Observing other language teachers is one of the best ways to hone our own practice. Noticing the strategies that other teachers use to help learners understand and feel comfortable is at the core of the Coaching model used at national conferences like iFLT and NTPRS, and it is a form of professional development that we…
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This guest post was written by Alyssa Blask Campbell, Founder of Seed & Sew. Alyssa has a M.Ed. in Early Childhood. Alyssa co-created the Collaborative Emotion Processing (CEP) method and now works with individuals, families, and organizations throughout the US and Canada to raise emotionally intelligent humans. Seed & Sew serves people all around the world…
Read MoreBack to School JUST GOT BETTER! TpT announced that they are having a BONUS Back to School sale and we can’t wait to treat you with another day of up to 25% off EVERYTHING in our store – the sale runs TOMORROW ONLY–– Tuesday, August 20. This will likely be your last chance to get…
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“We acquire language when we understand messages; when we understand what people tell us and when we understand what we read”. Dr. Stephen Krashen This foundational insight from Dr. Krashen is our Core Belief at Garbanzo. To that end, we are building an online, interactive library of diverse texts that are designed for language learners…
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Storyasking à la TPRS is one of my very favorite methods for facilitating language acquisition, and it is also one of the most complicated to learn. In this week’s #summerSOMOSfunCLUB, Elicia Cárdenas and I shared some steps and strategies for maximizing its success in your classroom. Scroll to the end of the post to watch…
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If you have decided to teach for proficiency with an emphasis on comprehension, you are probably asking the question, “Where do I start?” When you ask this question to colleagues, they will probably suggest some resources for you. “Get SOMOS!“, they might say, or “Start with Special Person interviews!”. You’ll probably hear, “The MovieTalk database…
Read MoreEnergy levels are low and attention spans are short. Kids are getting antsy and you are likely on your last legs! While May may be pure torture: there is one brief moment of reprieve: TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK! Whether or not your school PTA is treating you with a breakfast buffet this week, The Comprehensible Classroom…
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For the last three years, Spanish students have been able to follow the top stories from the Spanish-speaking world in El mundo en tus manos. Each week, Maris Hawkins and I identify important and interesting current events and write up comprehensible summaries so that beginning language learners can understand. As we prepare for the 2019-2020…
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One of our family’s favorite ways to get the squiggly wiggly’s out is with Cosmic Kids Yoga. In each episode, Jamie tells a story and acts it out with yoga poses and other forms of movement (ex: jumping jacks, running in place, etc.). Our kids love the stories, love Jamie’s accent, and love yoga. Adapting…
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Earlier this week, my heart sank as I watched live footage of Notre Dame be consumed by fire. Like many language teachers, my world travels have brought me to Paris several times, and by extension Notre Dame. Like many language teachers, I feel a connection to Notre Dame. Watching it burn was sad because it…
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