Interviews

Advanced

Objective:

To prepare students for listening to a discussion on political polarization by activating prior knowledge, building relevant vocabulary, and understanding the context.

Instructions:

1. Vocabulary Preview:

   • Polarization: The division of two contrasting groups or sets of opinions or beliefs.

   • Self-interest: Acting in a way that is most personally beneficial.

   • Democracy vs. Republic: Understanding the differences between these forms of government.

   • Electoral College: A body of electors established by the United States Constitution, which formally elects the president and vice president.

   • Social Security: A government system that provides monetary assistance to people with an inadequate or no income.

   • Political Suicide: Actions or stances that can potentially ruin a politician’s career.

2. Discussion Questions:

   • What do you understand by the term ‘political polarization’?

   • Can you think of examples where people have different opinions on political issues?

   • Why do you think politicians often follow party lines rather than their personal beliefs or the public interest?

   • How does the structure of the U.S. government (e.g., Electoral College) affect political outcomes?

   • What are some potential impacts of money in politics?

3. Predicting Content:

   • Based on the title and the initial statements, what topics do you think will be discussed in this interview?

   • How do you think Aubrey feels about the current political system?

   • What are some possible solutions Randall might suggest for the issues discussed?

4. Contextual Understanding:

   • This interview features a conversation between Randall and Aubrey about political polarization in the United States.

   • The discussion will touch on topics such as the influence of money in politics, the Electoral College, and the aging members of Congress.

   • Students should consider the perspectives and emotions of both speakers as they listen.

5. Personal Reflection:

   • Reflect on your own country’s political system. Do you see any similarities or differences with what is described about the U.S. political system?

   • How do you think political polarization affects your daily life or the general functioning of society?

After completing this activity, students will be more prepared to listen to the interview, understand its context, and engage in meaningful discussions about the content.

Here are some words and expressions that appear in the video:

• polarization (noun): division into two sharply contrasting groups or sets of opinions

– The political polarization in the country has led to intense debates and conflicts.

– Social media can sometimes increase polarization by amplifying extreme views.

• self-interest (noun): concern for one’s own advantage and well-being

– Politicians often act out of self-interest rather than the public good.

– It’s important to balance self-interest with consideration for others.

• corrupt (adjective): dishonest or fraudulent conduct by those in power

– The investigation revealed that several officials were involved in corrupt activities.

– People lose trust in the government when they believe it is corrupt.

• democracy (noun): a system of government by the whole population, typically through elected representatives

– In a democracy, citizens have the right to vote and participate in decision-making.

– Many people around the world aspire to live in a democracy.

• retire (verb): to leave one’s job and cease to work, typically upon reaching a certain age

– My father plans to retire next year after working for 40 years.

– Many people look forward to traveling when they retire.

Now, watch the interview and answer the comprehension questions. You can also turn on the automatically-generated captions for the video once you start it.

Randall: In this video. Aubrey. This is kind of a hard topic, but I think it’s so relevant in the world today is talking about the political divide of why so many people are polarized. I mean, everyone wants a better world, but then you see people, for example, politicians voting on, you know, the party line and they seem to be just, uh, I don’t know, a lot of self-interest and so forth. But why do you think there’s so much polarization not to identify particular politicians, but just why do you think that happens?

Aubrey: I thought we decided we weren’t going to talk about this. Yeah. Okay, one. All politicians suck in general. There’s money in politics. It’s corrupt. They don’t have to do. Okay. I just know about American politics. Right? They say it’s a democracy, but we’re not a democracy. We’re a republic. We’ve never been a democracy. The government doesn’t have to do what you want them to do because the electoral college is so ridiculous. I can vote for like . . . like certain political candidates have lost the popular vote and won the presidency. What nonsense is that? And okay, we’re going to cut this up, but seriously, this. The people in Congress need to retire. Like we’re not going to get changed until they die.

