an archive of lesson plans

Category: language

FR INT/ADV SP23 Political Systems in French-speaking Countries

Level: Intermediate and advanced

Objective: By the end of the lesson, students will be able to identify and describe the main characteristics of the different political systems in French-speaking countries and their main differences.

Materials:

– PowerPoint presentation on political systems in French-speaking countries

– Handouts with vocabulary related to politics and government

– Audio recordings with native speakers discussing political systems in different countries

– Internet access for research

Warm-up activity:

Begin the class by asking students to brainstorm words related to politics and government in French. Write their responses on the board and review the vocabulary as a class. Then, divide the students into pairs or small groups of 3 and give them a list of French-speaking countries. Have them research the type of government each country has and write a brief description.

Activity 1:

Present a PowerPoint on the different political systems in French-speaking countries. Include examples of countries that use each system and the main characteristics of each system. After the presentation, divide the class into small groups of 2 or 3 and assign each group a different political system. Have each group research a French-speaking country that uses their assigned political system and prepare a short presentation describing the system and how it functions in that country.

Activity 2:

Play audio recordings of native speakers discussing political systems in different countries. Have students listen and take notes on the characteristics of each system. Then, ask them to work in pairs to compare and contrast the different systems and discuss which one they believe is the most effective.

To extend the lesson, you could ask students to research current political events in a French-speaking country and write a news report discussing how the political system is affecting the situation. You could also ask them to research political parties in a French-speaking country and create a presentation discussing their platforms and how they relate to the political system in that country.

DE 23 Study Break Event – Eastern Brunch

What worked well in this Event? What did not work (and how could it be improved)?

Very many students and professors came to this event, which made me very happy. Since I held this event on a weekend, accordingly many people had time to come, which I can also recommend. The only problem was that the purchased food and snacks were eaten relatively quickly. Some students unfortunately could not try German food, which is a pity. For the next event, which is held on a weekend, I would definitely buy enough food. In general, the interest in a brunch event was very high and especially the white sausages were very popular and therefore eaten very quickly. What I should have next time also on the screen that you need a lot of chairs and seating. Which one should organize in advance. In general, however, it was a very sound event, which was received with a lot of joy. Especially the fact that professors came to this event made me very happy.

RU S23: NEWS: TRUTH AND FAKES

Language Resident Name: Aleksandra Bystrova

Date: 02/09/2023

Class theme/topics discussed: NEWS: TRUTH AND FAKES

Goal of the class:

  • Students will identify for themselves news media where they can read the news
  • Students can distinguish truth from untruth in Russian
  • Students can lie in Russian

How did you structure the class?

  1. Warm-up. Good News (10 mins)
    Share the good news; what positive and interesting things happened to you in the past week?
  2. Activity 1. Discussion about news (10 min)
    Students discuss the following questions in pairs: Where do you read/watch the news? What was the last shocking news item you read? How do you recognize fakes? Is it difficult?
  3. Activity 2. What words are associated with the newspaper? (5 min)
    I write the word newspaper on the board and ask students to write all the words they associate with it.
  4. Activity 3. Objects create news (15 min)
    Create a news story with the items from the picture. In pairs, choose three items from the picture and create a news story.

5. Activity 4: Fake News
In pairs, students choose one news story that is real and make up a fake one from it. They can use their phones to do this. They then tell both news stories to the class, and they have to decide which one is true and which one is fake.

6. Wrap-up. Do you agree or disagree (10 min)
Read these statements. Decide whether you agree or disagree with them. Think about the reasons for your answers.
– Now that we have the Internet, print newspapers are no longer necessary.
– News reports are always biased.

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

I really enjoyed this class. The students are very interested in the topic of news in Russia. They talked a lot during the discussion. The picture activity, where they had to choose several subjects, was very interesting. The students were very creative. Also the last activity worked well. Students were able to practice their presentation and lying skills.

How could this class be improved/ modified?

I wouldn’t change anything. In my opinion, the class went very smooth, even though I was a little nervous to talk about news sources.

FR INT/ADV S23 French Online Influencers

Objective: To introduce French online influencers and improve French language skills through watching their videos and engaging in related activities.

Level: Intermediate and advanced

Materials:

– Access to the Internet and YouTube

– Activity sheets

Introduction:

1. Introduction of the concept of French online influencers, what they are, who some of the most popular ones are, and what they typically do (vlogs, gaming, comedy, etc.)

2. Present the influencers that will be focused on in this lesson: Squeezie, Mcfly et Carlito, and Le rire jaune, and make a brief overview of their content and why they are popular in France.

3. Ask students if they have heard of any of these influencers before, and if so, what they know about them. Encourage a discussion to get students engaged.

Activity 1: Watch a video by Squeezie

1. Have students watch a video by Squeezie on YouTube, such as his “Je teste des objets insolites” series or QUI EST L’IMPOSTEUR ? (ft Eric & Ramzy) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1Z1A46FknM .

2. While watching, have students take notes on any new vocabulary words or phrases they hear.

3. After watching, have students share some of the new words and phrases they learned. Create a vocabulary list on the board or in a shared Google doc online. What did they like/dislike about the videos?

Activity 2: Complete a listening comprehension activity with Mcfly et Carlito

1. Have students watch a video by Mcfly et Carlito, such as their CONCOURS D’ANECDOTES vs LE PRÉSIDENT DE LA RÉPUBLIQUE video ( this one is very long but you can show them just a part of it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neqCdyadqFA&t=156s ).

