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FOREIGN LANGUAGES
&
THE LITERARY IN THE EVERYDAY
open lessons for
L2 literacy

Lessons > Culture Play

Examples: practices, values, schemas of products, code-switching, multilingualism

Fêtes et souvenirs

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Lesson Title: Fêtes et souvenirs [ Holidays and Recollections ]
Lesson Author: Joanna Luks
Instructional Language: English / French
Level of Activities: College / 1. year
Text Title: Le père Noël
Text Language: French
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, LLDQ

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Text

Text Title: Le père Noël
Text Language: French
Text Author: Sand, George
Genre: Narratives / Essays
Topic: n/a

Lesson

Lesson Title: Fêtes et souvenirs [ Holidays and Recollections ]
Instructional Language: English / French
Lesson Author: Joanna Luks
Level of Activities: College / 1. year
Pedagogical Practices: n/a
Grammar Focus: n/a
Main Objectives:
Cultural Knowledge & Mindset
Reading: Vocabulary associated with the term, “Father Christmas” / Catholicism past and present in France.
Writing: “Making strange” your own cultural practices.
Language Use & Strategies
Reading/Writing: Reminiscing about a childhood holiday using imparfait verbs for talking about the way things were or used to be and exploring cultural practices.
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, LLDQ

Le Monde du travail

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Lesson Title: Le Monde du travail [ The Work World ]
Lesson Author: Joanna Luks
Instructional Language: English / French
Level of Activities: College / 1. year, 2. year
Text Title: Retour à la terre / Petit cours de politique
Text Language: French
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, LLDQ

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Text

Text Title: Retour à la terre / Petit cours de politique
Text Language: French
Text Author: Anonymous
Genre: Narratives
Topic: n/a

Lesson

Lesson Title: Le Monde du travail [ The Work World ]
Instructional Language: English / French
Lesson Author: Joanna Luks
Level of Activities: College / 1. year, 2. year
Pedagogical Practices: n/a
Grammar Focus: n/a
Main Objectives:
Cultural Knowledge & Mindset
Reading: Geert Hofstede’s model for a cultural dimensions theory. / Reflecting on cultural values and their impact on the work world. / Learning some potentially embarrassing false cognates!
Language Use & Strategies
Reading: Recognizing cultural stereotypes in a text.
Writing: Using joke-telling conventions for writing a humorous anecdote about a cross-cultural misunderstanding in the workplace. / Using conditional and subjunctive verbs for nuancing meaning.
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, LLDQ

Cultural Allusion, Humor, and Memes On- and Offline

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Lesson Title: Cultural Allusion, Humor, and Memes On- and Offline
Lesson Author: Chantelle Warner
Instructional Language: German / English
Level of Activities: College / Intermediate, Advanced
Text Title:
Text Language: German
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Symbolic Play

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Text

Text Title:
Text Language: German
Text Author: n/a
Genre: Narratives / Social Media
Topic: Media and Technology

Lesson

Lesson Title: Cultural Allusion, Humor, and Memes On- and Offline
Instructional Language: German / English
Lesson Author: Chantelle Warner
Level of Activities: College / Intermediate, Advanced
Pedagogical Practices: Reading / Writing / Speaking / Listening
Grammar Focus: n/a
Main Objectives:

Students learn how memes in the form of cultural references, formulaic language, and images can create humorous, ironic, and even critical effects

Texts, Genres & Practices
  • Reading memes on- and offline
  • Redesigning an existing meme
  • Responding to memes
Cultural Knowledge & Mindset
  • interpreting and questioning cultural references and allusions as indexes to socio-ideological perspectives
  • making sense out of the often critical humor that arises in the juxtaposition elements in memes
  • “insiderliness” as a potential effect of memes
  • creating humorous effects through cultural references and allusions in original memes
  • creating juxtapositions of voices and perspectives by remixing or recontextualizing texts in social networks
  • feeling addressed or excluded by memes and cultural allusions
Language Use & Strategies
  • analyzing formulaic language, images, and format in memes as variations of a theme
  • conceptualizing and analyzing heteroglosia as a literary effect in social network discourse and in memes
  • creatively playing with formulaic language, images, and format for ironic and humorous effects
  • using juxtaposition to create a critical or humorous voice
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Symbolic Play

Die witzigsten WG-Anzeigen

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Lesson Title: Die witzigsten WG-Anzeigen [ The funniest Housemate Ads ]
Lesson Author: Chantelle Warner / Yannleon Chen / Patrick Ploschnitzki
Instructional Language: German / English
Level of Activities: College / 1. year / Novice
Text Title: Die witzigsten WG-Anzeigen
Text Language: German
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Genre Play, Pragmatic Play

