Webquest Wednesday!

Where's my student guidebook?

Here we go! Today is our first class in the Lab and we're going to jump right in and get started! We're going on a Webquest. Read the instructions, ask any questions you have, and then let's get started!

Webquest

Make a guidebook for new students.

INTRODUCTION

What did you want or need to know when you first arrived in Dublin?

What do you wish you had known then, that you know now?
What should a new guide for English students arriving in Dublin contain?

You are the editors for a new guidebook for new English students arriving in Dublin and studying at ECM this Summer. As a team your job is to produce a new up-to-date guidebook including information on things to do, places to go, shopping, tourist sights, trips you can do from Dublin, transport, the festivals, history, local customs, Irish English and anything else you decide future students need to know.

You will need to:

1. Make a list of your top ten favourite things for places / sights / trips etc

2. Tell the rest of the class about the survey results.

3. Make a presentation to the class about what you discovered (they might find the information useful too!).

4. Write an article for the guide with your group including information from the Internet

5. Put together the finished guide including pictures.

New students will be able to use your guide to help them have a good time in Dublin!

Today we'll be doing steps 1-3. Next week we'll do step 4 (don't worry, I'll have more instructions for you for it). Finally, 2 weeks from now we'll put the guide together (that's step 5, in case you're keeping score). 

PROCESS

Class survey: information about Dublin

Work in groups. Choose one of the following things to make a class survey about: 

- Favourite places to go (bars, clubs, restaurants, coffee bars)
- Favourite shops (clothes, DVDs, CDs, food)
- Favourite tourist sights

- General tips for living in Dublin

In your groups prepare 4-6 questions. 

For example: a. What are your favourite clubs in Dublin? b. Why do you like them?

When you are ready form new groups with 3 or 4 of your classmates: ask your questions and make notes of their answers. Ask as many questions as you can to get more details. Note down important details (examples of cheap things you can get at a restaurant, reasons why a place to go is exciting etc).

Return to your original group and compare your results. With them make a list of the top ten favourites in each category, with reasons why each one is popular.

Prepare to present your results to the class.

Here are some useful expressions you could use:

• 7 out of 10 people in the class think _______ is the best / second best / third best / cheapest / most interesting / coolest... 
• Almost everyone /nobody thinks... 
• Many people think / said that ... 
• No-one likes ... 
• The majority of students have tried / like / dislike... 
• Roughly a quarter / half / two thirds of the class / think.. 
• A lot of students think...
  
• Listen to other groups' presentations. What was the most useful/interesting thing you heard in each? Did you hear any language mistakes? 

That's it!

Divide up the topics among the groups and get making questions for your surveys. We start the group discussion at 9:40. We'll start preparing the presentations at 10:15 and the first group to go will present at 12:00. You can use slides, videos, whiteboards, flipcharts, songs, dances or anything at all in your presentation, as long as no animals are harmed.