2. After watching, provide students with a worksheet with questions related to the video

3. Have students work in pairs or small groups to discuss their answers and ensure they understood the video/what was shown.

Optional activity if there is time left, or can be done in the next class:

Activity 3: Create a sketch inspired by Le rire jaune

1. Introduce students to Le rire jaune, a famous French YouTuber who creates comic videos.

2. Have students watch a few of his videos and identify common themes or elements (e.g. humor, sarcasm, pop culture references).

3. Divide students into small groups and have them create a short sketch inspired by Le rire jaune. Encourage them to incorporate some of the elements they identified in his sketches.

4. Have groups perform their sketches for the class, allowing time for feedback and discussion.

Conclusion:

1. Review the new vocabulary words and phrases learned throughout the lesson.

2. Ask students to reflect on what they enjoyed about learning French through online influencers. Did they find it engaging? Did they feel like they learnt anything new?

3. Encourage students to continue watching videos by these youtubers and other French influencers as a way to continue improving their language skills outside of class.

DE INT/ADV S23 Universities in Germany and the whole World / Which University would fit for You?

TopicUniversities in Germany and the whole world 
Goals of the ClassCriteria that speak for and against a uni. What is important for me. How do I know which university suits me?
Warm Upstate land river game
Activity 1If you could choose any university, which one would you attend? Top 3 What would you study? / Would you change something?
Activity 2What characterizes your university? What do you find good? Imagine you are the head of your university. What would you change? 
Activity 3I told the students about the best German universities. Where they are located geographically and what sets them apart. We also talked about factors that make universities popular and important. But also, which cities they would fit into if they wanted to study in Germany in the future. By means of a quiz. Create a ranking with the most important things for you that a university should have. Ranking 1-10 (1= very important, 10= not so important)Do you already have an idea what you want to do after graduation?Abroad, travel, master, work…. Do you have a dream job?Why? What fascinates you about it?
What worked well in this class? What did not work (and how could it be improved)? The students have requested this topic and have shown great interest in talking about it. So little had to come from my side, because the motivation in this hour was very high. It was interesting to see which factors are important for the students at a university. I would change very little here. Time was a bit short at the end and we did not get through all the questions, as some questions were discussed for longer. You could shorten the hour depending on the class size.

https://studiumundfinanzen.spiegel.de/artikel/die-besten-universitaten-in-deutschland-welche-uni-hat-fur-meinen-studiengang-den-besten-ruf

https://studybees.de/magazin/quiz-in-welcher-studentenstadt-solltest-du-leben/#Los_gehts_Hier_das_Quiz

FR F22 INT/ADV Les Stéréotypes/clichés sur les Français

Goal of the Class: Students discuss on stereotypes they have on French people; they also learn about the various stereotypes existing in different regions of France and also different kind of expressions used in daily speech and referring to these stereotypes. Students practice their listening and speaking skills by watching videos in French on the topic, and then discuss about it both in groups and then with the whole class

Warm-up : 10/15 minutes

Intermediate and advanced : Par groupes trouvez 5 clichés que vous avez sur les Français (in groups find 5 clichés/stereotypes that you have about French people). I gave students 10 minutes to talk about it in groups and then I asked each group to share what discussed. Then I showed them a picture of different typical stereotypes existing about French people around the world with vocabulary included and further explanation of them if needed.

Input:

As a transition towards the first activity, I gave them three commonly used expressions in French that are related to stereotypical traits generally assigned to French people: Grande gueule (talk too much, is too direct), dragueur (flirty), nul en langues (bad at languages)

Advanced: for advanced I added more specific cultural input on various stereotypes depending on the regions in France:

  • En France, selon les régions il y a aussi des clichés différents: Par exemple, on dit qu’en Bretagne il pleut tout le temps, à Paris les gens sont hautains et arrogants (haughty and snobbish), en Alsace ils mangent que de la choucroute (plat traditionnel avec du chou), la Normandie est principalement peuplée de vaches.
  • Ce ne sont que des stéréotypes et donc pas totalement vrai! par exemple, en Bretagne il ne pleut pas tout le temps (mais souvent) et beaucoup de Parisiens sont très gentils (pas tous)

Activity 1: In groups still I then asked them to discuss the following questions revolving around stereotypes on Americans:

  • Quels sont d’après vous les stéréotypes que les personnes étrangères ont sur les Américains ? (What do you think are the stereotypes that foreign people have about Americans?)
  • Est-ce qu’il y a des stéréotypes spécifiques pour chaque états des Etats Unis? Donnez des exemples (Are there specific stereotypes for each state in the United States? Give examples)
  • Est-ce que vous connaissez des clichés sur d’autres pays Européens comme l’Italie, l’Angleterre, l’Espagne, etc.? (Do you know any clichés about other European countries like Italy, England, Spain, etc.?)

After they discussed for about 10-13 minutes, we exchange as a class and then I gave them some stereotypes we have in France about Americans:

  • Les Américains mangent mal et il y a des fast foods partout
  • Les Américains sont très patriotes
  • Il y a plus d’armes (guns) que d’Américains
  • Les Américains n’ont pas d’assurance santé
  • Les gobelets rouges (red cups) dans les fêtes étudiantes
  • Les ‘Hugs’ pour dire Bonjour

Activity 2: this second activity is centered on a video I showed them. One is on how Europeans living in France and speaking French fluently view French people, and the other one is similar but is an interview of non-European people living in France.

