Jargon-Free Essential Questions & Learning Goals
I've been struggling a bit with the communication aspect of Canvas. I felt that Edmodo met my students' needs better so I need to work on it more - perhaps the Announcements function. My "work around" has been to use email and Remind to relay information to my classes, Advisory and Club. For some reason, my students will check their emails or notifications on their iPads rather than checking Canvas.
It has often troubled me that we, teachers, write Essential Questions and Learning Goals that are completely teacher-centered. In my opinion, we don't take the opportunity to use these as a means of communication to our customers. It's essential that they be very clear and as user-friendly as possible. This helps everyone to stay focused, to be able to track progress easily and to increase transparency.
It has often troubled me that we, teachers, write Essential Questions and Learning Goals that are completely teacher-centered. In my opinion, we don't take the opportunity to use these as a means of communication to our customers. It's essential that they be very clear and as user-friendly as possible. This helps everyone to stay focused, to be able to track progress easily and to increase transparency.
Circling
Circling is used to introduce new vocabulary and structures - and ones that need additional repetitions. I have posted question words as well as other high frequency words (yes, no, either, nor, and, or, with, without, but, et. al.). This constant repetition, both orally and visually, aids in the second language acquisition process. This can be done in the context of a story, but many times I use it with real-life topics of high-interest.
Discussion Questions: Chapter 1 of Isabela Captura un Congo
Pre-Reading Questions
What (if anything) do you remember about Isabela Huffman?
What were some of her characteristics? Anything weird about her?
What did she like? Dislike?
Where did she visit in the other novel?
Looking at the pictures, what do you think is GOING to happen?
What were some of her characteristics? Anything weird about her?
What did she like? Dislike?
Where did she visit in the other novel?
Looking at the pictures, what do you think is GOING to happen?
During Reading Questions
What do the red words mean? What led you to believe that?
Where is Costa Rica? Who has visited Costa Rica? What do you know about Costa Rica?
What do you know about the main character?
Do you like to travel? Where do you want to travel?
Do you have a pet? What is its name? What type of pet is it?
Why is she so sad? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.
Where is Costa Rica? Who has visited Costa Rica? What do you know about Costa Rica?
What do you know about the main character?
Do you like to travel? Where do you want to travel?
Do you have a pet? What is its name? What type of pet is it?
Why is she so sad? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.
Post-Reading Questions
What would Isabela's Instagram post look like at the end of this chapter? Find or create an image and hashtags (etiquetas) that reflect what you read.
Storytelling Guidelines
Discussion of High Interest Topics: La Persona Especial
What is are favorite things for students to talk about? Sports? Pets? Music? Themselves?
Last summer while I was a conference, I learned about "La Persona Especial" from Bryce Hedstrom. I decided to start small - to ask some simple questions such as their name, age, where they live. Throughout the year, I have added more questions based on our target vocabulary. For example, in 6th grade I interviewed the Special Person about his physical and personality traits and asked what he was wearing that day. One student took notes, and I wrote a few paragraphs that we read the following class period. Having the students be the context, to personalize their learning so that the questions and vocabulary are about them has been powerful! |
I'm CONSTANTLY asking questions or asking stories. Questioning using Comprehensible Input and compelling topics can be difficult for a CI teacher of Novices - especially while staying in the Target Language. Knowing and learning about my students' interests helps me to find highly relevant topics and materials. Questioning is a highly-effective, continual formative assessment technique. I can go deeper with students who need it and can at least get some type of response - albeit a simple one - from lower proficient students.
Homework Choice = Student Voice
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Choosing how to represent learning
Asking Students for Help by Recognizing their Talents
I saw this idea on one of my professional development groups on Facebook. The teacher was reading the same book that we read in 7th grade. On a day after her state testing, she decided to have the students make origami monkeys and a monkey bridge (just like in the book). I found some tutorials online, but I failed miserably.
I decided to seek out the help of one of my 7th graders who struggles with Spanish but has a talent for origami. I sent him an email with a link with a tutorial. During Flex, he made a prototype in the Maker Space in the library and sent me a picture before he went to lunch. The next morning, I received an email of monkeys that he made at home. He's going to help me lead the class to make origami monkeys during PSSAs. |
Using Games & QR Code Scavenger Hunts
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Nearpod Advanced Functions Make Lessons More Engaging
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Use of web content, drawings, question functions, virtual field trips and video to bring the culture in a novel to life.
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I have made a more conscious effort to give students more autonomy, to allow more creativity and to bring more relevancy to my lessons. Something as simple as a quick poll or a Brain Break can increase engagement. Taking classes on virtual field trips using Nearpod has enabled students to get a first hand feel of what it's like to be on the field at a famous soccer stadium in Spain or what it's like to take a boat ride in Retiro Park in Madrid.
7th Grade Formative Assessment: Quizizz
I like using Quizizz for formative assessments for several reasons. First, I get a very quick visual picture of students' progress even as they're taking the assessment. Next, I get a report with an item analysis. The results from the formative above tell me that: 1. Students are not spending much time on any of the questions; 2. Students need more time with the "you" words; 3. Students are pretty solid with "they" words.
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Unexpected Results from a Formative Assessment in 6th Grade
During a formative assessment on clothing vocabulary, the ONLY mistake that students made was the difference between dress and vest. The rest of the words were perfect. This told me that I needed to undo the dress versus vest error but also that I needed to move to more application of the vocabulary more quickly than I anticipated.
I can't imagine NOT using information from assessments to guide my instruction. I rely on qualitative data just as much, if not more so than quantitative data. Noticing trends and making notes have been extremely powerful tools for me but also for students as they track their progress over time.
Technology Gone Awry
Teaching in a 1:1 school affords more advantages than disadvantages. However at any given moment, we have to be ready for the potential of equipment failure, sites being down or Wifi issues. I've learned to expect the unexpected. One day when I planned to do a sorting activity, we lost access to Wifi. I pulled out Post-it notes and hula hoops to make a life-sized Venn Diagram. Another low tech backup is the game Spoons. I first used it as an activity for a substitute day, but it works as a short time filler and for Brain Breaks.
Brain Breaks
I spent some time looking for easy, active Brain Breaks. I decided to slowly teach them. When I would teach a new one, I would post the visual for it on the wall. Eventually, I would have the Special Person (or a student with a birthday) select which one we would do.
During our Peer Visitation, Mike W. asked me when I decide to use Brain Breaks. I think that it's a matter of knowing the students and what they need at the time. Sometimes they need to relax, sometimes they need to get rid of energy, and sometimes they need to wake up. |
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This year I've been focusing on getting students more actively moving and engaged. Using Brain Breaks, games, scavenger hunts and student choice have made me and my students feel more relaxed.