Let’s talk about tripoints
- suggestions for an Internet-based EFL lesson *

by Rolf Palmberg

*reprinted in IATEFL CALL Review (February 2004) pp 35-36.

[Map image courtesy of WorldAtlas.com]

Pre-computer work

Ask the students if they know what a tripoint is.

For the benefit of those students who are unfamiliar with the concept, you could

• use other current terms such as trinational border or three-state border or the Latin-based trifinium
• explain that a tripoint is the place where the borders of three neighbouring countries meet
• use the translational equivalent in the students’ mother tongue, e.g. Dreiländereck (German), drielandenpunt (Dutch), trijonction (French), or trifinio (Italian, Spanish).

Divide the students into groups of three or four and give each group a large-scale map of Europe. Ask the students to study the map in order to find answers to the following questions about international tripoints in Europe:

• How many international tripoints are there in Europe?
• Which is the westernmost tripoint?
• Which countries have no tripoints?
• Which country has the largest number of tripoints, and how many are the tripoints?
• Andorra has two international tripoints, both with France and Spain. How many other triplets of countries (like Andorra-France-Spain) can you find that have such double tripoints, and which are they?

Next, divide the students into new groups of three or four and ask them to compare each other’s answers.

Computer work

Tell the students to remain in their new groups and then ask each group to decide on their favourite dry tripoint (a tripoint that is on solid ground). Ask them to take into consideration criteria such as the tripoint area in general and the design of the actual tripoint monument. Remind them to give reasons for their choice of tripoint.

[Two very informative sites for this purpose are European tripoints and Jesper Nielsen’s Borderbase.]

Next, ask the students to decide on their favourite wet tripoint (a tripoint that is in a river or a lake) using criteria of their own choice. Again, remind them to give reasons for their choice of tripoint.

Next, ask them to plan a trip from their favourite dry tripoint to their favourite wet tripoint. The trip must also include three other tripoints of their choice, irrespectively of whether the additional tripoints make the planned route longer or not. The plans must include detailed information about their starting point, mode(s) of transportation, border crossings, points of interest en route, resting places, and of course, their destination. As before, ask them to make notes of their decisions.

[For a zoomable map, see e.g. Mapquest.]

Post-computer work

Repeat the English names for the European countries and their adjectives (you may have to remind the students that some countries have different words for the actual adjective, for a person from that country, and for the country’s language).

Next, ask the students to prepare and present orally in class their respective routes (using transparencies to clarify their presentations). Remind them to make realistic timetables (allowing time for travelling, tripoint sightseeing, eating and sleeping) and to make ample use of country names and adjectives relating to the countries in question. Allow time for questions after each presentation.

Finally, challenge the students to test their knowledge about European tripoints using The Tripoint Guru (a free, downloadable computer program).

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