Relationships #2

How did you pick this theme or topic?

I didn’t have time to do all I had planned in the previous lesson, and the topic is so vast that one hour is not enough to talk about everything with 10 people. It is such a good topic to make them talk that I thought I could use it for another class.

How did you present the material? (Handouts, group work, general discussion, student presentations, etc.)

Debates in groups
General discussions

How did students react?

They reacted very well. They had a lot of ideas to build up their arguments.

Did they engage with each other and you?

Yes they engaged a lot with each other since they had to find arguments, and then to defend them.

What materials or media did you use? (articles, satellite tv, digital projector, etc.)

None

Please attach a copy.
Below is the plan I had with me in class.

Would you recommend this activity for a future class?
Yes, it was very productive, and I think that making them debate is a good way of getting them involved and productive in speech since they are often competitive and want to win.
They were so interested that we kept on talking about this topic in the next class.

Advanced 02/18

1. Warm-up – 10 min

2. Debate – 30 min

– 3 groups
– I ask a question with two possible answers
– each group has to take one side
– the remaining group is the jury

– 5 min to prepare the arguments
– then, debate
– then, the jury decides which group was the more convincing (they have to go out and discuss it) and explains why

questions à débattre

==> Lequel est le plus important selon vous; le travail ou le mariage ?

==> Que choisiriez-vous entre vivre avec quelqu’un qui vous aime mais que vous n’aimez pas en retour, ou vivre seul pour le reste de votre vie tout en aimant une personne qui ne vous aime pas en retour ?

==> Est-ce plus facile ou plus difficile de vivre avec quelqu’un d’une autre nationalité ?

==> Le mariage est-il pour la vie ?

3. General questions – 20 min

==> What are some dating and marriage customs in your country?
• If you are a man, and a woman asks you for a date, do you feel you should pay, or that the woman should pay?
• Do you “go Dutch” when dating?
• What are your country’s norms or laws on displays of public affection?

==> What do you think of the show ‘the bachelor’?
==> How long does it take for dating to become a relationship?
==> What do you consider cheating in a dating relationship?
==> At what age do most people in your country get married?
==> What is a wedding ceremony like in your country?
==> Do you know of any superstitions connected with weddings?