Reading a dense informational text can be BORING, because it doesn't often feel relevant. However, there are many ways that you can take even an informational text and personalize it, without having a full-on class discussion. I’ve got three to share with you today!
The best part? All of these activities re-engage students with the language and the text, leading them to form new language connections and strengthen synapses to store the information!
#1 Color a glyph
First, list facts from a text, and assign a different color to each fact.
Next, prepare a color-by-number coloring page by choosing a coloring picture and numbering the spaces within it. Match the total number to the total number of facts. (Ex: If you have 10 facts, use the numbers 1-10. You can use the same number for multiple spaces.)
In class, have students rank how interesting the facts are to them and color the glyph accordingly. #1 most interesting fact = color the #1 spaces with the color that matches that fact. You can see an example of this activity in Vamos Unit 3, in which students rank their interest in familiar facts about Perú and color a picture of Vinicunca!
This ranking activity would also work well with biographies!
Here are some popular ones in our store, and most are also available in French!:
#2 Mind reading
This activity is adapted from Gianfranco Conti at The Language Gym, shared on Twitter (er, X). List facts, events, or sentences from a text. Have students secretly rank the Top 3 that are most interesting to them.
Put students in pairs or groups and have them take turns guessing the #1, then #2, then #3 most interesting fact to each of their group-mates.
Read more about Mind Reading on our blog, and find it in Somos 1 Unit 24! In the Unit 24 activity, students read about many different tourist activities in Costa Rica and then try to guess the activities that their classmates would most like to do.
#3 Disappearing Voices
Have students highlight any part of a text that stands out to them for any reason (word, phrase, or sentence).
Then, read aloud the text. As you read, students should join in reading with you when you read aloud anything they highlighted.
You can hear the pieces of the text that resonated with many students in the class!
Whichever you choose, each of these activities helps students form personal connections to content in low-stakes, high-impact ways. These ideas don’t just increase engagement; they deepen comprehension and support long-term language acquisition. So go ahead, pick one and personalize your next lesson!
