El Nuevo Houdini - Chapter 5

Today, we read Chapter 5 of "El Nuevo Houdini", from Carol Gaab.  In preparation for the chapter, I introduced structures for my students to acquire first.  Since I began teaching with CI/TPRS, we have been reading novels in group:  I read in Spanish and they do a group translation while I do pop-up grammar.  This is the first time that I let them read on their own, for a change... however, I needed to make sure that they had all the elements to succeed.  This is how it went:

1) I introduced new structures in context using the power point below.  For each structure, I have a sentence to present it and then converse with the group, personalizing as much as possible.  Students wrote each structure down and created their own example with a picture to illustrate in their notebooks.  Then, as suggested by Martina Bex I included in the powerpoint some practice sentences for students to translate, and see the structures in other verb forms. 





2) After circling each structure and students were responding without hesitation, I had them read the chapter with a partner.  They were able to call me for assistance if needed, but just a couple of them did it for a couple of times.

3) When they finished reading the chapter, they had to draw illustrations to retell the entire chapter, and practice. 

4) Then, I had them work in groups of 4.  Using their own drawings, they pointed at a frame and asked another member of their group to describe the part of the story depicted in that specific drawing.  They alternated students, pointing at a frame at a time until all frames from all students were told by a partner.

 

Since they were familiarized with the story, nobody had problems with the activity, and they had tons of repetitions of the target vocabulary and structures! They liked the independent reading and the feeling of success that it gave them.  However, I will not do it every time, since I think I need to emphasize the pop-up grammar and conversation that come with reading in group.  What do you do to vary reading in your classroom?

Celebrating the Holidays and Teaching Culture Through CI

I created a lesson to talk about Christmas traditions.  The targets were communicative and also cultural;  I want my students to be able to converse in Spanish about these celebrations, and also to compare and contrast their traditions to the traditions of other countries.
I chose high frequency vocabulary to use in this activity:

1) los dejan = they leave them
2) traen regalos = they bring presents
3) los ponen = they put them

Yesterday, I began with a Power Point introducing vocabulary and having students write down in their vocabulary lists.  We decided on a gesture for each of the structures and practice them with TPR. 

Then, following the power point, we continued with conversation as I tried to personalize each of the structures.  I pointed out the different verb forms in our conversation using pop-up grammar: "Pedro, tú traes regalos para tu maestra?" What does the "s" in "traes" mean?" etc.
The power point introduced them to Los Reyes Magos, and I explained (in Spanish, using their new vocabulary) what is that tradition all about. 
After the presentation and conversation/circling of structures, recycling old vocabulary, I asked them to do a Venn Diagram comparing Santa Claus and Los Reyes Magos.  I had them do this as a Think-Pair-Share activity, and then we created a class Venn Diagram on the board. 
Today, we watched the commercial "Santa vs Los Reyes" (below) using Movie Talk.  At the end of the powerpoint, I included screen shots of the commercial, so that students could retell with partners for more practice.  They enjoyed it! Afterwards, we used individual white boards: Students are in pairs, I ask a question and they write their answer on the boards and compare/discuss with partner.  Tomorrow we will write the story as a class (students dictate, I write on white board) and then have them write on their own.  What are you doing to celebrate the holidays and teach culture through comprehensible input?

Golden Rule: Never assume!

As I stated before, this is the 2nd year that I have been teaching using CI/TPRS.  This year I have a Spanish 3 class with students that I had never met (even when I taught the traditional method.)  I assumed that they remembered Reflexive Verbs and today, as I had planned to have a quick review to prepare them for the awesome lesson plan with Movie Talk that Martina Bex created and posted in her blog found here, I stopped when I realized that they were looking at me with a blank stare.  Then I asked:  do you know what is a Reflexive Verb?  No! they responded.  I assumed they did, because last year, with my Spanish 1 and 2 classes we used them regularly, and to my content they retained it over the summer. When they looked at me scared, I told them that they would know when I showed them, because we have been applying them via CI from the start of the school year.  I listed a few on the board, and when they realized that they were familiar, they relaxed. 
Then, I proceeded to use some TPR to introduce some of the most used to describe daily routines.  After doing gestures and sounds, I used PQA (Personalized Questions and Answers) to develop conversation and have students listen to the other forms besides first person singular.  We sang and did motions for  "La Rutina Diaria" .  The "review" that I had was longer than I expected, but this experience only reinforced my belief that if we teach students a bunch of isolated vocabulary words, and teach them lots of grammar rules to memorize, they will succeed in their tests at the moment but they will not retain the material unless we personalize it and make it meaningful.  Tomorrow we will reapply all of that and expand with the activities for the Movie Talk.
What big "a-ha!" moments have you had lately?

