View Content #29079

by Cameron Teubner-Keller, CASLS Student Worker

This activity introduces the concept of multiculturality through the lens of holiday celebrations and food. It was created for Intermediate learners.

Learning Outcomes:
Learners will be able to:

• Identify manifestations of multiculturality in their lives
• Summarize important information about a holiday including when, where, by whom, why, and how it is celebrated
• Compare and contrast holidays

Mode: Interpersonal, Interpretive

Materials: What Does Multicultural Mean? video, Multiculturality: Holidays handout, books or devices with internet access for researching holidays

Procedure:

1. First, introduce learners to the concept of multiculturality by having them watch the What Does Multicultural Mean? video. Afterwards, ask learners to discuss in pairs what they learned from the video and to create a list of 2-3 ways multiculturality might be present in their own lives (foods, holidays, traditions, media, language, etc.).
2. Next, give learners the Multiculturality: Holidays handout. On this handout, there will be a list of holidays from different cultures. Have learners work in groups of 3-4 and discuss which of these holidays they’ve heard of before and to sort them in the table in Part A of the handout.
3. On Part B of the handout, learners will summarize important information about 3-5 holidays. They should be encouraged to research what they do not yet know. Especially for Intermediate Low learners, teachers are encouraged to help provide search terms in the target language.
4. Next, learners should form new groups to complete Part C of the handout. They will compare and contrast the holidays they documented on Part B on a mind map.
5. Finally, bring the whole group back together. As an exit ticket, ask learners to write a sentence or two reflecting on which holidays they know are celebrated in a single community.

Notes:

• There are a variety of holidays to choose from. Teachers are encouraged to adapt the list to holidays that are celebrated by the local community.