Intermediate:

  • En regardant la vidéo, notez les mots que vous ne connaissez pas sur une feuille de papier ou votre téléphone portable (While watching the video, write down the words you don’t know on a piece of paper or your cell phone)
  • Les Français vus par des Européens (how Europeans see French people) :
  • Quels sont les clichés/stéréotypes mentionnés dans la vidéo? (What clichés/stereotypes are mentioned in the video?)

Then I showed them some slides I created with photos on new vocabulary mentioned in the video, here is an example:

Advanced:

Quels sont les clichés que certaines personnes hors d’Europes ont sur les français?

Quelles sont les habitudes / les comportements typiquement français ?

Last activity : Les gestes et expressions typiquement francais – French also speak using gestures. This video is very funny and explains some of these common gestures used in the common speech in France:

1- j’ai les chocotes/ça fait peur/c’est flippant/j’ai peur

2- I’m drunk

3- j’en ai par-dessus la tête/j’en ai marre

4- ça m’énerve!

5- et toc! / dans ta face

6- les doigts dans le nez (it was easy)

laquelle intégreriez-vous dans votre vie de tous les jours ? (Which one-s would you incorporate in your everyday life?)

Est-ce que vous utilisez des gestes quand vous parlez?  (do you use gestures when you speak?

Feedback/end of the class: give one or two words that you learnt today, how many times do you think people do ‘la bise’ in France to introduce themselves?

Ressources used: Powerpoint, Youtube videos, images

Reflection: This class went so well both in the advanced and intermediate classes. The students were participating a lot and we ended up having very interesting points and elements of discussions raised all throughout the class. These classes definitely showed that conversation classes are much more than just practicing the target language, they can also be an opportunity to learn and enlarge point of views, knowledge on various topics/issues, etc. This class led to deep and meaningful exchanges as a whole class.

JP F22 INT/ADV 政治や外交・歴史や人権、人種差別の問題について話そう!Let’s talk about complex subjects such as Politics, Intl relations, History, racism and Human rights!

Conversation Class Lesson Summary

Language Resident Name: Cozy Enrique NAKADA (Koji NAKADA)

Day and Date: 14th week (29th Nov and 1st Dec 2022) 

Language and Level (intermediate or advanced class):  Advanced

Class theme/topics discussed: Conversation project

Goal of the class: To be able to express on the academic interest they have

How did you structure the class?

29th November 2022

16:15

              Talking about bilingualism and economical success in California

              Talking about a documentary film about heritage language

and social exclusion in Korea

17:15

1st December 2022

16:15

              Talking about microaggression and racial justice

              Talking about minority / majority issues in Japan

17:15

What technology, media or props did you use?  

   Handout, YouTube video

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

It was great two consecutive session to talk about their themes that they’re passionate about. They learned many higher / abstract words.

マイクロアグレッションの問題を説明する動画。

人種差別の無知を笑いで切り返す、爽快な動画。考えるきっかけとして最適

日本における「外人」差別をデフォルメして描いた動画。もちろん実際ここまでの人はいないにしても、多かれ少なかれ差別はあるよね。

学生の一人が制作に携わった、韓国のドキュメンタリー。いわゆる「ハーフ」の子達が、自らのルーツと向き合うためベトナムに旅行する、そのインタビューも載っているとのこと。非常に参考になる。(全て韓国語、たまに日本語も)

ハーフ達

日本における「ハーフ」のリアルを描いたドキュメンタリー映画。本当に力強く、マジョリティの「純ジャパ」と自称する人たちこそ見て考えを改めるべきで、その参考になる作品。

JP F22 INT/ADV: 言語学習する上でのあるある〜!Momentについて語ろう!Why do you study Japanese?!的な

Conversation Class Lesson Summary

Language Resident Name: Cozy Enrique NAKADA (Koji NAKADA)

Day and Date: 3rd week (13th and 15th September 2022) 

Language and Level (intermediate or advanced class):  Advanced

Class theme/topics discussed: Why do you study Japanese?

Goal of the class:

              To be able to talk about language learning related topics.

How did you structure the class?

13th and 15th  September 2022

16:15            

              16:15            

              Gathered at intl’ theater, small talk among students to wait

for HVM students (Playing some J-POP music)

16:20      Introduction to the topic

Q1. なんで◯◯語を勉強しているの?どうして◯◯語を勉強しているんですか。 

Q2. ◯◯語を勉強してる時、どんなことが難しい?

◯◯語を勉強している時、どのような点が難しいと思いますか。

Q3. 逆に、どんな時に「勉強してて良かった〜!」って感じる?

では、どういったタイミングで「勉強して良かった」

Q4. 勉強する時にいつもすることって何かある?例えば、コーヒーを飲む、とか。

  勉強する際、ルーティーンのようなものはありますか。例えば、コーヒーを飲む、など。

Q5. 将来、◯◯語を使ってどんなことしたい?

       将来的に◯◯語を使う予定はありますか。ある場合は、どういったことをしたいとお考えですか。

Q6. 日本語以外に別の言語を勉強するなら何を選ぶ?その理由は?

Q1. Why do you study Japanese?

Q2. What is the most difficult thing while learning Japanese?

Q3. In contrast, when do you feel “I am glad to know the language~!!”

Q4. Do you have certain routines while learning Japanese? Such as listening to J-Pop, drinking green tea, etc?

Q5. Do you have a plan to use Japanese for your job / hobby in the future?                    

Q6. What language would you like to learn other than Japanese and why?

              Changing partners, interacting,,,

17:15

              End

What technology, media or props did you use?  

Handout

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

Students really enjoyed this topic, so they required to repeat it since they could not finish to answer at the first class. And, when it came to the Q5, everyone was passionate talking about it.

