It has been a while since I have updated and I apologize.  I just retired after 46 years in the classroom and believe me cleaning out and organizing 46 years of collected materials is an overwhelming task.  Now, I finally have some time to update.  Enjoy!

Do you use Quizlet Live?  Do your students love Quizlet Live?  Then check out this blogpost by Señora Chase about Using Quizlet Live as a comprehensive input reading game.  This is an interesting new twist on this classroom favorite!

Do you like to begin the week with a Weekend Chat.  Then check out this blogpost at Aventuras Nuevas.  It’s called Weekend Chat Update (Structures to support student learning and teacher sanity, part 4).  Be sure the check out the Weekend Chat Placements.   I just love the idea of these supporting conversation placements!

Mundo de Pepita shares this great blogpost about How to Use a Picture Book in WL Class When the Text is Too Difficult for the Students. 

Do you have a Spanish Club at your school?  Do you need some fun ideas for your club.  Visit Secondary Spanish Space to read the blogpost What to do with Spanish Club – 20 Fun Ideas

The Comprehensible Classroom invites you to play Cataplún this week.  Read more about this Small Group Game – Cataplún/Kaboom here.

Spanish teachers, have you check out the Spanish Town website yet? It has lots of interactive activities for learning Spanish  Some of the feature are listening activities, vocabulary practice, PDF handouts and charts and more.  Let us know what you think!

I loved to incorporate music into my class.  If you do also then you need to read this blogpot by Spanish Mama – How to Teach Spanish with Authentic Songs.  Be sure to check out her songs by theme and category.  Very helpful!

 

Let’s start 2019 with some new resources.  Sorry I have not kept up but we all get busy at times!

Have you ever wished you could go and see what other teachers are doing in their classrooms?  Well then you should definitely visit  Spanish Teaching Videos – a Library of over 50 Demos.  Here there is a collection showing different techniques teachers use for teaching Spanish.  You will find TPRS, MovieTalk, Conversation and lots more.  Spanish Mama suggests that you do some PD in your pajamas from your own home.  Thanks Spanish Mama for collecting these great resources!’

Are you looking for a new resource.  Well Srta Spanish says Gimkit!  You have to check it out.  In this blogpost she shares what Maris Hawkins has to say about Gimkit.  HINT – It is an online review game like Kahoot, Quizlet, or Quizizz but better.

Are you tired of the same old Brain Breaks?  Check out Best Brain Breaks from The Comprehensible Classroom.  You will find a lot of new ideas to add to your repertoire!\

Want to incorporate some Spanish children’s stories into our classes.  Then definitely check out Spanish Children’s Stories from The Spanish Experiment.

Write and Discuss:  How do I love thee?  Let me count the ways – has great information about a technique called ” Write and Discuss”  a great tool for your Comprehensible Input Toolbox.  Check it out!

Love technology?  Then you should definitely spend some time at Spanish Games to Learn Spanish, a free online resource for beginners learning Spanish.  It has fun interactive lessons, activities and games. Thanks Tech for World Language Teachers on FB for recommending this site.

 

 

Core Practices Hacks: But, For R.E.A.L. from Kentucky Teacher. Follow this link to read the fourth of a series of articles that highlight to Core Practices.  In each you will find ideas, examples and reflections on these practices.  You can find the links to the other articles on this page.

Want to incorporate Google Geo Tools in your classroom?  Then be sure to visit Google Geo Tools:  Virtual Reality in the Language Classroom by Heidi Trude.

Want to consider (reconsider) your gradebook categories.  You will find some ideas in this blogpost Grade for Proficiency from The Comprehensible Classroom.

Do you like to use games in your classroom.  Then check out this article GimKit – You HAVE to check it out!  from Srta. Spanish.  The blogpost states that it is better than Kahoot, Quizlet and Quizizz!  Let us know if you try it!

Many MaFLA colleagues incorporate Brain Breaks into their classes. Want some new ideas?  Check out BEST BRAIN BREAKS – from the Comprehensible Classroom!

I am trying to incorporate more topics about Social Justice into my classes. This website – Spanish for Social Justice  – is a gem.  The Spanish for Social Justice Teacher Network was form in 2010 by a group of high school Spanish teacher in Vancouver, BC who wanted to move beyond their textsbooks, and provide students with engaging content that promotes mindful global citizenship. Be sure to browse the various themes and resources available!

Want to check out the 2018 OFLA Conference and the various presentations?  Then visit this Pinterest Page – OFLA Conference 2018 – Contextualize This! – to see the various resources from the sessions.  Thanks OFLA for sharing!

Stephanie Carboneau, a French teacher in Maine, recently published a blogpost in which she share several of her go-tos to keep her students using the language.  Check out this blogpost at Footprints in the Language Sandbox.

