Overview
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Topic | European Day of Languages: linguistic diversity and language curiosities |
| Level | Upper primary or lower secondary; mixed ability and mixed first languages |
| Language | The quiz is in Croatian. Students may use English or home languages in discussion. |
| Grouping | Teams of 4 |
| Materials | Quiz slides, one answer sheet per team, pens, answer slides, pronunciation notes, a timer, sticky notes or paper slips, and a wall or board space |
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
- Recognise that Europe’s languages differ in many ways, such as vocabulary, sounds, writing and expressions.
- Share a language-related fact or word that they found interesting.
- Work collaboratively by negotiating answers, justifying choices and marking fairly.
- Show curiosity and respect towards languages they do not speak.
Success criterion: “I can name a word or fact about a language that I found interesting today.”
Lesson Stages
| Time | Stage | Activity |
|---|---|---|
| 0–6 min | Warm-up | “Language line-up” (see below) |
| 6–10 min | Set-up | Form teams of four, hand out answer sheets and explain the rules. |
| 10–26 min | Quiz | Read each of the 18 questions aloud, using the pronunciation notes. Allow 30–60 seconds per question. Teams agree on an answer and circle one letter. Question 14 has an audio clip, so test the sound beforehand. |
| 26–29 min | Swap and mark | Teams swap sheets and mark each other’s work as the answers are shown. |
| 29–36 min | Answer discussion | Go through the answers briefly and invite short reactions and questions. Use the notes only if time allows. |
| 36–44 min | Wrap-up | “Wall of Words” (see below). Announce the winning team. |
| 44–45 min | Close | Thank the students and tidy up. |
Warm-up: “Language line-up” (6 minutes)
- Clear a space and ask students to stand. Read out statements and ask students to step forward if the statement is true for them. Examples:
- “I speak more than one language at home.”
- “I have learned a word in another language from a song, a game or a series.”
- “I have heard a language I could not identify.”
- “I can say ‘thank you’ in at least three languages.”
- After each statement, invite one or two students to share an example.
- To finish, ask each student to say “hello” in a language of their choice, including home languages and dialects. Everyone repeats it together.
This is a quick, active start that shows the class’s own linguistic diversity before the quiz begins.
Pub quiz
Wrap-up: “Wall of Words” (8 minutes)
- Individually (2 minutes): each student writes on a sticky note one word, expression or fact from the quiz that they found most surprising or funny. They add a small drawing if they like.
- Gallery (3 minutes): students stick their notes on the wall and walk round reading them. Each student puts a tick on two notes that they would like to know more about.
- Class discussion (2 minutes): look at which notes have the most ticks. Ask: “Why do you think languages describe the same things so differently?”
- Winner (1 minute): count the scores, announce the winning team and applaud all teams.
Keep the notes as a classroom display for the rest of the week.
Assessment and Differentiation
- Assessment is formative: observe the warm-up and team discussions, and look at the Wall of Words notes. The quiz score is not graded.
- Support: give a printed copy of the questions, mix abilities in teams and read foreign words slowly.
- Challenge: ask stronger students to explain why they rejected the wrong options.
- Other first languages: invite students to share a word from their own language, and allow English for the wrap-up notes.