Randall: And I just think, yeah, I think there’s so many things that become very political, and people start thinking about themselves. For example, people have been talking about Social Security reform and how, you know, in the next decade or so, you know, the Social Security system will no longer be able to fund, you know, the retirements. Uh, yeah. You know, future . . .

Aubrey: Math that I have to pay that when I’m pretty sure I’m not going to get any of that money back.

Randall: Yeah. And I think, I think there are possible solutions, but I think many politicians say, “No, no, I can’t go. I can’t take a position on that because I’m risking political suicide, and I’m just not going to touch that topic.”

Aubrey: There’s so much money in politics. Why are we talking about this? Dad, this is so heated.

Randall: Yeah.

Aubrey: I can tell you all sorts of things. Like IRA has all this money in politics. Everyone has money in politics. All right. But thank you.

Randall: Very much for joining this video, and we look forward to another topic in the future.

Intermediate Level

What are some reasons Aubrey gives for why she believes the political system is corrupt?

• • This question helps students recall specific points made in the interview.

Why does Randall think politicians avoid discussing certain reforms like Social Security?

1. • This question ensures students understand Randall’s perspective on political risk.

Aubrey mentions that the U.S. is not a democracy but a republic. What do you think she means by this, and do you agree? Why or why not?

• This question encourages students to think about the differences between political systems and their implications.

How does the influence of money in politics affect the decisions made by politicians, according to the interview?

• This question prompts students to consider the impact of financial interests on political behavior.

Advanced Level

Aubrey suggests that significant political change will only happen when the current members of Congress retire or pass away. Do you think this is a realistic or effective solution? What other solutions could be proposed to address political polarization?

• This question challenges students to critically analyze Aubrey’s view and come up with alternative solutions.

Discuss the role of the Electoral College in U.S. elections as mentioned by Aubrey. What are the arguments for and against its continued use, and what impact does it have on political polarization?

• This question requires students to evaluate the Electoral College’s role and its effects on the political landscape.

1. Auditory Learning: Group Discussion and Debate

Activity: Hold a structured debate.

Instructions: Divide the class into small groups and assign each group a position (for or against) on a topic discussed in the interview, such as the necessity of the Electoral College or the impact of money in politics. Each group will present their arguments, followed by a class discussion.

Goal: To develop listening and speaking skills while deepening understanding of the issues.

2. Kinesthetic Learning: Role-Playing

Activity: Simulate a congressional debate.

Instructions: Students will be assigned roles as members of Congress, lobbyists, or journalists. They will debate a current political issue related to the interview’s content, such as Social Security reform. Each student must research their role and contribute to the debate. Goal: To engage in active learning by physically participating in a simulation, enhancing comprehension through experiential learning.

3. Reading/Writing Learning: Reflective Journals

Activity: Write a reflective journal entry.

Instructions: Students will write a journal entry reflecting on their thoughts and feelings about the topics discussed in the interview. They should consider how political polarization affects their lives and what solutions they believe could work.

Goal: To encourage personal reflection and critical thinking through writing.

4. Interpersonal Learning: Peer Teaching

Activity: Teach a partner.

Instructions: Pair students and have each student explain one of the key concepts from the interview to their partner. They can use any teaching aids they prefer, such as diagrams, notes, or props.

Goal: To reinforce understanding by teaching and learning from peers.

5. Intrapersonal Learning: Self-Assessment

Activity: Self-assessment questionnaire.

Instructions: Provide students with a questionnaire to assess their own understanding and opinions about the interview topics. Questions can include: “What new information did I learn?” and “How do my views align or differ from those expressed in the interview?” Goal: To promote self-awareness and self-directed learning.

6. Logical/Mathematical Learning: Analyzing Data

Activity: Analyze political data.

Instructions: Provide students with data related to voting patterns, political contributions, or congressional demographics. Have them analyze the data and draw conclusions about political polarization and corruption.

Goal: To enhance analytical skills by interpreting and drawing conclusions from data.