| Body | This activity is most appropriate for Intermediate and Advanced learners. It was created to help learners of less commonly taught languages (LCTLs) search for digital spaces and communities relevant to their interests and reflect on the language and skills needed to participate in those spaces.
Learning outcomes:
Learners will be able to:
- Identify one subject or personal interest they want to communicate about in the target language
- Identify two or more digital spaces relevant to these subjects/interests
- Observe how people interact in the space
- Reflect on ways they already feel comfortable interacting in the spaces and how they would like to be able to interact in the space in the future (stretch goal)
Mode(s): Interpersonal, Interpretive, Presentational
Materials: Finding and Accessing LCTL Communities Online video, Communities Handout
Procedure:
- First, ask learners what they think the term “affinity space” means. Use the opportunity to model the language learning strategy of predicting meaning based on existing knowledge. Once they have made a series of guesses, confirm that it is a term used to refer to a digital space or a community based on a shared interest or goal.
- Then, ask learners to think about whether they have participated in a digital affinity space. What language was used in the space (e.g., their L1, the target language, etc)? What did they need to know to be able to participate in the space or community? Were there specific vocabulary or social rules? How did they learn those rules? Write their answers on the board or a digital document for all to see.
- Next, show learners the Finding and Accessing LCTL Communities Online.
- Give learners the Communities Handout . Have learners work with a partner or small group to identify an interest or hobby, as well as online communities or spaces related to this interest or hobby.
- Then, learners will pick one of the online communities and observe how the community interacts together (e.g., the language that is typically used, the use of non-verbal communication devices like emoji, and the extent to which communication is direct or mitigated). They will record their observations on the handout. This observation phase should take 20-30 minutes.
- Then, have learners consider community participation individually and record their ideas on the handout. Learners will indicate how they feel they can already participate in the group and one way they would like to participate in the future.
- In a group discussion, brainstorm knowledge and skills learners might need to achieve their present and future goals.
Notes:
- As a possible extension, have learners keep a log of their observations and participation in the community they selected for a month. Check in about their growth in a 10-minute group discussion at periodic intervals that align with your schedule (classes that meet daily may be able to check in once a week, while classes that meet weekly may only be able to check in once).
- Novice learners can complete this activity with additional scaffolding. For example, teachers may research 3-5 communities ahead of time in stead of completing Steps 4 and 5 as written. An additional scaffold would be to limit the community to one that uses comparatively less written language (e.g., a meme communitiy).
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