Voices in the city

Thinking of ways to celebrate the Year 5's language work this half term exploring the city and city life, I saw this tweet last week.It made me think about how we could create "Voices in the City" scenarios with the children that they could perform for the class.

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And here below is the youtube clip....

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My suggestions are:

  • Watch the clip and discuss  with the children how "welcoming" this clip is to a stranger in town .
  • Explore and brainstorm the various modes of transport,shops and amenities in  a city near you.
  • Explore with the children the voices you can hear around the city and the phrases you will hear again and again- somoen selling something , asking for the price, buying a ticket, explaining the way etcetra. Discuss the rich variety of languages that you can hear being spoken too.
  • Set the children the task to create a "welcome clip" to your local city in the target language that  you are learning as a class
  • Ask the children to select three items from the list of types of transport, shops and amenities
  • Ask the children to think of a phrase they would hear in each of the above places or transport
  • Can the children create a scenario for each of their selected places and phrases.The performance must have visual target language props (signage), mime (actions associated with the place or on the transport) and a  phrase associated with the specific place or transport. 
  • Put the children in to groups of six.Ask each child to shate his /her scenarios with the group.
  • Ask the group  to create a "continuous" performance of all their phrases and places called "Voices in the city".
  • The children should think of ways to split up each individual child's three scenarios so that they create a "group" performance, one child after another child acting out a scenario in the city and saying a phrase  
  • The children can add music, rhythm , repeated actions to link one place and phrase to the next.
  • Time to perform to the class!
  • What about filming the performances and  adding introductory music to create a class "Voices in the City"  clip?