HKBerlin Express An online language and culture exchange project – Workshop 2

Project aims This project aims at Enhancing your foreign language proficiency through real-life interaction with language partners Enhancing your proficiency in using online tools It is also your responsibility to actively participate You learn more by doing more!

Proposed activities Workshop 1  1 st task (self-introduction and hobbies)  commenting  2 nd task (neighbourhood)  commenting Video conferencing 1  Workshop 2 3 rd task (language learning in informal contexts)  commenting/questions Video conferencing 2 May 25 4 th task (topic: to be confirmed with you!)

Today We will get you to think about your foreign language learning in out-of-school context WHAT DO YOU DO OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM TO LEARN AND USE YOUR FOREIGN LANGUAGE?

Stories about English Though we could not understand the films without reading the Chinese subtitles, my brother and I imitated James Bond by saying ‘My name is Bond. James Bond’. (F46) I felt I relied too much on the Chinese subtitles, so I covered up the lower part of the TV with Scotch tape. Though the TV looked very weird, this was a useful method to improve my listening skill. (F65) I went crazy with Beyoncé’s Crazy in Love. I memorized the lyrics, checked all the vocabulary, and most importantly, learnt her accent and pronunciation. (F86)

… continued Blogs are so popular that nearly everyone has one. Now I have the habit of reading blogs written by foreigners. By reading and leaving comments on their blogs, I know more about the words and phrases they use in everyday life and it seems that I am really living with them. (F09) Just the other day, when I had coffee at a coffee shop, a foreigner came and talked to me. He said I had very good English, and asked if I had studied overseas. I was delighted.

WHEN Can you think of a time when you learn and use foreign language on your own? Listening to pop music? Watching a movie? Reading a book? Reading a magazine? Chatting with friends?

WHERE Can you think of a place (or space) where you learn and use your foreign language on your own? Traveling? Home? Internet? (e.g. chatting online, MSN, Facebook) On the street (e.g. hearing people speaking German/English/Chinese)

HOW How do you learn or use the foreign language on your own? What methods do you use to learn or use the foreign language? Do you do anything different from learning in the classroom?

WHY Would you want to trade in (give up) your English/German/Chinese language skills for something else you would like to be able to do? Why yes – or why (not)? o Be better at sports, music, maths, etc.? o Learn an other language? What would your life be like without your English/German/Chinese language skills? As what sort of person do you see yourself and what does learning or using your target language have to do with this? o German/English/Chinese brings out the best (?) in me or something I really like about myself: What is it?

A personal story Blog post: tell us a story about you learning or using your target foreign language (German/English/Chinese) outside the school classroom o You can make it a report with a lot of facts. Or o You can make it a lively story (one big, long story or lots of small episodes) o You may again also use images, links to audio or video files or other internet sites, etc. Due date: May 20 Then we can have enough time to read buddies’ stories, comment, and think of one or two questions for them