Teaching Regional Culture to Newcomers: the Power of Sports



One of the most fun topics we've studied this year in Language Support-History is American Football. Teaching and playing flag football has been part of my LS 21st Century Michigan Thanksgiving unit every year since I've taught this class, but it's especially exciting this year because of the success of the Detroit Lions!

There's no denying Michigan is sports-focused. We have one of the most dedicated fan bases around--whether it's football, basketball, hockey, or baseball. It's important for students new to America to feel part of the pulse of their new region, and in this case that definitely includes sports. 

We spent time learning about some of the scoring involved in football, some of the positions, and understanding downs. We practiced vocabulary, watched a few clips, and set off to play!


My students really enjoyed playing and we've talked a little bit about the historic nature of this year's season. Not every student watches football at home, and that's ok! My goal was to give them enough information to watch if they wanted to. I've realized many people don't watch football because they don't understand the game--educating my students in the basics allows them to join in if they want. 

Sports have the power to unite us in a very powerful way. 


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