Year 10 students recently took part in a dynamic interdisciplinary lesson led by English teacher Biljana Komadinić and Spanish teacher Uroš Veselinović. By combining the two subjects, the lesson created an engaging learning experience that connected language acquisition with storytelling and real-life themes.
Learning Languages Through Real-Life Context
The lesson was centred around the Spanish TV series Compañeros, offering students the opportunity to explore language in an authentic and relatable context. The selected episode, “¿Saltarías por mí?” (“Would you jump for me?”), addressed important topics such as loyalty, trust, and relationships within friendships and family.
Through this approach, students were encouraged to go beyond textbook learning and engage with language as it is used in everyday situations.
Collaboration and Active Participation
Students worked in small groups, each guided by a designated Captain, fostering teamwork and collaboration. Together, they analysed the episode and worked on understanding and summarising its key elements using both verbal and non-verbal cues.
This group-based structure encouraged active participation, allowing students to share ideas, support one another, and develop communication skills in a collaborative environment.
Bridging Languages Through Structured Support
As students’ Spanish proficiency corresponds to A1 level, the follow-up discussion was conducted in English to ensure deeper understanding. The English teacher supported the activity with a structured presentation, helping students clearly articulate their thoughts and reflect on the themes explored in the episode.
Students demonstrated strong comprehension and confidently contributed to the discussion, showing their ability to connect ideas across languages.
Connecting Learning with Real Life
This interdisciplinary lesson successfully linked language learning with meaningful, real-life topics, making the experience both relevant and engaging. By combining Spanish and English, students developed not only linguistic skills, but also critical thinking, empathy, and the ability to interpret complex social themes.
