4 Holiday Activities for the Language Classroom

The weeks leading up to winter break are full of excitement and anticipation. Harness some of that energy and get creative with these four holiday activities for the language classroom.

1. Count down with an advent calendar

The origins of the advent calendar can be traced back to Germany in the beginning of the 1800s. Today, they’re used around the world to mark the beginning of the holiday season while counting down to Christmas Day.  Create your own class advent calendar to count down to winter break together, but instead of chocolate or trinkets, mark the day by learning a new vocabulary word related to winter or the holidays.

2. Compare and contrast cultural traditions

One of the best parts of being in the language classroom is learning about how other people commemorate important occasions. Choose one holiday celebration that’s already familiar to students and have them compare and contrast it with a tradition from the target culture. Display students’ learnings in the hallway or on the bulletin board to share with the entire school.

3. Ring in the New Year

After winter break, welcome students back to the classroom by celebrating the New Year in a new way. There are many different traditions, even within the same culture, that students can explore. Have students spend a day researching New Year’s traditions and then share their findings with the class. If possible, vote on a tradition and celebrate it as a class in the best way you can.

4. Spruce up the classroom with decorations

A few weeks before holiday break, get in the spirit of the season with some decorating. Students can make their own adornments based off images of culturally authentic décor that you provide for them. If other classes would like to participate, each one could choose a country and decorate their part of the hallway so that the whole school feels festive.

By Kelli Drummer-Avendano

Also read: 6 Most-Studied Languages in the World