Procedure:
- Introduction, for example, in such a way that the instructor begins the lesson by informing the students in the broadest possible dialect that today’s language hour is devoted to a special topic. What could it be?
- Discussion: assumptions on the part of the students, experiences with the dialect(s) in their first language. Who uses dialect where and how, which typical words do you know in dialect (compile a selection of words on the board), what kinds of dialectal differences are there between different regions (show on the map!); address comprehension issues between the different dialects, etc.
- Assignment for the next week: record dialects (e. g. grandparents, etc., possibly by phone or skype). Perhaps audio samples can be obtained from the internet (Example for Italian: http://www.yougulp.it/dialetto/): bring to class and localize the region on a map.
- In view of the standard language: how does it differ from the dialects, where is it used (for written purposes, media, news, etc.) Possibly write and compare a short text in the standard language and in dialect. What is difficult in terms of the standard language?
- What is the prestige of dialect in our language; where are dialects heard, who uses them, who does not?
- Dialects and standard language in the immigration country: what do the students know about them, which variant is used and when; what is the prestige of dialect here?
- Discussion: my emotional connection to dialect and standard variants in the first language and second language; my assessment of the practical use of dialect and standard language.