Thanksgiving Activity

 

Celebrating Thanksgiving

 On the day before our Thanksgiving break, (when students are just counting the minutes to leave) we did some activities that gave them a mental break but at the same time continued with the plan of providing comprehensible input as much time as possible.  With the target structures being: to give (thanks) in all verb forms.

1) Individually, I asked them to think of five things that they are thankful for. 

2) Then, in teams of three they had to narrow the list down to 4. 

3) Choosing a partner from a different team, students were to reduce the list to only two. 

4) Using only Spanish, I asked the group to tell me what the results were as I was writing the on the board. 

Lastly, I wrote the words (color-coding them): "lujo" (luxury) and "necesidad" (a need), and asked my students to categorize each of the words in the list.  When they were defining them, I circled other structure: "no toda la gente tiene..." (not all the people have...) and "por eso, es importante dar gracias" (that is why it is important to give thanks).  This is more or less how the circling went:  when they categorized "casa" as a need:

"Yes, it is a need.  Defined as a "lugar para vivir" (place to live).  Clase, does everybody have a place to live?  No, not everybody has a place to live.  There are people living on the streets.  Who lives on the streets?  Do I live on the streets? Clase, are there people living on the streets?  Are there people who are cold because they don't have a place to live?  Yes, that is why it is important to give thanks because we have a place to live."

With this activity, I circle the target structures not only by saying what they give thanks for, but reflected and engaged in conversation comparing their lives with other less fortunate people.  The point of reflecting was powerful! I saw it in their facial expressions.  Lastly, I had them choose two of the things that personally they were thankful for, and wrote them in a leaf or a turkey to post on the hallway wall.  If I could do it again, I would add a power point presentation with pictures of people lacking what students are thankful for, so that the reflecting part becomes more meaningful and also to provide more points of conversation.







Getting Ready...

Hello,

It has been a long time since I posted something... unfortunately I had a very difficult year due to a herniated disc which made my life miserable during the last school year.  Now, I am recovering from surgery, and even though I still have some pain left, I am happy because I am feeling better.

 Disappointing that because of my health issues I couldn't attend NTPRS13 this year... however, I found the electronic handouts that were given:   http://ntprs.org/ntprs.org/Handouts_2013.html I am sure they will help me catch some speed!

Now I am trying to get ready to go back to school (not an easy task!) trying to get as many resources as possible to make this year the best of my life!
I am determined to make regular postings and record every step of my way to turn my classroom into a full time CI/TPRS class!

Hasta la próxima!

Marta

Play the game!

This is my first year having a Spanish class completely using TPRS.  I was not sure it would be the correct thing to do since I have no experience yet, no colleagues close by who use the method, and I am not sure what else to do in class besides class stories and reading.  So far I have been doing stories every week, retells and reading successfully.  However, I am teaching level 3 and I haven't been able to incorporate past tense consistently in class. That is a concern.  I am lucky to have met some brilliant teachers during NTPRS Las Vegas 2012, who have held my hand during my transition into TPRS.  They have become my friends and mentors! I can't be thankful enough.  One of those teachers is Cynthia Hitz, a Spanish teacher in Pennsylvania.  She has helped me in a way that I never thought possible.  Her generosity and warmth is out of this world!  Her blog (one of them!) is a wonderful resource that I use every day:   http://palmyraspanish1.blogspot.com/
I asked her how to overcome that issue with the past tense in my class.  My students are retelling stories in Spanish every day, and they are speaking in Spanish very well all block but it is only in present tense.   Today I did what she adviced:  Before we began what I had planned as the agenda for the day, I posted on the board:  "Qué comiste ayer?" and translation.  Also, I listed along with translations:  I ate, you ate, we ate.  I first stated in Spanish:  "Yesterday I ate pasta with tomato sauce.  My husband is a good cook and he prepared it for us.  What did you eat, Aaron?" He responded pizza.  I asked "what kind?" "Pepperoni and Sausage".  Oh! Class! Aaron ate pepperoni and sausage pizza yesterday!"  I proceeded to circle every part of the statement, and asked where he ate, and who was with him when he did. 
Then added a different student, who responded she ate pasta as well.  I made such a big deal out of it!  "THAT IS INCREDIBLE!! PASTA TOO??" And circled the statements, asked details of her dinner just like I had done with the other student.  Then I asked: "Clase, yo comí pizza ayer?" and circled all "actors" and situations.  Every time somebody else responded "pasta", the same big reaction from me would come.  Students were laughing and so engaged!  All responded every question, and it was evident that the level of comprehension and enthusiasm was high. 

