Read the first post on easing into developing curriculum.
Recently the topic for the weekly Twitter chat addressing world language teaching issues, #langchat, was the role of the textbook in the classroom. Teachers on Twitter just seem naturally more progressive to me anyway, but I was pleasantly surprised to see how many teachers are working to break their chains to the textbook.
- Develop a pattern. In my AP class, this is our pattern:
-Monday: “Explore” (explore something related to our current theme)
-Tuesday: Interpersonal communication (conversation or writing practice)
-Wednesday: Novel (we read Ciudad de las bestias)
-Thursday: Interpretive (listening or reading practice, often exploring sources for Friday’s presentational assessment)
-Friday: Presentational: (planning or planning and doing an oral presentation or essay synthesizing authentic sources)
Because of this pattern, I have to think less about what activity we should do on any given day. Also, I know we’re getting in practice in all the modes of communication. - Subscribe to online resources. You can subscribe to my blog on the front page, and that’s typical of just about any blog. Have Kara and Megan email you when they post another great activity (scroll all the way down on the sidebar) or get an email every time there’s a new infographic (click seguir on the right). Infographics are a great way to get authentic content to low-level learners. Use a social bookmarking site like Delicious to easily and quickly save resources you don’t need now but may later.
I hope you are encouraged to take some small, effective steps toward more communicative teaching than a textbook can offer.
Foto credit: Jesús Pérez Pacheco
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I like the pattern, and I’ve kind of developed that this year, at least for the out of class work, between my weekly “opciones” that I got from you, the weekly blogs that I got from Sherry @Amor8, and then the other days SSR from Kristy, but in class. It has really lent a sense of cyclical learning to the course, I think, and I like that. I’m guessing that your interpersonal and interpretive days are just the days you *focus* on those things, right? Isolating seems like it would feel kind of unnatural to me. But that would be a really good way to make sure you give each mode sufficient air time, I bet. This could really help me establish a better routine.
[…] you give up on communicative teaching all together! I’ve blogged about some ways and even more ways on easing into developing curriculum. Here are two […]
HI! I stumbled upon your blog through a Google search. I teach AP Spanish as well and 70% of the students in the class speak Spanish. Do you have any suggestions or different lesson plans to address the needs of “native speakers”? The class is a bit too easy for them, but AP Spanish is really meant for non-native speakers. Thank you!
Hi Kimberly, welcome to my journey! The problems native speakers have are primarily with writing and organization, so I would focus on that. They need to work on using logical connectors, unifying paragraphs, cleaning up common spelling mistakes like b/v and h/null. So, I would focus more on the organizational aspects of the presentational mode, especially. What ties these sources together? How are they different? What’s the difference between shallow (source A, source B, source C) integration and deep (aspect 1 – sources, aspect 2 – sources, etc) integration? How can we add our own opinions in a professional way?
Another aspect is how to include accurate social references. To do that, students need to keep up with world issues and events – something native speakers aren’t any better at than non-natives. So, I’d make sure they’re interacting with sources that involve global issues like political protests and environmental protection.
One more thing-I’d let them explore their own talents within the TL culture. So artists will enjoy exploring modern trends in LatAm art. Same with film, travel, technology, etc.
Hope this helps!