Khmer Kathina Festival

Lesson Overview

Subject: Languages (Khmer)
Year Level: Year 11
Duration: 79 minutes
Class Size: 20 students
Curriculum Area: Australian Curriculum – Languages: Khmer (Years 11–12)
Achievement Standard Focus:

• Expanding students' understanding of Khmer festivals and cultural traditions
• Developing listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in Khmer
• Engaging in discussions and presentations about cultural practices

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

1. Understand the significance of the បុណ្យកឋិនខ្មែរ (Khmer Kathina Festival) within Khmer culture.
2. Use relevant Khmer vocabulary to describe cultural events and traditions.
3. Recognise and analyse connections between Buddhism and Khmer traditions.
4. Participate in a group presentation explaining aspects of the festival in Khmer and English.

Resources & Materials

• Visuals: Images and videos of a Kathina Festival in Cambodia and Australia
• Audio: Traditional Khmer Buddhist chants played during the festival
• Handouts: Vocabulary lists and reading texts about the festival
• Real Objects: A saffron-coloured cloth (symbolising the robes donated during Kathina)
• Whiteboard & Markers
• Digital Translation Tools: Khmer-English dictionaries

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Lesson Structure

Introduction (15 minutes)

1. Warm-up Discussion (5 min)

• Ask students:
  • Have you ever attended a cultural or religious festival?
  • How do different cultures celebrate giving and generosity?
• Introduce បុណ្យកឋិនខ្មែរ and show an image of the festival.

2. Mini Vocabulary Lesson (10 min)

• Write key vocabulary on the whiteboard:
  • បុណ្យកឋិន (Kathina Festival)
  • ព្រះសង្ឃ (Monks)
  • ចិញ្ចៀនធម៌ (Ceremonial gifts)
  • វត្ត (Temple)
  • ស្គរបំភ្លឺ (Ceremonial Drum)
• Students match English definitions to the Khmer words in pairs.

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Main Activity (45 minutes)

3. Group Reading & Comprehension (15 min)

• Provide a short passage in Khmer describing the Kathina Festival.
• Students take turns reading aloud, with teacher scaffolding pronunciation.
• Partner discussion:
  • What is the purpose of the festival?
  • Why is it important in Khmer culture?

4. Cultural Comparison Activity (15 min)

• Small groups compare the Khmer Kathina Festival to Australian religious or cultural traditions (e.g., Easter, Ramadan, Christmas, NAIDOC celebrations).
• Students create a Venn diagram on their table highlighting similarities and differences.
• Teacher leads discussion on traditions of giving in different cultures.

5. Interactive Role-Play (15 min)

• Students act out a Kathina Festival gift-giving ceremony in small groups.
• Each group assigns roles: monks, laypeople, family members, and temple staff.
• They use basic Khmer phrases to simulate offering robes and gifts:
  • "សូមអភ័យ" (Please accept)
  • "សូមអរគុណ" (Thank you)
• Teacher provides feedback on pronunciation and cultural accuracy.

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Conclusion (19 minutes)

6. Reflective Writing (10 min)

• Students write a mini reflection (100 words) in Khmer or English:
  • What did you learn about បុណ្យកឋិន?
  • How does it compare to other festivals you know?
  • How does this tradition reflect Khmer values?

7. Class Discussion & Exit Ticket (9 min)

• Students share one new word or idea they learned from the lesson.
• Each student submits an Exit Ticket:
  • One interesting fact about Kathina.
  • One question they still have.

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Assessment & Differentiation

Assessment Methods

• Participation in group discussions
• Accurate use of Khmer vocabulary in role-play
• Quality of reflections (clarity, understanding of culture)
• Proper pronunciation during reading activities

Differentiation Strategies

• Support:
  • Provide Khmer-English glossaries for learners less confident in Khmer.
  • Use simplified reading passages for students who need extra help.
• Challenge:
  • Advanced students write a dialogue about the festival.
  • Encourage deeper research on how Khmer communities celebrate Kathina in Australia.

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Extension Activity

Students create a mini digital presentation (slides or posters) about the Kathina Festival in Australia, interviewing Khmer-speaking family members or researching local Buddhist temples.

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Teacher Reflection (Post-Lesson Notes)

• Which activities engaged students the most?
• Did students effectively use new vocabulary?
• How well did students compare the festival with Australian traditions?

This lesson plan immerses students in Khmer language and culture while encouraging meaningful comparisons with Australian traditions. It ensures engagement through real-life context, visuals, interactive role-plays, and reflections—making it both culturally enriching and linguistically practical.