Overview
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Topic | European Day of Languages (26 September): 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 their home languages in discussion. |
| Grouping | Teams of 4 |
| Materials | Quiz slides, one answer sheet per team, pens, answer slides, teacher’s notes with pronunciations, a timer, scrap paper |
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
- Recognise that Europe is home to hundreds of languages and that this diversity is worth celebrating.
- Describe, in simple terms, some ways languages differ, such as in vocabulary, sounds and history.
- 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 something new I learned about a language today.”
Lesson Stages
| Time | Stage | Activity |
|---|---|---|
| 0–6 min | Warm-up | “Hello in many languages”. Show the multilingual “Are you ready?” slide. Pairs guess which languages they see, then share the languages they speak or hear at home. |
| 6–10 min | Set-up | Form teams of four, hand out answer sheets and explain the rules. |
| 10–25 min | Quiz | Read each of the 18 questions aloud, using the pronunciation notes where provided. Allow 30–60 seconds per question. Teams agree on an answer and circle one letter. Switch off auto-advance, or advance manually. |
| 25–28 min | Swap and mark | Teams swap sheets and mark each other’s work as the answers are shown. |
| 28–38 min | Answer discussion | Go through the answers briefly. Pick two or three that sparked reactions and invite short comments or questions. |
| 38–44 min | Wrap-up | “Three, Two, One” reflection (see below). Announce the winning team and applaud all teams. |
| 44–45 min | Close | Thank the students and tidy up. |
Warm-up detail
Pairs have 90 seconds to guess languages from script, sound or familiar words. Then add the class’s own languages to the board as “our class languages”. This values students’ home languages before the competition starts.
Wrap-up detail: “Three, Two, One”
- Individually, students write three things they learned, two languages or words they want to explore, and one question they still have.
- Pairs compare their notes.
- A few students share with the class. Ask: “Which word would you most like to have in your own language?”
Pub Quiz materials
Assessment and Differentiation
Assessment is formative: observe team discussions and review the reflection slips. 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 greeting or a word from their own language, and allow English for the reflection.
Teacher Notes
- The quiz is branded 2025 and refers to a Friday quiz date. Update the date and time references before use.
- If you are short of time, shorten the answer discussion rather than the wrap-up.