ENGLISH LANGUAGE SCHOOL BASED

ASSESSMENT

Theme : Teenage pregnancy

Topic: The correlation between poverty and teenage pregnancy.

Names: Shamario brooks, Kemorshae Reid ,Shelton Tyndale, Christopher Williams

Candidate number:1000820146

Territory : Jamaica

School: Munro College

School centre number :

Examination year:2021

Teacher: Miss Sheilds

 Table of contents

Page Content

Introduction 1

Plan of investigation 2

Reflection 1 3

Reflection 2 4

Reflection 3 5

Written report 6

Oral report 7

Oral presentation 8-9

References 10
 INTRODUCTION

Teenage pregnancy has been a growing social issue around the world .Teenage pregnancy is

when a female under the age of 20 becomes pregnant .The research in this project is

attempting to find out what is the cause of this problem ,also how is it linked to poverty .The

research also seeks to take a look into the world of the young mothers to have a better

understanding of their circumstances.

 PLAN OF INVESTIGATION

In partial fulfilment of the School Based Assessment for English A, the researcher has
decided to explore the topic ‘The correlation between poverty and teenage pregnancy.’. This
was derived from the researcher group’s theme ‘Teenage Pregnancy. As a student of English
A, the researcher grew interested in this topic because, firstly, the researcher has seen where
teenage pregnancy is rampant in poorer communities, there is a lack of sensitization among
the youths of what sex is and the responsibility that come with it and lastly the researcher
wanted to see into the world of a teenage mother.

Upon investigating this topic, the researcher expects to gain certain benefits as a student of
English A firstly, to improve his vocabulary skills, secondly, to improve his research skills
and lastly be able to draw the inference from information given.

The information that will be used to complete this research will be gathered from visiting the
library and browsing the internet for suitable information on the topic of how poverty is
linked to teenage pregnancy.

The researcher will use various language techniques in completing the SBA. The researcher
will examine the artefacts to identify the main ideas , summarize the main ideas and identify
the writers techniques to enhance my interpretation for reflection two.

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 REFLECTION 1

In the article ‘ Poverty linked to teenage pregnancy in St. Thomas’ published on June
2007 by the Jamaican Gleaner . The article highlighted teenage girls becoming pregnant as a
means of escaping poverty . Before reading this article, my opinion was that young girls are
reckless in their premature sexual encounters and greed for material things remains the main
reason the become pregnant. It is obvious that these young girls are not interested in
obtaining an education but also to partake in sexual activities. These girls need guidance and
must be educated about various sexually transmitted diseases they stand to contract if they
continue such reckless behaviour. However, after reading this article, I think that the girls are
uneducated about what they are doing.

A similar message was being portrayed by the second article Poverty linked to teenage
pregnancy in St. Thomas’ . The article was published November 2016 by the Jamaican
Gleaner. The article stated that teenage mothers are dropping out of school, causing a lack of
opportunity for the young mothers. I was upset at the fact that these young girls are being
taken advantage of, by the older men who should be the ones protecting and looking out for
them .

The final artifact that aided in the research was a video, that was retrieved from Youtube
‘Teenage pregnancy in Nigeria : Health risks and Poverty ‘ which was posted on March
2009. In the artifact, it was voiced that teenage pregnancy in Nigeria is continuing a cycle of
poverty. It was also stated that teenage is rising because society fails to address the problem.
I now have a level of sympathy for these young mothers because, I thought that it was solely
the fault of the girls, but now I believe that it is also because of this issue not being addressed
socially.

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 REFLECTION 2

The artefacts chosen for this SBA all utilized various language techniques, firstly in the news
paper article posted in The Gleaner, on June 17 ,2007 ,entitled Poverty linked to teenage
pregnancy in St. Thomas’ .The author’s tone was a critical one this was used to show the
seriousness of the issue of teenage pregnancy in our society. The writer used words like
alarming ,demise and atrocious The use of these descriptive words showed that the topic
being discussed was significant.

The second article which was also from The Gleaner, ‘poverty linked to teenage pregnancy
in St. Thomas’ which was written by Ryon Jones .This article had a more informative
tone .The writer was educating the reader of the realities of teenage pregnancy in
Jamaica .The writer used values to help bring across his message ,example of this in the
article was when the writer stated “20 girls have quit the rural school to become mothers”.

In the video, the tone of the narrator was also informative . The narrator was allowing the
viewers to know the effects of teenage pregnancy on the country of Nigeria . In the video ,
there were a lot of descriptive words were used for the viewer to have a clearer understanding
of the message that was being brought across. Descriptive words such as meagre, poor and
others .

