Well-being and Technology, Intermediate High, English Foundation
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. In other words, the activities are “language-agnostic” to provide language instructors from around the country the platform to remix these instructional materials, infusing them with their target language and culture!
This activity was created by upper-division language students working in the World Languages Resource Center at Boise State University. Our activities seek to help students solidify their interpersonal speaking and interpretive listening skills through task-based situations or communicative activities. We recommend using these activities to help reinforce the content students are learning, allowing the students time to feel comfortable using the unit’s vocabulary and grammar structures through application. Further, these activities should be facilitated in approximately 90% (or more) in the target language, per the recommendation of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.
Using the WLRC Repository’s Activities:
When you are ready to begin remixing the activity, in order to adapt it for your target language and audience, simply click the “Remix This Resource” button at the top of your screen. The text provided in purple is a suggestion of what you might say to your students and should be changed to the target language.
Most activities contain a connected chapter, two to three “NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do” statements, a warm-up, main activity, and a wrap-up. In addition to the instructions, some activities may include a “cheat sheet” containing the target vocabulary and grammar structures emphasized in the activity. Though most of the lab materials are provided, a computer, projector, printer, and laminator may also be needed to fully utilize materials.
Many of the activities include printable cards and other instructional materials. If you would like to adapt these materials for your language, please email WLRCLAR@gmail.comand we will provide you with an editable copy. For YouTube videos and other websites, hyperlinks are provided.
Enjoy!
- Boise State World Languages Resource Center
Well-Being and Technology, Intermediate, English
Proficiency Level: Novice Mid
Students will discuss how social media effects daily life in positive or negative ways. Students will have a debate on banning technology on a university/college campus would effect the students, professors, and businesses associated with said establishment.
Keywords:
Social Media, Well-being, Technology, Opinions / Preferences
Relevant NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements:
In my own and other cultures I can evaluate the changing attitudes toward entertainment, social media and literature, and how it impacts lives. (Intercultural)
I can exchange opinions about the ways we use social media in our personal and school or work lives. (Intermediate high)
I can exchange preferences, feelings, or opinions and provide basic advice on a variety of familiar topics, creating sentences and series of sentences and asking a variety of follow-up questions. (Intermediate mid)
I can present my reactions to a current event and explain what led to the event being in the news. (Intermediate high)
Relevant ACTFL World-Readiness Standards
Communication
Standard 1.1
Students engage in conversations,
provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions.
Materials Needed:
- Information Cards (linked at bottom)
- Whiteboards, markers, easers
Warm-up
1. Begin by introducing the Can-Dos for today’s activity and distributing the “Materials Required for Warm Up” to each student.
“Today, we are going to chat about technology and the effect it has in our daily lives. In pairs we will chat about the advantages and disadvantages of technology and social media. After, we will share as a group and see what the most popular opinions are and why."
Relevant NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements:
• In my own and other cultures I can evaluate the changing attitudes toward entertainment, social media, and literature, and how it impacts lives (intercultural)
• I can exchange opinions about the ways we use social media in our personal and school work lives (intermediate high)
• I can exchange preferences, feelings, or opinions and provide basic advice on a variety of familiar topics, creating sentences and series of sentences and asking a variety of follow-up activities (intermediate mid)
• I can present my reactions to a current event and explain what led to the event being in the news (intermediate high)
2. The Royal Society for Public Health published a report about the impacts that social media has on health. Such as: anxiety, depression, and can cause sleeping disorders. The report showed:
-Instagram was the one that generated the most anxiety and depression amongst young people
-YouTube was the only one with an apparent positive impacts
-Other social media's mentioned: Snapchat, Twitter, Facebook
If students need some assistance getting the discussion going, use the questions below:
1. What kind of problems can social media create?
2. Are there any benefits to social media? What are they?
3. Have you ever tried going with social media?
4. Are you selective in the social media you use or view?
Main Activity
1. Begin by reading this to the group:
“France, as a country, has decided to ban electronic devices in primary school. The President of [this university] heard this news and now wants to do the same at here. They are going to participate in an assigned group to give a recommendation to the president on this rule of banning technology at [this university].”
2. Tell your students:
1. “We are now going to divide into 4 different groups.”
2. “Group one will be professors, group two will be students, group three will be business owners at this university, and group four will be doctors from the local hospital”
3. Each group will had 7-10 minutes to make an agreement, and create points that you can use to defend your point of view.
3. After, use a stopwatch to give each group 1 minute to share their position. When everyone has shared their opinions give another minute for rebuttals. To end, as a group, vote who had the best argument.
Wrap-up
Wrap-up questions (Pick the a few you’d like to ask): (TEXT YOU SAY TO THE STUDENTS IN THE TARGET LANGUAGE)
1. What would you do if this was true?
2. Do you think there are places where electronics should be prohibited? Such as planes or libraries?
3. Have you ever experience a time technology was a disruption in the classroom?
4. How does technology benefit you as a student? How do you think it could benefit a professor?
End of lab:
• Read Can-Do statements once more and have students evaluate their confidence.
(Use thumbs up/thumbs down or download our student cards.)
• Encourage students to be honest in their self-evaluation.
• Pay attention, and try to use feedback for future labs!
Relevant NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements:
• In my own and other cultures I can evaluate the changing attitudes toward entertainment, social media, and literature, and how it impacts lives (intercultural)
• I can exchange opinions about the ways we use social media in our personal and school work lives (intermediate high)
• I can exchange preferences, feelings, or opinions and provide basic advice on a variety of familiar topics, creating sentences and series of sentences and asking a variety of follow-up activities (intermediate mid)
• I can present my reactions to a current event and explain what led to the event being in the news (intermediate high)
Where are we? Rate yourself on the weekly Can-Do Statements using this scale: I get it!, I got it!, I kind of get it..., I don't get it...