Tuesday, 6 May 2025

Discussion Points


🔹 OPTION 1: Kiswahili Time Travel

Travel through time using Kiswahili! Imagine different eras and describe what you see, hear, and experience — then answer some reflection questions to go deeper.

🕰️ Scenario A: Coastal Kenya 200 Years Ago

Prompt: Umekwenda Pwani ya Kenya mwaka wa 1825. Unaona nini? Watu wanafanya nini? Unavaa nini?

Sample Answer:
Nipo katika kijiji cha Mombasa. Watu wanavaa mavazi ya kanzu na hijabu. Soko lina kelele – watu wanauza samaki, viungo, na vitenge. Harufu ya karafuu iko hewani. Mimi nimevaa kikoi na ninatembea karibu na bahari. Ninasikia watu wakiongea Kiarabu na Kiswahili. Nimekaribishwa kwenye nyumba ya mawe iliyo na milango ya mbao iliyo na nakshi.

Follow-Up Questions:

  • Ulipenda nini zaidi katika kijiji cha zamani?
  • Ni tofauti gani kubwa uligundua kati ya maisha ya zamani na ya sasa?
  • Kama ungeishi wakati huo, ungependa kufanya kazi gani?
  • Je, ungetaka kurudi wakati huo tena? Kwa nini au kwa nini la?

🚀 Scenario B: Nairobi in the Year 2050

Prompt: Sasa uko Nairobi mwaka wa 2050. Mji unaonekanaje? Unatumia lugha gani?

Sample Answer:
Nairobi imejaa majengo marefu sana, magari mengi ni ya umeme. Matatu zinaongea – zina sauti ya roboti. Watu wanatumia Kiswahili lakini pia kuna Kiswahili cha teknolojia, kama “sogeza roboti” au “fungua mfumo wa AI.” Niko na kifaa kidogo kinachotafsiri lugha papo hapo. Ninakutana na marafiki kwenye bustani ya juu ya jengo. Tunazungumza kuhusu mazingira na teknolojia.

Follow-Up Questions:

  • Ni teknolojia ipi ilikushangaza zaidi?
  • Watu walionekana kuwa na furaha au huzuni? Kwa nini?
  • Uliona mabadiliko gani katika mazingira ya jiji?
  • Je, Kiswahili bado kilikuwa lugha kuu? Kama sivyo, kilibadilika vipi?

🔹 OPTION 2: Kiswahili Role Play – Situations in Real Life

Practice Kiswahili in everyday situations by acting out these real-life moments — then reflect on your experience.

🍽️ Scenario A: Ordering Food at a Restaurant

Prompt: Unaenda mgahawani. Agiza chakula kwa Kiswahili.

Sample Answer:
Habari za jioni. Naomba wali wa nazi na samaki wa kuoka. Tafadhali niletee pia kachumbari na juisi ya maembe. Naomba usilete pilipili nyingi. Asante!

Follow-Up Questions:

  • Ulikuwa na njaa kiasi gani?
  • Kwa nini ulipenda chakula hicho?
  • Ungependa kujaribu chakula gani kingine kutoka kwenye menyu?
  • Ulikuwa na mazungumzo yoyote na mhudumu? Yalikuwa kuhusu nini?

📱 Scenario B: Reporting a Lost Phone at a Police Station

Prompt: Simu yako imepotea. Nenda kituo cha polisi.

Sample Answer:
Shikamoo afande. Nimepoteza simu yangu jana saa tatu usiku. Nilikuwa karibu na kituo cha basi cha Likoni. Simu ni ya Samsung, rangi nyeusi, na ina kava la bluu. Naomba msaada wenu kuipata.

Follow-Up Questions:

  • Simu hiyo ilikuwa na taarifa muhimu gani?
  • Ulijisikiaje ulipoona haipo?
  • Afande alikusaidia kwa njia gani?
  • Ni hatua gani ulichukua baada ya kuripoti tukio hilo?

🚌 Scenario C: Meeting a Friend at the Bus Stop

Prompt: Unakutana na rafiki yako kituoni, mnaelekea sokoni.

Sample Answer:
Hujambo rafiki! Pole kwa kuchelewa. Gari lilikwama kwenye foleni. Tuende sokoni sasa, nataka kununua matunda, vitunguu, na sabuni. Tukimaliza tunaweza kunywa chai pale kwa Mama Asha.

Follow-Up Questions:

  • Rafiki yako alisema nini ulipofika?
  • Soko lilikuwa na watu wengi au wachache?
  • Ulinunua nini sokoni? Ilikuwa bei nzuri?
  • Ulipomaliza sokoni, ulielekea wapi?

Treasure Hunt & Conversation Starters

Instructions: Find or name something that matches each category.

  1. A food

  2. An animal

  3. A greeting

  4. Something in the house

  5. Something you wear

  6. Something found outside

  7. A color

  8. A family member

  9. A place in town

  10. A number

  11. A feeling/emotion

  12. A type of transport



Conversation Starters

  1. When you think about Swahili, what’s something you like about it?

  2. If you could visit any Swahili-speaking country, where would you go — and what would you do there?

  3. What’s the funniest or most interesting Swahili word you’ve learned so far?

  4. If you met a Swahili speaker today, what’s the first thing you would want to say?

  5. Imagine you already speak Swahili fluently — what kind of new opportunities could open up for you?

  6. What’s one small thing we could do in lessons to make them more fun for you?

  7. If Swahili were a person, what kind of friend would it be — serious, fun, loud, peaceful?