Conversation Class Lesson Summary

Language Resident Name:

MARIA GLUKHOVA

Day and Date:

Thursday, 09/04/2019

Language and Level (intermediate or advanced class):

Russian, Advanced/Intermediate

Class theme/topics discussed:

The first impression vs. after we get to know each other better

Goal of the class:

Keep getting to know each other

How did you structure the class?

[5 min]: Greetings, announcements, general questions.

[5 min]: Focused Freewriting. A teacher writes a famous Russian proverb on a blackboard: «Встречают по одёжке, а провожают по уму». After we make sure that every word is clear, the students should write down everything that comes to their minds related to that proverb. They keep writing for 3-4 minutes.

[10-15 min]: Discussion. A volunteer reads what they have written, and a teacher facilitates the following discussion (in my group no one knew this proverb and they came up with different interesting interpretations).

[15 min]: “Back to back” (credits to F. Klippel, “Keep Talking”). While the [Russian] music is playing, everybody walks around the room observing other people’s clothes, hairstyle, etc. As soon as the music stops, each student pairs up with the person standing nearest and they stand back to back. Each of the students makes statements about the other’s appearance («я думаю, на тебе синие джинсы», etc.). – Repeat a couple of times.

[15-20 min]: Everyone gets a paper with an empty square in a middle. They should draw themselves in that square / [write their name if the drawing doesn’t seem to work out well]. They exchange papers in pairs. The task is to ask each other questions and discover and write down 5+ facts about a person that might not be obvious at a first sight («Я думалa, что ты любишь смотреть фильмы ужасов, а оказалось, что мелодрамы» etc.). The last task is to tell these facts about another person to the whole group.

[5 min]: Reflection time. How do they understand the proverb now? What have they learned from their classmates?    

What technology, media or props did you use? (internet resources, playmobiles, handouts, etc.)

Whiteboard, pen

What worked well in this class? What did not work?

The students loved the class! I think everything went well.

How could this class be improved/ modified?

I would keep it as it is because it reflects on both parts of the proverb (meeting by the clothes + getting to know each other’s minds). I think it is a good option for the first or second meeting.