Check out my post on CI Peek

Click here.

Using the language for enjoyment, enrichment and advancement

One of my favorite of the ACTFL World-Readiness Standards is in the Lifelong Learning standard in the Communities strand, it reads:
Learners set goals and reflect on their progress in using languages for enjoyment, enrichment, and advancement.

I love this standard because it is so important for students to see the language as meaningful and pleasurable outside of the classroom. If they enjoy the language, then true learning can really begin! Creating activities for and assessing this standard can be a challenge! 

But, I have a pretty good way to do it! In my current classes this semester, Spanish 3 Honors and Cultura y Civilización, students have to do a Tarea Semanal assignment each week. I have been doing this for more than 4 years now, but I have just recently changed it a bit to make it more stream lined (I used to have a really long list). This is what students have to do now:

For your Tarea Semanal (Weekly Homework), you can either watch a television show or movie in Spanish for 30 minutes or you can read in Spanish for 30 minutes. After you watch, you need to write the following (in Spanish) and give it to me on Friday at the beginning of class:

1. the name of the show that you watched or the article, book, etc. that you read
2. a description of what you watched or read about
3. at least 5 new vocabulary words and/or expressions that you learned
4. something interesting about what you watched or read - this could be something cultural or something linguistic
5. something you had difficulty with
6. if you would recommend this show and/or read and why

I list some options here for students. My students are doing an exceptional job on their weekly write ups. Several students are watching Gran Hotel and loving it. A couple others are watching El Internado (they have gone ahead of the class). Two students are reading TPRS novels (La Llorona de Mazatlán and Vida y Muerte en la Marasalvatrucha).  A few have been listening to and watch YouTube playlists.

It is so fun to read their descriptions and questions, and to see the amazing variety of words that they take note of. Many of them (of course, not all) are truly "enjoying" Spanish outside of the classroom. It is also fun to write comments and questions back to them. 

This week, some students asked if they could do some Sr. Wooly nuggets for their Tarea Semanal, so that is a new option that I am going to add for students to do. They definitely enjoy those nuggets!

PD with Tea with BVP

My new favorite weekly Professional Development is the podcast Tea With BVP. I have had 13 hours of free, engaging and informative PD with Bill, Angelika and Walter, mostly while I have been running. (I have a hard time sitting and listening to a podcast!)

This week's episode "There's no such thing anymore as "methods"" not only informed me, but also provided a lot of validation about what I am doing in the classroom. Something I don't always get from those around me (excluding in my digital space :) ).

Some of the things that BVP mentioned this week:

• Engagement - By using lots of authentic resources (such as music, music videos, commercials, infographics, and movies) and other visual resources, I feel I am engaging my students.
• Personalization - La Estrella del Día has been the best way to personalize my classroom and I am loving doing that 2-4 times a week!
• Using a movie as the "textbook" - BVP mentioned that he is doing that for one of his classes. This made me think of what I am doing with the movie Canela and with El Internado. These are much more engaging than a textbook and filled with lots more culture. I am hoping to do something with another movie as well.
• Teachers need to be proficient in order to provide lots of CI - This made me think of Carrie Toth's latest blog post: Improving Teacher Language Proficiency. I, like her, started teaching when I was in the intermediate range (as are many language teachers). Reading, listening, traveling, and speaking are the best way to improve proficiency! In Carrie's blog post, she shares a wonderful opportunity for Spanish Teachers. I wish I could go, but I will be headed to Costa Rica around the same time.
• Teachers need to learn about SLA  - I have already learned a ton from this show and that is why I am posting about it. So if you haven't started listening, I highly recommend it! Click here to go to their site.