So what are your Go-tos?  Here is a great list of Go-Tos from the blogpost March Sanity#3:  Savor Your Go-Tos shared by  MaFLA’s Rebecca Blouwoulff.  Gracias  and Merci!

Do you sometimes have issues keeping students in the target language? Then be sure to check out this blogpost – Motivating Students to Stay in the Target Language – from the Confidence Classroom.

 

Are you trying to teach for Social Justice?  We Teach Languages @weteachlang has posted this on twitter.
In episode 44, Stacey, the organizer and host of We Teach Languages, shares an interview with Terry Osborn that she conducted as part of the 2018 issue of Dimension, the peer-reviewed journal of the Southern Conference on Language Teaching (SCOLT) . This special issue, which Stacey co-edited with Paula Garrett-Rucks, contains seven chapters all focused on how critical pedagogy and social justice play out in the language classroom. Listeners will get to hear a portion of the interview with Dr. Terry A. Osborn that comprises the first chapter of this special issue.  Click here to listen!

German Teachers!  Look what we found for you.  Let us know what you think of 10 modern German musicians you need to listen to before you die.

A must read blogpost from Musicuentos – NCSSFL & ACTFL gave us new Can Dos:  Your 15 minute(ish) guide!

Check out this game Piensa rápido which is available for free at Teachers Pay Teachers.  I have already downloaded it and it is a fun fast game.  Thanks Comprendes Mendez SpanishShop!

Be sure to check out this compilation of Central States Conference 2018 Presentations on Pinterest.  Thanks CSCTFL for sharing!

Also don’t miss the SCOLT 2018 Presenter Files on Google Drive.  Thanks SCOLT for sharing!!

Be sure to look at The Savvy Language Learner infographic at INDWELLING LANGUAGE. This is something great to share with students!

French Teachers – Here is a Disney cartoon in French – Croissant de Triomphe – Mickey Mouse!

There are some fun ideas in this blogpost by Señora Chase – Last 5 minutes of class.

This site – Dollar Street –  has come highly recommended as a great resource for cultural comparisons – homes and families etc.

Our colleague Kristy Placido of Placido Language Resources has created a playlist of Cantantes Mujeres.

Looking for an idea for Valentine’s Day?  How about Spanish Valentine’s Day Cards:  Free Printables for El Día del Amor?   Thanks Spanish Mama!

Here is a great PBL in the TL post about AAPPL Writing Topics.  There are some great ideas here.  Don’t miss this one!

More ideas for Valentine’s Day from Spanish Mama!  Spanish Valentine’s Day Inspiration:  Bulletin Boards and More!

Are you looking for some ideas for Valentine’s Day?  Check out this post Spanish Activities for Día del Amor y Amistad by Spanish Mama.

La Belleza de la Cultura Colombiana is a great post at Comprehensifying and Extending Authentic Resources.

This post Motivating Speaking Activities for Lower Levels has some great ideas.  It is from Anna Blackmore at Teaching English but many of the ideas can be used for teaching world languages.

Here is a link to an interesting blogpost SBG Levels for WL Input Assessments by Elizabeth Dentlinger.  Some interesting ideas here!

This blog by SrtaSpanish has some great ideas.  Check out Scaffolding “Heads Up”with Quizlet.  I definitely plan to try some of these activities!

Helping students improve writing!  I just have to share this link to Language Sensei where she talks about supporting students advancement in writing.  Her post Adding Detail in Writing . . . Learning to Accesorize to Add Flare really hit home with me – a passionate fashionista.  Check it out!

 

 

This just popped up on my FB feed.  2017 Navidad Commercial Madness at Williamson CI and TPRS.  Do not miss this!  It is a treasure.  I am going to try this with my classes.

This is a great article about What Makes Guernica Picasso’s Most Influential Painting plus there is a Sound Cloud Podcast of the entire article at the bottom.  I plan to use this in my Spanish IV Honors class.

Do you have issues with students using translators?  Check our Getting our Students to Write in the Target Language without the Temptation of those Dreaded Translator Sites at Teaching in the Target Language!

Are you interested in including Social Justice topics in your classroom?  Then be sure to visit FLANC 2016 and BEACH FLANC 2017:  Social Justice in the Intermediate Classroom.  There are resources, links and ideas at this site.

Here is something on Small Group Speaking Assessment at PBL in the Target Language.  Lots of “how to” ideas and it even includes some ideas on classroom arrangement!

Looking for some attention getters?  Check out Brain breaks, and passwords and chants oh my! by Madame Litten at CI Can Teach!

I love to use music in the classroom.  If you do too, then don’t miss What to do with a song in Spanish class by Allison at Mis Clases Locas!  Although they are for Spanish class many of the ideas could be used in my language class.

More music for your classroom?  This is a great list of Cantantes Mujeres by Kristy Placido of Placido Language Resources!

