Reading for Life Lessons

Minnesota ABE Supplemental Services, Linda Strand, 2004-2005

And the Minnesota Literacy Council

Focus: Comparison shopping (Reading for Life, volume 2, unit 16: Comparison Shopping)

Objectives: Learners will be able to identify criteria they would use to make a purchase; read and interpret information about two similar items and give information regarding which item they would choose

Key Vocabulary: purchase, quality, warranty, brand name, advertising, compare, best deal, consumer, impulse buying, brand, durability

Topics to Review: how students can comparison shop in the grocery store or supermarket

Materials: advertising flyers from different electronics stores, department stores

Procedure:

Real-life application:

T tells students that they are planning to make a larger purchase – a digital camera, computer (or other item). T asks students what criteria they would use to make a decision about which digital camera to buy. Some ideas are: quality, brand, recommendation by others, research in consumer guides, warranty, how much they can afford. List the criteria on the board. Use this as an opportunity to teach unknown vocabulary.

Students discuss in pairs the last larger purchase they made. Are they happy with the purchase? Why or why not? What did they consider when making the purchase? Was it an item bought on impulse? What information do they wish they had known when making the purchase? In a whole class feedback session, a few pairs share they information they exchanged.

Distribute flyers from an electronics store. Have students look at 2 or 3 brands/styles of the same personal computers. Have students make a list of features that can be used to compare the computers (memory available, cd/dvd read only or read and write) as well as price. Students make a chart with the features and then look at ads to fill in the chart comparing different brands. Students decide which brand they would purchase.

Choose a type of item to look at, e.g. digital camera. First students write information about how they will use the item. For example, are they serious about photography or will they mostly use it for snapshots of family and friends, holidays, etc.? How often do they anticipate using it? Are there any features they would prefer the camera to have? Next, give the students a dollar amount. This is the maximum amount they can spend on a camera. They search through the flyers to find a camera they would buy. They then write 3-5 sentences about why they chose that particular camera.

Here are some comparison shopping web sites to check out with your students.

www.bizrate.com – compare features and prices of a variety of items

www.consumerreports.org – compare brands. This site also has buyers guides for different items.

Progress to Reading for Life, v.1 competency worksheets: Applicable worksheets: RFL v.2, unit 16

Progress to multiple-choice format activities: Some to be created by MLC – coming soon

Extensions: Some to be created by MLC – coming soon