About two months ago, I wrote a post explaining how second language teachers can use the Common Core Anchor Standards for Reading to give depth to their reading assessments and challenge students to think critically in the target language. Read it here. Understandably, some readers were left wondering what an assessment composed of CCSS Aligned questions … Continue reading CCSS Aligned L2 Reading Comprehension Questions
Note: Much of my knowledge about comprehension checks has come from Betsy Paskvan, a Japanese teacher here in Anchorage, AK. Betsy has presented many times on checking for comprehension at state and national language conferences (she'll be at NTPRS this summer), and she often travels to other school districts to offer them professional development on comprehension checks … Continue reading Comprehension Checks
This is coming from the lady that just presented at ACTFL on the importance of #authres and how to use them in novice language classes. Kind of a contradiction. #authres are important, but they are not everything. I was able to eek out two or three tweets on Saturday morning before taking off for errands, … Continue reading #authres are overrated
With billions of images and other resources available with just a few clicks of your finger, it can be very difficult to use only those images that are licensed in such a way that allows you to use them in class and, for some my readers, for commercial use. It is difficult in two respects: … Continue reading Tips for finding images online that you can use in your documents
To all my fellow Pages addicts, I would strongly, strongly encourage you to NOT update your iWork suite! I have been IN LOVE with Pages' power and simplicity since I first started using it in 2009. However, the latest version eliminated many of the features that I love about Pages '09! The new version is … Continue reading Warning about the new Pages!
A teacher requested a how-to after using the Twitter-based reading assessment from my Las novias de mi hermano unit. For another example, see #Lomejordeméxicoes. Here you go! Step One: Go to www.twitter.com Step Two: If you don't already have an account, create one by choosing a handle (username) and password. Otherwise, just sign in! Step Three: … Continue reading How-To: Use Tweets as authentic reading material
While preparing for the Yup'ik Immersion training last week, I spent a lot of time scouring the internet for elementary TPRS resources and suggestions. Michel Baker's blog and Carol Gaab's article (linked in the YI post) were most helpful. According to their writing, one common obstacle for elementary TPRS teachers is managing student responses during … Continue reading Managing Responses
QUESTION: Do you teach a native language or support teachers that do?? Our state language association is looking for ways to better support our Alaska Native language teachers and would love to hear what you are doing that has been successful and what challenges you have faced/are facing! Please leave your thoughts in the comments! Thanks!! --Martina, 01/2016 This past … Continue reading Teaching Yup’ik Through TPRS
Confused about how to use a story script to ASK a story? Or what "asking" a story even means?? What is a story script? All of the scripts that I write are modeled after the format developed by Anne Matava. Some portions of the story are required, and some portions are variables. The variables are … Continue reading How to “ask” a story
If you use Google Docs to create and administer multiple-choice quizzes or tests for your students, this How-To document will be useful for you! I wrote it up several years ago for other teachers in my district to use, and I dug it out of the woodworks last night so that I could remember how … Continue reading Grading Quizzes in Google Docs
