A Public Figure in Court
Aims
A trial involving a well-known entertainer raises questions about fair reporting, privacy, and the legal process.
The lesson, stage by stage
- News10 min
In the news: The story
Read a 76-word news story: A Public Figure Faces a Courtroom Test
A trial of comedian Russell Brand has begun in London. The prosecution has described an allegation of sexual offences involving six women, with events said to have taken place between 1999 and 2009. Brand denies the charges. A jury is hearing the case, which is expected to continue for several weeks. A former flatmate has been the first witness to speak in court, and the jury is expected to hear more evidence as the trial continues.
- Vocabulary8 min
Vocabulary: Words in the news
6 items
- Discussion10 min
Discussion: Following the case
2 discussion questions
- What do you think makes a news report about a trial clear and fair?
- Would you follow a long court case in the news or wait for the final decision? Why?
- Discussion10 min
Discussion: Public and private lives
2 discussion questions
- How do you think being famous can change the way people experience public attention?
- Have you ever changed your opinion about a public figure after hearing new information?
- Discussion10 min
Discussion: Fairness and the media
2 discussion questions
- How can news outlets discuss serious allegations while respecting everyone involved?
- What should matter most when a court case is widely discussed before it ends?
Target vocabulary
In a Tuton account these words become your student's vocabulary deck, so they come back in practice between lessons.
- trial
- A court process that examines a legal case
- allegation
- A claim that someone did something wrong
- deny
- To say that something is not true
- jury
- A group that listens to a court case
- witness
- A person who gives information in court
- evidence
- Information used to help decide what happened
This plan comes from the Culture course in the Tuton library. Browse all free lesson plans.