120-180min

City in My Eyes

Activity where learners create video guides of city landmarks, blending language practice, digital storytelling, and cultural exploration. It empowers learners to develop language proficiency, digital skills, and cultural awareness while producing a meaningful resource that reflects their unique perspectives.

Themes:

Storytelling

Reflective thinking

Project-based learning

Digital literacy

Objectives

  • Build confidence through digital storytelling.
  • Foster connection with local culture and heritage.
  • Encourage collaboration and networking among learners.
  • Develop digital literacy skills (filming, editing, and sharing content).
  • Enhance presentation skills and build confidence in public speaking.
  • Encourage reflective thinking about personal and cultural connections to the city.
  • Produce meaningful language resources that can be shared with others.

Settings

In-person: Urban environment, city landmarks, or cultural sites.

Online: Virtual meeting platforms (e.g., Zoom, Microsoft Teams) for presenting results.

Materials

Physical

  • Paper, pen, drawing devices
  • Maps, city guides
  • Thematic books and magazines

Digital

  • Smartphones
  • Laptops
  • Cameras for video recording
  • Video editing software

Overview

What is it? Learners create video guides of city landmarks, monuments, or places from their unique perspectives. This activity combines language practice, cultural exploration, and digital storytelling, allowing learners to engage deeply with the city while developing their language and presentation skills. The final product - a series of video guides - serves as a valuable resource for language education and cultural appreciation.

Step-by-step description

  1. Preparation and Scriptwriting: Each learner selects a city landmark, monument, or place that interests them personally. Using available resources (e.g., online materials, books, or teacher-provided information), learners write a short script in the target language. The script should include: Key historical or cultural information about the site, its significance to the local community, their personal impressions, feelings, or connection to the place.
  2. Filming: Learners visit the chosen location, either individually or in small groups, accompanied by the instructor if needed. At the site, each learner presents their script on camera, speaking in the target language. The presentation should be natural and engaging, capturing both the landmark and the learner’s personal perspective.
  3. Review and Sharing: Return to the classroom or a designated meeting space to watch the recorded clips together. Facilitate a group discussion focusing on: language use (clarity, pronunciation, and fluency), emotional impact and personal connections shared in the videos, cultural insights or new perspectives gained about the city. Celebrate the collective effort and discuss how the videos create a unique, personal guide to the city.
  4. Editing and Compilation: If possible, edit the clips to create a cohesive video guide showcasing the city through the learners’ eyes. This can be shared with the class, school, or wider community as a valuable cultural and linguistic resource.

Practical insights

What worked well:

  • Online adaptability: If necessary, the activity can be conducted online, on platforms that allow virtual meetings. However, in this case, the participants themselves (without the help of other participants) must create the video and present it virtually.
  • Digital End Product: The video guides created by learners serve as a digital resource that can be shared on websites or social media, amplifying the project’s impact and reach.

Common challenges and solutions:

  • Technical Issues: Ensure learners have access to devices and basic video recording/editing tools. Provide a brief tutorial or support for those unfamiliar with the technology.
  • Language Barriers: Encourage learners to practice their scripts beforehand and provide vocabulary support or sentence starters if needed.
  • Time Management: Allocate sufficient time for each step, especially filming and editing, to avoid rushing the process.
  • Shyness or Hesitation: Foster a supportive environment by allowing learners to practice their presentations in pairs or small groups before recording.

Field reflections


In Luxembourg, the ”City in My Eyes” activity was conducted during a field excursion to the Musée des Tramways et des Bus, a key cultural and historical site. While filming their way to the museum with assigned roles, learners found the experience engaging. However, those required to speak freely in the target language felt overwhelmed by the challenge.

Further reading

Cutrim Schmid, E., & Whyte, S. (2018). Teaching Languages with Technology: Communicative Approaches to Interactive Whiteboard Use, Bloomsbury Academic.

Kessler, G. (Ed.). (2018). Innovative Practices in Teaching Multimodal Literacies with Video. Routledge.

Leaver, B.L., & Shekhtman, B. (Eds.). (2002). Developing Professional – Level Language Proficiency. Cambridge University Press.

Meskill, C. (Ed.). (2005). Technologies and Critical Literacy in the Classroom. Lawrence Eribaum Associates.

Tomlinson, B. (2013). Materials Development in Language Teaching (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press.