A Discuss in groups this question:
What do you need in addition to food, shelter, company, etc. to become a
good citizen?
B Read the text.
To be a good citizen, you have to prepare yourself to do good work in society. Well,
then how can you prepare yourself?
First, you need knowledge. Today’s society is knowledge-based. Without knowing
modern sciences, technologies including ICT and other necessary subjects, you will
have difficulty living a good life. The other areas you, as a good citizen, should have
knowledge about are:
- our country, its constitution, geography and people
- our state, its executive and legislative powers
- our judicial system
- our government and its structures and functions
- our history, cultures, traditions, literature, moral values and religions
- our socio-economic activities and educational system
Second, you need skills to do things. Knowledge is not enough. You must be able to
apply your knowledge to do things practically.
Finally, knowing and doing things will bring about a change in your behaviour
towards others. This behavioural change will show your attitudes towards others, that
is, it will show how you think and feel about a person or thing.
Let’s take an example. Suppose you, as a student, need to know about ‘group work’
in the classroom. So you ask yourself or your teacher or anybody, “What is group
work?” Or you may find about it in a book. In this way, you can know, or you may
have the knowledge, about group work: To do group work, the class has to be
divided into groups. Each group is to do some tasks given by the teacher or in the
textbook. The group members will discuss and share ideas and points, and finally one
member will write the answer. All this is knowledge about group work.
Then you start working in groups. In each group you take turns discussing points,
answering questions, etc. In this way you actually do the task. Your teacher may
monitor and help you to do the work.
Lastly, through regular group work it is expected that there will be noticeable
changes in your behaviour. Possible changes are:
- You will develop the attitude of freely mixing and talking with your classmates and teacher.
- Your shyness will gradually disappear.
- You will develop the attitude of helping and cooperating with each other.
- You will learn to behave in a democratic way.
Most importantly, these behavioural changes taking place in you inside the classroom
will be carried over outside the classroom, in real-life situations.
C Read the text below. Then discuss with your partner and write K (if the text is knowledge based) or S (if the text is skill based) or A (if the text refers to attitude) against each text.
1 Abraham Lincoln, a former president of the United States, advocates a
“Government of the people, by the people, and for the people.” This means
that the people have the right to control their government.
2 Two students are making a kite with coloured paper, sticks, glue and
string.
3 Tisha’s room was always messy. She could not find things easily. Recently
she has visited her cousin Ritu in Chittagong. She saw that Ritu’s room
was very neat and tidy. Everything was exactly in its place. Ritu instantly
finds what she wants. After getting back home, Tisha spent a whole
weekend making her room well organised.
4 “It is the duty of every citizen to observe the constitution and laws to
maintain discipline, to perform public duties and to protect public
properties.” (The Constitution of The People’s Republic of Bangladesh)
5 Students in pairs are acting out a dialogue in a class.
6 Mouli is back from school. She is very hungry and looks exhausted.
“What’s wrong, Mouli?” asks her mother anxiously. “Don’t worry, Mom.
I’m OK. I just didn’t have my tiffin today.” “But why?” “Our peon died
this morning. With other students I gave my tiffin money to the widow.”
7 The students of physical education class are practising stretching exercise
in the school yard.
8 The affairs of Dhaka city were run by the Dhaka Municipality until 1978,
when the city came under the Dhaka City Corporation.
