Topic: Border Country

Speaking Focus: Expressing opinions

Time: 30 – 45 minutes

Game: Against all odds

Preparation

You also need to go through a few steps after entering the site before you can get to play the game. The steps are:

1) Click on Open in full screen.

2) Click on Play against all odds.

3) Choose your game characters identity. i.e one of the characters (use the left right arrow to move between the characters) and write in a name before clicking on No! Play without registering.

4) Click on the number 1 in the A New Life box.

Playing

Learners can play this game in a computer room or a connected classroom . In the computer room it acts as an interactive reader though you may wish to incorporate some of the ideas below as note taking activities.

1 Learners read the job letters and agree on one explaining why.

2 They then choose the best clothes to wear to the interview.

3 In the reception there are three other candidates for the job.  Ask learners to note down what they say and what they would say to them in return and who they would most like to sit by and why.

4 Finally the job interview consists of a few questions.  learners should say which is the worst answer to the questions and explain why.

Learners visit each of the shops looking to buy a mobile phone.  A pre play activity could be for learners to discuss what phones they have, which is the best and why.  They then play the game:

1 Take notes on who says what in the shops.  i.e. age, gender, looks etc and what opinion they express.  Later learners can discuss what sort of views they have on immigrants and how these opinions may be true/ false and what affect they may have on an immigrant who hears them.

Quickly drag objects into origin categories of either the USA or Other Countries.

1 Start the game and as the objects go past one learner watches and dictates the objects to a partner.  Play the game until they have all objects.

2 Learners discuss the country of origin for each country.   (pyramid discussion).

3 Ask a volunteer to come to the front to play the game as the rest of the class shouts out where each one goes.

4 If they get it wrong click on web facts and tell learners they have 2 minutes to find the answers on that page.  Scroll down/ up every 30 seconds so that learners can read all the text.

5 Repeat steps 3 & 4 until the game has been finished.

Post Play

Learners write up their reflections on what some of the emotions and feelings an immigrant may feel.

To research and write about an invention from their own country, any other country or a predetermined country (England, Scotland, Ireland or Wales).

Debate with half the class presenting and anti-immigration view point and the other half a pro-immigration view point.

Role play the situation in the reception between them and the three other candidates.  First brainstorm the characters and personality to establish character roles.

Topic: Border Country

Speaking  Focus: Expressing opinions

Time: 30 – 45 minutes

Game: Against all odds

Preparation

You also need to go through a few steps after entering the site before you can get to play the game.  The steps are:

1) Click on Open in full screen.

2) Click on Play against all odds.

3) Choose your game characters identity.  i.e one of the characters (use the left right arrow to move between the characters) and write in a name before clicking on No! Play without registering.

4) Click on the number 1 in the Border Country box.

Playing

Tell your learners to write a list of what they think each building is.  Hover mouse over each building that gets highlighted.  Allow 30 seconds for each one.  Encourage learners to discuss what each place represents for the refugee.  Go back and click on each building left to right.  Let learners read and discuss options.  Follow learners instructions.  Play again if the game ends.  The correct option is the church on the far right.

Follow the learner’s guidelines and play as they instruct you to do so.  Try and keep the pace quite fast.

Learners work in pairs and have to decide on whether an individual is an immigrant or a refugee.  They make a note of their name and reasons for their decision.  Learners then find others who disagree with them and discuss their reasons.

Allow time for learners to read the options and in pairs discuss which option they would choose.  Then discuss the which option to choose in open class.  Vote and choose the winning option.

Post Play

Write a composition on some of the topics or issues raised in class from playing the game.

Discuss the game in open class.

Role play one of the sequences from the game.

Write a short story based on the experience of the character in the game.

Write some advice using ‘should’ to the character in the game.

Topic: War & Conflict

Speaking  Focus: Expressing opinions

Time: 30 – 45 minutes

Game: Against all odds

Against All Odds is an online video game developed by UNHCR designed to teach players about the plight of refugees.  This first episode entitled ‘War and conflict’ looks at the problems faced by dissidents within a country where the military has just taken power.

Preparation

You need to go through a few steps after entering the site before you can get to play the game.  The steps are:

1) Click on Open in full screen.

2) Click on Play against all odds.

3) Choose your game characters identity.  i.e one of the characters (use the left right arrow to move between the characters) and write in a name before clicking on No! Play without registering.

4) Click on the number 1 in the War and Conflict box.

Playing

In pair learners look at the statements and discuss reasons why they should/ shouldn’t tick  yes/ no.  When you judge that the activity has finished take a class vote on where to put the tick.  There is a short text on the next screen and if you see fit to discuss the facts here or language feel free.  Try to keep the pace of the activity up while allowing enough time for learners to discuss the statements.

In open class ask what problems citizens might have in an oppressive regime.

In pairs learners look at the objects in the room and try to remember them.  When the 2 minutes are up they write a list of objects they remember and then discuss what items they would take and why.  Move pairs into groups of 4.  Compare lists and discuss which items they should take.  Continue pyramid discussion until class decides on which objects they would take.  The class tells a learner who plays the game what to pack.  Is there enough room?

This is an hand-eye co-ordination game so just ask a volunteer to come to the front of the class and play the game.  The class can help by giving directions.  If they fail at any point in the game then ask for a different volunteer to step up and play the game.  Before they come up ask them how they will play the game differently.

Any text that appears that requires a decision to be made should be discussed in open class.

Learners look at the different options and discuss the pros and cons of each different method of fleeing the country.  Take a class vote and then click on the option they decided on.  If they choose an option that’s not open to them tell them there is in fact only one correct answer.  In groups they discuss which one and why.  Allow time for learners to read text and ask them if they know why that route may not have been good.  In fact, the truck is the only option they can take.  Go through the ‘truck’ dilemmas allowing groups to discuss and vote on each option.

Post Play

Write a composition based on topics and issued raised while playing the game.

Discuss the game in open class.

Role play one of the sequences from the game.

Write a short story based on the experience of the character in the game.