687. A virgin island




One day teacher of English A said to teacher of English B, “Activities which our students have to speak in can constitute good preparation for their future careers.


One example from my experience: In one of the academic years at Centro de Lenguas Modernas, of Universidad de Granada, we the students had to discuss about possible projects to be set up in a virgin island in the middle of the ocean. It’s an exercise where the students have to talk fluently and with versatility.


It’s interesting because of this versatility: the learners are able to present their proposals and discuss about their reasons. It can be fun. One can suggest some environmental friendship resource to conserve and study the island’s species, one can propose to make money out of the leisure resources the island can offer, another student proposes to set up something suitable for the elderly. That discussion can provide fun and joking when talking about someone’s original project.


The students have got to use appropriate vocab and grammar to present their ideas, to defend them, to provide further details, to change their mind. The teacher moderates the discussion, an essential role.


All this, as I said, constitutes an adequate way of preparing themselves for their professional future: they utilize different linguistic, cognitive, and communicative skills.” / Photo from: Environmental Science betterworldbooks com


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