↓Advancedで使った資料。実際の僕の回答を、大阪のことばで書くことによって、実際にネイティブスピーカーがどのような回答をするのか例を提示した。

<回答例>

Q1. なんで◯◯語を勉強しているの?どうして◯◯語を勉強しているんですか。 

せやねー、もともと両親が日本語じゃない言葉話してたのを子どもの頃から見てきたから、言語とか文化にすっごく興味あってん。ほんで、大学生の頃言語学とかにも興味出てきたから、色々勉強してみた、みたいな。

そうですねー、幼い頃から両親が日本語ではない言葉を話していたのを見ていたため、言語や文化にとても興味があったんですね。それで大学で言語学にも興味が湧いて、色々な言語に触れてみたという感じです。

興味がある→

興味が湧く(わく)→

◯◯に触れる(ふれる)

せやね →そうだね

Q2. ◯◯語を勉強してる時、どんなことが難しい?

◯◯語を勉強している時、どのような点が難しいと思いますか。

スペイン語やってた時はー、やっぱ何言うても動詞の活用がホンマに難しかってんなー。発音はたいしたことなかってんけど、ただ最初はものっそい速くて、何言うてるかわからへんかったけど。

 スペイン語を勉強していた時は、やはり動詞の活用がとても難しかったですね。発音自体はそこまででしたが、始めの頃は速すぎて相手が何を言っているのか、わかりませんでした(笑)

動詞の活用(どうしのかつよう)

ものっそい →ものすごい →物凄く

Q3. 逆に、どんな時に「勉強してて良かった〜!」って感じる?

では、どういったタイミングで「勉強して良かった」

と感じますか。

 やっぱ僕の場合、少しでも言えるフレーズとかあって、言ってみると相手が喜んでくれたりとか、そういう会話のきっかけというか。それが嬉しいかな。あとは、誰か好きになった人がいてて、その人のことをもっと知りたいな思って勉強したっていうのはあるかな。なんやろ、スペ語とか。やっぱそれは動機付けとして強いよね、モチベーションの維持的な。

 そうですね、例えばですが、少しでも話せるフレーズがある場合にそれを使ってみて、相手の反応を見るのが好きですね。良い会話のきっかけになりますよね。他のタイミングと言えば、誰かのことを好きになって、その人のことを深く知りたいと感じて勉強したというのはありますね。特にスペイン語はそうです。それは語学の動機付けとして強いですよね。モチベーションの維持に繋がるというか。

例えば(たとえば)→

〜〜な場合(ばあい)→

相手(あいて)→

反応(はんのう)→

きっかけ

深く(ふかく)→

動機付け(どうきづけ)→

維持(いじ)→

繋がる(つながる)→

Q4. 勉強する時にいつもすることって何かある?例えば、コーヒーを飲む、とか。

  勉強する際、ルーティーンのようなものはありますか。例えば、コーヒーを飲む、など。

うーん・・・あれかな、勉強法はシャドイングばっかやってんねんけど、歩きながらやることが多いかな。あんまり部屋の中でちまちまするんは好きちゃうから。

  そうですね、勉強法としてはシャドイングを歩きながらしますかね。あまり部屋の中で机にむかってというのが好きじゃないので。

〜する際(さい)=〜する時

部屋(へや)→

ちまちまやる →

Q5. 将来、◯◯語を使ってどんなことしたい?

      将来的に◯◯語を使う予定はありますか。ある場合は、どういったことをしたいとお考えですか。

 せやなー、いまアラビア語勉強してんねんけど(笑)、そもそもアラブの人たちがどんなこと考えてんのか知りたい思って始めたから、色々対話してみたいなー思てるよ。

 そうですね、いまアラビア語を勉強していて(笑)、アラブの人々がどのようなことを考えているのか知りたいと思って始めたので、色々と対話してみたいと考えています。

Q6. 日本語以外に別の言語を勉強するなら何を選ぶ?その理由は?

 うーん、スラブ語系は一切やったことないから、興味はあるかな。チェコ語とかw キリル文字覚えんでええからw あとはタイ語もっかいやり直したいかも。適当に勉強してたから、もすこしちゃんと話せるようになりたいなー思てるよ。タイ語話す友達結構いてるから。

 そうですね、スラブ語族にはまだ手を出したことが無いので、興味はあります。チェコ語なんかは新たにキリル文字を覚えなくて良いので、穴場かなと思っています。あとは、タイ語をもう一度やり直したいと思っています。これまであまりしっかり勉強して来なかったので、もう少し話せるようになりたいですね。タイ語話者の友人がいるので。 

もっかい→

やり直す→

語族(ごぞく)→

穴場(あなば)→

話者(わしゃ)→ 

キリル文字→

DE S22 INT/ADV: Subjunctive & Artistic Freedom (Part 1) [Zoom-class]

Language Resident/Assistant Name:
Nicolai Diener

Class theme/topics discussed:
Konjunktiv & Kunstfreiheit (Teil 1) [Zoom-class]

Goal of the class:
Learn about “Konjunktiv II” (When and how to use it)
Discuss “Kunstfreiheit” (artistic freedom)
Put pictures in relation to “Kunstfreiheit” and discuss their historical context
Compare artistic freedom in Germany and the US
Discuss the content of a music video based on isolated pictures

How did you structure the class?

