Authentic signs from Mexico
Novices can read signs. They are some of the most accessible and potentially relevant “authentic texts” that language learners will encounter. Also, they happen to be the sort of thing that an assessment like the STAMP or AAPPL might throw at them to demonstrate their proficiency.
So now when I go abroad, I collect as many useful signs as I can. My current students don’t actually follow my Instagram feed (YET she-said-t0-herself-hopefully), so I just uploaded the most promising signs to a Pinterest board:
I want to invite any and everybody to use these photos however helps their students, whether it’s targeted practice, free-reading, extra credit, or assessment (though I would love to hear how they work when you use them!) I had a few ideas on how I could incorporate these texts into my classes next year, though.
Test prep
Whether it’s novice low matching questions from the AAPPL or main idea multiple choice on the STAMP, there are signs for what you need.
To check word-level comprehension, you could ask students about what days of the week they should go to these places to get discounts on bagels and sushi rolls, or what days their kids can work out at night!
Or a classic AAPPL strategy of having you click and drag text into a poster with images (say, showcasing acceptable dress code or steps to take in case of a fire or earthquake) might work well with these signs:
Or for something more Intermediate, try open-ended or multiple choice questions about the purpose, the who/what/where/why/how of these signs from department stores, bus stations, and McDonald’s:
Intercultural comparison
Aside from obvious questions like “Is that REALLY what they eat for breakfast?”…
…consider deeper discussions about waste management, recycling, social responsibility, and pet poo.
As with my Comprehensible Instagram posts from this trip, I intend to make some of my own activities available on my TPT store before school starts back, so I hope you will check back in–and share any ideas or resources you come up with using these signs! And should you collect your own signs for vacation, we’d love to see those too.