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Text

Text Title: Die witzigsten WG-Anzeigen
Text Language: German
Text Author: Joab Nist
Genre: Advertisements and Personal ads
Topic: Living Arrangements

Lesson

Lesson Title: Die witzigsten WG-Anzeigen [ The funniest Housemate Ads ]
Instructional Language: German / English
Lesson Author: Chantelle Warner / Yannleon Chen / Patrick Ploschnitzki
Level of Activities: College / 1. year / Novice
Pedagogical Practices: Reading / Writing / Speaking
Grammar Focus: n/a
Main Objectives:

Learners read and respond to humorous housemate ads, which flout genre norms and politeness conventions by portraying less than ideal housemates. Learners then write a short skit of a first meeting between the person in the ad and an imagined respondent, in order to explore the characterization of individuals in short texts of self-portrayal.

Texts, Genres & Practices
  • Reading and analyzing a set of housemate ads, which create humorous effects by flouting the politeness norms and cultural expectations for this genre.
  • Writing a response to a humorous housemate ad, Writing and performing a text-based skit between two prospective housemates
Cultural Knowledge & Mindset
  • Conceptualizing the norms of a genre, by recognizing moments in which those norms are flouted for humorous effects.
  • Hypothesizing about the kinds of characters portrayed through housemate ads and identifying cultural references that index these character types.
Language Use & Strategies
  • Genre play (expectations of self-portrayal in housemate ads)
  • Pragmatic play (politeness norms and taboos in housemate ads)
  • Cultural play (playful use of associations with types of people)
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Genre Play, Pragmatic Play

La globalización de comida

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Lesson Title: La globalización de comida
Lesson Author: Carol Ready
Instructional Language: Spanish
Level of Activities: College / 1. year, 2. year / Intermediate
Text Title: La United Fruit Co.
Text Language: Spanish
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Grammar Play, Symbolic Play

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Text

Text Title: La United Fruit Co.
Text Language: Spanish
Text Author: Pablo Neruda
Genre: Poetry
Topic: Food and Drink

Lesson

Lesson Title: La globalización de comida
Instructional Language: Spanish
Lesson Author: Carol Ready
Level of Activities: College / 1. year, 2. year / Intermediate
Pedagogical Practices: Reading
Writing
Grammar Focus: Past participles / metaphor
Main Objectives:
Cultural Knowledge & Mindset
  • Students will interpret and question cultural references and ideological perspectives of the global food industry.
Reading
  • Students will recognize layers of meaning in an authentic literary text.
  • Students will identify descriptive language (e.g. metaphorical and past participles as adjectives).
Writing
  • Students will incorporate descriptive language in their writing.
Texts, Genres & Practices
  • reading poetry
  • writing poetry
Cultural Knowledge & Perspectives
  • interpreting and questioning ideological perspectives of the exportation of fruit
  • creating poetry as a social critique
Language Use & Language Play
  • analyzing metaphor to convey a particular emotion or opinion regarding the subject
  • examining the use of past participles as adjectives as a unique descriptive tool
  • incorporating metaphor into writing
  • using past participles as adjectives
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Grammar Play, Symbolic Play

Una carta para Dios

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Lesson Title: Una carta para Dios
Lesson Author: Marcelo Fuentes
Instructional Language: Spanish
Level of Activities: College / 1. year, 2. year / Intermediate
Text Title: Una carta para Dios
Text Language: Spanish
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Genre Play

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Text

Text Title: Una carta para Dios
Text Language: Spanish
Text Author: Anonymous text / picture by Marcelo Fuentes
Genre: Emails, Letters, and Postcards
Topic: n/a

Lesson

Lesson Title: Una carta para Dios
Instructional Language: Spanish
Lesson Author: Marcelo Fuentes
Level of Activities: College / 1. year, 2. year / Intermediate
Pedagogical Practices: Reading / Writing / Speaking / Listening
Grammar Focus: n/a
Main Objectives:

To analyze an expression of popular religiosity in Latin American culture, to compare it with the students’ own cultural context, and to practice requests using the epistolary genre

Texts, Genres & Practices
  • Analyzing pictures of cities, churches and religious objects
  • Reading and analyzing letters as cultural and personal forms of expression
  • Writing a letter with personal requests
Cultural Knowledge & Mindset
  • Manifestations of popular religiosity as part of Latin American culture
  • Personal letters as cultural and personal expressions of needs and wishes
Language Use & Strategies
  • Vocabulary related to religious expressions and cultural syncretism
  • Grammar choices (verb tenses and mood) related to requests and wishes
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Genre Play

Cuando yo sea mayor…

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Lesson Title: Cuando yo sea mayor…
Lesson Author: Natasha César Suárez
Instructional Language: Spanish
Level of Activities: College / 1. year, 2. year / Intermediate, Advanced
Text Title: Desafío a la vejez
Text Language: Spanish
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Symbolic Play