4.15 – 4.20:        Welcome (Welcoming students to class, talking about how they feel and getting all the technology starting)

4.20 – 4.33:        “Was würdest du machen, wenn…” (Practicing the Konjunktiv II with the “würde”-form, e.g. “What you would do if you were to win a million dollars?” “I would buy an island if…”. Students join breakout rooms and ask each other one of the two questions in groups of 2-3 people. Three rounds with 2 questions each + always different groups)

4.33 – 4.37:        Review Konjunktiv II (short review of when to use and how to use the Konjunktiv II with its two forms. One of them the “würde”-Form, which we practiced in the task before)

4.37 – 4.45:        “Kunstfreiheit” + pictures (The term “Kunstfreiheit“ (artistic freedom) is introduced and students are then asked to look at 4 pictures, describe them, tell the group what is depicted in the pictures (and the context) and then put that in relation to “Kunstfreiheit”. If the students do not know about some of the pictures, the teacher can help them and explain their context. After that we take a quick look at how artistic freedom is embedded in the basic law for Germany)

4.45 – 4.55:        “Kunstfreiheit” experiences (students join breakout rooms first, and then come back to share with the group. They are asked to share their experiences with artistic freedom. Either because something that they themselves were involved, or something they have heard of and that has a relation to artistic freedom

4.55 – 5.00:        “Danger Dan” impression (“Danger Dan” is the name of the musician we are going to hear a song from. The students are asked to share their impressions when hearing the name)

5.00 – 5.05:        Pictures from the song (students see 4 pictures from the music video to the song “Das ist alles von der Kunstfreiheit gedeckt”. They are rather provocative and can be interpreted in different ways and the students are supposed to share their impressions of those pictures, and also what they think the video could be about and what it is supposed to express. Students discuss that in breakout rooms)

5.05 – 5.10:        Watch music video

5.10 – 5.15:        Music video impressions (students share their impressions from the music video and compare it with what they had shared before, when they just saw 4 isolated pictures from the music video)

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

Power Point Presentation
Zoom (+ Breakout rooms)
Pictures & videos (see Power Point Presentation)

What worked well in this class? What did not work (and how could it be improved)?

The introduction worked really well because the students seemed to be really engaged with the questions, as they had a lot of fun thinking about those scenarios and “what they could do, if…”. Also, it was a really good introduction and transition to explaining the Konjunktiv II, which is used a lot by Danger Dan in his song and therefore offers a great grammatical foundation for working with the song later on.

When we looked at the pictures, the students were able to identify most of them and put them in connection to artistic freedom. I chose the pictures because two of them are important pieces in the history of Germany, the Charlie Hebdo-picture is important in the context of contemporary European affairs, and the last one was a fun, little story that is connected to artistic freedom. We took a look at the basic law, and the exchange of their “Kunstfreiheit” experiences was really interesting. Same can be said for talking about the name “Danger Dan” and the pictures from the music video. Finally, we watched the music video and the students shared their impressions. Generally, it was a good mix of learning about current affairs in Germany, pop-culture and Konjunktiv II on the one hand, and sharing their impressions, thoughts and experiences on the other hand.

DE S22 INT/ADV: Subjunctive & Artistic Freedom (Part 2) [Zoom-class]

Language Resident/Assistant Name:
Nicolai Diener

Class theme/topics discussed:
Konjunktiv & Kunstfreiheit (Teil 2) [Zoom-class]

Goal of the class:
Analyze the lyrics of a song (describe in own words/research context/interpret what artist wants to express)
Compare different parts of a song with each other
Discuss differences and possible interpretations
Discuss whether the song “Das ist alles von der Kunstfreiheit gedeckt“ is an example for Kunstfreiheit or Beleidigung (insult)
Discuss whether Böhmermanns „Schmähgedicht“ is an example for Kunstfreiheit or Beleidigung

How did you structure the class?

4.15 – 4.23:        Recap (Recap last class and thereby make a transition to this class’ topic)

4.23 – 4.35:        Group work (students have to get together in 3 groups and analyze the lyrics of one verse based on 3 questions that ask them to describe the lyrics in their own words, research the context of the song and interpret what the artist wants to say and how he writes his song in order to achieve that message. Each group meets in one breakout room, while they have access to the questions and a vocabulary list on our GoogleDoc)

4.35 – 4.55:        Presentation group work (Each group presents their findings according to the 3 questions that were given to them – there is a particular emphasis on finding the Konjunktiv-forms, as they are an important instrument for Danger Dan in his song and also connect to the last class and the grammatical topic)

4.55 – 5.00:        Bridge (We look at the bridge of the song and try to analyze in which ways it is different from the rest of the song and why that is the case)

5.00 – 5.07:        Positionsline + discussion (students have to locate themselves along a position line ranging from Kunstfreiheit to Beleidigung. Based on that they have to discuss their own position)

5.07 – 5.13:        Böhmermann-Affäre introduction + video (Most students probably see the song as an obvious example for Kunstfreiheit, thus I present them a case that could be more critical to evaluate. The so-called “Böhmermann-Affäre” is introduced in a few minutes, and then we watch the video of it)

5.13 – 5.20:        Positionsline + discussion (students are again asked to locate themselves along the same position line and then discuss what led them to their judgements)

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

Power Point Presentation
Google Doc (Questions + vocabulary list)
Zoom (+ Breakout rooms & annotate functions)
Pictures & videos (see Power Point Presentation)
(Jan Boehmermann Erdogan poem) https://vimeo.com/163537121

What worked well in this class? What did not work (and how could it be improved)?

This class worked really well! It was a good conclusion to this 2-class-topic, which connected a song as a cultural element, with an important contemporary topic and a grammatical input. The class had different elements (discussions, group work, interpretations, media consumption etc.), a coherent structure and a few take-home messages.