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 REFLECTION 3

Conducting a research of this manner has benefited the researcher significantly. Before

conducting this research , the researcher was impatient and selfish .After conducting this

research, the researcher has learned that his group members need the opportunity for them to

learn from the research , for their English language skills to improve. They need the

opportunity to acquire whatever skills the teacher intends for them to attain. The researcher

has learned to be more understanding and patient with group members, because he is now

conscious that people learn and produce work at different paces. He also learned that instead

of focusing on the weakness of group members, it is more beneficial to focus on strengths.

Before completing this research, the researcher had issues with conducting projects and

researches and with documenting sources of information. After completing his research, he

has now recognized that he has now gotten the better of some of the aforementioned

challenges. Furthermore, the researcher now has the ability to infer from information given,

the ability to analyse among other skills. He can now use these stills to better complete

projects.

The research has changed the researcher’s outlook on teenage pregnancy, as he now

understands the different causes of teenage pregnancy. The researcher has realized that

though these young girls were irresponsible, they thought of it as ending their prolems. The

researcher also realized that there is a lack of sex of education among these young

girls ,therefore causing them to act knowledge of their actions . The lack of education is

because the society that these young girls live in is not one that is open to having these

conversations with minors . Parents do not inform there children of what sex is, and the

responsibilities that come with these actions .

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 WRITTEN REPORT

The S.B.A began with student selecting the groups they wanted , then the theme and each

group members individual sub topic. The task of finding artifacts with suitable information

was a challenging one , but after careful searching valid information was found.

In finalizing the S.B.A , the members of the group utilized different social media sites, as

means of communication , to strategize and analyse the information brough forward by each

member to attain the similar goal.

The group members , Christopher Williams provided artifacts to aid in the completion of this

activity. The topics were , for Christopher ‘To what extent are older men responsible for

impregnating teen girls’ and Shamario ‘ What is the correlation between teenage

pregnancy and poverty’ .

Information was retrieved from online journalism sources that provided valid information

along with statics that went through in depth research, video and song lyrics that spoke

strongly about the topic were used as data in finishing the S.B.A . All members of the group

revised each others work and constructive criticism was given.

The song that was used ‘Teenage pregnancy’ by Vybz Kartel, spoke from a cultural aspect ,

allowing listeners to understand the message that was being conveyed.

Each group member was pleased with the quality of work produced for the S.B.A , also

garnering knowledge on the topic of research.

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 ORAL REPORT

Genre: Poem

Title: It is going all to be worth it.

Justification of Genre: The researcher saw it fit to use a poem because , the nature of the

topic being discussed which is poverty linking to teenage pregnancy , is one that uses a lot of

descriptive words , and a poem is where the use of these words can convey the message to the

reader and audience.

Source of Inspiration: The perspective of the young mothers , has always been downplayed

by society, they are being criticised without there side of the story being heard. The

researcher aims to show what may possibly be going through the mind of the young mothers.

Literary Inspiration: The literary inspiration for using a poem came from the video which

was posted on Youtube entitled ‘Teenage pregnancy in Nigeria Health risks and Poverty’

which was posted in March 2009.

Language Used: Rhyme

Descriptive language

Summary: This poem speaks to the young mothers, letting them know that their

circumstances are understood by others. The poem seeks to highlight the hardship faced by

these mothers , when they birth children into poverty also to allow readers to know the reality

of what teenage pregnancy is .

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 ORAL PRESENTATION

‘It is going to all be worth it ‘,

That is what I my inner thoughts said,

My actions, I thought of them as

a way to help myself.

Now I am 16 and pregnant,

With no one to turn to for help,

How am I going to bring a child into the world,

When I am barely able to feed myself?

In a while , the baby bump will start to show ,

And the news of my pregnancy will start to grow,

I stay inside to hide from the humiliation ,

But it was said that ‘every action

Has an equal and opposite reaction ‘.

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 If only I knew,

What the outcome would be ,

I would have abstained ,

and from these shackles be free.

‘It is going to all be worth it ‘

Written by Shamario Brooks

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 REFRENCES

‘Poverty linked to teenage pregnancy in St. Thomas’ June 2017

http://old.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20070617/lead/lead8.htm

‘High school moms - hardship forcing Clarendon girls into teenage pregnancy’ Ryon Jones ,

November 19, 2016

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/lead-stories/20161120/high-school-moms-hardship-

forcing-clarendon-girls-teenage-pregnancy

‘Teenage pregnancy in Nigeria: health risks and poverty’ VOA News, March 3 ,2009

https://youtu.be/GaotlrIsG-o

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