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Text

Text Title: Desafío a la vejez
Text Language: Spanish
Text Author: Gioconda Belli
Genre: Poetry
Topic: Family, Friendships, and Relationships

Lesson

Lesson Title: Cuando yo sea mayor…
Instructional Language: Spanish
Lesson Author: Natasha César Suárez
Level of Activities: College / 1. year, 2. year / Intermediate, Advanced
Pedagogical Practices: Reading / Writing / Speaking / Listening
Grammar Focus: n/a
Main Objectives:
  • Writing about elderly
  • Activating the metaphorical competence
  • Adopting an empathetic attitude towards the elderly
Texts, Genres & Practices
  • Reading a poem in the target language
  • Understanding a poem
  • Deconstructing metaphors, and creating metaphors
Cultural Knowledge & Mindset
  • Accessing a cultural product in Spanish language
  • Reflecting on intergenerational relations
  • Activating the metaphoric competence.
Language Use & Strategies
  • Language skills: reading, writing, speaking
  • Language competences: subjunctive mode
Design Elements
  • The activity could be supported by some visual materials, in order to cause reflections related to the main theme of the poem. Consequently, these images will stimulate the students to write about their own ideas in this respect
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Symbolic Play

Cosas de ciudad

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Lesson Title: Cosas de ciudad
Lesson Author: Natasha César Suárez
Instructional Language: Spanish
Level of Activities: College / 2. year / Intermediate, Advanced
Text Title: Puerta del Sol 2011
Text Language: Spanish
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Pragmatic Play, Symbolic Play, Visual Play, Word Play

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Text

Text Title: Puerta del Sol 2011
Text Language: Spanish
Text Author: Natasha César Suárez
Genre: Image
Topic: Media and Technology / Historical and Cultural Events

Lesson

Lesson Title: Cosas de ciudad
Instructional Language: Spanish
Lesson Author: Natasha César Suárez
Level of Activities: College / 2. year / Intermediate, Advanced
Pedagogical Practices: Reading / Writing / Speaking / Listening
Grammar Focus: n/a
Main Objectives:
  • Researching about contemporary social movements
  • Activating social / civil commitments
  • Reviewing grammar content (Imperative mode)
Texts, Genres & Practices
  • Analyzing an image with phrases on the target language
  • Understanding the meaning of summarized expressions related to the topic of the activity.
  • Imagining hypothetical social movement in Spanish language.
Cultural Knowledge & Mindset
  • Accessing a socio-historical content in Spanish language
  • Reflecting on the relevance of contemporary social movements
Language Use & Strategies
  • Language skills: reading, writing, speaking
  • Language competences: imperative mode
Design Elements
  • This activity is designed for activating the knowledge of social movements, and stimulating the commitment of the students. It could be complemented with images and / or music related to the most recent world social movements.
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Pragmatic Play, Symbolic Play, Visual Play, Word Play

Alles offen: Öffentliche Verkehrsmittel und Weltoffenheit

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Lesson Title: Alles offen: Öffentliche Verkehrsmittel und Weltoffenheit [ It’s all open: Public Transportation and Cosmopolitanism ]
Lesson Author: John Benjamin / Devon Donohue-Bergeler / Katrin Fuchs / Alexander Lorenz (all authors contributed equally)
Instructional Language: German / English
Level of Activities: High school, College / 1. year / Novice
Text Title: “Is mir egal” (Dez. 2015)
Text Language: German
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Genre Play, Pragmatic Play, Sound Play

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Text

Text Title: “Is mir egal” (Dez. 2015)
Text Language: German
Text Author: BVG / Kazim Akbogu
Genre: Advertisements and Personal ads / Music and Music Videos
Topic: Travel and Vacation / Literature, Music, Art

Lesson

Lesson Title: Alles offen: Öffentliche Verkehrsmittel und Weltoffenheit [ It’s all open: Public Transportation and Cosmopolitanism ]
Instructional Language: German / English
Lesson Author: John Benjamin / Devon Donohue-Bergeler / Katrin Fuchs / Alexander Lorenz (all authors contributed equally)
Level of Activities: High school, College / 1. year / Novice
Pedagogical Practices: Reading / Writing / Speaking / Listening
Grammar Focus: n/a
Main Objectives:

Students watch, decode, and transform a music video/advertisement for the Berlin public transportation system in which the protagonist, a rhythmic BVG employee, promotes tolerance and multiculturalism by not caring about anything. In doing so, students analyze and transform humorous content; use the describe, analyze, and relate framework to ground interpretations in observations and textual evidence; and question genre conventions. Students will consider Berlin’s liberal reputation through social and individual reflection.

