The Language Challenge Activity

Based on the truth that all students use different versions of the English language depending on their audience and purpose, the language challenge activity embraces the variety of cultures represented in your classroom and encourages exploration and collaboration. After a discussion on the different versions of English that your students may use in any given situation (home, work, school, place of worship, with an authority figure), it is important to help students better understand how others engage with differences in their language by sending them out on a video interview scavenger hunt. This activity reinforces the inclusive truth that their language is valid and removes the stigma oftentimes associated with different dialects, slangs, or colloquialisms. Students are able to quickly shoot their interview videos live on their smartphones or tablets or screen record a virtual interview. The activity is pretty straightforward and is followed by several real examples.

The Activity

Your challenge is to find and interview three people about how their language changes (or does not change) at home compared to when they are either at school or work. The rules are simple:

1. Ask permission before recording your subject

2. Ask the subject your question and allow them a few minutes to think about it before hitting record

3. Find people that do not look like you and/or are not related to you. This will give you more varied answers and experiences.

4. You cannot interview a classmate