Using a Wiki in Class
Some suggestions for how to teach with the Norwegian wiki.
1. Dictionary: Students produce a group dictionary based on the texts they use in
class. This is ongoing during the year and this dictionary could be used by future
groups. After reading comprehension work based on the class text, students could
divide up new vocabulary items between them and for each item produce:
a. a definition in Norwegian,
b. examples of a word in different uses in Norwegian,
c. synonyms and translation.
2. Group texts:
a. Students read a fairy tale in Norwegian. After working on text comprehension, students divide the fairy tale into different scenes and divide
the scenes amongst themselves. Each student transfers his/her scene into a
‘play’. When all students have finished, they post their scenes into the wiki
and – as a class – rework the texts to produce a play version of the whole
story. Variations include working from play to prose or they could rewrite
the story from the princess’ point of view.
b. Students read the lyrics from Norwegian songs. They have to guess the
musical genre of each song. Students then get into different groups
according to their favourite genre and write the lyrics for a song together on
a theme established beforehand. Or they could rewrite a song from one
genre into another genre.
c. Students write film reviews for the same film. They post them on the wiki
and – in groups – rework all these reviews into a longer review containing
aspects of them all.
d. Film reviews variation. You could find some film reviews of different films,
from different publications which are written in very different registers.
Students should match the review to the publication based on the register.
Students should then choose a style they would like to emulate and rewrite
one of the other reviews in this style.
3. Group exercises:
a. Students write vocabulary exercises based on the texts they’ve worked with
in class as well as their shared dictionary (see above).
b. Students write grammar activities and pedagogical definitions to be used by
future classes.
4. Translation:
a. Give students different texts in Norwegian which they should translate into
English. Students post their translations into English onto the Wiki. Students
should choose a text, other than their own, to retranslate back into
Norwegian. Students then post the original texts so they can all check their
translations.