Texts, Genres & Practices
  • Analyzing the genre and content of a viral music video/ advertisement
  • Using the describe, analyze, and relate framework to ground interpretations in observations and textual evidence
  • Transforming the text into students’ own context
Cultural Knowledge & Mindset
  • Public transportation and who uses it
  • Multiculturalism
  • Liberalism: live and let live
  • Transculturalism and translingualism
Language Use & Strategies
  • Choice of informal “du” with unknown customers in Berlin
  • Minimal catchy beat, rhythm, rhymes
  • Visual and verbal depictions of unusual situations
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Genre Play, Pragmatic Play, Sound Play

Las narrativas transmedia a partir de un cuento de hadas

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Lesson Title: Las narrativas transmedia a partir de un cuento de hadas [ Transmedia Storytelling with a Fairytale ]
Lesson Author: Maybel Mesa Morales
Instructional Language: Spanish
Level of Activities: College / 1. year, 2. year / Intermediate, Advanced
Text Title: Transmedia Storytelling
Text Language: Spanish
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Genre Play, Narrative Play, Pragmatic Play, Symbolic Play, Visual Play

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Text

Text Title: Transmedia Storytelling
Text Language: Spanish
Text Author: Elpublicista Revista
Genre: Social Media
Topic: Media and Technology

Lesson

Lesson Title: Las narrativas transmedia a partir de un cuento de hadas [ Transmedia Storytelling with a Fairytale ]
Instructional Language: Spanish
Lesson Author: Maybel Mesa Morales
Level of Activities: College / 1. year, 2. year / Intermediate, Advanced
Pedagogical Practices: Writing / Speaking / Listening / Viewing
Grammar Focus: Pretérito/Imperfecto
Main Objectives:

Learners will be able to recount and expand a story or story experience across multiple platforms through transmedia practices using current digital technologies.

Texts, Genres & Practices
  • Analyzing and interpreting an infographic to elaborate a definition of transmedia storytelling.
  • Analyzing, understanding, and explaining a video about transmedia storytelling.
  • Expanding and writing a new end for the (comic) through personal creative intervention
Cultural Knowledge & Perspectives
  • Telling stories across multiple media allows content to form a larger, cohesive, and rewarding experience.
  • Telling stories across multiple media increases the author’s and reader’s awareness of the characteristics of each medium and genre, promoting digital literacy.
  • Transmedia practices may expand the potential reach of storytelling by creating different adaptations for different audience segments.
Language Use & Language Play
  • Preterite and Imperfect
  • Vocabulary about technology and social media
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Genre Play, Narrative Play, Pragmatic Play, Symbolic Play, Visual Play

El mayor premio es compartirlo

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Lesson Title: El mayor premio es compartirlo [ The greatest prize is to share it ]
Lesson Author: Raychel Vasseur
Instructional Language: Spanish
Level of Activities: College / 1. year, 2. year, 3. year / Novice
Text Title: Anuncio de la lotería de Navidad 2015
Text Language: Spanish
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Grammar Play, Visual Play

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Text

Text Title: Anuncio de la lotería de Navidad 2015
Text Language: Spanish
Text Author: Leo Burnett agency
Genre: Emails, Letters, and Postcards / TV and Film / Image
Topic: Family, Friendships, and Relationships / Holidays and Celebrations

Lesson

Lesson Title: El mayor premio es compartirlo [ The greatest prize is to share it ]
Instructional Language: Spanish
Lesson Author: Raychel Vasseur
Level of Activities: College / 1. year, 2. year, 3. year / Novice
Pedagogical Practices: Reading / Writing / Cultural Understanding
Grammar Focus: adjectives as nouns, cognate (and false cognate) recognition, dates, telling time on a 24 hour clock
Main Objectives:

Grammatically the main objectives of this lesson are that students will be able to recognize, false cognates, recognize and understand adjectives used as nouns, to recognize, understand, and produce cognates, students will understand and produce written dates, and students will recognize the 24-hour clock system. Culturally, students will understand the practices and perspectives of the Spanish Christmas lottery and compare them to their culture’s lottery and Christmas traditions. Analytically, students will be able to use multimodal elements to support their interpretation and understanding of an advertisement.

