| Body | This activity was designed for intermediate level learners (modifications for beginning and advanced learners are given within the activity). It was created to help learners analyze the vocabulary, grammar, expressions and visual information used in multiple tweets labeled with a chosen hashtag.
Learning outcomes:
Learners will be able to:
- Identify a hashtag in the target language that is related to current unit or lesson topics, or to their own interests
- Identify conventions (e.g., use of specific lexicon, use of emoji, or use of a specific verb structure like commands) common in tweets
- Determine the tone of 2 tweets (eg. humorous, serious, angry, etc.), based on context clues
Mode(s): Interpretive, Presentational
Materials: Analyze: Improve Pragmatic Competence Video, #Hashtag Analysis handout, computers or mobile devices with internet access, twitter account log in credentials to use for search function, colored pencils or pens
Procedure:
- Ask learners to define a hashtag. Where is a hashtag used? What information does a hashtag give?
- For advanced learners, ask learners to name hashtags that align with curricular needs that they search for or use in their own social media posts, and ask them to describe what searching for or using these hashtags allows them to do.
- Next, show learners the Analyze: Improve Pragmatic Competence Video[b]. After watching the video, tell learners that they will use hashtags to find and analyze the language and meaning of tweets in the target language. Give learners the #Hashtag Analysis handout.
- As a whole group, search for hashtags in the target language that relate to curricular needs. This can be searching for the phrase “most popular hashtag” and the target language, or using a compiled list of hashtags (like this one in Spanish). Share the search by projecting it on the board, if possible, or have one learner perform the search on their own device and report what they find to the whole group.
- Then have learners work in small groups of 2-3 to brainstorm one or two additional hashtags to search for in the target language. Each group should decide on one specific hashtag they want to use going forward.
- For novice learners, you may want to provide groups with a predetermined hashtag to use that is related to lesson or unit themes.
- Next, have groups search to find 10 tweets that have their chosen (or assigned) hashtag. Groups record these hashtags on the Hashtag Analysis handout.
- For novice learners, you may want to provide each group with a list of pre-selected tweets.
- On the handout, have learners (still in groups) use one color of pencil or pen to circle words that are repeated, or related words (looking at roots or morphemes) that they find in multiple tweets.
- Then, have learners underline and label, using a different color, similar grammatical information that they see in multiple tweets. This could be the verb tense used, any pronouns or verb conjugation, etc. The structures utilized will likely change based on the hashtag searched.
- For novice learners, ask them to underline and label types of words (nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc.)
- Ask learners to note any patterns they see in the grammar or types of words used in the tweets. Is there a specific grammatical structure that is used in more than one tweet? Is there a specific word order, or specific types of words that occur in multiple tweets? How about visual information like memes, emoji or other images? Where does visual information appear in the tweets?
- Next, have learners think about how the hashtag relates to the body of the tweets. What kind of information does it provide in addition to the body? Does it provide context, or emphasis? Does it imply a particular tone (eg. humor)?
- For novice learners, ask learners to name one way the hashtag is connected to the body of any of the provided tweets. Why do they think it is there? This discussion can be in a shared L1.
- Finally, have groups choose two tweets from their lists, and ask them to guess the tone of the tweets are and why. What information in the body of the tweets and the hashtag make them think this?
- Reconvening the whole group, ask each small group to report on the patterns they found in their list of tweets:
- repeated words or related words
- grammatical information (or types of words)
- visual information
- what the hashtag says in relation to the body of the tweet
- and what they think the tone of the tweet is and why
Write a brief synopsis of each group’s findings on the board or a digital document for all to see, and ask them to name any patterns they see across what all of the groups reported.
Notes:
Modifications (tech)
- if there is no access to computers or mobile devices, tweets can be pre-selected and printed out on paper.
- If learners would prefer to use a different social media site, hashtags are also popular ways to search for information on Instagram and TikTok.
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