Lost dog (Task 4)

The aim of this activity is to practise a specific vocabulary, introduce learners to different text media, and raise intercultural awareness. Learners read a short text in Language A about a friend’s missing dog and they then have to create an Instagram post and a “lost dog” flyer in Language B.

Students’ housing problems (Task 10)

The task discusses the living situation of university students in Germany and other European countries and invites learners to reflect on their plans after graduation. First, the situation is displayed in an info text and graphics. The learners then mediate the contents to a friend in the form of a voice message and explain it further in a WhatsApp message. Then they compare the situation in Germany to their friends’ and family’s experiences in other countries. In task 4, another text about living with the parents is read and mediated to another friend. Finally, the learners prepare a panel discussion (in groups) about the advantages and disadvantages of living with parents during university. They receive two texts in favour and two texts against living with parents (in English) and watch a video (in German) in order to prepare the discussion.

Hot topics and digital media (Task 16)

Engaging learners in the crisscrossing of information available in several media in different languages, this task aims at developing their critical thinking and skills of relating and interpreting. Because young people consume information in several languages, this task intends to bring their multiliteracy skills to the foreign language classroom. The tasks, even if classroom-specific, are oriented towards students’ authentic, every day needs as consumers and producers of media.

A Mexican in your town (Task 30)

This task aims at familiarizing learners with different text types and practising their skills in comprehending texts in Language A and producing in Language B and vice versa. In the first part, learners mediate a German text about tourism information in Spanish. Then a Spanish text is mediated into German or a heritage language, involving intercultural aspects and using a text format that learners are accustomed to: a WhatsApp message. In the third stage, learners reflect on their own experiences with mediation.

Organising a school trip to Germany (Task 35)

The task is based on a visit of Maltese learners to Leipzig, Germany. First, the German-speaking learners read a brochure about the main sights in Leipzig and briefly relay the information (in English) from the brochure (Activity Worksheet; text 1) in discussion with the Maltese. After that, the Maltese-speaking learners agree on a specific area of interest (in Maltese) and report back to the German-speaking learners in an email (in English). The German-speaking learners then read the part of the brochure (online; text 2) regarding the chosen topic and report information about the topic orally (in English) to the Maltese-speaking learners, in a virtual meeting. Potentially, as a follow-up activity, the Maltese-speaking learners present and discuss (in Maltese) the options they heard about in the previous step.

Eat and throw away - Lessons learnt from the pandemic (Task 36)

During the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to statistics, most people had to change their lives drastically. Many gained weight. At the same time, the use of plastic increased, with an environmental impact. This task provides the same source text on which learners will work in different languages (English, French, Spanish, Italian and German), and leaves room for the teacher to decide what language(s) will be used as Language A (language of source texts) or Language B (or the learners' end product, which is a leaflet). An additional aim is to raise learners' awareness of health and environmental issues during the pandemic, and to find some solutions to the problems.