Texts, Genres & Practices
  • Watching and analyzing a commercial for the Spanish Christmas lottery.
  • Using multimodal elements (visual and audio) to support interpretation and understanding.
Cultural Knowledge & Mindset
  • Interpreting and understanding “The best prize is to share it” as the overarching theme of the Christmas lottery and how this appeals to working-class Spaniards.
  • Making sense of the importance of social solidarity
Language Use & Language Play
  • grammar play: Using adjectives as nouns
  • grammar play: Recognizing cognates (and non-cognates)
  • culture play: Foregrounding relationships to advertise a lottery
  • perspective play
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Grammar Play, Visual Play

Anxiety after the Revolution

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Lesson Title: Anxiety after the Revolution
Lesson Author: Kelly Houck
Instructional Language: Persian
Level of Activities: College / 2. year, 3. year, 4. year / Intermediate
Text Title: در این بن بست [In This Blind Alley]
Text Language: Persian
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Sound Play, Symbolic Play, Visual Play

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Text

Text Title: در این بن بست [In This Blind Alley]
Text Language: Persian
Text Author: Ahmad Shamlu
Genre: Poetry
Topic: Historical and Cultural Events / Beliefs and Politics

Lesson

Lesson Title: Anxiety after the Revolution
Instructional Language: Persian
Lesson Author: Kelly Houck
Level of Activities: College / 2. year, 3. year, 4. year / Intermediate
Pedagogical Practices: Reading / Writing / Speaking / Listening
Grammar Focus: n/a
Main Objectives:

Analyzing a piece of modern poetry, understanding the tense political atmosphere after the revolution, considering poetic devices of modern Persian poetry, practicing new vocabulary, constructing a poem using a modern structure to communicate a particular mood and perspective.

Texts, Genres & Practices
  • Reading a poem and examining its content and form
  • Speaking with and listening to classmates regarding poetic devices, grammar, and vocabulary
Cultural Knowledge & Mindset
  • Understanding the impact of the Islamic Revolution on day-to-day life
  • Interpreting the fears and anxieties of someone unsupportive of the new government
  • Considering the depth of the speaker’s emotional state
  • Discussing the impact of the imagery on the reader
Language Use & Language Play
  • Identifying the perspective and mood of the speaker
  • Identifying the structure of the poem
  • Analyzing metaphors and imagery to understand the feelings the speaker is communicating
  • Recognizing the impersonal verb conjugation
Design Elements
  • Examining the modern elements of the poem, such as stanza length and rhyme scheme
  • Communicating one’s interpretation of the poem to others
  • Practicing sustaining a conversation about a challenging literary topic
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Sound Play, Symbolic Play, Visual Play

O que cabe no poema?

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Lesson Title: O que cabe no poema? [ What fits in a poem? ]
Lesson Author: Steven Alcorn
Instructional Language: Portuguese
Level of Activities: College / 2. year, 3. year / Intermediate
Text Title: Não Há Vagas
Text Language: Portuguese
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Symbolic Play

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Text

Text Title: Não Há Vagas
Text Language: Portuguese
Text Author: Ferreira Gullar
Genre: Poetry
Topic: Literature, Music, Art

Lesson

Lesson Title: O que cabe no poema? [ What fits in a poem? ]
Instructional Language: Portuguese
Lesson Author: Steven Alcorn
Level of Activities: College / 2. year, 3. year / Intermediate
Pedagogical Practices: Reading / Writing / Cultural Understanding
Grammar Focus: n/a
Main Objectives:

Students will first be asked to reflect on the subject matter traditionally associated with poetry (love and romance, emotion, struggle, discovery, etc.). They will also prepare a list of things that they could not live without and see/use/experience in their everyday life. They will then read the poem and answer some discussion questions about the author’s intended message in groups. The concept of metaphor will also be introduced with examples from the text. Finally, students will choose one item/person/profession/etc. from everyday life and write a poem about it, incorporating the metaphors discussed earlier in the lesson.

Texts, Genres & Practices
  • A short poem, “Não há vagas”, is included. Students practice reading comprehension, as well as critical thinking by relating the objects mentioned in the poem to the economic and cultural reality of Brazil. Finally, they will engage in creative writing by producing their own poem in response to the one they read.
Cultural Knowledge & Mindset
  • The poem is a critique of the objects and ideas traditionally associated with and portrayed in poetry. It forces the reader to consider why the items and people present in everyday life are not deemed worthy of appearing in poetic texts.
Language Use & Strategies
  • The poem relies heavily on metaphors to describe both the art of poetry and its traditional objects of reverence. Students will be asked to study these comparisons in the reading portion of the activity and include them in poems that they produce in the writing portion.
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Symbolic Play

#ExplainAFilmPlotBadly

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Lesson Title: #ExplainAFilmPlotBadly
Lesson Author: Matthew Sherman
Instructional Language: German
Level of Activities: College / 3. year, 4. year / Intermediate, Advanced
Text Title: ExplainAFilmPlotBadly hashtag
Text Language: German/English
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Genre Play, Perspective Play

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Text

Text Title: ExplainAFilmPlotBadly hashtag
Text Language: German/English
Text Author: Social media users
Genre: Social Media
Topic: Literature, Music, Art

