Nelson Mandela’s Son Dies of AIDS

BNE: Ex-South African President Nelson Mandela has announced his only son Makgatho has died of AIDS at the age of 54. In a country where any mention of AIDS is pretty much taboo, Mr. Mandela has sent a very strong message to South Africans that it is OK to talk about the subject. The BBC`s Alastair Leithead reports, “It is hard to overestimate the iconic status Nelson Mandela still has in this country, the grip he has over people - and, therefore, the impact his announcement will have.”

Mr. Mandela has actively campaigned for more than three years to fight against the AIDS pandemic, and to educate his fellow South Africans, who remain confused or ignorant about the disease. South African President Thabo Mbeki holds controversial views on AIDS, questioning any link between sexual intercourse, HIV and AIDS. Around 600 people die every day in South Africa of Aids-related illnesses, with a further five million being HIV-positive.

Mr. Mandela’s aim is to make AIDS as high profile an issue as possible, to eradicate the virus and the stigma surrounding it. “That is why I have announced that my son died from AIDS,” adding that his own openness may stop people “regarding it as an extraordinary thing for which people go to hell and not to heaven.”  He has called for people to double their efforts in the struggle against the virus.

POSSIBLE WARM UPS / COOL DOWNS

1. CHAT:  Talk in pairs or groups about Nelson Mandela / Thabo Mbeki / South Africa / the AIDS pandemic / openness / denial / taboo / stigma / …
To make things more dynamic, try telling your students they only have one minute (or 2) on each chat topic before changing topics / partners. Change topic / partner frequently to energize the class.

2. HIV/AIDS BRAINSTORM: Brainstorm facts and feelings concerning HIV and AIDS and let students discuss what's on the board in pairs / groups.

3. MY EDUCATION: In pairs / groups, students talk about how they were educated about the dangers of HIV and AIDS - school, government campaigns, TV advertizing etc. Students reach a concensus regarding the most effective way to educate people.

4. PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE: Below are some commonly held beliefs (in various parts of the educated and developing worlds) on how to avoid catcing the HIV virus or how to minimize its effects. In pairs students talk about these and decide which are totally ridiculous and which are sensible:
- practice safe sex - always wear a condom
- eat lots of garlic and eat South African potatoes
- never share needles
- always have sex with a virgin
- avoid any contact with homosexuals
- visit a witch doctor
- avoid kissing
- do not join 'sex tours' of the world's red light areas
- avoid being promiscuous
- get tested
- say 'no'
- other teacher's ideas (country of teaching / student nationality-specific)

5. 2-MINUTE DEBATES: Students face each other in pairs and engage in the following (largely-for-fun) 2-minute debates. Students A are assigned the first argument, students B the second. Rotate pairs to ensure a lively pace and noise level is kept:
AIDS is a taboo subject vs. AIDS should be talkes about openly
Most people know a lot about AIDS vs Most people are ignorant about AIDS
AIDS is only a developing world phenomenon vs AIDS is a worldwide pandemic
I don't need to get tested vs. How do you know?
Thabo Mbeki is right - AIDS is not a sexually transmitted disease vs. How ridiculous
AIDS victims who knowingly effect others should be convicted of murder vs That's too strong
Pharmacuetical companies should sell their drugs cheaply in the Developing world vs. Their business is to make profit
As much money should be spent in the fight against AIDS as on the 'war against terror' vs. But George Bush would never win an election fighting against AIDS.

PRE-READING IDEAS

1. WORD SEARCH: Students look in their dictionaries / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … of the prefix / word ‘ex-’ and ‘taboo’.

2. HEADLINE: Put the article headline on the board for students to talk about / predict / speculate. Pairs / groups formulate and present their own guesses as to the contents of the report.

3. TRUE / FALSE: Students look at the headline and predict whether they believe the following statements are true or false:

(a)  Nelson Mandela is the president of South Africa.  T / F
(b)  His only son has died of AIDS.  T / F
(c)  Any mention of AIDS is pretty much taboo in South Africa.  T / F
(d)  Nelson Mandela has iconic status in South Africa.  T / F
(e)  South Africans are very knowledgeable about AIDS.  T / F
(f)  South African President Thabo Mbeki says there is a strong link between sexual intercourse, HIV and AIDS. T / F
(g)  Five million South Africans are HIV-positive.  T / F
(h)  People with AIDS go to hell.  T / F 

4. SYNONYM MATCH: Students match the following synonyms from the article:

5. PHRASE MATCH: Students match the following phrases based on the article (sometimes more than one combination is possible):

WHILE READING ACTIVITIES

1. GAP-FILL:  Put the missing words under each paragraph into the gaps.

Nelson Mandela’s Son Dies of AIDS

2. TRUE/FALSE:  Students check their answers to the T/F exercise.

3. DEFINITIONS:  Students check their answers to the definitions exercise.

4. SYNONYMS:  Students check their answers to the synonym exercise.

5. PHRASE MATCH: Students check their answers to the phrase match exercise.

6. QUESTIONS: Students make notes for questions they would like to ask the class about the article.

7. VOCABULARY:  Students circle any words they do not understand. In groups pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find the meanings.

