Building Belonging Together

Curriculum Area:

Learning Area: Learning Languages
Curriculum Level: Level 1 (Years 7–8)
Language Learning Context: ESOL – English for Speakers of Other Languages
Unit Title: Engaging ESOL Explorations
Lesson Title: Introduction to ESOL: Building a Community
Lesson: 1 of 10

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Lesson Duration

Total Duration: 50 minutes
Class Size: 15 students
Student Profile:
Mixed-language background ākonga (students), possibly new arrivals and English language learners at various stages of acquisition.

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Big Ideas and Key Competencies

Big Ideas from the NZ Curriculum and NCEA Guidance:

• Language is a tool for connection and identity.
• Sharing language experiences builds understanding across cultures.
• Learning happens in communities where everyone feels safe, heard, and valued.

Key Competencies Integrated:

• Relating to others – through collaborative activities and communication.
• Participating and contributing – by sharing personal language experiences.
• Managing self – through self-expression and listening to others.
• Thinking – reflecting on language learning experiences.

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Learning Intentions

Students will:

• Get to know each other through structured interaction.
• Share their personal experiences with language and communication.
• Begin to establish a supportive and inclusive class culture.

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Success Criteria

Students can:

• Confidently introduce themselves and one aspect of their language background.
• Listen actively and show interest in the backgrounds of others.
• Contribute ideas about what makes a safe, fun, and respectful learning space.

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Resources

• Name cards
• World map (large poster or digital projection)
• Language ‘passport’ printable handout
• Sticky notes & markers
• Timer
• A large poster titled “Our Class Treaty”

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Lesson Breakdown

🍏 1. Karakia + Welcome Circle (5 minutes)

Purpose: Establish inclusive tikanga and begin relationship-building.

• Begin with a short karakia (choose one familiar to ākonga or appropriate for new learners).
• Teacher introduces self, shares one fun fact about their own language learning.
• Invite students to sit in a circle, passing a soft ball — each student shares their name and one word they know in any language (can be a greeting like “Kia ora”, “Hola”, “Ni hao”).

E.g. “My name is Lila. I speak Punjabi at home. One word I love is ‘Sat Sri Akaal’.”

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🌍 2. Where Are We From? Language Map Activity (10 minutes)

Purpose: Visualise collective cultural and linguistic diversity in the room.

• Display a world map and distribute small sticky dots or flags.
• Students ‘pin’ where they or their whānau come from.
• Encourage brief sharing: “My family is from Samoa. I speak Samoan with my grandparents.”
• Teacher models with their own example.
• Discuss: “What do we notice?” “Are we surprised by anything?”

🐾 Extension: Record students’ home languages on chart paper: “Languages in Room 5”.

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✋ 3. Human Bingo – Language Edition (15 minutes)

Purpose: Icebreaker to encourage interaction over shared experiences.

• Distribute “Language Bingo” sheets (e.g., “Find someone who...” boxes: has visited a country where English isn’t spoken, uses two languages at home, has a friend who translates for them, can write in another script).
• Students move around asking questions to tick off boxes.
• Emphasise respectful inquiry and active listening.

🤝 Teacher circulates to support quieter students.

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🗣 4. My Language Passport (10 minutes)

Purpose: Personal reflection, ownership of language identity

• Hand out “My Language Passport” templates:
  • Name
  • Languages I understand/speak
  • A language I want to learn
  • A fun/funny/special word I know
  • One thing I find easy/hard about learning English

✏️ Students fill this out individually and may decorate it.
🔗 Teacher gathers and stores in student work folders — to revisit throughout the unit.

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📜 5. Class Treaty – Co-constructing Our Space (8 minutes)

Purpose: Establish shared norms and expectations for respectful learning.

• Prompt: “What do we need so everyone feels safe, happy, and proud to speak and grow in English here?”
• Students give ideas verbally or on sticky notes:
  🗣 “Speak kindly to each other”
  👂 “Listen when someone shares”
  ☕ “Take breaks when we need to”

📌 Teacher records on “Our Class Treaty” poster. Let students sign or thumbprint it next lesson.

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🔄 6. Wrap-Up & Reflection (2 minutes)

• Quick think-pair-share:
  “What’s one new thing you learned about someone today?”
• Emphasise: This is our learning journey together. We will use our languages as bridges, not barriers.

🎉 Let students leave with a positive affirmation from teacher: “Ka pai for sharing today!”

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Differentiation and Inclusion

• Translation support: Allow bilingual dictionaries or peer support for clearer understanding.
• Visuals and scaffolds: Use visuals (flags, emojis, sentence starters) to support comprehension.
• Cultural visibility: Use home languages throughout the classroom visibly and aurally.
• Encouragement: Celebrate quiet successes as much as verbal contributions.

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Assessment for Learning

Formative observations (teacher-led):

• How confidently are students speaking or interacting with peers?
• Which students may need extra support to engage or feel safe?

Use this lesson as a baseline to track confidence and expressive growth across the 10-lesson unit.

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Teacher Reflection Prompts (Post-Session)

• Which students emerged as confident communicators?
• Were there moments of joy, discomfort, or valuable silence?
• How can I better honour each student's linguistic identity in future lessons?

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Next Steps (Preview to Lesson #2)

Lesson 2 Focus:
Building Vocabulary Tools – Exploring Emotions and Expressions in Everyday English

This lays the foundation for oral communication while continuing to build relationships and cultural respect.

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Ka rawe! Let this be the start of a class culture where language is not only a skill we learn, but a taonga (treasure) we share.