Lesson

Lesson Title: #ExplainAFilmPlotBadly
Instructional Language: German
Lesson Author: Matthew Sherman
Level of Activities: College / 3. year, 4. year / Intermediate, Advanced
Pedagogical Practices: Reading / Writing
Grammar Focus: Subordinate Clauses and Complex Sentences in Expository/Explanatory Prose
Main Objectives:
  • Enhance comprehension of genre as describing forms of expository prose
  • Enhancing awareness of the role of the audience in reading and writing
  • Fostering use of complex sentences as necessary to expository prose; focus on subordinate conjunction difficulties and subordinate clause word order (particular problems in German acquisition; adaptable to other languages, like which conjunctions use subjunctive in Spanish)
Texts, Genres & Practices
  • analyzing, and categorizing tweeted plot blurbs
  • distinguishing blurbs, summaries, and synopses
  • Identifying “bad” versus “good” one-sentence film summaries, in both English and German.
  • Explain how “accuracy” in genre depends on genre convention
  • identify formulae and conventional short forms
Cultural Knowledge & Mindset
  • How to read and understand bias / perspective in summarizing vis-à-vis audience
  • How to correlate content to audience (horizon of expectation)
  • publication sources for blurbs: the hashtags: #ExplainAFilmPlotBadly and https://twitter.com/shiny1jux/status/941299435870609408?lang=en sources for summaries: imdb.com and https://www.amazon.de/)
  • cultural positions of film viewers (and possible cross-cultural comparisons)
Language Use & Strategies
  • markers for point of view and audience in expository prose
  • Identifying and contrasting formal and grammatical elements of long and short-form plot summaries (especially subordinate clauses, use of sentence fragments) = awareness of formulae within and register of genre
  • Correlation of “accuracy” in plot replication with genre conventions, in both lexical choice and grammar
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Genre Play, Perspective Play

Un journal intime

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Lesson Title: Un journal intime [ A Personal Journal ]
Lesson Author: Jim Law
Instructional Language: French / English
Level of Activities: College / 1. year / Novice
Text Title: Journal d’une étudiante
Text Language: French
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Narrative Play, Perspective Play, Word Play

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Text

Text Title: Journal d’une étudiante
Text Language: French
Text Author: Anonymous
Genre: Personal Blogs and Journals
Topic: Family, Friendships, and Relationships / School and University

Lesson

Lesson Title: Un journal intime [ A Personal Journal ]
Instructional Language: French / English
Lesson Author: Jim Law
Level of Activities: College / 1. year / Novice
Pedagogical Practices: Reading / Writing / Cultural Understanding
Grammar Focus: Past tense
Main Objectives:

Students read excerpts from the anonymous diary of a Parisian high school student. They will be able to analyse the effect of anonymity and privacy on content, perspective, and grammatical form in the personal journal genre. They will also identify patterns in the structuring of quotidian narratives. Students will then be able to employ these narrative structures in their own journaling and reflect on their experience playing with this genre in the target language.

Texts, Genres & Practices
  • Reading journal entries and recognizing layers of meaning
  • Reflecting on the effect of audience design and privacy on genre
  • Writing journal entries reflecting personal values and experiences
Cultural Knowledge & Perspectives
  • Inferring authorial identity and social relationships from textual evidence
  • Connecting texts to cultural systems and practices
  • Reflecting on the experience of private writing from a bilingual perspective
Language Use & Language Play
  • Identifying nonstandard language
  • Analyzing the use of tense in narrative structure
  • Examining the use of codeswitching and wordplay in informal registers
  • Manipulating tense to structure narrative in writing
  • Exploring nonstandard forms through private writing
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Narrative Play, Perspective Play, Word Play

J’habite où, moi?

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Lesson Title: J’habite où, moi? [ Where do I live? ]
Lesson Author: Rachel Poulin
Instructional Language: French
Level of Activities: College / 2. year / Intermediate, Advanced
Text Title: Recherche un colocataire
Text Language: French
FLLITE Form: Culture Play

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Text

Text Title: Recherche un colocataire
Text Language: French
Text Author: n/a
Genre: Advertisements and Personal ads
Topic: Personalities and Physical Attributes / Living Arrangements

Lesson

Lesson Title: J’habite où, moi? [ Where do I live? ]
Instructional Language: French
Lesson Author: Rachel Poulin
Level of Activities: College / 2. year / Intermediate, Advanced
Pedagogical Practices: Reading / Writing / Speaking / Cultural Understanding
Grammar Focus: n/a
Main Objectives:

This lesson aims to provide students with an understanding of how to find housing in France, typical vocabulary related to this endeavor, as well as exposure to some conventional registers and expressions typically used in roommate ads in France. At the end of this lesson, students should be able to make sense of and respond to such postings, as well as note the pragmatic differences between this process in their home culture and that in France.

