MovieTalk has quickly become a favorite strategy for providing comprehensible input to language learners since Michele Whaley brought it to the TCI world in 2012. Developed by Dr. Ashley Hastings as the listening module for the Focal Skills ESL program, MovieTalk is an incredibly effective activity because it provides loads of comprehensible input to students. I just … Continue reading MovieTalk + TPRS® = Magic
In one of my sessions at iFLT yesterday, we were doing a Speed Dating activity and discussing lots of different questions from a list in pairs. My partner asked me the question, “What was your biggest TCI success last year?”, and I responded, “Oh, I’m not teaching, so I don’t have one”. She followed up … Continue reading Learn Mandarin with Mafia…even if you don’t speak any Mandarin!!
A good number of you read to the end of yesterday's post, but just to make sure I catch everyone-- Sara Chronister, a Spanish teacher that has been using my curriculum units, started a Facebook group for curriculum support and collaboration for my Spanish Levels 1 and 2. I am really excited about this group and thankful … Continue reading Curriculum support for teachers using my Levels 1-2
Do you ever just need a day? You look at your lesson plans and think, “I…just…can’t”? A few days ago, I had a day. I got some news that knocked me out emotionally, and since I was 39 1/2 weeks pregnant (now 40 weeks pregnant...come on girl!....)…I just needed a day. I’m not teaching, but I had my three … Continue reading 10 CI Activities for when you just can’t
Does anyone else have a Facebook newsfeed that is completely filled with 'Be like Bill' graphics? I haven't generated one for myself, but I have seen lots and lots and LOTS over the past few days. Here is the original "Be like Bill" post. The app that creates them notices a trend in your Facebook activity and … Continue reading Be like Bill.
This is a really fun post for me! After I graduated high school, the my alma mater back in CNY hired a really awesome Spanish teacher to replace one of mine that retired. My younger siblings LOVED her class, and I have saved several projects that my sister completed as a student in her class to use … Continue reading Formal Lesson Plans
I have a pile of lesson plans in my office that were all created using resources that other teachers, bloggers, and presenters have shared over the years. My intention is to track down the original creator for each one and ask permission to share what I did with their resources on this blog, but mostly the papers … Continue reading The naughty little brother
When Robert Harrell used the English version of this text in his session at ACTFL 2015 this last weekend, “Inspiring Students to Engage with Texts”, I could not get to my computer fast enough to put together a lesson plan that would explore it through literature circles. While still very comprehensible for language learners, the short … Continue reading “The Legend” by Robert Harrell
We've all said it at some point: "HELP! My students don't get [when to use ser or estar][how to form the subjunctive][the difference between "I have" and "you have" in Spanish]! What should I do???" We run to our fellow department members (if we are fortunate enough to have any) or turn to our PLC for … Continue reading Help! My students don’t get [x]!
Thank you to Beth Lemoine for translating the Monster body parts activity that I recently posted into French! She emailed it to me this evening with permission to share it on the blog. Click on the image below to access it, and click here for more about how to use it in class!