The addition of a vocabulary list to the group work was very important and ensured efficiency, which allowed for a greater focus on the presentations and the discussions later. In those discussions, the students were really engaged and seemed interested in both the topic as well as the others’ opinions.  The position line worked really well and also as I expected (everybody saying it is Kunstfreiheit), which allowed me to introduce the “Böhmermann-Affäre” as a less clear-cut example for that topic. It is worth mentioning that the class ended about 5 minutes later – which is acceptable considering the complexity of the topic and the importance of the last discussion.

FR S22 INT/ADV – La routine matinale (the morning routine)

Warm-up (15 minutes): Questions to discuss in group around Morning Routines and habits

The students have to discuss the following questions in groups of 3 to 4 students: Avez-vous une routine le matin? Que faites-vous habituellement après le réveil? (petit-déjeuner? Douche? Sport? Yoga? Lecture? Méditation?) – Do you have a morning routine? What do you usually do after waking up?

Qu’est-ce que tu fais en premier le matin?–What is the first thing you do after you wake up? Quelles sont les bonnes habitudes que vous aimeriez prendre le matin?–What are some good/healthy morning habits you would like to develop?

Qu’est-ce que tu manges au petit-déjeuner?–What do you usually eat for breakfast?

Est-ce que tu es un/une «lève tôt» ou un/une «couche tard» – are you an early bird or a night owl?

Provision of a vocabulary sheet with a lot of words, expressions and idioms pertaining to the morning routine in French (I included more difficult expressions/turn of phrases and idioms for the advanced level class). This sheet is designed to be a support for the following activities as well.

Activity 1: (20/25 minutes)

The first activity is based on creativity (writing) in groups of 2/3 students. First, I ask them to individually write on a small sheet of paper one word in relation to the word ‘Morning’. Then they all give them to me, I shuffle them, I create groups of 2/3 students, and each group randomly picks two papers. Based on the words they picked, they have to come up with a short story of about 100 words. This activity not only calls on to students’ imagination and creativity, but the way it is designed (team work) also makes it a good way for them to practice speaking in French by working on writing their story. They really liked this activity and it took them approximatively 20/25 minutes to write their story, after which each group chose to either tell the story or act it out. The whole class had a lot of fun!

Activity 2:

Another activity that could be done in this class is the following:

Les Français nous racontent leur routine matinale dans les rues de Paris –French people tell us about their morning routine in the streets of Paris : Video screening of Parisians interviewed in the street on their morning routine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lMIShoMuIk.

This video is very good not only for the vocabulary and expressions used by the persons interviewed but also because it teaches the most accurate ways of expressing one’s habits in a colloquial manner.

Instructions: Jot down what you understand about the interviewees’ daily routine; what did they understood about the interviewees’ morning routines: Quelles sont les routines matinales des personnes interviewées dans la video?

The last part of the activity can be a little quiz on words and expressions mentioned in the interviews that are either colloquial or idiomatic. Activity 2: Another activitythat could be done in this class is the following:•Les Français nous racontent leur routine matinale dans les rues de Paris –French people tell us about their morning routine in the streets of Paris -: Video screening of Parisians interviewed in the street on their morning routine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lMIShoMuIk. This video is very good not only for the vocabulary and expressions used by the persons interviewedbut also because it teaches the most accurate ways of expressing your habits in a colloquial manner. •Jot down what you understand about the interviewees’ daily routine;•After watching the video, I ask them to tell me what they understood about the interviewees’ morning routines: Quelles sont les routines matinales des personnes interviewées dans la video?•The last part of the activity can bea little quiz on words and expressions mentioned in the interviewees that are either colloquial or idiomatic.Resources: PowerPoint, Vocabulary sheet, Youtube

FR S22 ADV- La Francophonie

This class is designed to introduced students to the French speaking world. After this class, students will know about the French speaking countries, the distribution of the french language in the world, some linguistic specificities/differences between the various French-speaking countries

Activity 1:

  • 1) Par groupes de 3, au tableau, notez tout ce que la Francophonie représente pour vous​ (In groups of 3, on the board, write down everything that ‘La Francophonie’ means to you)
  • 2) discutez et choisissez dans votre liste l’élément qui représente le plus la France pour vous. Justifiez votre choix​ (Discuss and choose from your list the item that most represents France to you. Justify your choice)

Activity 2:

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wIwTn61huA – Que nous apprend cette vidéo sur la présence et l’importance de la langue Française dans le monde?​ (What does this video tell us about the presence and importance of the French language in the world?​)
  • Combien de personnes parlent le Français dans le monde? ​(How many people speak French in the world today?)
  • Quel est le top 5 des langues les plus parlées dans le monde? (what are the top 5 languages most spoken in the world today?)

