PUBLIC SPEAKING – REWARDING CHILDREN WITH MONEY

ACTIVITY 1. VOCABULARY INPUT

Read through the vocabulary and underline any words you don't know.

reward incentive

merit entitlement

motivation recognition

under-
achievement
performance

 Discuss in pairs to see how these given words relate to our topic today.

ACTIVITY 2. BRAINSTORMING
Work in pairs to brainstorm why parents might want to give money to their children for good
grades.

ACTIVITY 3. DISCUSSION
Below are two reading excerpts related to the topic of rewarding children for good grades. After
each excerpt, there is a list of questions for discussion.

Reading Excerpt 1:
Some parents believe that giving their children money for good grades is a good way to motivate
them to do well in school. They argue that this helps children learn the value of hard work and
that it can set them up for success in the future. However, critics argue that this kind of reward
system can actually be counterproductive. They say that it can lead children to focus on the
reward rather than on the learning itself and that it can create a sense of entitlement.
Discussion Questions:
1. Do you agree with the idea of giving children money for good grades? Why or why not?
2. Can you think of any other ways that parents can motivate their children to do well in
school?
3. What are some potential drawbacks of rewarding children for good grades with money?
Reading Excerpt 2:
A recent study found that rewarding children for good grades can actually have a negative
impact on their motivation and achievement in school. The study followed a group of students
who were given money for good grades and found that they were less likely to take on
challenging assignments and less likely to be interested in learning for the sake of learning. The
study's authors argue that this kind of reward system can send the message that learning is only
valuable if there is a monetary reward attached to it.
Discussion Questions:
1. What do you think of the findings of this study?
2. Can you relate to the idea that receiving a reward for something can make you less
interested in doing it?
3. Are there any potential benefits to rewarding children for good grades, even if there are
also potential drawbacks?

FURTHER READING – A TRUE CRIME

The Jennifer Pan Case
Jennifer Pan was a Canadian woman who, in 2010, orchestrated an elaborate hoax to make it
look like she and her family had been victims of a home invasion. In reality, she had hired three
men to carry out the crime in order to cover up her lies about her academic achievements and her
double life. During the investigation, it was revealed that Pan had been lying to her parents about
attending university and had been secretly dating her boyfriend, who her parents disapproved of.
Pan was eventually charged and convicted of first-degree murder and attempted murder, and is
currently serving a life sentence in prison. The case garnered significant media attention and
raised questions about the pressures that some Asian families place on their children to excel
academically, as well as the lengths that some individuals will go to maintain a facade of success.