A good teacher is always looking for ways to vary his or her assessments. Administering varied assessment types allows for differences in student strengths and weaknesses and provides novelty. Novelty is important because it makes the assessment feel less like an exam and more like an activity, which reduces anxiety and lowers the affective filter, … Continue reading What did I say?
Category: Listening
Q & A Listening Activity
I recently read this post about Q & A Song lyrics by Señora Birch. I was so happy to stumble across it, because you can never have too many options for song activities when you do a new song each week!! Gotta keep the kids guessing!! This activity also works for whatever video clip you want to … Continue reading Q & A Listening Activity
Share this:
Running Dictation Extension
Julia developed an awesome extension for running dictations (click here to read how to do a basic running dictation)! Instead of having students record the events on a single piece of paper, she had the secretary write each event on a separate square of paper. After the secretary recorded it, he or she passed the paper … Continue reading Running Dictation Extension
Share this:
Madres de la Plaza de Mayo Interview
If you haven't guessed it yet by some of my recent posts, I am working on a unit about Las Madres de la Plaza de Mayo. And, if you can believe it, it is for students in Spanish 1!! Usually, heavier topics like this are not tackled until upper-level courses when students have the vocabulary … Continue reading Madres de la Plaza de Mayo Interview
Share this:
Authentic Listening Texts
If you haven't noticed, I've been trying to use more authentic listening texts lately 🙂 Well, I was, until the school year ended. While I was out on maternity leave, my awesome substitute was a native speaker from Puerto Rico. My students were overwhelmed (and discouraged) listening to her speak in Spanish, and became whiney … Continue reading Authentic Listening Texts
Share this:
Story Elements Glove
Here is a fun idea that I learned at a 'Stellar Strategies' workshop with Liz Warner several years ago here in Anchorage. It was a great workshop, and I walked away with many ready-to-use strategies for teaching vocabulary and language in general. I've never actually used this idea because I've not had the forethought to … Continue reading Story Elements Glove
Share this:
Great Resources
Cynthia Hintz posted a link on her blog to one of Mr. Tejeda's Podcuentos. These videos are awesome! He has some in Spanish and some in French. He speaks verrrrry slowly and circles each new piece of information very thoroughly. Cynthia used the story about the Chico Peruano to reinforce first-person singular verb forms … Continue reading Great Resources
Share this:
Same and Different
This is a great reading activity that will give students experience with 'testing vocabulary' and require them to use higher levels of thinking. You could also use it as a listening activity, but you'd probably want to have done it with a reading first since the immediacy of listening would make it more challenging. Begin … Continue reading Same and Different
Share this:
Listening assessments for language classes
I administer four kinds of summative assessments to my students: Reading comprehension assessments Listening comprehension assessments Presentational writing assessments Presentational speaking assessments (Read here about why I don't administer summative Interpersonal assessments.) Each quarter, I try to get three or four grades in the book for each of the first three assessment categories. I adopted … Continue reading Listening assessments for language classes
Share this:
True/False Listening Quiz
Here is an obvious one for you!! (I need to post every kind of activity that I use on here so that when my brain isn't working, I can look at the archives for each category and remember what kinds of assessments and activities I have at my disposal!) After any given story, a very … Continue reading True/False Listening Quiz
