At the 2025 Illinois Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ICTFL) fall conference, I attended a session by Rachel D’Onofrio and Curt Gladstein from Evanston Township High School. Their session called “Low Prep Activities to Encourage Student Connection” gave super quick activities to build community with students. The activities could be done in the target language or in English when necessary. One of their activities was a puzzle piece where students fill out a puzzle piece with information about themselves. They could draw things that represent themselves such as what is important to them or what they like to do. Once their visual is complete, they present it to a small group.

One aspect I appreciated was a handout that allowed students to record what they learned about the presenter and identify what they have in common. Whether completed in writing or used to guide a discussion, this activity supports community-building by helping classmates learn about one another. It encourages students not only to recognize individual uniqueness but also to notice shared experiences and interests.

Another effective interpersonal skill was asking each student to pose a follow-up question about one element of their peer’s presentation. This practice prompts students to engage more deeply, ask substantive questions, and open the door to further discussion.

We adapted this a little bit and used it with our classes this week to practice “gustar”. Students drew their puzzle pieces about themselves and then presented. I had them first present to a small group and then to the class. As they presented to the class, students had to write down at least 1 thing the person likes (in Spanish) and then state whether they also like it or not. To access this lesson, check out this free google doc.

For another way to get students to present about themselves, try our Facebook Profile Project.