.

She says that at the private school in Victoria where she teaches, phones are supposed to be in lockers all day, but that this isn't the reality.

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Do kids have a right to use their phones at school? This proposal is using prison technology to ban them.

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Mobile phone ban: Should smart phones be banned in high schools? Prison 'phone jamming' technology may solve the issue in NSW.

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This video from TikTok has recently gone viral. In it, a student in a lecture hall uses Apple's new Live Text feature to photograph another student's laptop screen, then converts the picture into text, saves it, and thus "steals" the other student's notes.

While news organisations from Newsweek to the New York Post feature headlines that characterise the video as a student "cheating," it looks more like a cool new feature being used in the wild than anything super unethical. We don't know if the student in the video got the note-taker's permission, but even if they didn't, this isn't cheating in the same way that smuggling answers to a test or paying someone at some janky website to write your Biology paper is cheating.

If you miss a lecture, borrowing and copying someone else's notes isn't cheating, and it wouldn't be cheating to record a lecture and then run it through the speech-to-text app that comes with any word processing program either. So I'm not sure what the big deal is.

How kids cheat with their smartphones

A 2017 survey from McAafee found that nearly a third of teenagers had cheated in school using their smartphones, and this was back when school was all in-person. (Remote learning offers a golden buffet of cheating options too wide to get into here.)

In the study, scofflaw pupils reported using their phones to look up answers on the internet, text a (presumably smarter) friend, take photos of notes and sneak looks at them during tests, and take pictures of test questions to disseminate to their no-account buddies taking the test later in the day.

This app, Photomath, is a perfect example of the the advantages phones could give cheaters. It allows users to take a photograph of a maths problem, and it gives you the solution and tells you the steps to arrive at that solution. It's a great aid for learning maths, like a better version of printing the answers in the back of the text book, but it could be used as a great cheat device too.

Still, the limitations of the cell phone as a cheating medium seem like they'd outweigh the benefits. Specifically, you'd be more likely to get caught.

In defence of the humble cheat sheet

Maybe I'm old fashioned, but I think a simple cheat sheet (or writing the answers on your palm) are better cheating tools than a phone. Using a cell phone during a test is practically a billboard that says "I'm cheating." I have to believe that all but the most burnt-out educators would notice a kid slipping out their iPhone during a history quiz, and trust me, they know exactly which kids to watch.

Phones are big. They emits light and potentially sound. They can't be crumpled up into a tiny ball and palmed. They can't be combined with a water bottle for a really complex cheating system, and they can't be swallowed like a cheat sheet, or quickly smudged away like "hand notes" to get rid of evidence. Advantage: Old school.

The special case for calculators

I have heard that calculators are often allowed during test taking in the kinds of advanced maths classes I spent my academic career avoiding. These calculators, I have heard, can contain archived files that won't be deleted even if a savvy maths teacher wipes the calc's RAM before the finals. There's an interesting discussion of this on reddit that you can consult if this applies to you, Nerdlinger.

The earbud margin of error

The one big advantage cell phones have over cheat sheets is the earbuds. Earbuds are like a cheater's dream. If you have long enough hair, you can hide an earbud in one ear and play a continuous audio loop of the answers to your test and no one will ever suspect. But to do that, you'd have to be thinking ahead.

Like the water-bottle-label-cheat and all other elaborate cheating methods, I suspect "cheating with earbuds" is more of an urban legend than a widespread practice, mainly because it would take a lot of preparation. You'd have to record yourself reading the answers to the test, presumably in something like the right order, make sure the audio track played in a loop, style your hair to cover it, and act nonchalant. But when you understand the material enough to record it and you're prepared enough to try to pull this off, you might as well just study.

Are kids actually cheating this elaborately?

I suspect most kids who cheat are the opposite of the type who prepares elaborate schemes. They're the ones who aren't prepared, got the test day wrong, or worked a long shift the night before, and now they're embarrassed for not being ready and just want to find some way not to bring home another D-minus. I'd guess looking at the paper of the kid next to you is way more prevalent than any more complicated cheating method.

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How Kids Are Using iPhones to 'Cheat' at School (and How to Do It Smarter)

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This video from TikTok has recently gone viral. In it, a student in a lecture hall uses Apple's new Live Text feature to photograph another student's laptop screen, then converts the picture into text, saves it, and thus "steals" the other student's notes. While news organisations from Newsweek to the New York Post feature headlines [...]

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As Year 12s prepare to sit their final exams, West Australian schools are on the lookout for students cheating on their assessments after reported breaches in exam rules spiked over the past two years.

