As a way to introduce a new topic, such as the process of second language acquisition, have students complete a short questionnaire on the topic, asking questions such as “How long does it take to learn a second language?”
After they’ve completed their questionnaires, they can compare their answers with their peers before the teacher supplies the correct answers. In this way, by learning some basic facts and theories on the topic as well as probing some common misconceptions, students get prepared to read about and discuss the topic in depth.