Karty Konwersacyjne - Let's talk - GEE! HONESTLY?

Surprise is a highly effective tool in studing a foreign language because it activates various cognitive and emotional processes that support learning. When students are surprised, their brains respond more intensely, which increases focus and helps them retain new information more effectively. The element of surprise can also evoke positive emotions, such as joy or excitement, which boosts motivation to learn and enhances engagement in the learning process.

In speaking practice, surprising elements like unexpected questions, word games, or new topics require students to react quickly and think flexibly. This forces them to use the language in a more natural way, rather than just reciting memorized phrases. As a result, they become more confident in spontaneous conversations and develop the ability to improvise, which is key in real-life communication in a foreign language.

With this in mind, we introduce our triptych: Wow! Really?, Gee! Honestly?, and Oh! Seriously?, which includes 48 cards per set. On each card, you’ll find a surprising fact and follow-up questions to delve deeper into the topic.

Example questions:

1)           Only four English words end in ‘dous’: tremendous, horrendous, stupendous and hazardous. What could you describe with these adjectives?

2)           An ultracrepidarian is a person who gives an opinion on a topic they know nothing about. What are the benefits and drawbacks of having conversations on topics beyond your expertise?

3)           Before it was published, twelve different publishers rejected J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter” book and Steven Spielberg was rejected three times by a film school. How do you feel with failure? When was the last time you were determined to achieve your goal despite obstacles?

Author: Ewa Torebko