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Tattling
简体
Tattling
告发

How to Use the First Conditional

Date: Dec 05 2011

Themes: School

Grammar: First Conditional

Intro

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In the criminal world, someone who tattles to the police is known as a rat or a snitch. In school, a kid is called a tattletale for telling a teacher about another student’s bad behavior. No matter what word you use, getting another person in trouble by telling on them is usually frowned upon.

Marni teaches her schoolchildren not to tattle on others. But that’s a lesson Jason still needs to learn.

在犯罪世界里,向警察告发的人被称为告发者或告密者。在学校,若一个小孩告诉老师另一名学生做的坏事,则这个小孩即为打小报告者。不管你说了什么,告发别人而使其他人陷入麻烦,这种行为都通常要遭到鄙视。
玛尼教育她的学生不要打别人的小报告。但这仍是詹森需要吸取的一个教训。

Dialog

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Jason

Jason

Marni

Marni

Jason:  I don’t know if I could be in the mafia. I think the temptation to rat is just too great.

Marni:  Wow. Were you a tattletale when you were a child?

Jason:  No, not necessarily, because I didn’t care about my friends chewing gum next to me in school. But I always identify with the stool pigeon on the cop show.

Marni:  Sure.

Jason:  I’m like, “Yeah, that guy is doing the right thing.” You know?

Marni:  Being the rat. Well, I think tattling is kind of an interesting topic, and I work with young children, so I deal a lot with it in that respect. But I always ask kids when they come up to me and they say, “So-and-so’s doing this” or “So-and-so took my pencil,” I say, “Are you trying to get someone in trouble, or are you trying to get someone out of trouble?” Meaning, are you trying to get someone in trouble by telling me they took your pencil, or are you telling me because somebody is bleeding or needs help or is stuck.

Jason:  Oh really? So you find that usually the person being blamed for something is being framed.

Marni:  Essentially, yeah. I just think it’s important for kids to realize that yes, we have rules, but I don’t need to hear that so-and-so took your pencil if you’ve solved the problem. You know, it’s just…that’s tattling, and it’s just a waste of time.

Jason:  Definitely. And those kids are just gonna grow up and call in frivolous noise complaints if you don’t teach them this now.

Marni:  You have to put a stop to it when you can.

 

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Discussion

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Jason says he wouldn’t do well in the mafia, because he would be too tempted to become a rat and tell on his fellow criminals. He says he wasn’t a tattletale as a child. But if he were involved in the criminal world, he would just have to snitch.

Marni says that she teaches her young students not to tell on their classmates. She wants them to learn how to solve their problems on their own. She doesn’t want them to tell on each other for small things that don’t really matter. On the other hand, she does want to know about it if a kid is doing something that could lead to him getting hurt.

Were you a tattletale as a child? Did anyone ever tell on you? Is being a rat frowned upon in your culture?

 

Comments

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Pezhman02

Pezhman02

Germany

Tattling is certainly regarded as being frowned upon, but sometimes it could deter someone from getting hurt.


06:04 PM Feb 07 2012 |

1 person likes this

CatcheR

CatcheR

Iceland

As far as I remember I don’t tattle when I was a child, my mom and dad is very strict and taugt me to always stand to our own feet, not always complaining for every small matter, when I was in primary school , my friend loved to tattle, he always told teacher for every small matter, and I really agree with Marny to teach the students not to tattle about small problem, it’s a good when they are being taugt in the early age, because if we don’t tell them, tattletale might really become into the rat when they grow up. Really good lessons so ear. I will take a note. Trima Kasih!

08:09 AM Dec 09 2011 |

kotlesya

kotlesya

Belarus

Buttafly, I completely agree and support your opinion about the subject of the tattletale. It is very important to let children know at their early age what is good and what is bad thing to do.


By the way here in Belarus ( in Ukraine and Russia) we have the same phrase as “The old dog will never be able to learn the new tricks”. It was funny to hear that phrase  from you :))) 

07:40 AM Dec 06 2011 |

1 person likes this

yverlin Malanda

Congo

 i never been a tattletale as child. indeed in my culture it’s too bad.

12:06 AM Dec 06 2011 |

1 person likes this

 julito

julito

Argentina

Buttafly,  and also they couldn´t remember  what the tattletelling was about. 


i congratulate you for being  so wise.

08:53 PM Dec 05 2011 |

kenlin16

kenlin16

Taiwan

While author’s perspective of tattle-tale is an interesting one, I can’t really say I 100% agree with her point of view. To tell on someone for a potentially imminent hurt is definitely not a tattling, but to tell on someone for his/her misbehaviour shouldn’t be one either. It’s because what a child’s misbehaviour will lead to him when he/she grows up, if it is not corrected immediately.  If the rule of law can’t be implanted into kids’ mind, then it would be hard to correct them when they grow up.So,it may not be seen as an imminent hurt now, but it will be eventually and if that happen, it will be costly. According to psychology, a human’s behaviour is set at the early stage of childhood. Therefore, when a child comes up to me ,asking for a standard behaviour , I will set a good example for them, instead of ignoring them. In addition to that, what mentality children could have to maturely solve the complex problem? Shouldn’t an adult, especially a teacher,pay more attention to see how children solve the problem? Did they solve it by threatening, bribing  or hitting each other? We really have to be concerned about the capability of  child to solve the daily complex problems.Cool

08:04 PM Dec 05 2011 |

MUHAMMAD92

MUHAMMAD92

Saudi Arabia

i was not tattleta as a child.

