Developed by:
COTA ONG
Language learning through storytelling and mapping, linking personal objects to geographical and cultural contexts.
- Group size limits: from 6 to 12 participants
- Time required: 2 hours
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Learn & Gain:
- Improve writing and spelling skills through descriptive storytelling
- Practice oral self-expression and narrative abilities
- Develop cultural and intercultural awareness by connecting objects to places
- Enhance participation and group collaboration
- Strengthen orientation and spatial understanding through map-based activities
Language skills developed
- Writing skills
- Spelling
- Oral self-expression
other extra-linguistic and communication skills developed
- Participation and collaboration
- Orientation and mapping skills
- Cultural and intercultural understanding
Materials and tools needed
- White board
- Projector
- Interavtive game to recognize European counties’ shapes
- Interactive game to make correspond objects to countries on a world map (French version)
- Interactive game to link Eurpean countries’ names to a map (English version)
- Large blank (“blind”) world map
- Stickers or small pieces of paper
- Pens and markers
- Glue
- Projector
- Small sheets of paper for notes or photos
Step-by-step
Step 1 – Introduction
- The educator explains that the activity focuses on travel and the objects/souvenirs people bring with them.
- Presents key vocabulary on the board: Travel, Object, Souvenir, To bring.
- Briefly explains the activity flow so learners know what to expect.
Step 2 – Warm-Up: Countries & Transport
- Learn country names using an interactive game (e.g., drag country names to the correct spot on a projected map).
- Start with Europe, then extend to the world map if time allows.
- Discuss modes of transport: plane, bus, train, boat, walking, etc.
- Invite each learner to share how they arrived in your country.
Step 3 – Sharing Objects
- The educator asks learners: “What did you bring with you when you arrived here?”
- Learners may show physical objects or photos.
- The educator guides them to describe their objects according to their language level:
- Beginners: Name the object, show the photo, and use a model sentence:
- “When I arrived in [country], I brought with me a [object].”
- Advanced learners: Expand with questions:
- Who did it belong to?
- What are its main characteristics? (use adjectives)
- Who gave it to you? / Who did you bring it from?
- Why is it important to you?
- Write one or two model sentences on the board for memorization.
Step 4 – Writing & Mapping
- Distribute stickers or small sheets of paper.
- Each learner writes their sentence(s), their name, and their country.
- Optional: add small drawings or symbols for decoration.
- Collect and correct sentences if needed.
- Write all object names on the board to reinforce spelling and memorization.
- Learners stick their sentence on the large blank world map next to their country of origin.
- Each learner reads their sentence aloud to the group.
Step 5 – Memory & Grammar Game
- Place all object cards in the middle.
- Learners take turns repeating the previous learner’s sentence but transforming it:
- Replace “I” with “he/she/they.”
- Conjugate verbs correctly: “She came… He brought…”
- Continue until everyone has participated.
Step 6 – Creating a Digital Personalized Map (Optional / Follow-Up, 30–45 min)
- Collect learners’ contributions (map, stickers, sentences).
- Scan or photograph the world map.
- Build an online version using platforms like Wordwall, LearningApps, or Genially: Replace country names or markers with learners’ sentences and drawings.
- Add interactive markers: clicking on a country shows the corresponding object/sentence.
- Test the activity in class if possible (projector or smartphones).
- If technical steps are time-consuming, the teacher can finalize the map after class.
- Share the final interactive map with learners via email or messaging for further exploration.
This step introduces long-term participatory learning while their personal stories become material for future exercises.
Step 7 – Final Recap and Feedback
- Review the objects and stories shared by the group.
- Highlight improvements in writing, vocabulary, and oral expression.
- Ask learners to reflect on what they enjoyed and learned.
Potential risks and challenges
- Emotional sensitivity: Some learners may have experienced difficult or even traumatic journeys. Talking about travel or personal objects might bring back painful memories.
- Voluntary participation: Learners should never feel obliged to answer questions they are not ready for. As an alternative, they can imagine what they would bring with them if they were to travel somewhere else in the future.
- Safe introduction: You can make sure the exercises are not harmful by starting with light, neutral introductory questions (e.g., about the types of transport people can use to travel) before moving into more personal topics.
- Flexibility: Pay attention to learners’ reactions and adapt the activity. If someone seems uncomfortable, allow them to skip or contribute in a different, less personal way.
recommendations for educators
- Adapt complexity to learners’ levels: For beginners, keep sentences simple and focus on vocabulary recall; for more advanced learners, encourage descriptive language and storytelling.
- Encourage collaboration: Pair or group learners with mixed language abilities to promote peer support and scaffolding.
- Support spelling and grammar: Circulate during the writing phase to help learners with sentence construction and correct spelling.
- Use visual aids: Encourage learners to add small drawings, symbols, or photos to enhance memory and comprehension.
- Reinforce active listening: During oral sharing, ask learners to repeat or summarize peers’ sentences to practice comprehension and speaking skills.
- Digital follow-up: If creating an online map, test it beforehand to avoid technical issues. Allow learners to explore the interactive map after the session to reinforce learning.
- Cultural awareness: Use the activity to highlight cultural diversity and encourage learners to share stories and objects that reflect their background.