POST READING IDEAS

1. ‘AID’/ ‘DONOR’: Students make questions based on their findings from pre-reading activity #1.

2. GAP-FILL: Check the answers to the gap-fill exercise.

3. QUESTIONS:  Students ask the discussion questions they thought of above to their partner / group / clas s. Pool the questions for all students to share.

4. VOCABULARY: As a class, go over the vocabulary students circled above.

5. STUDENT-GENERATED 'AIDS' SURVEY: Pairs/Groups write down 3 questions based on the article. Conduct their surveys alone. Report back to partners to compare answers. Report to other groups / the whole class. Back in pairs students discuss their findings.

6. AIDS DISCUSSION: Students ask each other the following questions based on the article:

(a) What's the difference between HIV and AIDS?
(b) What do the abbreviations / acronyms 'HIV' and 'AIDS' mean?
(c) Is AIDS a taboo subject for you?
(d) If you knew anyone with HIV or AIDS, would you hide that fact?
(e) If you have been for an AIDS test, would you tell people?
(f) Why is there such a stigma surrounding AIDS?
(g) How did you first become aware of AIDS?
(h) What importance should we place on finding a cure for AIDS, compared with other diseases, fighting wars, spending money on election campaigns...?
(i) Is AIDS a developing world problem, forgotten by the developed world?
(j) What are the safest ways to reduce the risk of catching the HIV virus?
(k) Have you ever placed yourself at risk or danger of contracting the HIV virus?
(l) How iconic is Nelson Mandela?
(m)  Where would you place Nelson Mandela on a scale of 'greatness'?
(n)  Teacher’s additional questions.

NOTE: AIDS is short for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. It is the most advanced stage of HIV disease — the human immunodeficiency virus.

HOMEWORK

1. VOCAB EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or the Google search field to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information on Nelson Mandela. Share your findings with your class next lesson.

3. LETTER TO NELSON: Write a letter to former South African President Nelson Mandela telling him whatever you would like to tell him.

4. LETTER TO THABO: Write a letter to South African President Thabo Mbeki telling him what he needs to do about AIDS in South Africa.

5. HIV / AIDS POSTER: Make an information poster about HIV / AIDS.

ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE:

(a)  Nelson Mandela is the president of South Africa.  F
(b)  His only son has died of AIDS.  T
(c)  Any mention of AIDS is pretty much taboo in South Africa.  T
(d)  Nelson Mandela has iconic status in South Africa.  T
(e)  South Africans are very knowledgeable about AIDS.  F
(f)  South African President Thabo Mbeki says there is a strong link between sexual intercourse, HIV and AIDS. F
(g)  Five million South Africans are HIV-positive.  T
(h)  People with AIDS go to hell.  F 

SYNONYM MATCH: Students match the following synonyms from the article:

PHRASE MATCH:

GAP FILL:

Nelson Mandela’s Son Dies of AIDS

BNE: Ex-South African President Nelson Mandela has announced his only son Makgatho has died of AIDS at the age of 54. In a country where any mention of AIDS is pretty much taboo, Mr. Mandela has sent a very strong message to South Africans that it is OK to talk about the subject. The BBC`s Alastair Leithead reports, “It is hard to overestimate the iconic status Nelson Mandela still has in this country, the grip he has over people - and, therefore, the impact his announcement will have.”

Mr. Mandela has actively campaigned for more than three years to fight against the AIDS pandemic, and to educate his fellow South Africans, who remain confused or ignorant about the disease. South African President Thabo Mbeki holds controversial views on AIDS, questioning any link between sexual intercourse, HIV and AIDS. Around 600 people die every day in South Africa of Aids-related illnesses, with a further five million being HIV-positive.

Mr. Mandela’s aim is to make AIDS as high profile an issue as possible, to eradicate the virus and the stigma surrounding it. “That is why I have announced that my son died from AIDS,” adding that his own openness may stop people “regarding it as an extraordinary thing for which people go to hell and not to heaven.”  He has called for people to double their efforts in the struggle against the virus.

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Copyright © 2005 by Sean Banville