06:40 PM Dec 05 2011 |

friendlover

Turkey

I agree with bercis, tatleing is a problem in primary and secondery schools in Turkey. I think it’s not only in Turkey, in all countries. Because it’s nature of kids. I know that as I am a teacher and I teach to kids between 11-13 years old. They also say ” so and so did this” ” she took my pencil, he took my eraser, she told me this…” Bercis said they think they are an important person when they do this. yes of course they think, they are kids and their only intention is to have attention. They are trying to make us pay attention to them. 


marni is doing the right thing. We should teach them it’s something they can solve, they shoul help others not try make the have trouble. Also we should listen to them, we shoul make them believe we raelly care about them and they are important for us. Because they are.

05:55 PM Dec 05 2011 |

Ryan2000

China

tattletale is different from stool pigeon.one is frownde down ,the other one is the one we don’t know to look down or not. MUNNU is right ,tattle can  solve nothing.but ,the information from stool pigeon maybe is a important clue to clear up a criminal case.

04:17 PM Dec 05 2011 |

munnu

munnu

India

hey sorry not realted to tattling … is any boday online know … ..


if anybody please reply .. we can talk in english…as i want to improve my oral english skills ..:)


thanks in advance

04:14 PM Dec 05 2011 |

snoopyboy

snoopyboy

Antarctica

I agree with munnu let’s not buy or read any more tabloids, even the crosswords in them suck. ;)

03:14 PM Dec 05 2011 |

1 person likes this

snoopyboy

snoopyboy

Antarctica

   Some teachers like it when kids walk up to them and spill all the dramas that are going on at their homes to them. This could sometimes help teachers understand some kids ‘behaviors in class and overall performance .Fearing for the children’s safety some teachers would go as far as probing into the parents’ lifestyle and behavior around or towards them and take  legal actions if need be. However some motormouth and mischievous kids need to be dealt with as well. I like Marnis approach, let them know that is very evil to frame someone, it is not funny and it’s unacceptable. I don’t appreciate grown up “rats” but I will never shrug a kid’s claim off. Kids can tend to develop a crude honesty; they have no holds barred at all. It’s your job as a parent/teacher to listen carefully to your children or schoolchildren and tell them what’s wrong and what’s right. Use tact and they will eventually listen. Children are wonderful and you’re dead wrong if you dare comparing them with a stool pigeon or a rat.


It’s not relevent to the lesson or anything, but I’m not a snoopy person ;) I just like “Snoopy” ...the dog!.

03:10 PM Dec 05 2011 |

1 person likes this

munnu

munnu

India

i also hate  tattling, as what i think that its a sheer waste of time, both who do & one who listen. because tattling is not a solution of any problem.  its just an instrument used by people who develops an habbit of back byting & goes that way for the whole life.


Stay away from these type of people & stay happy :)


03:06 PM Dec 05 2011 |

 julito

julito

Argentina

I agree Kotleysa.   it is a waiste of time and energy to see faults in others people ,nobody in this world is perfect .I  would prefer a friendly talk  with  that person than speaking behind his/her back. We would be surprissed to learn  that most probably part or all of the story is not  true  and doesn´t hold ground. 

03:00 PM Dec 05 2011 |

1 person likes this

kotlesya

kotlesya

Belarus

I was never a tattletale in my childhood and I’m not a snitch now as well.  I have no respect for the people like that. Unfortunately, there are lots of people-snitch among colleagues in the staff. I hope many of us here will agree with me.


It is a pity, to see the people like that.


I think in any situation to be a rat is an awful matter. 

12:24 PM Dec 05 2011 |

i love life

Palestinian Territory, Occupied

tatting meaning some times gossip we use it if we need talk about some one behind 


he isent presence he is absent we shoud to express about our selves in a good way


we didnt like such like movement I guess if you want to be a good friend you shoudn.t 


misbehave I dont know if others talking about me when i will be absent but for me if 


this happened i will say for them i hope to god forgave us 


i think the women like tattling more than mwn because mostly of the discussion 


always be on the what does she do are you see what does she did 


did you see how she was at the wedding mostly from thier talks focus on 


the jealousies and the greedy ?


my opinion i dont like this way in the life i would like recommend others 


dont do it dont be gabbiest never 


have a nice time

02:50 AM Dec 05 2011 |

 julito

julito

Argentina

I love how Marni teaches to her students a lesson  about tattletelling  on others. Being a pedagogic teacher  she  asks them the right question  :are you trying to help him or put him in trouble while doing this?  Kids   been immatures   are likely to   make these mistakes. 

10:58 AM Dec 02 2011 |

1 person likes this

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