OER 2 Using all languages for learning

4.1 Facilitators – Activity 1

Looking and listening in many languages


You will need to find and prepare some examples of print or audio that use more than one language. Here are some visual examples.

The front of a dessert shop in Nepal with English and local language on the signs
EMEGen project: Nepal
A school sign advertising admissions in English and Nepali
EMEGen project: Nepal
A tuk tuk in the street with stickers on it in different languages
EMEGen project: Nepal
A shop sign in Nepal for an airline written in English
EMEGen project: Nepal

1. Start the session with examples of language mixing. You can:

  • show ads or posters that use more than one language
  • listen to songs that use more than one language
  • give an informal lecture yourself using more than one language
  • ask learners to prepare and give their own examples for the session.

2. Talk together about why the examples use more than one language. Some purposes can include:

  • to be fun, popular and current
  • to be ‘eye catching’ and interesting
  • to communicate with different groups of people
  • to show skills in languages
  • to reach out and include different groups of people
  • to be ‘international’ and sophisticated.

3. Do learners enjoy seeing or hearing things in more than one language? Why or why not?

Point out to learners that being able to read, write, speak and hear in more than one language is a desirable skill that they should be proud to have!