When I first started TPRSing, I posted my original materials on a ‘for teachers’ page on my class blog because I thought that was what teachers doing TPRS were supposed to do. I closed down that blog when I started this one, and every once in awhile I dig up its old bones to see if there is anything there that I want to resurrect. The resources that I shared there were not polished, not pretty, and not as complete as the ones that I share now. But even those un-pretty and incomplete resources found their way into the hands of other teachers, helping them to sustain CI instruction throughout a full school year and giving them ideas for their own classes. Even in the old blog days, I made connections with teachers that have since become my virtual colleagues and real-life friends.
I’m sharing this story with you today because Blair Richards recently blogged about how the CI world is unfair to (non-Spanish) teachers. Determined to be positive, she reframed her frustration and encouraged teachers to ‘just do it’–if you’ve made something for your classes, put it out there for others! I want to echo Blair’s exhortation. What I have found is that sharing your content serves as a magnet. Whether you share the link to a Google Doc with a typed out class story, a reading to accompany a MovieTalk, or a general outline of your lesson plans for a week in your class, someone is going to benefit from it. And if you remember to put your name and contact information on it, that someone will probably share with you what they did with what you shared–perhaps even how they expanded it! You will get connected to teachers that share your teaching style. Together, the possibilities are limitless! An example (in Spanish, sorry) is the recent unit that Arianne Dowd, Kara Jacobs, and Carrie Toth recently collaborated on. Even the most simple of materials or lessons have the potential to support and connect teachers of your target language. So DO IT!
As for me, well, Blair’s post pushed my French adaptations to the top of my to-do list. Unit 6 of my SOMOS 1 curriculum is free, and Unit 6 of the Nous sommes was the next unit up for adaptation. Perfecto! I mean, Parfait ! Julia Ullman and MaryAnn Kowalski had already translated it, and it was just waiting for me to format and flush out. So by golly, I did it! With the additional help of editors Cécile Lainé and Alice Ayel, I give to you…Nous sommes Unit 6: Assieds-toi ! And while its Spanish counterpart contains just 4 days of materials, this one has lesson plans for SIX DAYS because I found a super fun version of « Tête épaules genoux orteils » that I could spin a second story out of!
French teachers, I hope that you love it! There are likely still some typos and errors since I published it before getting back final edits from my awesome French teacher team. I had so much fun working on it and it reminded me that output is a huge motivator for (at least some) students. I wrote the entire story, “La personne la plus bizarre du monde” and I translated the story about Michael on my own AND I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT! I felt so excited as I was writing and realized all of the things that I am able to say because of my French study–which recently includes watching a lot of Alice Ayel’s stories on Youtube! (SUBSCRIBE! SUBSCRIBE!).
What have YOU been doing in class lately? Feel free to link content in the comments!
What a good point! What a good way to collaborate. I’ll share a story I wrote up from a story we did in class about a cat dancing. My focus was “debe” “le gusta” “prefiere” and a couple other verbs that use infinitives. I’m not sure if it is completely correct to say “El Tango” and “La Salsa”, so that’s what would hold me back from sharing, but then I can get corrections. I took an idea from you, Martina, in which you included questions for the students to answer during the story.
I opened a TPT store a couple years ago but only have a few things on it. This makes me want to add more and maybe eventually they will be polished enough. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Prefiere-Bailar-StoryReading-3388473
Thanks so much for the amazing resource! I am new to CI but will definitely try to share my French stories asap.
“Combien de yeux as-tu?” should be “Combien d’yeux as-tu?”
“Combien de oreilles as-tu?” should be “Combien d’oreilles as-tu?”
“Combien de oreilles avont-nous ?” should be “Combien d’oreilles avons-nous ?”
“A quelle heur de le matin lèves-toi?” should be “A quelle heure te lèves-tu le matin?”
Merci Aimee!!! Adding it to the list of edits to make this weekend 🙂
may I edit it the few petites mistakes ? Merci 🙂
If you are willing, could you email the edits to me? comprehensibleclassroom@gmail.com and I will update the unit for everyone! Thank you!
I would be inclined to avoid subject-verb inversion, which sounds formal and more typical of writing than speaking.
“Tu as combien d’yeux ?”
“Tu as/nous avons combien d’oreilles ?”
“Tu te lèves à quelle heure le matin ?” / “À quelle heure tu te lèves le matin ?”
Thanks for the feedback! I appreciate it!
Hi Martina!
It’s me again!!! I created some questions in English and a word bank of answers that go with it for your reading “Le garcon tailleur”. I also created a little listening quiz to go with it. You may add it to your materials if you would like! Feel free to change if need be!
Nettie
Annette Sechrist Ringer Horseheads Middle School French Teacher
________________________________
Email it to me!
Thank you for sharing, Martina! I saw that post by Blair Richards as well, and it really resonated with me. There seem to be fewer CI products available for French teachers, and it can be challenging to feel like you have to reinvent the wheel! That’s why your French resources have been so valuable to me over the past few years. It’s also what has led me to start my blog French From the Heart (at http://www.ninadavern.com), and start to create more products for French teachers. My goal is to keep working on polishing and developing these, so they will be helpful for other teachers. Thanks for the inspiration!
Martina,
Thank you for this! I’m so grateful for all of your materials in French, and even more for the inspiration that you provide by putting out your work and yourself out into the world. I look forward to meeting you some day.
How would you suggest a teacher who doesn’t blog to share his or her work? I have a few things that I would be happy to share, though I must admit most of what I do starts from someone else’s work!
Merci infiniment!
Kristy
Put it on google drive and then share the link in the iFLT/NTPRS/CI teaching Facebook group or tweet it out! Or send it to me and I will share it on my Facebook page!
Hi Martina! Thank you so much for creating all of these French materials! I am excited to try them! I am having a tough time opening the Zip file that I downloaded from TPT. Do you know why it wouldn’t open? I am wondering if other people have had the same problem.
Merci!
Try moving it to your desktop and opening it from there 🙂
OK, I tried that, but it didn’t work. I have never had trouble opening something from you before and I am pretty tech savvy…I can’t figure it out!
Nevermind! I figured it out! So sorry to bother you! 🙂
Hi Lauren and Martina- I am also in the same boat as you were Lauren. I have never had trouble downloading from TPT, but I can ‘t seem to open this zip…..Lauren could you tell me what you did to trouble shoot? Thanks- Nicole
Oops, ok, moving it to the desktop out of the download folder worked! Thanks Martina. I’ve never had to do that before but voila! whatever it takes! Thanks ladies!
I couldn’t open from the desktop and have never had a problem. Any suggestions?
Email me!
Hello Martina,
I am writing you from Nigeria! Our school has already purchased Somos 1 and now we are considering purchasing its French version; i have troubles locating the French curriculum, would you mind guiding me?
Thank you,
Tatiana
Here is everything that has been completed: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/NOUS-SOMMES-French-1-BUNDLE-Units-1-7-3941267