…what it feels like to be a novice? Remember how it feels to be surrounded by a new language?
“Latin Grammy Show” (November), “Premio lo nuestro” on Univision (February) or any other TL award show can be the focus of the never-ending music unit.
Art is a pretty common topic in any upper-level language class. I spent a lot time researching and trying to learn art history and artists like Dali, Kahlo, and Picasso before teaching this unit. I thought that was what they “needed” to know for college, AP, or to support their Humanities course. The more I
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That first level 1 unit traditionally includes greetings, names, ages, numbers 0-100, months, dates, alphabet, weather, and “¿Puedo ir al baño?” It took so long to teach all of that! I still want to cover those, but not all at once. Here’s my unit that I used to teach some of those basics in a cultural context.
We had a great time presenting with Erika Shupe and Kris Morehead on a session called “Teaching outside of the box.” We all shared a story and it got me thinking about real audiences and how motivating they can be!
Thanks to ACTFL for teaching us about the all important 5 C’s. Communication, Culture, Community, Comparison, and Connection. (I feel like there should be six, because who teaches without coffee?!? I’ll see what I can do!) We have been focusing on these a lot during workshops lately. Although we as teachers know they are the foundation
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Today I want to share my “flags” to help you simplify life in the classroom. This is a ready-to-use system for assigning research topics and partners. Check out ways to use this huge time-saver!
It’s almost August and suddenly teachers are feeling the heat (not just these 100 degree temperatures)! It’s really easy to get caught up in bulletin boards, Pinterest boards, supplies, ideas… and it can be overwhelming. There is so much you COULD do. Not, there is so much you NEED to do. Today, let’s simplify classroom decor.
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If you’re planning to take time to update (or overhaul) your curriculum, prep for teaching a new level for the first time, or add new units, the next few posts are for you!
Recently I was in China and I was reminded what it was like to be a novice language learner. I tried doing some apps and lists to help me get a small set of words before I left. I was frustrated because these apps have predetermined what I needed to know. Do I really need
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