YES Information Exchange (Stage 3)

STAGE 3: Information Exchange: Exploring and sharing cultural and linguistic knowledge

Stage 3 Overview:

In this stage you will receive the in-structions needed to complete the steps of the 3rd stage of the YES project. First of all, exploring and sharing knowledge and experiences related to the foreign lan-guage and culture. Next, going on the DNA journey to explore our attitudes towards where you and other peo-ple come from. Then, answering the DNA questions and sharing your feedback and opinions on the Google+ fo-rum. Finally, visiting the selected NGO headquarters and conducting an interview with a representative.

 

YES 3 Information Exchange English B1/B2 80 mins
STAGE 3: INFORMATION EXCHANGE: Exploring and sharing cultural and linguistic knowledge
Dates: Week 3, from __________ to __________
Deadline: End of Week 3.
Theme & Goals: Exploring and sharing knowledge connected to experiences about the target language and culture and interviewing NGO representatives to discover local challenges they face.
Step 1. Sharing language experiences: Students write a brief story of a personal good or bad experience related to the use of language and share it on the Google+ Community.
Step 2. Students read the following introduction:  “The DNA Journey: Our DNA reveals so much about where we come from. Most of us are far more diverse and have much more in common with people from other countries than we would ever have thought. We have started The DNA Journey because we want people to understand that there are more things uniting us, than dividing us”.
Step 3. Students watch the video: ‘The DNA Journey’[1] and respond individually to the questions: a) Are you interested in finding out where you come from based on your DNA? b) Would you dare question who you really are? c) How connected do you feel to the rest of the world d) Is there a country that you feel you are most connected with? e) Is there a country that you feel you absolutely have no connection with? f) What if you are genetically related to a certain group of people you normally associate with bad feelings? g) Would you like to travel to all the countries you are genetically related to? Responses are written on the Google+ Community, allowing the possibility to respond to each other.
Step 4. Students share their responses. Students share their responses to the questions about the ‘The DNA Journey’ video, first in pairs and then in small groups or with the rest of the class. Then, they give each other feedback. Alternatively, they can share their responses and feedback in the forum.
Step 5. Students visit the NGO headquarters and conduct an interview Students visit in their local groups the headquarters of their selected NGO and interview NGO representatives. Then they upload the interview notes on Moodle.

[1] Video of ‘The DNA Journey” available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyaEQEmt5ls

 

Summary of tasks:
1) Share a language experience.
2) Answer DNA video questions.
3) Share DNA video responses and exchange feedback.

4) Visit selected NGO, interview NGO representatives and upload interview notes on Moodle platform.

 

Suggested assessment criteria Task Completion.

Participation in the Google+ Community, including number of posts, length and quality of the interactions.

Language/Communication skills (e.g. written skills from the forum interactions and NGO interview notes).

Teamwork.
Recommended tools Google+ and YouTube or any other platform for watching videos.
Resources DNA video.

Interview techniques worksheet

Note-taking worksheet

 

Teacher’s notes (3- Information Exchange: Exploring and sharing cultural and linguistic knowledge)
Step 1 T encourages students to write a brief story of a personal good or bad experience related to their use of language and share it on the Google+ Community. T might provide an example of a story based on his/her own prior experience.
Step 2 Invites students to take part in the “The DNA Journey» and to read the following prompt by posting it on the Google+ Community: «Our DNA reveals so much about where we come from. Most of us are far more diverse and have much more in common with people from other countries than we would ever have thought. We have started The DNA Journey because we want people to understand that there are more things uniting us, than dividing us”.

Formulates the following questions either orally or by posting them on the Google+ Community:

a) Are you interested in finding out where you come from based on your DNA?

b) Would you dare question who you really are?

c) How connected do you feel to the rest of the world

d) Is there a country that you feel you are most connected with?

e) Is there a country that you feel you absolutely have no connection with?

f) What if you are genetically related to a certain group of people you normally associate with bad feelings?

g) Would you like to travel to all the countries you are genetically related to? Responses are written on the Google+ Community, allowing the possibility to respond to each other.»
Step 3 Asks students to share their responses to the questions about the ‘The DNA Journey’ video, first in pairs and then in small groups or with the rest of the class.
Step 4 Tells students to give each other feedback or, alternatively, to share their responses and feedback in the forum.
Step 5 Asks students to visit the headquarters of their selected NGO and interview representatives after having made an appointment. Assists students with interviewing and note-taking techniques. Advises them to be polite and also to record the interview after receiving permission from the representatives. Alternatively, they can keep notes during the interview. Later, they upload the interview notes on the Moodle platform.
Possible challenges Students’ lack of experience in conducting an interview. Difficulty in making an appointment with NGO representatives due to students’ and representatives different engagements.