“My Fridge” and More: Engaging Language Activities Using Everyday Items

Introduction

Hello, language learning enthusiasts! I’m excited to share a fresh and fun activity from our language teaching video series: the “My Fridge” activity. This activity creatively uses everyday items to stimulate conversation and language learning. It’s particularly appealing for students who are tech-savvy and enjoy incorporating their gadgets into learning. The activity’s adaptability makes it a perfect fit for various language levels and contexts.

Key Takeaways

My Fridge Activity: Students use their phones to record or photograph the contents of their fridge and discuss it in the target language.
Variations of the Activity: Alternatives include drawing or using Google Slides to create a virtual fridge, adapting the activity to different comfort levels and resources.
Extension Ideas: This concept can be extended to other personal spaces like closets or entire houses, encouraging students to describe these areas in the target language.

Step-by-Step Process

Introduce the Activity: Explain the ‘My Fridge’ concept and demonstrate by giving a tour of your own fridge using your phone.
Student Participation: Students can then either record, photograph, draw, or create a virtual representation of their fridge and its contents.
Sharing and Discussion: Encourage students to share their creations on platforms like Flipgrid, allowing for class-wide viewing and discussion.

“The whole point is to speaking… It’s just fun and it’s great to have a little gallery.” – Video Creator

Resources Mentioned

Flipgrid: A social learning platform where students can share videos and engage in discussions.
Google Slides: A tool for creating presentations, useful for virtual representations of fridges or other items.

Personal Best Advice

As a language teacher, I’ve found that integrating students’ personal lives into lessons significantly boosts their interest and engagement. Activities like ‘My Fridge’ are excellent for making language learning more relevant and enjoyable. Encourage creativity and ensure a non-judgmental environment to make these activities a success.

FAQ

How can I ensure students’ privacy is respected in this activity?
- Allow them to use fictional items or settings if they’re uncomfortable sharing real ones.
Is this activity suitable for beginners?
- Yes, it can be simplified for beginners by focusing on basic vocabulary.
How do I facilitate this activity in an online class?
- Use digital platforms like Flipgrid or Google Classroom for students to upload and share their work.
Can this activity be adapted for higher proficiency levels?
- Definitely! Encourage more detailed descriptions and complex vocabulary for advanced students.
How do I assess students through this activity?
- Focus on their ability to communicate ideas in the target language and their use of relevant vocabulary.

Need more activities that work in any language? https://real-life-language.teachable.com/p/250-language-activities-for-language-classes

Looking for immersive, engaging, fun activities for your beginning Spanish classes? Love teaching with comprehensible input, and looking to add some ready-made effective lessons to your repertoire? Love teaching, but want work-life balance? Looking for 100s of materials, lessons, resources and ideas for student-centered activities?

https://real-life-language.teachable.com/p/immersive-beginning-spanish-lessons

If you teach languages, you probably love languages, too. However, our students don’t always love it so much. With all of the hard parts, who can blame them? In this free guide, I share 25 activities that can be used to teach any language and can be adapted to any level. Get yours here https://real-life-language.ck.page/200491762e

Teaching Languages | 5 Weeks of Language Learning Activities using Paper | Week 3

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Language Teaching

Teaching Languages | Engaging Language Activities Using Everyday Items