Discovering Languages with the Fox and the Stork
Have you ever listened to a story in a language you don’t know? Try it out: you might understand more than you think! And once you have explored languages with the fox and the stork, you’ll be ready to make your own multilingual project!
Warm up
Do you know Aesop’s fable “The Fox & the Stork”?
Share with your buddy what you remember or invent together what it could possibly be about…
Once you are done collecting memories or inventing the story… scroll down and see if you were right!
Learn
Read and listen to the story in its original language: Kurdish!
You don’t know kurdish? That is absolutely no problem, just enjoy it, look at the picture and see what you understand of the story!
Tip: Make sure that you watch it as a diashow, so the voice will automatically starts.
Dive in 1
Now, listen again to the story and look at the text:
1. What words can you understand?
For example:
- Rovî?
- Leg?
- û?
- …
2. What letters are new for you?
For example:
- î?
- û?
- …
3. What words are pronounced in a way that is unexpected for you?
For example:
- çu
- xwe
- …
If you don’t know Kurdish, read the story in a language you know.
Here you find it in English!
Done?
Discuss with your buddy:
1. What's going on between the fox and the stork?
2. What trait describes each figure well? E.g. arrogant, cunning, wrong, naive, stupid, intelligent, friendly, tolerant, patient…
3. How can the conflict be solved? Write a letter to each of the characters personally with suggestions for solutions:
- Dear Fox - ...........
- Dear stork - .............
Dive in 2
Read each other the story aloud in the languages you know first and then in languages you don’t know.
In case you know the same languages, look for someone who can read you the story in a language you don’t know.
- What can you understand even without knowing the language?
- What surprises you when you compare it with languages you know? (E.g. length of the sentences, of the words, presence of special letters, absence of vowels, special punctuation marks…)
Create
Think of stories you know. Tell them to each other and choose one you both like.
- Decide in what languages you want to present it. Certainly, in the languages you speak on a daily basis, if you want you can involve someone else who knows languages you don’t know!
- Find the text in the languages you have chosen (search them online, write them down yourself and – if needed – ask someone to translate them).
Done?
It’s time to make your own small multilingual project:
- Choose the format (e.g. presentation with audio-files embedded in it; podcast; video-recorded puppet theatre… )
- Go for it and do as many versions as languages you chose!
Upload it in the work.it area!
Reflect
Share your thoughts with your buddy:
- How was it for you to listen to / to read the same story in languages you don’t understand?
- What was the most interesting discovery for you?
- Would you recommend your teacher to read a literary work in class in different languages? Yes or No
- Write a recommendation sentence _____________________
or
- Write a statement of objection ____________________
Make a postcard with the words you have learned in another language!
Download the free KIDS4ALLL app and your wish comes true!
