Organizing a Study Session, Mandarin Chinese, Novice-Mid, High

Please Note: Many of the activities on the Pathways Project OER Repository were created by upper-division students at Boise State University and serve as a foundation that our community of practice can build upon and refine. While they are polished, we welcome and encourage collaboration from language instructors to help modify grammar, syntax, and content where needed. Kindly contact pathwaysproject@boisestate.edu with any suggestions and we will update the content in a timely manner.  — The Pathways Project

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. Many of these activities offer an English Version that is “language-agnostic” to provide language instructors from around the country a platform to remix these instructional materials, infusing them with their target language and culture! The activities within the Pathways Project OER Repository seek to help students solidify their interpersonal speaking and interpretive skills through task-based situations or communicative activities. These activities should be facilitated in the target language for approximately 90% (or more), per the recommendation of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.

How to use the WLRC Repository’s Activities:

1. Use the Activity as is:

Before you begin:

• Most activities are 30 minutes in duration, unless otherwise specified.
• Be sure to read through the activity description, and review the list of required materials. You will notice that the activity materials are also highlighted in yellow throughout the activity instructions.

If you have any suggestions about grammar, syntax, and content, please kindly contact pathwaysproject@boisestate.edu.

2. Remix for Your Language Classroom:

When you are ready to begin remixing the activity, in order to adapt it for the needs of your language classroom, simply click the blue “Remix This Resource” button at the top of your screen. This will then take you to a screen with a NEW, editable version of this activity. The text provided in purple is a suggestion of what you might say to your students in the target language, and may be altered for different levels and age groups. All activities have “NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do” statements, a warm-up, a main activity, and a wrap-up.

Many of the activities include printable cards and other instructional materials such as Google Slideshows. If you would like to make changes to these materials for your classroom, follow the instructions below:

• Google Slideshows:
  
• To begin, go to File -> Copy to create an editable version of the slideshow.
• Once finished with your changes, please complete the following steps to share:
• Click on Share
• Who Has Access
• Ensure link sharing is on and allow external access.
• Materials Saved as PDF: Please email pathwaysproject@boisestate.edu and we will provide you with an editable copy. Please allow up to two business days for a response. For YouTube videos and other websites, hyperlinks are provided. 
  

3. Adapt for Another Language:

• See the linked English Version at the top of the activity (English Version may not be available for all activities)

Organizing A Study Session (Novice-Mid/High)

Description:

Students will each get a card describing a made up weekly schedule. They will try to work together to find a day and time that they can meet up and practice speaking and writing Chinese.

Proficiency Level:

Novice Mid/High

Keywords:

China, real-world practice, invitations, events, studying, schedules, daily life, introductions, Chinese 

NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements:

• I can share the time and date of an upcoming personal event
  
• I can recognize a time and date when plans for an event are discussed
  
• I can tell the names of places I go on the weekend
  

NCSSFL-ACTFL World-Readiness Standards

• Standard 1.1 - Students engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions in Chinese
  
• Standard 1.2 - Students understand and interpret written and spoken language on a variety of topics in Chinese
  
• Standard 2.1 - Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the practices and perspectives of the cultures of the Chinese-speaking world
  
• Standard 4.1 - Students demonstrate understanding of the nature of language through comparisons of the Chinese language with their own

Idaho State World Language Standards:

• COMM 1.1 - Interact and negotiate meaning (spoken, signed, written conversation) to share information, reactions, feelings, and opinions
  
• COMM 2.1 - Understand, interpret, and analyze what is heard, read, or viewed on a variety of topics.
  
• CLTR 1.3 - Function appropriately in diverse contexts within the target culture.
  
• CONN 1.2 - Relate information studied in other subjects to the target language and culture
  
• COMT 1.2 - Discuss personal preferences in activities and events both within and beyond the classroom
  

Materials Needed:

Schedule Cards

Google Slideshow

Warm-up

Main Activity

1. If there are 4 or less students in a lab, each student will receive a schedule card, if there are more than 4, have a few students pair up. If the lab is moving quickly you can adjust it so everyone takes turns and they pass the cards around the group so everyone gets a chance to use a card.
   
   
2. Students will each get a schedule card that has 3 or 4 events. Students will pretend that they have an upcoming test the following Friday, and they should meet up sometime in the next few days to study
   
   
3. IF there are few enough students that everyone gets their own schedule card, the LAB INSTRUCTOR will prompt the group to find a time to study together for their “test” by offering a day of the week they think might work
   “我星期四下午四点有空儿。”  "I have free time on Thursday at 4:00 pm."
   IF there are more students and not everyone will have an individual schedule card, ask one student to pick a day of the week and a time they would like everyone to try and meet.
   
   
4. Students will then discuss as a group if the chosen date and time will work for them, using their schedule cards as a guide for when they are available/unavailable. If the proposed time isn’t working, students should work together as a group to find a new time that works for everyone. After a time has been established, students will then decide where they will study and what material they will study.
   
   
5. Repeat at least once more, if time allows. Students will swap schedule cards and have a new person pick a random day and time.
   

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!

NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements:

• I can share the time and date of an upcoming personal event
  
• I can recognize a time and date when plans for an event are discussed
  
• I can tell the names of place I go on the weekend.
  

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...