About the Boise State World Languages Resource Center (WLRC) Language Activity Repository

The activities provided by the Boise State World Languages Resource Center (WLRC) serve as foundational activities which can be adapted by any language and scaled up or down on the proficiency scale. In other words, the activities are “language-agnostic” to provide language instructors from around the country the platform to remix these instructional materials, infusing them with their target language and culture!

This activity was created by upper-division language students working in the World Languages Resource Center at Boise State University. Our activities seek to help students solidify their interpersonal speaking and interpretive listening skills through task-based situations or communicative activities. We recommend using these activities to help reinforce the content students are learning, allowing the students time to feel comfortable using the unit’s vocabulary and grammar structures through application. Further, these activities should be facilitated in approximately 90% (or more) in the target language, per the recommendation of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.

Using the WLRC Repository’s Activities:

When you are ready to begin remixing the activity, in order to adapt it for your target language and audience, simply click the “Remix This Resource” button at the top of your screen. The text provided in purple is a suggestion of what you might say to your students and should be changed to the target language. 

Most activities contain a connected chapter, two to three “NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do” statements, a warm-up, main activity, and a wrap-up. In addition to the instructions, some activities may include a “cheat sheet” containing the target vocabulary and grammar structures emphasized in the activity. Though most of the lab materials are provided, a computer, projector, printer, and laminator may also be needed to fully utilize materials. 

Many of the activities include printable cards and other instructional materials. If you would like to adapt these materials for your language, please email WLRCLAR@gmail.comand we will provide you with an editable copy. For YouTube videos and other websites, hyperlinks are provided. 

Enjoy!

- Boise State World Languages Resource Center 

Activity Title (SAME FROM TITLE IN UPPER-LEFT)

Proficiency Level:

Novice Low

In this lab, students will watch a short video about the stereotypes of a specific culture. In addition, they will practice describing themselves and someone they know (name, nationality, and characteristics). 

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Bowl of healthy food

Keywords:

Stereotypes, culture, nationality, family, adjectives

Relevant NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements: (SPECIFY THE LEVEL OF THE CAN_DO STATEMENT AFTER EACH ONE)

• I can recognize basic cultural differences. (novice low)
  
• I can describe myself and someone that I know. (novice low)
  
• I can respond to basic questions about my background. (novice low)
  

• Relevant ACTFL World-Readiness Standards (THIS STAYS THE SAME)

  Communication
  Standard 1.1
  Students engage in conversations,
  provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions.

  Materials Needed:

  • Ipad or computer (for video)

  Material (Warm-up OR Main Activity), Amount of the material per student OR group

  Download: PDF Version Link (Export file from Canva as a PDF for Printing)

  Material (Warm-up OR Main Activity), Amount of the material per student OR group
  

  Download: PDF Version Link (Export file from Canva as a PDF for Printing)

  
  

  Warm-up

  1. Begin by introducing the Can-Dos for today’s activity and distributing the “Materials Required for Warm Up” to each student. 
  

  • Play a few minutes of the stereotype video. Depending on the language that students are learning, choose a video that represents a culture of that language. For example, for French culture we used the video, “Cliché” (make sure to turn on the subtitles): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCIAyHEFTrQ 
  • After the video, ask students which stereotypes they have heard or believed in the target language.
  • Make sure to explain that although some of these stereotypes do exist, rarely do we find individuals who fit all aspects. List some facts about the nationalities and people in the culture from the video. For example, we included some facts about other nationalities that are found in France besides French.
    France is very multicultural and has habitants from all over:
  • L'Algérie: 702,000
  • Le Maroc: 645,000
  • L'Afrique sub-saharienne: 644,000

  “Today, we are going to chat about ___. We will chat about ___. We will also decide ___. "

  Relevant NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements:

  • I can recognize basic cultural differences.
  • I can describe myself and someone that I know.
  • I can respond to basic questions about my background.

  If students need some assistance getting the discussion going, use the questions below: 
          1. What stereotypes did you see?
          2. What stereotypes did you hear?
          3. Do you/ did you believe any of them?
  

  Main Activity

  1. First have students practice going around describing themselves using phrases such as:
     
  1. What is your name ?
  2. Are you American ?
  3. My name is (name).
  4. I am American / Canadian / English / Italian etc.
  5. I am from American / French / Ireland etc. decent.
  6. I am a student / friend / sister / brother / daughter / son etc.
     
     
  2. Next, have students choose a person they know. This could be a roommate, parent, partner, etc. (if they want, have them show a picture to the rest of the group)Ask them who this person is using phrases like:
  1. What is his/her name?
  2. How would you describe them?
     
     
  3. Have them practice using phrases to describe this person such as:
  1. (Name) is my roommate, mom, dad, sister, brother, friend etc.
  2. He/she is American ...
  3. He/she is polite, reserved, smart, beautiful, social, kind, mean, etc.
  4. He/she likes... He/she does not like...

  
  “We are going to practice describing ourselves and someone that we know. First, let's go around and describe ourselves (our name, nationality and one adjective), then we will pick someone we know and do the same for them. After, we will practice asking each other questions about ourselves and people we know.” 

  Wrap-up

  Wrap-up questions (Pick the a few you’d like to ask): (TEXT YOU SAY TO THE STUDENTS IN THE TARGET LANGUAGE)

  1. If you could move to a (target language) country, which one would it be?
  2. Do you think that the (people of target language) have stereotypes of us?
  

  End of lab:

  • Read Can-Do statements once more and have students evaluate their confidence. 
  (Use thumbs up/thumbs down or download our student cards.) 
  • Encourage students to be honest in their self-evaluation.
  • Pay attention, and try to use feedback for future labs!

  Relevant NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements:

  • I can recognize basic cultural differences.
  • I can describe myself and someone that I know.
  •  I can respond to basic questions about my background.

  
  

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  Where are we? Rate yourself on the weekly Can-Do Statements using this scale: I get it!, I got it!, I kind of get it..., I don't get it...