Texts, Genres & Practices
  • The texts in this lesson are from colocclub.fr. This lesson focuses on reading, writing, and oral discussion of the cultural differences that exist between France and their home culture.
Cultural Knowledge & Perspectives
  • This lesson highlights the differences between what may be most important to their French peers, in terms of what they prioritize when finding a roommate, as well as prepare them for their own time abroad.
Language Use & Language Play
  • This lesson focuses primarily on the register used when making these posts, and the specific vocabulary used when finding housing in France.
FLLITE Form: Culture Play

Ich hätte gerne Ihre Hilfe! – wie man Ratschläge benutzt, um Probleme zu lösen

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Lesson Title: Ich hätte gerne Ihre Hilfe! – wie man Ratschläge benutzt, um Probleme zu lösen [ I would like your help! – how to use advice to solve problems ]
Lesson Author: Emily Claire Krauter
Instructional Language: German/English
Level of Activities: High school, College / 2. year, 3. year / Intermediate, Advanced
Text Title: Schluss machen: 12 Dinge, die du beachten solltest / How to Break Up With Someone in the Kindest Possible Way
Text Language: German
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Pragmatic Play

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Text

Text Title: Schluss machen: 12 Dinge, die du beachten solltest / How to Break Up With Someone in the Kindest Possible Way
Text Language: German
Text Author: Simone Sauter / Candice Jalili
Genre: Personal Blogs and Journals / Social Media
Topic: Family, Friendships, and Relationships

Lesson

Lesson Title: Ich hätte gerne Ihre Hilfe! – wie man Ratschläge benutzt, um Probleme zu lösen [ I would like your help! – how to use advice to solve problems ]
Instructional Language: German/English
Lesson Author: Emily Claire Krauter
Level of Activities: High school, College / 2. year, 3. year / Intermediate, Advanced
Pedagogical Practices: Reading / Writing / Speaking / Cultural Understanding
Grammar Focus: Imperative, subjunctive, modal verbs
Main Objectives:

The goal of this lesson is for students to connect important grammar concepts, e.g., modal verbs, the imperative, and the subjunctive to their everyday usage in advice giving as represented through online sites. The incorporation of advice giving also aims to build connections and draw contrasts between English and other languages of the learners and German, with regards to how advice is given.

Texts, Genres & Practices
  • This lesson includes a blog post from a German “self-help” guru and an article from a US-American newspaper website. Students engage with the articles and form meaning, both linguistic, pragmatic and cultural. The students will have to think critically and compare the C1 to the C2 as well as the L1 and the L2 to form new reflections about language use and its cultural implications for everyday life.
Cultural Knowledge & Perspectives
  • The text conveys the importance of self-help gurus in societies today and how they give advice. The text also works to build connections between the L1/C1 and L2/C2 by showing that relationships are an important part of each environment. Culturally, the article breaks stereotypes by showing that Germans are as versatile as US-Americans and do not always fit into the “direct” and/or “cold” mold, as they are often portrayed in the media.
Language Use & Language Play
  • Modal verbs, subjunctive and imperative are central to this lesson. Additionally, forms of address, e.g., advice giving, informal writing, formal vs. informal register, and imperatives are parts of the image and central to its comprehension and to the assignment following the lesson. Visually, the students will be working with a blogpost from an American and German author, which should not be novel to them.
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Pragmatic Play

Cherchez le dépaysement

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Lesson Title: Cherchez le dépaysement [ Look for a change of scenery ]
Lesson Author: David Barny
Instructional Language: French
Level of Activities: College / 2. year / Intermediate
Text Title: Sites et curiosités
Text Language: French
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Genre Play, Visual Play

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Text

Text Title: Sites et curiosités
Text Language: French
Text Author: René Gosciny / Marcel Gotlib
Genre: Image / Comics and Graphic Novels
Topic: Travel and Vacation

Lesson

Lesson Title: Cherchez le dépaysement [ Look for a change of scenery ]
Instructional Language: French
Lesson Author: David Barny
Level of Activities: College / 2. year / Intermediate
Pedagogical Practices: Reading / Writing / Speaking / Listening
Grammar Focus: Inflectional Future Tense (futur simple)
Main Objectives:

This lesson is designed around a two-page bande dessinée (French comic strip) by writer René Gosciny and illustrator Marcel Gotlib. In this strip, Gotlib uses his trademark burlesque, farcical visuals to poke fun at the tourism industry by illustrating how to manufacture folklore and turn the most isolated and bleak village into a picturesque tourist favorite. Through humor, this artifact leads the learners to wonder: What constitutes folklore? How does folklore intersect with history? Are these characteristics cross-cultural? Additionally, students will reflect on the discourse of tourism and the genre of tourist text, while apprehending the use of the inflectional future (futur simple) in planning an itinerary.

The final task is designed as a team effort. Student will create their own tourist brochure about their college town by following the tropes highlighted by Gosciny and Gotlib. The brochure will be presented orally in class to the rest of the students who will then vote on which version of their college town they would rather live and attend university in.

