E7 M - Social media – Pros and cons
aiMOOCE7 M - Social media – Pros and cons
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E7 M - Social media – Pros and cons
Einleitung
Social media: useful, fun, stressful – or all three?
In this aiMOOC, you collect and sort simple pros and cons of fictional social-media use. Then you give a short opinion and support it with reasons.
Important: All profiles in this course are fictional. Do not use private social-media data. If you record your voice, keep the recording private unless you clearly choose to share it. Do not upload class material or personal texts to external AI tools without permission.
Mini goal: At the end, you can say or write: I think social media can be useful because … However, …
I can …
- Social media: I can understand simple statements about social-media use.
- Pros and cons: I can sort advantages and disadvantages.
- Giving an opinion: I can give a short opinion with reasons.
- Speaking: I can react to another person: I agree. / I’m not sure. / I see your point, but …
- Writing: I can write a short structured opinion.
What do you already know?
Look at the picture. Think first in English.
- What can people do with social media?
- Why can it be useful?
- What can become difficult?
Try first.
Hint: Use verbs such as share, chat, learn, follow, post, compare, waste.
German help if needed: Denke an Kontakte, Informationen, Zeit, Privatsphäre und Gefühle.
Notice and understand
Listening / Viewing
Watch this video from Common Sense Education. You will hear teenagers talking about social media.
First viewing – gist: Choose the best summary in your head:
A: Social media is only bad. B: Social media can connect people, but it can also create pressure and distractions. C: Social media is only useful for school.
Second viewing – collect ideas: Write down two possible pros and two possible cons that you notice.
Listening strategy: You do not need every word. Listen for repeated ideas and key words.
Hint: Listen for ideas about friends, sharing, distraction, pressure, connected.
Reading: Three fictional profiles
Profile A – Maya
Maya uses a fictional app called LinkUp. She follows an art club and shares drawings with two friends. She often gets new ideas there. Sometimes she checks the app while doing homework and loses time.
Profile B – Leo
Leo uses TeamTalk for his sports group. He quickly sees when training times change. But he gets many notifications and finds it hard to stop checking his phone.
Profile C – Sam
Sam uses WorldWindow to follow short science posts in English. Sam learns new words and finds interesting topics. Sometimes posts contain unclear information, so Sam checks another source before using it for school.
Task: For each profile, find one pro and one con.
Vocabulary in context
connect – stay in contact with people share – give photos, ideas or information to others notification – a message from an app privacy – control over personal information distraction – something that takes your attention away pressure – a feeling that you must do something reliable – information you can trust screen time – time spent using a screen
Try: Complete two sentences.
A notification can be useful because … Too much screen time can be difficult because …
German help if needed: privacy = Privatsphäre, distraction = Ablenkung, reliable = verlässlich.
Pronunciation focus
Say these words clearly:
SOCial media PRI-vacy con-NEC-ted dis-TRAC-tion
Focus: Clear word stress is more important than sounding like a native speaker.
Try and use
Sort the pros and cons
Put each idea into PRO or CON.
- You can stay in contact with friends.
- You can discover useful information.
- Notifications can interrupt homework.
- You can share creative work.
- You may compare yourself with other people.
- Some posts may contain false or unclear information.
Now add one new pro and one new con of your own.
Functional grammar: reasons and contrast
Use simple connectors to make your opinion clearer.
because gives a reason: Social media can be useful because you can stay in contact.
but shows a contrast: It is useful, but notifications can be distracting.
however starts a contrasting idea: Social media can help with hobbies. However, not every post is reliable.
so shows a result: I get too many notifications, so I turn them off when I study.
Mini practice: Join the ideas.
I like group chats. They help me organise things. → I like group chats because they help me organise things.
Speaking: Give and react to opinions
Work with a partner or speak quietly to yourself.
Student A: Give one pro. Student B: React and add one con. Then change roles.
Useful phrases:
I think … because … For me, one advantage is … One problem is … I agree because … I’m not sure. I think … I see your point, but …
Challenge: Speak for about 30–45 seconds without reading full sentences.
Writing: A short opinion
Write about 70–90 words.
Question: Is social media more helpful or more distracting for a fictional Year 7 student?
Use this structure:
1. Opinion: I think … 2. Reason 1: One advantage is … because … 3. Contrast: However, … 4. Reason 2 or example: For example, … 5. Ending: So, for me, …
Do not use real names, real accounts or private messages.
Feedback: Check and improve
Check your text.
- Did I answer the question?
- Did I give at least two reasons or examples?
- Did I use because, but or however?
- Can the reader understand my main opinion?
- Did I avoid private information?
Peer feedback: Give one positive comment and one useful suggestion.
Your reason is clear because … You could add an example about …
If you use AI for feedback: Check whether the language still matches your level. Keep your own ideas and wording. Do not let AI replace your complete text.
Communicate
Mini discussion
Choose one statement:
A: Social media is useful for school. B: Notifications should be off during homework. C: People should check information before sharing it.
Prepare:
My view: … Reason: … Example: … Possible reply: …
Then discuss for one minute.
Mediation mini-task
A German-speaking classmate asks:
Warum prüft Sam Informationen aus Social Media noch einmal?
Answer in simple English. Do not translate the whole reading text.
