November 3, 2018
The following material is taken from my session for the November 2018 Tennessee Foreign Language Teachers Association. If you read me much, you know that I agree with the broader field that asking “Authentic or learner material?” as a guide for choosing resources is the wrong question. The real question is this: What is going […]
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October 16, 2018
Recently I had the incredible privilege to take my daughter on her first international trip. My husband and I had decided we’d do a sort of “coming-of-age” trip for our children when they reached about 9. (Yes, that’s how early you have to get to your kids before someone else does these days. And earlier, […]
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October 4, 2018
One way or another, you’ve probably experienced a conference. But have you experienced an unconference? As far as I can tell, the words “unconference” and “edcamp” refer to the same structure of professional development, with “edcamp” being specific to the education sector. The “edcamp” model has been taking hold for several years and the definition tells us […]
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September 20, 2018
How do you introduce a novel? So many teacher-authors, teacher-creators, teacher-bloggers have great ideas out there for previewing a comprehensible novel with amazing activities. Just search the title of your novel and the words “introduce” or “preview.” One of those teachers is my buena amiga Maris Hawkins. I’ll be indebted to her this whole semester for […]
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September 12, 2018
I could be wrong, but it seems to me that teacher conferences are in trouble, and have been for a while. As I looked ahead to rejoining the conference scene, earlier this year I asked the language teacher community on Twitter to think with me about problems and solutions with conferences. I hope what we […]
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September 7, 2018
I don’t get to see you at ACTFL this year. For the first time since my first ACTFL in San Antonio (has it been that long?!), I won’t be there. And that is okay. Not only is it okay, it’s the right thing for me. For one thing, a few years ago I made a […]
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September 4, 2018
Whether your Spanish class (Novice Mid to Intermediate Low) is exploring a novel, a particular country, or a travel theme, country-specific authentic resources can be a gold mine. But given that comprehensible input is what it takes, what can our learners understand? For one thing, highly visual resources like infographics and online travel brochures can be very comprehensible. Another hack […]
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August 30, 2018
This podcast on productivity was the last straw for me. Near the beginning, the host reminded me of the research on how much better the brain works when you not only see something written down, but you wrote it there. Sacrificing a good idea on the altar of a new idea I don’t remember when and […]
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August 27, 2018
Social entrepreneurship… in Spanish 1?! A few years ago, a company called VIF International asked me to think and work with them on this question: What would a project-based learning curriculum look like in a novice Spanish class? It’s not an easy question. Project-based language learning presents the same problem Genius Hour does: how can you […]
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August 21, 2018
A while ago, I stumbled upon a site called Sugarcane. It was a game platform, and it was amazing. The platform was owned by IXL Learning, a company making headway in online learning. It was fantastic. And it was free. The games were mostly easily created, they offered a variety of game types, they let […]
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August 15, 2018
Dear readers, Esperanza renace is coming. After four long years, the wait for the third Musicuentos ebook guide to an authentic novel is nearly over. Within weeks – perhaps days – you’ll see the resource release *I* have been waiting and working and longing to make for four years. As we both wait a few more […]
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August 10, 2018
When did I first teach a learner novel? Hmm, think back. From about 2011 through 2014 I taught only intermediate and pre-advanced students and/or the very littles: preschool. I’m pretty sold on the complexity, grit, culture and authenticity that infuses the classroom when you teach an authentic novel as soon as learners can handle it […]
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