If you listen to a Soundscape, …

I wanted to share a quick update on Soundscapes.

I’m hoping this makes your teaching life a bit easier.

If you haven’t gotten the chance to read the original post about Soundscapes, you need to read it HERE, before continuing. It will explain the setup and give you links to implement a “soundscape.”

Side note before continuing: I struggle with trying to implement the conditional tense in a meaningful, purposeful, communicative way in the classroom. So in my seemingly eternal struggle, …

I recently started using the conditional tense with a soundscape. I took some of my base questions and I started asking them in the conditional tense – both in present and past tense.

For example:

1. Wo könntest du sein? – Where could you be?

2. Was würdest du sehen? – What would you see? / Wenn du da wär(e)st, was würdest du sehen? – If you were there, what would you see?

• Was hättest du gesehen? – What would you have seen?
• Wenn du da gewesen wär(e)st, was hättest du gesehen? – If you had been there, what would you have seen?

3. Würde es Leute oder Tiere da geben? (Gäbe es Leute oder Tiere da?) – Would there be people or animals there? Are there animals there?

• Hätte es Leute oder Tiere da gegeben? – Would there have been people or animals there?

4. Was wäre da? – What would be there?

• Was wäre da gewesen? – What would have been there?

5. Wie wäre das Wetter? – How would the weather be? / Wenn du da wär(e)st, wie wäre das Wetter?

• Wie wäre das Wetter gewesen? – How would the weather have been?
• Wenn du da gewesen wär(e)st, wie wäre das Wetter gewesen? – If you had been there, how would the weather have been?

6. Wärest du da, wie wäre deine Laune? – Were you there / If you were there, how would your mood be?

• Wärest du da gewesen, wie wäre deine Laune gewesen? – Had you been there, how would your mood have been?

7. Wie würdest du dich dabei fühlen? – How would you feel?

• Wie hättest du dich dabei gefühlt? – How would you have felt?

8. Würdest du so einen Ort besuchen? – Would you visit a place like this?

• Hättest du so einen Ort besucht? – Would you have visited a place like this?

….

Note: Then, as we begin the “question thread”, I try to ask the questions in the conditional tense (and try and add the subjunctive mood) – and again, both present and past tense.

Lastly, I have enjoyed success with this, but I am not sure if this hits the mark concerning purposeful communication. However, I think I am moving in the right direction. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!