An A-Z of Signs in English

Students collect photographs of English signs in their community and classify them to explore the global presence of English.

Procedure

1. Divide the class into groups. Tell each group to go into their community after class and photograph (or note down) examples of signs in English — road signs, advertisements, public notices, hoardings, etc.
2. Each group should try to collect signs covering as many letters of the alphabet (A-Z) as possible. They can be flexible about which word in the sign represents a letter.
3. In a following lesson, groups share their signs and see how many letters they covered. Then they re-classify signs by content (e.g., food, drink, clothes, public notices) and produce a poster arranging signs by category.
4. Groups share posters and discuss findings — e.g., were most signs in English for food?
5. More advanced learners discuss further questions:
   • What kinds of product are advertised in English?
   • Do any signs use a mixture of languages?
   • What reasons can you think of for using English on signs in a non-English-speaking country?
   • Is the use of English on signs something to welcome or worry about?

Tips

• This activity spans two lessons — set the collection task as homework after lesson one.
• Students can use their phones to photograph signs, making setup very easy.
• For learners in English-speaking environments, adapt to look for signs in other languages (Arabic, Chinese, Spanish, etc.) — restaurants and department stores are fruitful areas.
• Works well as an intercultural exchange project if students have online partners in other countries.