Friend Page – WSI

'FriendPage', an imaginary online social network

    Despite a small turn-out this class went well. The service manager at the institute provided me a lesson plan for it which was sourced from the British Council's website. As the plan describes, in this lesson students are given 'a chance to create an imaginary on-line "wall" where they can react with each other.'

    After a general discussion about Facebook, Twitter, social networking sites, learners read a text to answer one question which encouraged reading for gist. Then afterwards, reading for information. Learners thence were introduced to 'FriendPage' written on the board. I elicited typical profile information under the heading on the board. Prompts included 'interested in?', 'personality?', 'right now I feel?': a few of the prompts the students were then given to construct their own profile with. Learners worked alone. Although the plan prescribed a 'snappy' feel or pace for the lesson, this one had more of a relaxed pace a) because of the size of the group (and the absence of a sense of it being a lesson) b) the late hour of the class c) the mixed aspect of student levels. Nevertheless, the group seemed interested in what they were doing. I demonstrated the next activity and learners followed, writing a question of their choosing on each wall of the neighbouring participant (on a piece of paper with lines marked 'fold here'), before passing the papers clockwise, reading and responding to the comment by writing a response, folding the paper over, and so on. 

    At the end, the class unfolded their 'walls' and read the interesting conversations that had transpired there.

Students' 'walls', and postings thereon.