Dump the parents!

 

This webquest is aimed at students aged from 15 to 16. It will teach students how to look for specific information, in this case travel arrangements, and how they can use this information in real life situations. This is combined with English language exercises and the pupils also need to find out about some famous sights which they could visit on their trip. The passive was chosen as this is a common form that needs to be learnt in the 3rd and 4th year in Dutch secondary schools.

Multiple intelligences play an important role in this webquest. One of its main aims is to promote and enhance working together and development of intrapersonal skills. Although the students have some individual tasks to do, the trip can only be a success if their separate arrangements fit in and all three stick to the budget. In that sense the students have a big responsibility towards each other - the total is more than the sum of all parts. It might therefore be useful for the teacher to stress the importance of consulting each other throughout the process.

The reason for adding the budgeting and planning element to the task was to stimulate their logical-mathematical intelligence. it is hoped that by including the organisation of the trip, a budget and a brief schedule it would stimulate pupils good at these skills in paying extra attention to the language used in websites where prices, times, etc are quoted.

The creative side of students could be triggered by the attractions they have to choose and the folder they have to make. Also the travel arrangements and accomodation can give the students an opportunity to show their inventive side and problem solving when it comes to sticking to a budget.

Although the main language tasks are based upon the use of the passive, the is also a keen focus upon vocabulary as well as the past tense as they have to describe historical and interesting aspects of the attractions the pupils are going to visit.

The webquest was designed to take up three 50-minute lessons. It is important that the pupils are given time to browse the internet to ensure good exposure to the language and cultural elements ingrained within the sites. It is therefore also advisable that teachers check which websites are being read and that they only read English language websites.

As for real life situations the students will have an idea how to book and plan a (short) trip and get to know a bit more about a city, in this case London.The outlines of this webquest can easily be used to have students arrange a trip to a different destination (whether city or region).