Pecha Kucha by Kerryn Frazier

The Japanese Pecha Kucha is a presentation of 20 slides shown for 20 seconds each. A variation of this could be used as a great warm-up or closing exercise in a world language classroom. Prepared in advance, the presentation would include 20 slides centered around a common theme that students are studying or have just studied in class. This could be modified to include fewer slides. I like to use 15 slides so that the activity takes only 5 minutes. With a partner, students describe what they see in the slides. Each partner alternates turns with each change of the slide. In a level 1 or level 2 class, the teacher might provide students with key words and phrases that might be helpful in the discussion.

If the presentation is formatted so that the slides are timed and changed automatically, students can work on this activity while the teacher is checking homework and/or formatively assessing students and giving feedback.

Below is part of a sample Pecha Kucha presentation that I have used in class. Students are prompted to identify the environmental problems and their consequences, and to propose possible solutions.



 

Pechakucha environment from Kerryn Frazier

Kerryn Frazier teaches Spanish at Foxborough High School. Ms. Frazier will continue to post activities for use in the world language classroom. Many of these activities were created by Ms. Frazier and her colleagues in Foxborough, and others are adaptations of activities found at MaFLA and other professional development.