Key Concepts:
1. Generation Beta - The demographic cohort beginning January 1,
2025, succeeding Generation Alpha.
2. Generational timeline:
o Gen Alpha: 2010–2024
o Gen Z: 1996–2010
o Millennials: 1981–1996
3. Key societal influences:
o Climate change
o Urbanization
o Technological advancements
4. Sustainability Сталість довкілля- the quality of causing little or
no damage to the environment and therefore able to continue for
a long time. Identified as a core expectation and value for
Generation Beta, influenced by environmental challenges.
5. Generational flexibility - Dates for generations are not rigid but
evolve based on societal shifts.
6. Pew Research Center's shift:
o Decision to move away from generational labels in studies
starting in 2023.
7. Critique of generational labels:
o Emphasis on race and class as more significant in shaping
shared experiences.
o Avoiding harmful stereotypes and oversimplification of
diverse lived experiences.
8. Focus on complexity:
o Recognizing that human experiences cannot be fully captured by
generational definitions alone.
Vocabulary:
1. Demographer - A professional who studies population dynamics and
characteristics.
2. Futurist - Someone who forecasts future trends based on current
data.
3. Sustainability - The ability to maintain ecological balance and
prioritize long-term environmental health.
4. Urbanization - The process by which urban areas grow and expand
due to population movement.
5. Technological advancements - Developments in technology that
impact society, industry, and culture.
6. Formative years - The early stages in a generation's life when core
values and societal influences take shape.
7. Generational labels - Terms used to categorize cohorts by shared
historical and cultural experiences (e.g., Baby Boomers, Millennials).
8. Oversimplification - Reducing complex realities into overly simplistic
explanations.
9. Lived experiences - The firsthand, personal experiences of
individuals shaped by their social and historical contexts.
True or false?
1) Generation Beta will begin in 2025 and end around 2039.
2) The Pew Research Center believes generational labels are always
the best way to study society.
3) Generation Beta is expected to prioritize sustainability due to
environmental challenges.
4) Pew researchers think that race and class often influence shared
experiences more than generational labels.
5) Generation Beta will face fewer environmental challenges than
previous generations.
6) Urbanization, climate change, and technological advancements are
likely to shape the world of Generation Beta.
Gap Fill
Complete the sentences using the words below:
(sustainability, urbanization, technological, values, experiences)
1. Generation Beta will live in a time of rapid __________
advancements.
2. Climate change and __________ are major challenges for the
future.
3. Sustainability will become a key expectation, shaping the
__________ of Generation Beta.
4. Pew Research Center believes that race and class often influence
shared __________.
5. Environmental challenges will make __________ an important focus
for society.
Speaking Task
In pairs or small groups, discuss:
1. Do you agree that sustainability will become an expectation for
future generations? Why or why not?
2. How do you think technology will change life for Generation Beta?
3. What are some examples of stereotypes about different
generations? Are they fair?
