Implementation of ‘The power of voice and brush’ (SOI-HU-20)

Summary

This Learning Scenario was implemented in a group of 16-17-year-old students. I have chosen this lesson because it integrates developing the four skills in a foreign language class. It also gives a great opportunity to raise my students’ interest in Arts and its power. It is also a good practice describing pictures for exams. Using ICT is a great help to look for and use online sources in English. Improving my students’ presentation and collaboration skills were also aimed at during the implementation.

Getting ready

To make the LS suit the group, some alterations were made. Vocabulary related to picture and painting descriptions were pre-taught and there was a discussion and sharing knowledge about arts, well-known artists and Art History.

How was this Learning Scenario implemented?

Firstly, we got acquainted with the website. After browsing the Europeana Collections each student was given a QR code, leading them to a painting on Europeana. Two students received their painting by the same painter. Using the pre-taught vocabulary they presented the description of the painting to the class. The “listeners” were given a worksheet and looking at slides of the paintings to match them, then evaluated whose description had been the easiest to recognize.

Activities

Secondly, the next activity was carried out in pairs. This time they had to find information about their painter’s life. Questions helped them to find the relevant answers. This was necessary for the quiz in the next task. Skimming, scanning, writing, sharing tasks, finding relevant information were the main goals of this task. Finally, two groups were formed in such a way that everyone in the group had a different painter in the first task, so each of them had one part of the knowledge needed for the group to do the quiz well. The quiz required cooperation and sharing knowledge, the ability to convince others.

Follow Up

As a follow-up task, they had to choose a painting on Europeana somehow connected to Hungary and give a full description of it in writing.

Reflection

The mixture of Art and learning a foreign language was a success. The students enjoyed the tasks, especially the quiz. The aims of the lesson were fulfilled and we had a great time.

Did you find this story of implementation interesting? Why don’t you read about the related learning scenario?

• The Power of Voice and Brush by Katarzyna Siwczak

Did you find this story of implementation interesting? You might also like:

• Implementation of ‘The Power of Voice and Brush’ by Natasa Tram
• Vintage VR implemented by Marcin Jabłoński
• Implementation of ‘Using arts to reconstruct a volcanic eruption’ by Angela Colli

The featured image used to illustrate this article belongs to the public domain. Click here to find it.