Language Portrait

Activity

Introductory activities, Ongoing engagement

Language Portrait

Francesca Helm

Reflect on language experiences with your students and share biographical information.

Tech needed: Breakout rooms, Paper / pens, Shared online space

Asynchronous

Accessibility: Visual, Camera on

Duration: 30+ mins

Student preparation: None

Educator preparation: Minimal

ACTIVITY PURPOSE

To help participants reflect on language experiences, sharing biographical information. This promotes inclusivity and empathy, while building transferable skills for collaboration and self-advocacy beyond the academic setting.

USEFUL FOR

Getting to know each other
Starting discussions about language, ways of speaking
Talking about life experiences and stories, attitudes to language(s)
It can also be good for students expressing communication challenges they are facing

PREPARATION

Tell participants that they will need a piece of paper and some colours
Silhouette image to share
Instructions

INSTRUCTIONS

Individually

Can you represent graphically your linguistic repertoire (that is languages and ways of speaking that you have experienced/are important in your life). You can either copy the silhouette or draw one yourself.
Choose colours that fit the different languages and modes of speaking that have a particular meaning for you.
Possible follow up questions: How do you experience different ways of speaking, writing, communicating with other people? How do you experience languages and language use that are to be found in your environment?

Pairs or small groups

Show each other your portraits and explain them to each other, ask each other follow up questions. Remember you do not have to share anything you don’t feel comfortable sharing with others

Regroup

Follow-up in the main room – participants can be invited to share their feelings about the activity, reflections about their language experiences with the larger group.

Follow-up

Students can be invited to share their images on a pinboard (e.g. Padlet) with short explanations and a key for the colours (if they want to – some may prefer not to). Students might want to modify their portraits if they want to after their conversations.

DURATION

5-10 minutes for drawing 10-20 minutes for sharing stories – depending on size of the group.

ADAPTATIONS AND EXAMPLES

Instead of drawing on paper, students can create their silhouette using digital tools like Google Slides, Jamboard, or Canva, especially in online or hybrid classrooms.
For students who prefer writing, offer the option to describe their linguistic repertoire in words or create a language timeline rather than a visual portrait.
For a quicker in-class icebreaker, ask students to choose and explain just one colour or language that feels most significant to them right now.
Use varied templates beyond a human silhouette (e.g. a tree, a map, a backpack) to give students creative choice in how they represent their language experiences.
Adapt the activity to highlight specific themes such as academic language, professional communication, or multilingual identity.
In courses with limited time or large cohorts, have students work in pairs or small groups to co-create a shared language map or collage representing their group’s linguistic landscape.
Allow students to opt out of sharing publicly and offer private sharing with the instructor, or asynchronous sharing via discussion boards or private journals.

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

Pen/cil and paper Breakout rooms if working with a large group.
Possibly a sharing space like Padlet for people to share theirs if they wish and comment on each other’s (also possible on a discussion board)

USEFUL RESOURCES

This activity is inspired by the work of Brigitta Busch (PDF, opens in a new tab).
View an empty silhouette and Fran’s portrait used in the video (Google Doc, opens in a new tab).