Project; creation of flashcards
How did you pick this theme or topic?
A students suggested that the flashcards in the dining-hall were not very useful. So they wanted to create new ones.
How did you present the material? (Handouts, group work, general discussion, student presentations, etc.)
I showed them examples of funny drawings from PowerPoint presentations, examples of stamps, which can be examples of cultural characteristics of a Country, I showed them strip cartoons, that they could reproduce…
The idea of creating flashcards for vocabulary only, sounded a bit boring, and limited, so Felix suggested tat they could also be a way to have people discover the culture.
How did students react?
Some of them did not really want to create something funny, so I told them that introducing something cultural could also mean choosing a topic, and making a presentation. (music, cinema…)
Did they engage with each other and you?
It took them a few minutes to decide what they were going to do. They did not know who to work with, and what to start with, but then some of them (7) decided to work on slang, and create cards with drawings representing situations in which people are using slang. One student chose to draw in different style, the word “pamplemousse” which is famous because it sounds funny in French. I think I’m going to ask him to actually explain the style of his paintings, in French, with a little paragraph.
2 students chose to make a presentation on French famous singers or bands. I think it will be a Word document, but I suggested that they could make a slide show, or something more elaborate.
What materials or media did you use? (articles, satellite tv, digital projector, etc.)
My flashcards, drawings, stamps, book.
Please attach a copy.
Would you recommend this activity for a future class?
YES, but I have to be careful not to lose control over the different activities.