What makes a language learner an intermediate on the proficiency scale? Hmm, well, they create original sentences, string them together, use connector words, and it’s easy to understand.
Today as I was grading my students’ final writing assessments, I was thinking about comprehensibility. What made this student’s writing so easy to understand, and the other was not? They both used appropriate vocabulary and covered the topics. Then I realized that it was the little words (to, at, the, my, of, but, that, etc)! So little, but so important!
Throughout the year we have used the “Palabritas” (little words). About 2 years ago Megan showed me a list of 100 words that make up 50% of a conversation. This list is from a book called ‘Using your Memory’ by Tony Buzan. (You can Google it!) Then I broke that list into three sets (Novice, Novice High, Intermediate) on brightly colored paper. During the year, the students used the lists to add to their writings. We have played a few games with them of course! They have looked for the words in magazine ads being used in context. I have used them in the “Phrase of the Week.” For absent students, I have asked them to write Spanish sentences with 10 of the words. I have given them quizzes to check if they are learning them on their own or from class activities. They monitor their own progress. I offer a free Subway lunch to anyone who can memorize all 100 by the end of the trimester (Thanks for that idea Megan!). I know that memorizing is not the best way to acquire a language, but I have found that these words tremendously help the students progress if they know them well. I want to create an activity that uses these words as an “any time” sub plan (Pick 10 words you don’t know/Create a picture dictionary/Include a picture and sentence). I even used the list in Germany when I went this past summer and I successfully got around! Es das gut??
Here’s a free download of the Palabritas (little words) in Spanish divided into 3 groups (roughly Novice Low/Mid, Novice High, and Intermediate Low/Mid).
This formatting/fonts may be slightly off since I used Pages to create it.
What techniques do you have to help them learn these “little words?” How do you help your students become intermediate speakers/writers?
Can you post a copy of the list as you have compiled it on the blog?
I would like a copy of the list as well, of you don’t mind sharing it. 😉
Here’s the link to where I got it. It’s number 3 on the page. http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTIM_10.htm
I didn’t want to post it because of copyright.
Kara, even though it seems inappropriate to memorize the “little words” I can assure you that it is what separates the fluent readers from the struggling ones in a primary classroom. I taught elementary for 8 years and I can assure you that the list of 300 sight words they need to know by the time they are at the end of 2nd grade is what counts. They are broken out into groups of 100 words for each of the K-2 years. Those that learn them, at the right time, are fluent speakers and readers. Those that don’t are the ones that continue to struggle. Now that I teach high school, I can easily look identify the ones that didn’t master those critical 300 words.
This IS really important for our kids. I don’t give any vocab quizzes EXCEPT this one. I let kids learn the ones they want, as long as they learn 10 per week. We made a “wall of fame” last year and anyone who finishes (memorizes the 100 words) get to take their pic anywhere in the school and I hang it on the wall. They felt good about finally learning the words and their writing took a major leap!
If you let the kids choose their own ten words, how do you manage that? How do know which words they chose the previous week? Sounds like a lot of work….
I only keep track of how many they get right and see that they progress each week. I don’t know which words they specifically know.
Thanks for your insight Mary – so interesting to hear that! Language learning is interesting!
This is a link to my Spanish version from last year: http://db.tt/QGVA65jg
Thanks a million!
I just ran across this but it says the dropbox link is expired. Did you have the list available anywhere else?
I’ll work on putting it on the wikispaces page. If you need it now, visit the link in the post and copy/paste.
Did you ever get a chance to post this list?
Thanks for the reminder. I’ll put it up after dinner! Promise!
It’s up!
http://creativelanguageclass.wikispaces.com/home
Thank you, that’s great. Just have to translate into français (I’m in Montréal!)
good
I love this list! is there any way you could share your breakdown of the list into proficiency levels? Thank you again for everything!
Welcome! When I redo the list, I will share. #summerproject
I’d like to see that breakdown, too!
Thanks for this great idea. I teach Spanish and French, and did translate your list to French, I need to re-read and edit before sharing, but I would be happy to if it would help anyone.
Hi! Have you ever restructured the list? If so, where could I find a copy of it? I’m loving this website!
One summer project completed! The “Palabritas” list is now on our site. The link is at the end of this post.
Thanks Judy! I haven’t retyped it yet, but I color-coded it on the post that is coming out tomorrow morning called “Word Walls for World Language.” That was on my summer project list, so I’m going to try to do that tonight. Where did summer go??
Thank you for sharing!