I need to know two things about the students who will make up my first ever online class: Who they are What they can do I’ve only really taught a Spanish III class once before, though I’ve had 3s mixed in with 2s and one brilliant and motivated independent study student Read more…
I want students to be able to show me what they understand, and I want it to look nice when they do. So I’ve been putting the text on a Google Drawing and having them add their interpretations straight onto it. Why Google Drawing? For one Docs won’t let Read more…
Highlighting is perhaps the most basic way for a reader to demonstrate interaction with a text. Highlighting is actual physical interaction that does not require readers to produce any new language, just interpret the input. Yet it allows readers to process and organize the input they are observing. Color coded Read more…
Just flew back from Mexico, and boy are my arms tired! Must be from holding up my phone for all of those pictures and videos I took. Before I went to Peru on a Sister Cities exchange trip last year, I started a new Instagram account to document as much as Read more…
I was pretty surprised that no one wanted to watch what they eat for their self-improvement plan. I may have been even more surprised at how many wanted to manage their time better. Not that it’s not a good idea, but I thought that was a pretty self-aware step for many of Read more…
The goal is not interpretation. The goal is not writing or speaking or interpersonal communication. The goal is to convince a Spanish-speaking audience that they need this new invention. Each group of 4-5 has already come up with a new product, but to convince the Spanish-speaking audience, they need some Read more…
This time I am certain I’ve got a novice-appropriate Integrated Performance Assessment. And I’ve worked in a little cultural comparison. I might be getting the hang of this! I opted to find an authentic text–an infograph–about free-time activities to tie in with their Genius Hour interests and with our work with Read more…
They used their key words to pin and google around. They have Pinterest boards with 20 pins and at least 5 sources saved to Diigo embedded and tagged in the class blog. Now what? Those lucky teachers who get to set kids loose in their native language to follow their Read more…
I had originally thought I would use the video of the first-place skit my Spanish III class did years ago for interpretive listening: But listening is tough enough with native speakers whose inflections are always intentional and at least sort of consistent, let alone with a pack of Spanish III Read more…
I’m not really happy with the jigsaw model for Project-Based Learning that I instituted for our festival project and school supply drive last yer. It did not really fit those kiddos–who are now in my Spanish II classes. In retrospect, I don’t think it really fit the projects, either. So instead, I think Read more…