Do you want to find a better way to give timely formative feedback.  You might find some techniques and/or ideas at Language Sensei – blogpost on November 1, 2017 entitled Pop Check-In . . . Pop Coaching:  Improving My Formative Feedback.  

 

School?  Back to classes? Yup, that’s right. Only a few weeks left and for some only a week left before we are all back standing before our students.  As you can imagine there has been flurry of “back to school” posts on social media.  I want to share some of the ones that I have enjoyed and those posts and articles that have inspired me.  Enjoy!

Here are some general posts and links about language learning.

Dip your Toes in CI  – Idea #1: Ask a Question from Martina Bex at The Comprehensible Classroom.

 

First We Learn to Listen from Grant Boulanger at Exploring the Convergence of Language Acquisition and the Arts.  In his blogpost he reminds us that “A flood of input must precede a trickle of output.”

Since listening is such an important skill in language learning, this blogpost, by Marcus Conyers and Donna Wilson, which appeared on Edutopia and which focuses on Training the Brain to Listen: A Practical Strategy for Student Learning and Classroom Management proves to be a very informative resource.

Do you want your students to understand “proficiency?” Then don’t miss this blogpost by Sara-Elizabeth Cottrell at Musicuentos.  Although it is Proficiency & tacos and geared toward a Spanish class, the idea could easily be changed to any language by simply changing the tacos to a cultural product from your language.

Here is another great blogpost and resource about Making proficiency comprehsible to students by MaFLA’s own Wyatt Crane.  His document, which aims to make proficiency sublevels easy for kids to grasp, is amazing. Thanks, Wyatt, for this.  I am glad I had the opportunity to meet you and share ideas with you at the MaFLA PA Academy.

I love the idea of students using the language beyond the classroom.  Using language authentically outside of the classroom by answering weekly blog prompts (the BEST way to learn about your students)  offers some great ideas for language beyond the classroom.  Thanks “keeping it comprehensible” for this awesome resource.

Do you love to integrate Technology or are you interesting in integrating more technology into your classes?  These resources might be for you!

Check out Tips for Teaching with Technology by Maris Hawkins. She shares some great insights and ideas.

Engaging World Language Students Through Social Media by Guest Blogger Kaitlin E. Thomas at Education Week explains how social media has become ideal to enhance language learning.

30 Creative Ways to Use Padlet for teachers and students by Lucie Renard explains what Padlet is and offers numerous ways to use it in classrooms.

It has been great having all of this free time in July for resting and relaxing.  I have noticed lately, however, that many of my colleagues are already gearing up for the next academic year.  Here are some links that might be of interest as you also are getting yourselves psyched for 2017-18.

This is definitely a “Don’t Miss it” article by Meredith White posted at Path to Proficiency.  It is entitled Proficiency Has Made Me a Better Teacher.  I think all of the participants in the MaFLA Proficiency Academy can attest to this.

Homework Choices is an amazing blogpost with so many ideas at PBL in the TL.  I plan to explore the ideas and this is definitely something I want to do this year.

How about Using Instagram in your classroom?  I love the ideas that were offered in Authentic Instagrams at Spanishplans.org.

Creating a Classroom Space that Maximizes Language Learning from Mundo de Pepita!

Brain Breaks for the World Language Classroom by The Comprehensible Classroom.  In this blogpost, Martina Bex talks about the importance of these breaks from learning and she even has a Brain Breaks document which you can download for free!

Five Things to Do on the First Day of Class from Faculty Focus Higher Ed Teaching Strategies from Magna Publications

Engaging Ideas for Movie Talks, Stories and Novels from the Amazing @sonrisadelcampo.  This has some great and creative ideas for all languages.

WHAT’S THE PASSWORD? by Bryce Hedstrom is a fascinating blogpost about having the students use a password to enter the class.  I love the idea that it creates camaerderie, builds strong community and engages the students.  I just might have to try it!!  I probably will!

Are you already getting that syllabus created?  Check out this WORLD LANGUAGE SYLLABUS FOR PROFICIENCY by Creative Language Classroom.  You can even download the templates for free!

FIND YOUR BLOB: A QUICK, FUN FL SPEAKING ACTIVITY  by Spanish Mama.  Although the examples are in Spanish, you could do this activity with any language.  Let us know if you adapt it to your language.

GREET THEM AT THE DOOR by Creative Language Classroom offers free greeting signs.  Don’t miss out on this.  They are available in French and Spanish!

Here are some specific links for Spanish.

Looking for some website in Spanish for children?  Then be sure to visit Best Free Spanish Websites for Kids from Spanish Playground.

Activities for the First Days of School in Elementary Spanish Classes from Mundo de Pepita.

Having the students greet and meet each other is always part of the beginning routines so be sure to check out the Spanish Meet and Greet Chart for Practice from Spanish for You.

