LC Language Adventures 2024 (A5) - Flipbook - Page 15
Language Adventures: Embracing Languages and Cultures in Primary School
Culture/language boxes
Classes can compile culture and
language boxes, which can take
various shapes and forms. Pupils
can be involved in the physical
creation of a “container” where
they will contribute objects and
various types of texts from
different countries and cultures, in
different
languages.
Such
collections will grow over time. An
item can be taken out now and
again, and act as the focus of an
activity, e.g., pupils guess/explain
what it is, why it was included,
what it means to them. A text (e.g., a poster, an illustration, an advertisement, a
map, a ticket, a personal drawing with labels) can be read out or even be the
topic of a lesson that pupils can teach their classmates. For ideas on cultural
boxes and their uses, please refer to these examples from post-primary schools
https://ppli.ie/culture-boxes/, https://ppli.ie/resource/fla-ct-competition-2022-2023showcase/.
Project work
Many connections can be made between languages and cultures by exploring
topics through project work. Projects are also a great way to encourage parental
involvement. For example, a study on words in various languages which
represent the days of the week will reveal fascinating stories about the origin
and evolution of the terms in question (Sunday is “the day of the sun” for some
languages but “the day of the Lord” for others; Monday is “the day of the moon”
for some but “egg day” in another language, etc.). Colours and the associations
made with them in various cultures, will also reveal interesting stories. Often
captured in proverbs and sayings, and deeply rooted in the psyches of the
people speaking a certain language, colour words can sometimes have
opposing connotations between one language and another (red can represent
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