SHOULD THE CELLPHONE BE ALLOWED IN SCHOOL?

BACKGROUND:

Among all the modern electronic gadgets, the most common is a cell phone. It has become an
integral part of modern man's life. Almost everyone, is using it. This wide usage of cell
phones creates a big problem especially while they are being used by school going children.
some state governments put a ban on the usage of cell phones in schools because they help in
the perpetration of certain very unhealthy activities.

Usage of cell phones in schools has both positive and negative sides. Cell phone is the best
source for those parents who remain worried for the safety and security of their children. But
there have been reports about the disorders and dysfunctions caused by the cell phones. They
may be used for cheating in examinations, defaming, creating pornographic content,
organizing criminal activities etc. Beside it, usages of cell phones also gives medical
problems like loss of hearing, brain problems and many more. Some serious steps should be
taken for this problem. Cell phone may be used once outside the school but should be banned
in school hours.

It is always fun to use new electronic gadgets. The most common among them is a cell phone.
Some decades ago it was hard to imagine that we could contact a person while walking on the
road, shopping in the market, doing exercise in a gym, traveling in a bus, car, train etc. But
with the help of cell phones it have become possible now. Six to seven years back, the prices
of cell phones were so high that middle class people could not even think of having them. But
nowadays they have become cheaper and affordable. Now cell phones are being used by
everyone from a businessman to a vegetable vendor. In some families each member has a cell
phone. Even school going children are using the. This wide usage of cell phones specially by
school children created a lot of fuss.

Some State governments took a major step and put a ban on the use of cell phones in schools
and colleges. It was felt by them that cell phones helped in the perpetration of certain very
unhealthy activities that could have serious socio-psychological ramifications. Nowadays
whether cell phones should be allowed in schools or not becomes a moot topic.

Generally parents are much concerned about the safety and security of their children. Parents
feel that they should always be able to get in touch with their children with regard to their
general well being, instead of merely drowning in anxiety. And cell phones prove to be the
best source for them. It is true that cell phones can be a great communication and safety tool.
Students can summon help if they were stuck in any emergency situation. Especially the girl
students, when equipped with cell phone have a better chance of safety. But usage of cell
phones has many negative sides also. There have been instances where cell phones were used
to cheat in the examinations. Students, having cell phones may use them to cause enough
inconvenience, like playing funny ring-tones to distract the classes, clicking pictures, playing
games etc. It may lead to the non-serious attitude for the individual.

The newspapers are full of reports each day about the several disorders and dysfunctions
caused by the cell phones. Youngsters communicate all kinds of emoticons using text
messages, and the result is serious distortion of language. Students get so much habitual of
writing in short forms that sometimes they are not able to write a correct spelling on paper.
Cell phones may also be used for defaming, creating pornographic content, organizing
criminal activities. Build-in-digital cameras are also adding a new dimension to the problem.
There have been reported cases of students using a cell phone's camera to take picture of class
mates in personal situations such as in the locker room or in the washroom and distributing
these pictures via MMS within minutes. Giving such kinds of cell phones to youngsters can
be very detrimental, especially for the moral fabric of the society.

Usage of cell phones not only spoils children morally and psychologically but it also gives a
number of physical problems. Regular usage of cell phones may affect sense of hearing.
Doctors are coming across a number of youngsters with RSI or Repetitive Stress Injury.
Studies have found that text messages regularly, over a long period of time, could cause
repetition strain which may cause both short and long term injuries. When traditional
bullying occurs in a school, teachers are often able to control, but cyber bullying makes it
difficult to detect and control.

Inspite of having so much negative aspects of cell phone usage in school, we can not avoid
the concern of parents for the security and safety of their children. Their worry and concern
can be justified in the light of the reports of abduction and school shooting. But the extent to
which children use cell phones outstrips any safety consideration. Some serious steps should
be taken for this. Class rooms are meant for study. There is no logic for allowing phones in
classrooms. The students must keep their cell phones switched off during study time. They
will learn to accord respect and seriousness to important things if they can be made to
understand this. The cell phone remains banned during the school hours but can be used once
outside. Hence a partial ban would be the right course.

VOCABULARY :

1. Based on the discoursement and by using the Eng-Eng dictionary ,:

a) Find the meaning in English words/phrases in the underline and bold

forms

b) Find the synonyms of at least 5 selected words

c) What is the topic sentence of this article?

d) What is the main idea of this article?

e) Why does the state government put a ban on the usage of the
cellphone?

f) What does it mean by the non-serious attitude in the sentence?

‘ It may lead to the non-serious attitude for the individual’

ACTIVITY A:

1. Ss need to listen carefully and take note of the pros and cons as uttered.

2. Ss are to tell their personal opinion and reasoning of their decision

3. Ss are to work in pairs and DISCUSS , and LIST on the pros and cons.
ACTIVITY B:

1. If you agree.How to deal with this problem?

2. If you disagree. What are your reasons?

3. If a phone rings during class, the teacher has every right to confiscate it.

What is your opinion? Do you agree to confiscate your cellphone ?