Sessions /
Joining “The World’s Largest Lesson” with an oral English class #128

This poster describes materials and activities related to the UN Goals for Sustainable development, in a university oral English class. The objectives of “The World’s Largest Lesson” are to stimulate teenagers to learn about global issues, specifically 17 goals outlined by the UN, and to implement actions to impact the global situation at local level. There is also a platform for teachers who want to connect their students with a global community of classes, using aps like skype, flipgrid and padlet. Participation takes place from September through to February, with the aim of students sharing presentations on their chosen themes and taking action locally. The presenter will explain the benefits and drawbacks of the project and investigate ways to deal with possible problems. The project was attempted in 2018-19 with mixed results, due to difficulties synchronizing schedules and integrating the SDGs content with other course content. Cultural differences also caused a difficulty. In 2019-20, measures such as pre-teaching about culture difference and habituating students to the use of flipgrid earlier in the semester, helped to make the exchange happen more smoothly, giving students a chance to practice presenting themselves on-line and connecting with near-peers in Europe.