Robot economy

Robots of the future may leave many jobs behind, including teaching.  Would you like to learn a language from a robot?  This lesson focuses on reading and listening about how technology rapidly changes work and personal life.  The target level is upper intermediate to advanced.

Read the article The Robot Economy by David Von Drehle, Time Magazine, to answer the question: What jobs will robots and technology leave behind?

Here are some of the answers:

• accountants
• travel agents
• X-ray technicians
• truck drivers (maybe)
• welders
• teachers
• journalists

My students say they have already witnessed the disappearance of many jobs in their neighborhoods.  In Istanbul many tailors, butchers, and textile makers have gone out of business due to changes making them obsolete in the global economy.  Technology would just continue this trend.

Find out the meaning of these idiomatic expressions from the context of the article:

• canary in the coal mine
• chip away at something

Draw a picture or demonstrate a car's motions for these verbs:

• traverse
• swerve
• veer
• park on the shoulder
• cruise
• pull off
• fall back
• wobble
• weave

Discuss the question:  Who will drive better, a human or a robot?  Would you allow a robot to drive your child?

Listen to a minute of the podcast (07:30 - 08:00) Episode 477: Waiting For Robot Nannies by NPR Planet Money to answer the question: what could robots do?

Here are the answers:
Robots coud help take care of children and the elderly.
The robots could grasp or fetch things.
The elderly could wear exoskeletons that could help them move around and lift heavy objects, and make grandma or grandpa stronger than they actually are.

Discuss the question:  What tasks would you like robots to do at home?  For children?  For the elderly?