Become a more confident language teacher.
Communication is the interpretation, expression, and/or negotiation of meaning in a given context (Bill VanPatten). Especially in the early days of a new language class, interpretation is king. Yet, developing novel tasks and activities that students can complete without trying to produce or pronounce language that they haven’t yet acquired is a challenge! As we…
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One’s gotta go is a popular discussion prompt that is perfect for communicative language classes. The basic premise is that students are looking at 3-4 images of different things and picking the one that they would eliminate from existence if one had to go away forever. How to play One’s gotta go This discussion activity…
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Trashketball is a common game used by teachers in many subject areas to review content. The basic premise is that teams are competing to answer questions, and their score is affected by shooting and making or missing baskets (in a trash can). There are many different versions of this game, and there’s no wrong way…
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Playing input-focused games in class can be a great way to boost student motivation, and Arcoíris, or ‘Rainbow’, is a game that you’ll be excited to add to your repertoire for the coming school year. Arcoíris is a simple group game in which group mates are competing against each other to earn the most cards…
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If you’re a language teacher, I am willing to bet that you have played the Flyswatter game with your students! The Flyswatter game, commonly called Matamoscas in Spanish, is an easy game that brings in movement and competition. It’s also easy to keep it Comprehension-focused, as Keith Toda taught us some years ago. But is…
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The most successful synchronous lessons are often game-based. As a parent, I have been spying on my own kids’ synchronous classes. As a curriculum coach, I’ve been debriefing synchronous lesson plans with SOMOS teachers. GAMES make online classes feel less like a chore, and they allow us to do what we miss most about being…
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It’s January– you’re tired, they’re tired. Routines have started feeling…routine…and the same old challenges that you’ve been dealing with since the fall are starting to feel really old. Now is a particularly great time of year to be predictable in expectations but unpredictable in planning. Instead of starting the next unit or chapter and working…
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I have learned many of my favorite games from Nelly Hughes, author of Fluency Matters‘ Selena and the force behind Comprendes Méndez SpanishShop. As a teacher that has been using and training teachers in Comprehension-based™ methods for many years, Nelly has a knack for finding and adapting games for communicative language classes. ”El que sabe,…
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Tomorrow is Friday, it’s the first week back from break, and you’re exhausted. What to do, what to do… “MovieTalk?” –you think– “No, too much standing and talking.” “Asking a story?” –but you dismiss it– “Too much standing and talking and energy used in general.” “Picture Talk?” –now there’s an idea!– “No, too much using…
Read MoreDon’t you love discovering a new game!? A few days ago, Jenny Robbins shared an AWESOME no-prep activity in the iFLT/NTPRS/CI Teaching Facebook group. This game can be used in ANY class to provide students with an opportunity to get up and move, accompanied by repeated exposure to content or language. How to play RUN!!…
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