Conversation Class Lesson Summary

Language Resident Name: ISAAC GIMENEZ

Day and Date: 04/28/2015

Language and Level (intermediate or advanced class): Advanced

 Class theme/topics discussed: TV Commercials

Goal of the class: To analyze TV commercials, the message conveyed and the social representation of Spain’s reality

How did you structure the class?

  1. Heads-up: Upcoming Cultural Activities
  1. Warm-up: In pairs, the students discuss about the most important inventions in the history of humanity, the one the couldn’t live without, and what type of inventions they find more important (technological, artistic, policital, etc)
  1. TV Commercials:
  • Commercial REPSOL: Pre-watch. Students watch the first 50 sec of the commercial where a list of inventions is enumerated. They need to recall as many as possible, and work in groups to guess what the commercial is about and the product it is selling. Then students watch the end and find out. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKItJK2Y2tM]
  • Commercial CAMPOFRIO: Pre-watch. Students watch the first 57 sec and discuss the following questions in groups: ¿Qué es lo que no quiere ser el chico? ¿Por qué? ¿Qué es lo que quiere probar? Qué crees que pasará después? ¿Qué crees que se anuncia?

Then, they watch the end part and discuss some of the following questions: ¿Qué se anuncia? ¿Coincide con lo que habías pensado? ¿Cómo definirías a esta familia? ¿Crees que es una familia clásica española? ¿Y en tu país? ¿Van mucho a las grandes supermercados? ¿En qué lugares creen que compran? ¿Hay algo que no hayas comido nunca y que te gustaría probar? [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhPJafYiYhM]

  • Commercial COCA-COLA and IKEA: I ask the students to analize both commercials and discuss about slogans, messages transmitted, the social reality depicted and the target audience in both samples.

Coca-Cola: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03a8SCBd5r0

IKEA:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izMbNhfBI2I&index=6&list=PLJF7oOJVN07LQMRMTLX7CccziCI_YZdaZ

  1. Students come up with their own commercials: I suggest 3 items: Vacuum cleaner, hairdryer and cleaning product for the floor. Students need to think of a commercial addressing a slogan, target audience, social reality depicted and message they want to transmit.

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

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

The energy in the beginning was low because students had lot of work in the end of the semester. I had them standing up for the first warm-up activity so they got engaged with the rest of activities. 

How could this class be improved/ modified?

Fun class. We came up with some good ideas for silly commercials. They also commented on their experiences in Spain and the reality conveyed in the commercials.

 If you have a more detailed lesson plan, please attach it below (OK to use target language for that). Please attach any handouts as well.