Humanising Language Teaching
Year 5; Issue 3; May 03

Starting and Ending a Course

Time: in lesson 1 : 10-20 minutes (depending on numbers in the group)
in final lesson of the course: 10-20 minutes

Purpose: this lesson is aimed at people who are on a course away from their home place, either in their own country or in an English-speaking country.
The first activity aims to help them to “bridge” emotionally from their homeplace to the course venue and the second activity aims to help them into a “ going-home” mood.

Preparation: for lesson 1: prepare to tell the students what makes you really sure you are back home when you come back to your own place from work, shopping etc….This could be a sight, a smell, a sound, a feeling, a situation or thoughts.

For the final lesson of the course: prepare to tell your students what makes you really know you are home when you get back from a holiday, from a trip abroad etc…
When I get back to my house from a trip I “ connect” by going out into the garden sand noticing what has happened in my absence and what needs doing.
In summer, walking barefoot in my garden helps me be and feel home.

Lesson outline:

In lesson 1: Tell the group what you see or feel on returning home from work that really tells you are now back home again.
Ask each person to tell the group what their “coming home” markers are.

In the final lesson of the course: Tell the group what tells you that you are home after a trip away. Explain that for some people it may be a typical smell, a welcome by a pet, the way the home bed feels etc…..
Ask each person to tell the group what “ their coming home “ markers are.

Note: This last-day activity can have a strong cathartic effect.