The Passive Voice in Business Ethics and Anti-Corruption

Objectives

1. Understand the Passive Voice: Students should be able to identify, understand, and correctly use the passive voice in English.
2. Apply Passive Voice in Business Ethics and Anti-Corruption Contexts: Students should be able to apply the passive voice in business ethics and anti-corruption contexts, including understanding how actions are reported and how responsibility is assigned.
3. Develop Critical Thinking Skills: Students should be able to analyze sentences and texts to identify the passive voice and understand its implications in the context of business ethics and anti-corruption.

Introduction (10 - 15 minutes)

1. Review Related Content: Start the lesson by briefly reviewing the concepts of active and passive voice. You can use practical examples to illustrate the difference between them. For instance, "The CEO made the decision" (active voice) vs. "The decision was made by the CEO" (passive voice).

2. Introduce Problem Situations: Present two problem situations where the passive voice is commonly used. The first one could be a news article about a company being investigated for corruption. The second one could be a business email asking for a report on ethical practices in the company.

3. Contextualize the Importance: Explain the importance of using the passive voice correctly in the business context, especially when discussing ethics and anti-corruption. For example, in an investigation, it's crucial to identify who is responsible for an action, but also to report actions that were done, without necessarily mentioning who did them.

4. Capture Students' Attention: Share two interesting facts to capture students' attention:

   • The first one is that the passive voice is often used in formal and professional contexts, such as in reports, presentations, and official communications.
   • The second one is that the use of the passive voice can vary from one English-speaking country to another. For example, British English tends to use the passive voice more than American English.

Development (25 - 30 minutes)

1. Role-Playing Activity (10 - 15 minutes): Divide the class into small groups. Each group will receive a scenario related to business ethics and anti-corruption. The scenarios can include situations like an internal company investigation, a government agency investigating a company, or an employee reporting a suspicious activity. Students should use the passive voice to write dialogues or short reports based on the given scenario. After writing, each group should perform their dialogue or report for the class. This will help students practice using the passive voice in a contextualized manner.

   • Scenario 1: "An internal investigation is being conducted in the company to find out who has been leaking confidential information."
   • Scenario 2: "The government agency is investigating the company for possible irregularities in the bidding process."
   • Scenario 3: "An employee reports a suspicious activity that was observed in the company."

2. Text Analysis Activity (10 - 15 minutes): Provide students with a text that includes several examples of the passive voice. The text could be an excerpt from a news article, an email, a report, or any other relevant document. Students should identify and underline the sentences that are in the passive voice. Then, in their groups, they should discuss the meaning of these sentences and how they relate to the context of business ethics and anti-corruption.

   • Text Example: "The confidential information was leaked by an unknown source. An internal investigation is being conducted to find out who is responsible for this action."

3. Writing Activity (5 - 10 minutes): After discussing the text, each student should write a short paragraph using the passive voice to describe a situation related to business ethics and anti-corruption. They should focus on clearly conveying the action and the receiver of the action. After writing, students can share their paragraphs with the class, if they feel comfortable. This will allow students to practice using the passive voice in a real writing context.

   • Writing Example: "The data was analyzed and the report was prepared by the internal audit team."

Return (10 - 15 minutes)

1. Group Discussion (5 - 7 minutes): After the activities, gather the students in a large circle. Each group should share their conclusions or solutions from the activities. This will allow students to learn from each other and see different ways of using the passive voice in business ethics and anti-corruption contexts.

2. Connection with Theory (3 - 5 minutes): After the group discussion, the teacher should make the connection between the activities and the theory. Review the key concepts of the passive voice and how they were applied in the activities. Highlight effective examples and discuss any difficulties students may have encountered.

3. Individual Reflection (2 - 3 minutes): To conclude the lesson, ask students to reflect individually on what they have learned. You can ask questions like:

   • What was the most important concept you learned today?
   • What questions have not been answered yet?
   • How can you apply what you learned today in real situations?

   Students can write their answers in a notebook or share them with the class, if they feel comfortable. This will help students consolidate their learning and identify any areas that may need further clarification or practice.

4. Feedback and Closure (1 - 2 minutes): Finally, ask students for feedback on the lesson. You can ask if they found the lesson useful, what they liked the most, and what they think could be improved. Thank them for their participation and effort, and encourage them to continue practicing the passive voice in their studies and daily lives.

Conclusion (5 - 10 minutes)

1. Content Summary (2 - 3 minutes): Recap the main points discussed during the lesson. Reiterate the definition of the passive voice, how it is formed, and when it is used. Remind students of the importance of using the passive voice correctly in business ethics and anti-corruption contexts, emphasizing how it helps convey actions without necessarily identifying who performed them.

2. Connection between Theory, Practice, and Applications (1 - 2 minutes): Highlight how the lesson connected theory, practice, and applications. Explain how the role-playing, text analysis, and writing activities allowed students to practice the passive voice in real contexts. Additionally, reinforce how the ability to use the passive voice correctly can be applied in various situations, such as in report writing, reading news articles, or understanding business communications.

3. Additional Materials (1 - 2 minutes): Suggest additional study materials for students who wish to deepen their understanding of the passive voice. This could include online grammar websites, educational videos, interactive exercises, and additional reading texts. For example, you can recommend using language learning apps that offer interactive activities and instant feedback.

4. Relevance of the Topic (1 - 2 minutes): Finally, emphasize the importance of the passive voice in students' daily lives. Explain how the ability to use the passive voice correctly can be useful in various situations, from writing an email or report to understanding news or reading a book. Additionally, highlight how the understanding of the passive voice can help students become more effective and responsible communicators, especially in the business context, where the correct use of language is crucial.