Additional Info

• Name: Grandmother’s house

• OVERVIEW

• Linguistic dimension

• CEFR Level: A2
• Linguistic dimension - Skill(s): Speaking/Listening/Writing
• Duration: 7*50 minutes
• Target language: Any modern language

• ICT dimension

• ICT resources:

   

  PC, projector; Cameras.Windows Movie maker or iMovie; microphones 

• ICT competences: To use word processing ICT tools; To use mobile phones /cameras for educational purposes; To use Windows Movie Maker or iMovie.

• Detailed description of the task

• Situation / theme(s): Intercultural differences; family, similarities and differences that may be cultural in nature.
• Product requirements or prerequisites: Students must be acquainted with the vocabulary of the topic and be familiar with the use of Windows Movie Maker or iMovie in which they edit their talkshows.
• I can...:

   

  • Understand phrases and the highest frequency vocabulary related to areas of most immediate personal relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information). I can catch the main point in short, clear, simple messages and announcements.
  • Communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar topics and activities. I can handle very short social exchanges, even though I can’t usually understand enough to keep the conversation going myself.
  • Use a series of phrases and sentences to describe in simple terms my family and other people, living conditions.
  • Write short, simple notes and messages relating to matters in areas of immediate need.
  • Use a series of phrases and sentences to describe my family, other people and living conditions in simple terms.
  • Follow or give a talk on a familiar topic.
  • Interview a family member and find out the information I want to know.
  • Communicate in simple phrases requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar topics and activities.
  • Learn about and point out differences and similarities between my background and my classmates’ background.
• Product: A talk show in which students tell about their own families, which each group films and then shows to classmates in class.
• Product requirements or prerequisites:

   

  Students must be acquainted with the vocabulary of the topic and be familiar with the use of Windows Movie Maker or iMovie in which they edit their talkshows.

• Process:

   

  • 1^st intro lesson --> divide class into groups (3-4 students per group)
  • Research at home --> interview family members about themselves (i.e. their jobs, hobbies, interests), family history (B1) à students are advised to write a short summary of the information gathered in the target language.
  • Talkshow, filming and editing --> 3 lessons
  • Watching all the talkshows --> 2 lessons.
• Division of roles (optional): Group work
• Consolidating activities suggested or follow up plan:

   

  Students can be asked to write a short text on the differences between their own family and the families of their classmates they heard about during the talk show.

• Success factors or evaluation criteria:
   

  Students have done well if:

  • They are able to tell their classmates about their own family and if they achieve the following criteria:
  • Vocabulary
    they have used vocabulary and expressions connected to the topic
  • Grammatical correctness
    they have used simple grammatical constructions and expressions;
  • Fluency
  • they have been able to talk for a relatively longer period of time without lacking words or making too many mistakes that interfere with them being understood by group members and the audience (their fellow classmates); of course pauses, false starts and reformulation is allowed.
  • Coherence
    they have been able to link sentences with fitting connectors and their information is understood by group members and the audience (their fellow classmates).
  • Interaction
  • they are active within the small and larger group, and share their ideas and accept other people’s opinion and criticism.
  • Pronunciation
  • they could pronounce the words used correctly and if they do still have an accent it does not interfere with them being understood by group members and the audience (their fellow classmates);
• Authors: Marija Dragutinovic & Nathalie van Kampen. If you wish to receive more information about the task or discuss its adaptation and implementation with its author, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

• Didactic added value of the task and other information

• Practical hints for teachers:

   

  Try to make groups that combine students who are from different cultural backgrounds and who do not know each other very well yet in order to get more realistic conversations and increase the cultural exchange within a group.

• Additional methodological or didactic comments:

   

  Set precise deadlines to conclude the task. Since students will have to do some research on their families at home, they need to know precisely how much time they have between lessons to interview familymembers.

  Be precise in setting the goals of the task and in explaining the evaluation criteria.

• Reasons why this task is a model of best practices:

   

  The task was created to develop language competences and to develop social competences by encouraging students to show part of their culture and life.

• Impact that it is expected to have on the teaching practices and attitudes:

   

  Engage teachers in the inclusive use of ICT in the language lesson.

       Encourage teachers to adopt TBLT and CEFR in their practice.

• Reasons why this task travels well:

   

  This task shows students that they all have different backgrounds, which is a common fact in every class in every country.

• Rationale and/or theoretical underpinnings of the task: TBLT using CEFR common reference levels. A2 task taking into account the public domain (according to CEFR definition of domains) - students are able to talk about a familiar subject
• Preferencial target age group(s): High school students