Language and Section: Russian Intermediate
Date: 09/13/12
Class theme/topics discussed: White lie; Students and cheating
Goal of the class:
– to practice description, argumentation and presentation
– to compare Russian, American and Italian contexts regarding the topic
Structure of the class:
– Asking students how they understand an expression “white lies”; introducing vocabulary of the topic
– Group work (each team get a sheet of paper with white lies; they should rate how bad is each situation coming to a common conclusion)
– Discussing the results with the whole class, talking about controversial opinions and cultural differences
– Students giving examples of their white lies and most common white lies of the nation they represent; most common white lies in Russia
– Talking about students and cheating (Students had to guess what was a little paper with formulas, it was shpargalka – cribs. They discussed where one could hide it. Then we talked about how students cheat in Russia, the USA and Italy. Students told about their experience with cheating)
What technology, media or props did you use? (satellite tv, internet resources, playmobiles, etc.)
– A sample of cribs
– Handouts with white lies situations
What worked well in this class? What did not work?
The students really enjoyed the topic. They were willing to speak and stand for their opinion. In general, they were negative about cheating but they also told that sometimes white lies are necessary. So everything worked well.
How could this class be improved/ modified?
If the teacher had time, it would be nice to show funny videos about white lies or students and cheating.