Short description of the session: 

As introduced in the previous session, today it takes place the synchronous meeting, but before putting face to our new friends, each class group carries out a set of ice-breaker activities, so that students rehearse how to talk to each other in order to learn a bit of our partners.

 

Materials needed:

Task 1: Before the meeting, each class group plays a short ice-breaker. In order to practice the questioning structures, students are asked to answer the questions using different voices (e.g. they should sound like an old grannie, a baby boy, a frog). 

Purpose: to do a little practice before the meeting in order to engage students and give them some confidence.

Allotted time: 10’

Grouping: whole group

Verification: Teachers scaffold any students’ response but as they can rely on the written language support as well as they have prompted these questions, they should be able to answer on their own. 

 

Task 2: They also rehearse which part of the body students will scratch as a  The game will consist on each child pointing a part of the body and the rest miming him/her, in order to add a more dynamic touch to the meeting. 

 Purpose: to brush up on vocabulary related to “parts of the body” and to practice the activity that will take part during the meeting in order to give confidence especially to shy or low-level English learners. 

Allotted time: 10’

Grouping: whole group

Verification: Children identify the parts of the body and mime appropriately the gestures

 

Task 3: MEETING TIME! The meeting is in the whole-group but turn-taking is organized in groups of 6 students (3 Catalan and 3 Chinese). Teachers guide the exchange of groups so that pupils can follow the pace so as to make the group conversations warmer. The rest of the students listen actively and another group writes down key information of one mini-meeting so that at least all groups not only talk with their mates but also track other’s meetings.   

Purpose: to meet their school partners and exchange personal information by putting into practice the questioning structures reviewed during the last session.

Allotted time: 25’

Grouping: groups of 6 students

Verification: teacher’s observation of students’ performance and assistance when needed 

 

Task 4: At the end of the meeting, they fill the who is who game board. In groups of 3 students, match the names of their new international friends with their pictures, using a genial.ly template. They need to recall any personal information and learn their new classmates’ names. 

Purpose: see if they have been following the conversation actively by trying to remember their partners’ name and personal information.

Allotted time: 15’

Grouping: small groups

Verification: written evidence: genial.ly template with students’ names and personal information.

 

Closure:

For homework, at home, students will reflect on their role and feelings during the meeting by answering a self-assessment activity called “the bullseye”.