I knew Duolingo would be the winner in my Google Classroom poll, but a surprisingly close second was the option with a choice of Duolingo or Señor Wooly PLUS an optional daily video/reading. (No one, literally NO ONE picked “optional daily reading” by itself. Go fig.)

Ultimately, since we’re officially online for at least six weeks, I decided weekly assignments would include my (free) Instagram worksheets plus choice boards, but I figured the daily videos could be the bonus for the go-getters, and sort of a daily reminder that, you know, they have Spanish work to do while we’re out.

Of course I could spend all day…week…DECADE collecting relevant, mostly comprehensible authentic videos, but I want to keep things low-stress and as engaging as possible. So here’s what I’m thinking.

Collected Videos

So I’m trying to make this as easy as possible, for them AND for me. First thing I do (after an unsuccessful FB post requesting funny videos) is brainstorm the types of videos I could use that are already made and collected. At the top of my list:

• Spanish 1 songs
• Spanish 2 songs
• Conversaciones con profesores
• Novice Spanish Flipgrids

I also have my cover song playlist, which could potentially work for students to match up lines with songs they know (since I haven’t figured out how do the guessing game from afar yet).

Looking back on my old online courses, two eternities ago in 2017, I decided some straight-out grammar videos (found some newer YouTube playlists and accounts too) might both cut back on my prep time AND feel useful and kinda easy to my kiddos.

PLN Content

I recently saw a presentation from Pachas en Peru at NECTFL, and what better time to send out videos from far-off locales?

Also, your LIFE will not be complete until you have seen THESE VIDEOS from Sarah Breckley. Sarah’s just sharing the fun while we’re all stuck at home! THIS one is my FAVORITE:

Speaking of all-stars…I’m already using Señor Wooly nuggets for one of the choice board options. have a couple of videos the ever-generous Sr. Wooly graced me with the last couple of times we got to hang! Oh yeah, we go WAY back. Let’s just say it involves Salsa lessons in New Jersey.

Some to think of it, I have a bunch of all-star friends who could probably Zoom with me…Which brings me to:

Creating Videos

Then I get to thinking about what kinds of videos I could make. I immediately latch onto Adobe Spark, where I can find or upload photos to narrate and NOT change out of pajamas. I can just pick a theme with whatever photos I’ve got in the old Google Photos stream, pop ’em in, and talk. I’m thinking any of my family’s adventures will do, but maybe also some of my paintings or painting classes. Some ideas I have so far:

• Exchange student farewell
• Painting classes
• Art progress
• Museum trips
• Sister Cities
• Around town
• Class pics
• Family trips
• Family baking
• Silly pet pics
• My weird kids
• Explaining a cool infograph I find

Also, I have been wanting to experiment with painting on Instagram Live or Tiktok, so what better time than the present? I figure I could surely whip out one a week, right?

@sxtnimpressions

Vocabulario artístico y cómo encuentro mi inspiración ##learnspanish ##teachersoftiktok ##artistasdetiktok ##spanishteachers ##spanishteachers

♬ original sound – sxtnimpressions

Coordinating my own narration is tricky, but I had some other ideas here that don’t take as much time (and could overlap with some of the Spark ideas).

Weekly Schedule

More and more I rely on routine to assuage my decision fatigue, so I figured I had enough ideas to make a weekly rotation and take a little weight off of the choosing, so here’s the plan:

• MONDAYS – Pop song
• TUESDAYS – Flipgrid
• TUESDAYS – Grammar
• WEDNESDAYS – “Surprise” guests
• FRIDAYS – Original

If you come across some great TL videos you want to share–Spanish, French, what have you–please LINK ME! And if you want to keep up with the videos I’m using, I’m building a stash on my class webpage here.