The session was wrapped up by making a chart:  8 people ate chicken, 12 ate pasta, 5 ate pizza.  Again, used the chart to circle:  "how many people ate chicken/pasta/pizza?" We ended with the conclusion:  "La comida más popular de ayer fue la pasta.  La comida menos popular ayer fue la pizza! qué interesante! porque generalmente la pizza es una comida popular!" (the most popular food yesterday was pasta, the least was pizza.  Interesting beause generally pizza is a popular food!)  and again... you guessed! circled that conclusion!  "which was the most/least popular? why is it an interesting fact?"  Needless to say, our predetermined agenda was considerably reduced due to this long discussion/conversation! total success! 50 minutes of comprehensible input, fun and student engagement! After lunch, the next group (same level) came in, and I did the same.  Success X2!!! I could see kids whispering others "when she asks you, say pasta!"  It was so cute! 
Class ended, they left and I went to the office.  In my way back, I found a student from that class who told me "It was a great class! but... (concerned face) I am sorry! most of us lied about eating pasta! The other group told us during lunch about their class, so we knew whe had to respond pasta for ours to be more fun!  I am sorry!"  I smiled and said it was ok!
The fact that the previous group went on to lunch and talked about class, and that they did it with so much detail made my day!  In class they thought they were whispering "respond pasta!" and I would't notice, but I did and that was great! It encouraged me and my "acting"!   They thought they were "playing me" and that is ok! The goal was met successfully:  students were so focused on the message, on the story, that they forgot about the language, how it functions and everything else! they were understanding, engaged in conversation with me and having fun! What a great feeling that is! So, like native English speakers (I am not one!) say:  "whatever floats your boat!"   Let them play the game, and have fun with it!  Thank you again, Cynthia Hitz!
Hasta la próxima!
Marta.

WHY?

I found a new passion for my job as a Spanish teacher since I decided to transition from traditional teaching into TPRS. 

I have been teaching for 8 years, and even though I always liked what I was doing, the last couple of years I had just lost that "passion"... Having successful students in all assessments, and students who liked being in the class was not the problem.  It was the frustration to see those "learned" lessons and vocabulary go down the drain just after a couple of weeks. 
It was the frustration of WANTING an immersion environment and never being able to achieve it. 

After 4 years of exploring TPRS (Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling), reading books about it and attending workshops and classes, it was until last year that I decided to overcome my fear and try a couple of days of TPRS in my class.  The success I saw with just those two sessions encouraged me to get better training.  I signed up for the National TPRS convention held in Las Vegas the summer of 2012... and that marked the beginning of my new life as a Spanish teacher!

What a difference! It all makes so much more sense now! Learning ABOUT the language VS acquiring it is not only a more fun approach, but also more effective.  Students don't feel uncomfortably forced to produce the language right away; their job is to "listen with the intent to understand", and to have fun!  It is October, and while other teachers are talking about the difficulty of getting momentum going at this point of the year, and struggling to keep their own enthusiasm for the job... for me it has never been more fun or productive!  My students are speaking and understanding the language like they never did before.  One of them, after the first oral exam he took told me:  "this is so much better! it is fun and I can THINK in Spanish... I am so proud of YOU, Mrs. Yedinak!"... that almost got me teary.  HE IS PROUD OF ME! They are appreciative of my efforts to help them acquire the language, and they do understand the work it takes.  It is all worth it!

I have a loooong journey ahead, I need to learn more about the method and resources to enhance it... The TPRS community is extremely supportive and has helped me like I never thought.
My intention with this blog is to trace that journey through TPRS to help me reflect and be a better teacher.  Also, because I know the power of networking, I hope this will be a good source of information for any other teacher who wants to use it!

Hasta la próxima!
Marta Ruiz Yedinak