Figures from the School Curriculum and Standards Authority showed 78 candidates had breached examination rules across the state in 2021 - 38 in practical exams and 40 in the written.

The number of students caught cheating has risen since the COVID-19 pandemic. Credit: Wolter Peeters

Although the number is up from just 51 in 2019, it also represents a decline of 50 per cent from 2020, the first year impacted by COVID-19 when cases jumped to 156.

The Authority said breaches of examination rules did not necessarily relate to deliberate cheating: "for example, students may have been wearing a watch as they forgot the new requirements," a spokesperson said.

But other breaches included colluding, possessing unauthorised material during exams and the deliberate use of smartwatches and mobile phones.

Smartwatches were banned in 2020 for the first time.

Former principal and Real Schools chief executive Adam Voigt said the pressure on Year 12 students was likely what pushed them towards cheating.

"It gets drilled into these kids that Year 12 is the most important year of their lives and the success in these exams is the defining moment for their future," he said.

"In reality, this is not a fork in the road moment. There are a million roads students can take to becoming successful, and definitions of success are varied for each individual."

He said schools and parents needed to work together to make sure students understood there were other pathways to university.

He also said he suspected the spike in breached exam rules likely did not represent an actual increase in students cheating.

"Students were taking exams online in 2020 and it is much easier to track cheating this way than it is to identify writing on a students palm," he said.

"Most young people go in wanting to do the right thing and if we depressurise exams, that will go a long way to reducing the number of students who don't want to follow the rules.

"The mentality should be to study and do your best, and that's it. These kids are 17 to 18 and have their whole lives ahead of them to decide what to do and how."

The issues surrounding cheating are not only in high schools.

The Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency recently disrupted access to 110 commercial academic cheating service websites - the second time it has used protocols with Australia's major ISPs to block websites.

Agency chief executive Alistair Maclean said the national regulator was methodically working through a priority list of 580 suspected cheating sites targeting students.

"Through our work with the sector, reports from the public and our own intelligence gathering, we've identified about 2330 suspected academic cheating sites," he said.

"Of particular interest to us are 580 of these sites that are targeting students at Australian institutions.

"With this action, we've now disrupted access to 152 websites since July 2021. We've also had 697 social media posts and accounts removed from networks such as Facebook, Instagram and Gumtree.

"[The Agency] will continue to undertake further investigation and enforcement activity in the coming months."
Follow WAtoday on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter for handpicked selections of the day's biggest local, national and international news.

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WA schools watch for cheaters, but experts say pressure is the problem

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It gets drilled into these kids that Year 12 is the most important year of their lives and the exam results will define their future. But is this really true?

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The New South Wales government has ordered an Australian-first review on the use of smartphones in schools and their links to cyber-bullying and online safety.

The review comes a day after a Perth mother called for a mobile phone ban to be implemented in schools after her daughter was viciously attacked while being filmed.

NSW Education Minister Rob Stokes today announced the review will investigate mobile phone use among children and teens while at school.

No review of this size and possible impact has ever been conducted by an Australian state or Federal government.

Mr Stokes said that, under the lead of child psychologist Michael Carr-Gregg, restrictions on social media and phone use will be considered based on age, online safety and the prevalence of cyber-bullying cases.

Mobile phone use may also be cut down among primary schools across the state.

"While smartphones connect us to the world in ways never imagined just a decade ago, they raise issues that previous generations have not had to deal with," Mr Stokes told News Corp.

"Every school I visit has anecdotal examples about the perils or positives surrounding the use of smartphones and other devices in schools.

"In the classroom and in the playground, smartphones provide opportunities for students and parents to stay connected, but can also create other problems."

It is understood that the review will also take into account the need for students to be contactable by parents during travel to and from school.

The 14-year-old face of Akubra hats took her own life after months of bullying, with her tragic death garnering worldwide attention.

Mr Stokes' move also comes after a Perth mother yesterday revealed that her daughter is too afraid to return to her school after being assaulted this week by a group of girls while being filmed on a smartphone.

"They kept kicking and pushing me until I got to the door and then she pulled me by my hair and kneed me in the face and that's when I dropped to the floor," the Year Nine student told 9NEWS.

While the two students who instigated the attack have been suspended and WA Police is investigating the girl's mother has demanded an expulsion and a school-wide mobile phone ban.

"Every week someone's getting bashed and it's getting filmed," she said.

"They're just passing it around and laughing about it."

The Western Australian Education Department said that reductions in mobile phone use among students while at school is at the discretion of individual principals.

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Historic review launched into mobile phones and cyber-bullying

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For the first time in Australia, the NSW Government will look at smartphone use in schools and their links ...

