The Development Gap: Measuring Global Inequality
This lesson introduces students to the global 'Development Gap'. Students will learn how we measure the progress of countries using various indicators, understand why some countries are more developed than others, and evaluate the tools geographers use to map these differences.
Learning objectives
- Define the 'development gap' and distinguish between economic and social indicators of development.
- Explain the limitations of using single indicators, such as GNI per capita, to measure development.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of the Human Development Index (HDI) as a composite measure.
- Analyse how physical and economic factors contribute to global inequality.
Lesson plan (60 minutes)
Introduction · 5 min
Do Now: Students rank five countries (e.g., UK, India, Niger) in order of perceived wealth. Discussion on what 'wealth' means.
Direct Instruction · 10 min
Teacher Explainer: Introducing the Development Gap, economic vs. social indicators, and the HDI.
Guided Practice · 10 min
Vocabulary and Worked Example: Defining key terms and showing how to interpret a data table of indicators.
Independent Practice · 20 min
Differentiated Worksheets: Students work through Support, Core, or Stretch tasks based on prior attainment.
Assessment · 10 min
Multiple Choice Quiz: Quick assessment of key concepts.
Plenary · 5 min
Review and Feedback: Checking answers and addressing misconceptions identified during the lesson.
Key vocabulary
- GNI per capita
- The total value of goods and services produced by a country, plus income from abroad, divided by the population.
- Human Development Index (HDI)
- A composite measure of development including GNI, life expectancy, and years of schooling. Scores range from 0 to 1.
- Infant Mortality Rate
- The number of babies who die before their first birthday per 1,000 live births.
- HIC (High Income Country)
- A country with high levels of industrialisation and high GNI per capita (e.g., UK, USA).
- NEE (Newly Emerging Economy)
- A country experiencing rapid industrial growth and development (e.g., Brazil, Russia, India, China).
Core worksheet (first questions)
- Explain the difference between economic and social indicators.
- Why might GNI per capita be a misleading measure of a country's development?
- What is the HDI and why is it considered a better measure than GNI alone?
- How does a high literacy rate help a country to develop economically?
Quiz (sample)
1. What is meant by the 'development gap'?
- A. The distance between the North and South Poles.
- B. The difference in wealth and quality of life between countries.
- C. The rate at which a country's population grows.
- D. The amount of trade between two neighbouring nations.
2. Which of these is an economic indicator of development?
- A. Birth rate
- B. Literacy rate
- C. Gross National Income (GNI) per capita
- D. Life expectancy
3. Why is GNI per capita sometimes a misleading measure?
- A. It is too difficult to calculate.
- B. It only measures the number of children in school.
- C. Average wealth can hide extreme poverty and inequality.
- D. It does not account for the country's climate.
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