This lesson can easily be implemented in most textbook-based curricula, as these typically include a thematic unit of tourism and traveling.

Texts, Genres & Practices
  • Reading and responding to a satirical bande dessinée (text and image)
  • Reading and analyzing a short touristic text on Brittany
  • Writing/Designing a tourist brochure about a College Town
  • Presenting (through promoting) a tourist destination
Cultural Knowledge & Perspectives
  • Apprehending Franco-Belgian bande dessinée as a satirical tool
  • Reflecting on the essence of folklore as a concept
  • Comparing French folklore with the learners’ native culture folklore
  • Analyzing French examples of touristic discourse.
  • Discovering French historical and literary references
Language Use & Language Play
  • Culture play: subversion of cultural practice (creation of folklore)
  • Genre play: genre subversion (humorification of folklore)
  • Visual play: visual subversion of monuments and historical sites
  • Language Skills: viewing, reading, listening writing, speaking
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Genre Play, Visual Play

Se mettre en colère

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Lesson Title: Se mettre en colère [ Getting Angry ]
Lesson Author: Tracey Adams (The University of Texas at Austin)
Instructional Language: English / French
Level of Activities: College / 2. year / Intermediate
Text Title: La langue française
Text Language: French
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Narrative Play, Pragmatic Play, Symbolic Play

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Text

Text Title: La langue française
Text Language: French
Text Author: Sebastian Marx
Genre: Narratives / TV and Film
Topic: Personalities and Physical Attributes / Family, Friendships, and Relationships

Lesson

Lesson Title: Se mettre en colère [ Getting Angry ]
Instructional Language: English / French
Lesson Author: Tracey Adams (The University of Texas at Austin)
Level of Activities: College / 2. year / Intermediate
Pedagogical Practices: Speaking / Listening / Viewing / Cultural Understanding
Grammar Focus: Argumentation, Vocabulary, Cultural Competence, Grammatical Gender
Main Objectives:

Students watch a stand-up routine given by second-language user of French on learning French insults.  They will be able to analyze the (in)appropriateness of these terms in various contexts.  They will also discuss the cultural relevance of these terms in comparison with similar terms in their native language (English).  Students will then be able to construct narratives expressing anger in ways that are less formal and allow for an expanding of their L2 identity and multilingual self.

Texts, Genres & Practices
  • Viewing personal narrative of an L2 French user
  • Reflecting on how personal narratives are constructed and how other characters factor into our stories
  • Developing a narrative and how to respond to a frustrating person in this narrative
Cultural Knowledge & Perspectives
  • Comparing layers of meaning between insults in French and English
  • Assessing the appropriateness of insults in various contexts
  • Reflecting on usage of insults in students’ L1 vs. L2
Language Use & Language Play
  • Identifying insults used by the author
  • Analyze why the topic and insults used are funny to the audience
  • Explore uses of insults in different contexts
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Narrative Play, Pragmatic Play, Symbolic Play

Un court séjour

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Lesson Title: Un court séjour [ A brief stay ]
Lesson Author: Keith Wagner
Instructional Language: French (with some English for the opening activity)
Level of Activities: College / 2. year, 3. year / Intermediate
Text Title: Austin, Texas – Un week-end à la cool
Text Language: French
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Pragmatic Play

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Text

Text Title: Austin, Texas – Un week-end à la cool
Text Language: French
Text Author: Mathilde Piton
Genre: Personal Blogs and Journals
Topic: Travel and Vacation

Lesson

Lesson Title: Un court séjour [ A brief stay ]
Instructional Language: French (with some English for the opening activity)
Lesson Author: Keith Wagner
Level of Activities: College / 2. year, 3. year / Intermediate
Pedagogical Practices: Reading / Writing / Cultural Understanding
Grammar Focus: Verb tenses for constructing narratives – passé composé, imparfait, and présent historique
Main Objectives:

In this lesson, students will read and analyze the meaning construction techniques of a travel blog entry. This will give them a chance to consider the different way a US city is approached by an international visitor and how they describe that experience to other individuals in their linguistic community. Students who are advancing in their French studies will gain some insight into how the French language is used by today’s twenty-somethings, which will allow them to make comparisons between textbook French and the French that native speakers produce.

Texts, Genres & Practices
  • Reading a travel blog (comprised of both written words and images).
  • Writing a travel blog entry in the target language.
  • Using a variety of online lexical resources.
Cultural Knowledge & Perspectives
  • Understanding how the author’s native French languaculture influences her experience of place and how she relates to ways of life in the United States.
Language Use & Language Play
  • Recognizing the different ways that Anglicisms can be used (some contribute to the textual aesthetic; others are common French expressions).

 

 

 

 

FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Pragmatic Play

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