Cultural Input:

Liste des pays ou régions où on parle français (list of the countries/places where French is spoken): ​

La France et:

• La Belgique, le Luxembourg, la Suisse, Monaco. ​

• En Afrique: l’Algérie, le Burkina Faso, le Bénin, le Cameroun, le Congo, la Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, le Gabon, la Guinée, Madagascar, le Mali, le Maroc, la Mauritanie, la République centrafricaine, la République démocratique du Congo (ex-Zaïre), le Sénégal, le Tchad, le Togo. ​

• Certaines îles: les Comores et les Seychelles, Vanuatu, Haïti. ​

• Le Québec,  Louisiane aux États-Unis, Nouvelle-Écosse et Nouveau-Brunswick

• En Inde (Pondichéry), au Moyen-Orient (Égypte, Israël et Liban), au Cambodge, au Vietnam, au Laos, à l’île Maurice et en Afrique du Sud. ​

Activity 3 + cultural input:

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zf9WATdZK7E​ (8 Colloquial French Expressions You Should Know)
  • Parmi les expressions qui sont mentionnées dans cette vidéo, quelle est votre expression favorite? (What is your favorite expression amongst those presented in this video?)

mots et expressions de la Francophonie (words and expressions from the Francophone world)​:

  • chafouin rusé, sournois. Il viendrait de l’ouest de la France (je l’utilise pour dire que je suis de mauvaise humeur = ‘Grumpy’)​
  • « il est fada! » (Il est fou!) ou « fada! » comme ponctuation de phrase (Dingue! / fou!)​
  • vigousse, en Suisse, signifie « vif »​
  • tap-tap: un mot haïtien pour désigner une camionnette servant de transports en commun​
  • poudrerie: un mot québécois pour désigner la neige poussée par le vent…​
  • lumerotte: mot belge pour parler d’une source de lumière de faible intensité​
  • dracher: s’emploie lorsque la pluie tombe à verse (pouring rain), en Belgique​
  • champagné: un mot d’Afrique centrale pour désigner quelqu’un qui a de l’influence, ou de multiples relations

To wrap up this class, the last activity can be the following:

Activity 4:

Par groupes de 3, trouvez et partagez avec les autres des situations/anecdotes personnelles durant lesquelles vous vous êtes sentis (In groups of 3, find and share with others personal situations/anecdotes in which you felt):​

  • chafouins (de mauvaise humeur)​
  • Vigousses (Energiques)​
  • BG (beaux)​
  • En PLS (mal/malade)​
  • Frais (se sentir bien)​
  • Enjaillé (motivé)​​

Ça peut être des situations de tout les jours, des souvenirs spécifiques, des moments embarrassants ou drôles 

FR S22 ADV – Cartoons (Toy Story)

Warm-up (10 minutes): Students share in groups of 3/4 what are/were their favorite cartoons and animated movies growing up and nowadays.

Activity 1: Screening of a video extract from Toy Story 1 (animated movie)–10 minutes-,

the French version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cb-EW5gwkrk (l’arrivée de Buzz).

Students have to think about these two questions while watching the extract: Que se passe-t-il dans cette scène? Décrivez les personnages et ce qu’ils font? (What happens in this scene / describe the characters and what they are doing)

Vocabulary/cultural Input: (5/7 minutes) in this scene, as it is the French version, characters speak in a colloquial way and use a lot of idioms/expressions that French people use in their daily speech/conversations. Students are asked whether or not they know or understand the meaning of the following words and expressions mentioned in the extract:

Je l’ai pas fait exprès (faire exprès), Voilà qui tombe vraiment à pic (Tomber à pic), On arrête pas le progrès, causer (//parler), ultra moderne (at the cutting-edge)

Activity 2: Students are asked in groups of 3/4 to imagine they are film producers from Hollywood who wants to create a movie adaptation of Toy Story with real actors. They are casting directors and have to find actors and actresses who would according to them impersonate the best the animated versions. When they found the actors, they do a small presentation to convince me that their casting is the best one.

JP S22 INT/ADV: Find the imposter! game裏切り者は誰だ?!

Day and Date: 11th week (27th and 30th Mar 2022) 

Language and Level (intermediate or advanced class):  Intermediate

Class theme/topics discussed: Description game, Japanese school year

Goal of the class: To be able to describe different texture, patterns, colours.

How did you structure the class?

27th Mar 2022

16:15

            Find the imposter! game using the picture cards.

(Sophia has them)

17:10

            End

JP S22 INT/ADV: Campus tour guide 生徒主導のキャンパスツアー

6th April 2022

16:15

            Meeting in front of Oldenborg front gate. Students started guiding

            Talking about different kinds of tree / plants / flowers, favorite buildings to spend time.

17:15

            End (at CMC)

What technology, media or props did you use?  

Students’ laptop, Google maps, Photos

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

The walking tour was a little bit too hot outside.

JP S22 INT/ADV: People from Kinki region, stereotype ステレオタイプ、近畿地方のおもろい人々

Day and Date: 13th week (11th April 2022) 

Language and Level (intermediate or advanced class):  Intermediate

Class theme/topics discussed: Characteristics of people from Kinki Region, Personality, Intro to Religions in Japan

Goal of the class: To be able to describe personalities, to comprehend basic ideas of modern Japanese perspectives on Religion

How did you structure the class?

11th April 2022

( https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1_1TIHo2LZP8psU_URT3YqyMmSdzoqlnGNXBjPK2kiGs/edit?usp=sharing )

16:15

            Talk about Kinki region in Japan. (West center Japan)

            Proverbs, various expressions

            Characteristics of Kinki region

            Personality, stereotypes of people from different prefectures in Kinki region

            Talk about ones’ personality, character

            Introduce one favourite character from Anime, manga, sitcom, etc.

17:15

            End

JP S22 INT/ADV: Religions in Japan 日本の宗教

How did you structure the class?

12th April 2022

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1fbIf_AQ7nXsrNaBqKoMs9jRgKhB-GRosg2C83VhCPuI/edit?usp=sharing

16:15

            Religious Praxis in daily lives in Japan (Postwar era)

            Presence of religious cult (オウム真理教)

            Novel about the incident by Haruki Murakami

            Talking about images of “Religion” in the US

17:15

            End

14th April 2022

Same link as 12th April

16:15              

            Christianity in Japan, its history and modernity

            Islam in Japan

            Okinawan Shamanism, personal experience

            Influence of Japanese colonization in Okinawa, ban of traditions

17:15

            End

What technology, media or props did you use?  