1st Day of Spanish 2 & 3 Plans (without a syllabus) at Mis Clases Locas!  There are some great ideas here.  I particularly love her idea of having a Photo Booth set up for students to take pictures!  What fun!  HEY, those of you who do not teach Spanish can also use this idea!

Do you like to incorporate technology into your classes?  Then check out Geekie Teacher and the blogpost on QR Codes in the Spanish Classroom.  The idea here could be used with any language!

Here is one for you German Teachers!

10 Great Apps for German Language Learners and Teachers at Language Learning Base.

This is a great video the share with students, parents, and of course administrators – The Benefits of Being Bilingual. Thanks World Economic Forum for this great resource.

INTERACTIVE NOTEBOOK PAGE:  PERFORMANCE & PROFICIENCY is an interesting blog post in PBL in the TL about how this teacher became more intentional about how and what is taught by incorporating interactive notebooks.

German teachers – You might want to share this post from Languages The Observer on Why we should learn German by John le Carré

Here is a great blogpost – Spanish Poem for Children with Suggested Activities – Mi casa está viva  – at Spanish Playground.

Check out the Proficiency Building Tools at Language Coaching by Amy Lenord

How to Teach a Lesson in Elementary Spanish Class Using a Video Clip – Step by Step is a great blogpost with lost of helpful hints from Mundo de Pepita.

Should teaching filled pauses be part of language teaching?  Check out this interesting article entitled The Mystery and Occasional Poetry of, Uh, Filled Pauses.

Photos for Spanish Class Activities is a great blogpost from Spanish Playground.  Tons of super ideas.  I plan to use all of them.

5 Fresh Ideas for the New Year for Spanish Class. This blog post at Secondary Spanish Space has some interesting ideas which can be used in just about any language.

68 Voces – The 68 Voces website is an absolutely extraordinary resource for folktales from Mexico. Each animated video is a different story that is narrated in an indigenous language with subtitles in Spanish. Thanks

Miscositas.com for sharing this great information!

I loved this post entitled When Vocabulary Becomes Student Driven by La Profe Farias.  I hope you enjoy it also.

Don’t miss this blogpost – Conversation on the fly at pathtoproficiency.com.

Here are the documents that Monson used to create the Proficiency Walls.  Help yourselves.   Modes Proficiency. Novice Low Descriptors  Novice Mid Descriptors  Novice High Descriptors Intermediate Low Descriptors  Intermediate MID Descriptors Intermediate High Descriptors  AdvancedLow Descriptors

All Language Teachers!  Check this out . . . Radio Garden Lets You Tune Into a World of Global Broadcasts.  Lots of great materials!

Here is a great blogpost by our colleague Joshua Cabral – Foreign Language Speaking Activity, Easily Adapted to Proficiency Levels.  This is a great idea!

I loved this blogpost by Language Sensei – Adding Choice for Novices – The “Meeting/FuNovice High Descriptorslly Meeting” Options.  Some good things to think about.

Looking for some authentic resources for the holiday season.  Check out this blog post of La clase de la Señora Dentlinger –Tweets Navideños.

How to Encourage a Global Perspective in your Classroom is a great blogpost which you could share with colleagues.

Check out Kristy Placido’s blog Creating comprehensible input with comercials.  I attended her session on this at ACTFL in Boston and it was great.  Don’t miss this one!

Don’t miss out on this Immigration Unit for Spanish I from our MaFLA colleague Kara Jacobs.

Working on Interpretive Communication?  Check out Using Rubrics to Assess Interpretive Reading at Madame’s Musings.

Is it communication?  Don’t miss the mark! is  a great blog post from Creative Language Class.

10 Tricks for Teaching Novice Students to Circumlocute is a great blogpost by Calico Spanish.

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month?  Check out this blog post with lesson information and video – Making Cultural Connections by Comparing a Taco.  Thanks Mundo de Pepita!

MaFLA member Joshua Cabral has a great post on his blog entitled Engaging with Culture in the Foreign Language Classroom:  Cultural Value Dimensions!

DO NOT MISS – this blogpost – OPI Strategies in the World Language Classroom by a Global Classroom!

Second Language Acquisition Quotes has some inspirational and thought-provoking quotes from some of the leaders in language learning at T.P.R.S.  Q & A

Musicuentos has shared a blogpost entitled Nine homework choice systems for world language students that is filled with great ideas.  Don’t miss it!

Do you enjoy using music in your classes?  Then you definitely need to read this blogpost by José Miguel Motoro entitled 31 Spanish Songs Students Love for Improving Speaking and Vocabulary!

Check out this blogpost from Spanish Mama – Spanish 1:  The First Two Weeks.

Here is a fun counting game to get your students practicing number – Mano Nerviosa: Best Ever Counting Game from Spanish Mama.

Looking for some Brain Breaks for the classroom.  Here are some that can be done in the target language – Brain Breaks in the Target Language – by Maris Hawkins!