Class/Level: ESL: advanced-beginner and intermediate

Topic: Cuban Culture

Computer Time: Two half-hour sessions

Objectives:

To practice e-mail letter writing skills

To form questions

To report information

To summarize information

To learn about Cuban culture

Web Sites:

Pitsco's Ask an Expert

http://www.askanexpert.com

Steps for Learners (a description of the process)

Pre-Computer Time

Partner exercise:

Students write 5 "WH" questions (what, where, when, why, how) with their partner about information they want to know about Cuba or Cuban people.

Examples:

Where is Cuba?

What is the capital of Cuba?

When are the holidays and vacations in Cuba?

How long are the vacations?

Why do Cubans speak Spanish?

Whole class activity

Students write their questions on the board. The class corrects the grammar mistakes. Duplicate questions are crossed out and class helps generate replacement questions so that each pair of students still has 5 questions.

Computer Time

Day One

a. Students working in pairs type in the URL for the Ask an Expert Web site.

b. They click on Categories.

c. Students then click on International/Cultural category.

d. Finally, they click on Ask a Cuban Expert which brings up that site's E-mail page.

e. Student pairs e-mail their 5 "WH" questions to the Cuban expert.

Day Two

E-mail answer sharing

Once each pair has received answers from the Ask a Cuban Expert, the pair splits up and the class divides into groups of 3 to 5 students depending on the number of students in the class, and what seems most comfortable. Both members of each pair have a copy of the e-mailed answers they received. Each student tells the rest of their group what he/she learned about Cuba from the Cuban expert. The other students in the group discuss the information and take notes about what they've learned. Students then divide into new groups with different students to learn more about Cuba and repeat the swap described above. (Alternative--Students mingle one-on-one to exchange information. They must talk to at least 5 different students.)

Follow-up

Students write a summary of the information they've learned about Cuba. This type of lesson can be used for any of the "Ask an Expert" categories.

Note for Teachers:

It is strongly recommended that you contact the expert your students are going to e-mail prior to conducting this lesson to inform them of your plan. If you get a positive response from the expert and he or she is ready and willing to receive and respond quickly to your students' e-mails, then you've got a green light. If you get no response or a cool response, then keep trying until you find a more receptive participant.