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S martphones could be banned from schools as NSW orders an Australian-first review of their use amid concerns about cyber-bullying and safety.

The NSW review, which will be run by leading child psychologist* Michael Carr-Gregg, will look at the "risk versus reward" of mobile phone use once inside the school gate.

NSW Education Minister Rob Stokes said no review of this size had ever been done by an Australian government.

"While smartphones connect us to the world in ways never imagined just a decade ago, they raise issues that previous generations have not had to deal with," Mr Stokes said.

The review will consider limits on social media use based on age, student online safety, the level of cyber-bullying across our schools and restricting* phone use at primary schools.

However, education authorities are also conscious of the need to balance any limits with the need for students to be contactable* by their parents as they travel to and from school.

"Principals are adopting a range of approaches to manage their use, and we want to ensure we provide the best possible advice to help them support their students and parents," he said.

Mr Stokes said concerns around phone use were broad, extending from cyber-bullying to screentime and distraction from learning, and it was crucial to look at boundaries around their use.

When Perth's new Baldivis Secondary School opens next year it will already have a mobile phone ban in place.

With support from parents and community members, the school's steering committee banned mobiles and personal electronic devices during school hours saying they "distract students, interrupt lessons and contribute* to bullying in schools".

In May this year, a Gold Coast high school banned mobile phones to stop bullying and encourage students to talk to each other.

Pimpama State Secondary College said it would remove phones and consider putting students on detention* if they were caught playing on their phones in class and on lunchbreaks.

School phone bans are also a hot topic overseas.

France and Rwanda have imposed* bans in the past month while English politicians* raised concerns about devices in the schoolyard but stopped short of banning them.

French school students up to the age of 15 will not be allowed to use phones anywhere on school grounds from September, after the lower house of parliament passed what it called a "detox" law for a younger generation increasingly addicted to screens.

Rwandan teachers and parents welcomed its ban for primary and secondary schools.

Martin Masabo, the head teacher of Lycée de Kigali school, said it "is a very good decision because it causes distraction not only for students but also for adults".

"Doctors and nurses are not allowed to use mobile telephones during working hours, why should kids in schools?" he said.

England's culture secretary Matt Hancock called on more schools to ban mobile phones but dismissed the need to make it law.

"I admire head teachers who do not allow mobiles to be used during the school day. I encourage more schools to follow their lead. The evidence is that banning phones in schools works," Mr Hancock said.

"Studies have shown mobile phones can have a real impact on working memory and fluid intelligence, even if the phone is on a table or in a bag."
GLOSSARY
amid: in the middle of

cyber-bullying: use of electronic communication to bully a person, typically by sending messages of an intimidating or threatening nature

psychologist: an expert who studies the mind and behaviour

restricting: limiting

contactable: able to be contacted

contribute: add to

detention: punishment by being kept in school after hours

imposed: forced upon

politicians: lawmakers who govern a country
LISTEN TO TODAY'S STORY QUICK QUIZ
1. Who will conduct the Australia-first review and which state has ordered it?

2. Name three concerns authorities have around phone use in schools.

3. Where is the Australian school that will open next year with a ban already in place?

4. Which two overseas countries have recently banned student phone use?

5. What is Matt Hancock's position in the British parliament?
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Positives and negatives

The article lists some reasons FOR and AGAINST phones being banned at school. Read the article carefully and list the reasons that are given in a FOR and AGAINST chart.

Add any other reasons you can think of for each side of the argument.

Time: Allow 20 minutes
Curriculum links: English, Ethical Capability
Extension: How do you feel about the idea of banning smart phone use in schools?

Your school may be considering this ban. Write a short speech (1-2 minutes) that you could present to the school council (school board or other governing body at your school) explaining your point of view on this topic. Ensure that you give reasons why you either support or are against this ban. The people this speech will be presented to are the ones making the decision, so you need to be as respectful and convincing as possible if you wish for them to consider your point of view.

Time: Allow 30 minutes
Curriculum links: English, Ethical Capability
VCOP ACTIVITY

The glossary of terms helps you to understand and learn the ambitious vocabulary being used in the article. Can you use the words outlined in the glossary to create new sentences? Challenge yourself to include other VCOP (vocabulary, connectives, openers and punctuation) elements in your sentence/s. Have another look through the article, can you find any other Wow Words not outlined in the glossary?
QUESTION: How would you feel if smartphone use was banned at your school?
No one-word answers. Explain your answer and use lots of adjectives.

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Kids News: Australia-first review into dangers and benefits of smartphone use at school