Studying Abroad, Intermediate, Mandarin Chinese
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 amberhoye@boisestate.edu with any suggestions and we will update the content in a timely manner. — The Pathways Project
Looking for the English Version of this activity to adapt for your language? CLICK HERE
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 amberhoye@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 in Spanish, 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 WLRCLAR@gmail.com 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)
Studying Abroad
Description:
In this activity students will talk about the daily life of international students and share any experiences they have about studying overseas. Students will play a card game where they decide which items they would take or leave behind while packing for a semester abroad
Proficiency Level:
Advanced
Keywords:
Chinese, studying, international student, studying abroad, traveling, daily life
World-Readiness Standards:
Standard 1.1- Students engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions in Chinese
Standard 4.1- Students demonstrate understanding of the nature of language through comparisons of the Chinese language with their own
Standard 4.2- Students demonstrate understanding of the concept of culture through comparisons of Chinese culture with their own
Idaho Content Standards for World Languages:
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
COMM 3.1- Present information, concepts, and ideas to inform, explain, persuade, and narrate on a variety of topics using appropriate media in the target language
NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements:
I can tell others a short story about past experiences
I can work with others to brainstorm and solve simple tasks in the target language
I can talk about and suggest items to bring on a trip abroad
Materials Needed:
Warm Up
Question of the day slide from google slides (10 minutes)
Main Activity
1. Students will sit around in a group and the lab assistant will put the cards face down in the middle of the group
2. One at a time, students will draw a card until they each have 5 cards
* There are 3 types of cards, a heart, an X and cards with photos
* The HEART represents something the student wants to be with them when studying abroad. Something they can't live without if studying abroad
* The X represents an item that the student would never take with them to study abroad
* Cards with photos of items are cards where the student decides whether or not they want to take that particular item
3. Rock, Paper, Scissors to decide which student will start
4. The student will place a card of their choice, face up in front of everyone and state whether or not they will pack the item on their card and why
5. After the student has explained their card, they will draw a new card from the middle and the person to their right will go next. Repeat until students have made a decision about every card and they have been split into take and leave piles.
End of lab: Can-Do statement check in... "Where are we?"
- Read can-do statements and have students evaluate their confidence by holding up fingers 1-5
- Encourage students to be honest in their self evaluation
- Pay attention and try to use feedback for future labs!