Possible start: Sam checks the information because …
Safe-use mini transfer
Imagine the fictional student Leo wants fewer distractions while studying.
Give two practical suggestions in English.
He could … He should …
Note: If online communication becomes hurtful, threatening or unsafe, stop the interaction and get help from a trusted adult. Do not forward hurtful content.
Interaktive Aufgaben
Quiz: Teste Dein Wissen
Which sentence gives a clear advantage of social media? (It can help people stay in contact.) (!It always makes homework easier.) (!Every online post is reliable.) (!Notifications never distract people.)
Which word means information you can trust? (reliable) (!private) (!connected) (!creative)
Which sentence gives a reason? (I like the group chat because it helps me organise training.) (!I like the group chat however.) (!Because the group chat.) (!The group chat but.)
Which is a possible disadvantage of notifications? (They can interrupt homework.) (!They always improve concentration.) (!They make every source reliable.) (!They remove screen time.)
What should you do before using unclear social-media information for school? (Check another reliable source.) (!Share it immediately.) (!Copy it without reading.) (!Add a real name.)
Which phrase is useful for giving an opinion? (I think social media can be useful because it connects people.) (!Social media because useful.) (!I social media useful.) (!Because opinion social media.)
Which phrase reacts politely to another opinion? (I see your point, but I have a different idea.) (!You are wrong and that is all.) (!Stop talking now.) (!My opinion has no reason.)
Which information should you avoid in this course? (Private account data.) (!A fictional profile.) (!A made-up app name.) (!A general opinion.)
Which connector can show a contrast? (however) (!because) (!so) (!for example)
What is the main goal of the final opinion task? (Give a short opinion and support it with reasons.) (!Write a long technical report.) (!Translate every text into German.) (!Use as many difficult words as possible.)
Memory
| connect | stay in contact |
| privacy | personal information control |
| distraction | loss of attention |
| reliable | trustworthy information |
| notification | app message |
| advantage | positive point |
Drag and Drop
| Ordne die richtigen Begriffe zu. | Thema |
|---|---|
| stay in contact | pro |
| learn new things | pro |
| lose study time | con |
| feel pressure | con |
| share creative work | pro |
...
Kreuzworträtsel
| privacy | What word means control over your personal information? |
| reliable | What word describes information you can trust? |
| sharing | What action means giving content to other people online? |
| pressure | What word describes the feeling that you must do something? |
| connect | What verb means to stay in contact? |
| distraction | What takes your attention away from homework? |
LearningApps
Lückentext
Offene Aufgaben
Leicht
- Pro finder: Create two short sentences about advantages of a fictional social-media app.
- Con finder: Create two short sentences about disadvantages of the same fictional app.
- Word cards: Make six vocabulary cards with an English word, a simple English explanation and one example sentence.
- Voice practice: Say a 20-second opinion aloud. Recording is optional and should stay private unless you decide otherwise.
Standard
- Pro-con grid: Make a table with three pros and three cons for a fictional Year 7 student.
- Mini dialogue: Write a six-line dialogue in which two students agree once and disagree politely once.
- Source check: Invent two social-media posts, one reliable and one unclear, and explain which clues make you trust one more.
- Opinion paragraph: Write 70–90 words answering whether notifications should be off during homework.
Schwer
- One-minute talk: Prepare a one-minute presentation with two advantages, two disadvantages and your conclusion.
- App design: Design a fictional social-media app for students and add three safety features.
- Perspective change: Write one short opinion as a student and one as a parent. Compare the reasons without using stereotypes.
- Improve a text: Write a first draft, get human or carefully checked AI feedback, then mark three changes you chose to make and explain why.
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Lernkontrolle
- Balanced view: A fictional student says, Social media is always good. Explain why this statement is too simple. Give one advantage and one disadvantage.
- Homework situation: A student checks notifications every three minutes while studying. Suggest two changes and explain why they may help.
- Information check: A short post gives a surprising science fact but no source. Describe what you should do before using it in a school task.
- Polite disagreement: Your partner says, Group chats are never useful. Respond politely, give a reason and add an example.
- Short opinion: Write a clear conclusion after comparing two pros and two cons of a fictional social-media app.
- Privacy choice: Explain why using fictional profiles can make a classroom task safer.
Lernnachweis
For a successful Lernnachweis, you should be able to:
- understand the main idea of a short listening or reading text about social media,
- identify and sort simple pros and cons,
- use important topic vocabulary in context,
- give a short opinion with understandable reasons,
- react politely to another opinion,
- use connectors such as because, but, however and so,
- check basic privacy and source-quality questions,
- improve a short text after feedback while keeping your own ideas.
Self-check: Can I do it?
Mark each statement for yourself: yes – almost – not yet.
- I can name at least three pros and three cons.
- I can understand the main idea of a short video.
- I can give my opinion with because.
- I can disagree politely.
- I can write a short structured opinion.
- I can explain why privacy and source checking matter.
If you choose “not yet”: Go back to the reading, vocabulary or speaking section and try one task again.
Use it again: Mini transfer
A new fictional student joins your class and asks:
Should I use our class social-media group?
Give a balanced answer in 3–4 sentences.
Include: One advantage … One problem … My advice … because …
Folgekurs
Continue with a course on Social media – Safe and smart use or another English unit on digital communication.
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