Students’ laptop, Google maps, Photos, google slide

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

At the very end of 14th ‘s class, students looked a little bit tired and bored on this topic. I will change it next week.

RU F21 ADV: Russian Folktales

Language Resident: Aleksandra Bystrova

Date: 09/16/2021

Class theme/topic discussed: Russian Folktales

Goals of the class :

  • Learn about Russian folklore and rules of creating a traditional fairytale
  • Practice storytelling

Class structure:

  1. Warm-up.
    I ask my students to discuss the following questions:
    1) What is “сказка” (traditional Russian verbal fairy tale)?
    2) Did you like reading fairy tales or listening to them when you were a kid?
    3) Do you know any Russian fairytales?
  2. Activity 1. Reading a fairytale “Сказка об Иване-царевиче, жар-птице и о сером волке” (The fairytale of Ivan-tsarevitch, a firebird and a grey wolf) (one and a half page, adapted, with vocabulary).
    Students seat in a semi-circle. We read the text aloud making stops at the end of each paragraph. I make sure they understand everything by asking them questions. I draw a plan of a fairytale on a board while they are reading. At the same time, I have a powerpoint presentation opened with drawings of this fairytale, so students have a visual image of what is going on.
  3. Activity 2. Analysis of a fairytale 
    I ask students to name all characters from the fairytale (7). Then, I ask them about the role of those characters. What do they do? We do it on purpose, so later we could discuss the thesis from the book “Morphology of the Folktale” by a Soviet folklorist and scholar Vladimir Propp. After we wrote all characters and their role (functions) on the board, I present my students Propp’s concept and give them a handout with a plan of creating a folktale.
  4. Activity 3. Create your own fairytale!
    I ask students to use the Propp’s concept of creating a folktale (7 main characters and 31 functions, which constitute the plot). They can choose any quantity of characters and functions to create a folktale.

What worked well in this class? What did not work?
While reading the folktale in the class, I tried to use visual materials, gestures and paraphrasing as much as possible. Students seemed interested in the plot, because they laughed when something funny happened and answered context questions. The fairy tale was not long (adapted 1.5 pages), but it took almost 30 mins to fully analyze it (which was more, than I expected). Students seemed overwhelmed with Propp’s concept, but I was ready for it — I simplified the functions, put pictures to them and printed it out in a handout. We did not have time to complete the last activity (composing a folktale), but when students discussed their plots, they were very engaged and came up with really funny ideas. We will continue talking about it next class.

How could this class be improved/ modified?

I would devote two classes to this topic. I would spend more time reading and analyzing a folktale and explaining to students the Propp’s concept, and during the next class I would ask students to create a folktale and present it (in a form of a performance).

PowerPoint Presentation:

JP F21 ADV: 継承語について Heritage languages

Conversation Class Lesson Summary

Language Resident Name: Cozy Enrique NAKADA (Koji NAKADA)

Day and Date: 3rd week (12th Sept to 17th Sept 2021)

Language and Level (intermediate or advanced class):  Advanced

Class theme/topics discussed:  

Goal of the class:

Lesson 5.1 (On 14th)

Students learned the concept of 継承語(Heritage Language by listening to lecturer’s family history and feelings to his languages. Also they gained new vocabularies by the handouts.

Students talked with partner about what they feel about their heritage languages. If they do not have one, they can talk about family history and differences of parents’ languages. (Including regional differences within US)

Lesson 5.2 (On 16th)

Students gave presentations on their heritage language, family history, current feelings to their heritage languages.

How did you structure the class?

14th Sept 2021

16:30

Introduction of the concept 継承語

16:40

Listening to lecturer’s family history

            With handouts

16:50

 Talk with partner(s)

17:00

 Start preparing for presentation next week

(21st September)

17:25

 Reflections, writing phrases you want to know

17:30 end

16th Sept 2021

16:30

 Check in, adding a little bit more information

Watching a youtube video related to heritage languages

16:40

Presentation time

17:27

Reflection

17:30

End

What technology, media or props did you use? (online ressources, handouts, etc.)

Handouts (Attached below) , Google maps, website

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

Lesson 5.1

Worked well

I got several positive feedbacks.

“I again liked how much freedom and individuality we were able to have in class today. ”

“Learning more vocabulary terms about heritage language. “

“いい会話だった…この難しいことの話しをできて嬉しい It was great conversation class. I’m glad to be able to talk this difficult topic.”

“It was fun listening to my partner talk about her family!”

Did not work

Nothing special

Lesson 5.2

Worked well

I got several positive feedbacks.

“I really enjoyed listening to everyone’s presentations and learning new vocabulary/phrases associated with the topics. ”

“I really enjoyed listening to everyone’s presentations.”

“I loved thinking about my roots and look forward to hearing other people’s.”

Did not work

“中級会話の方が私に当てるかなと思いますが I might be fit in intermediate class.”

How could this class be improved/ modified?

There was a student, expressing she was kind of overwhelmed by other students’ fluency in Japanese. Most of the students really love giving presentations, but maybe I have to choose easier topics for this student so that she can feel safe.

On the 16th, students were very excited and passionate on giving presentation about their heritage languages, so there were several students still not be able to finish their presentations.

They will give one on next Tuesday. (21st Sept 2021)

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