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What I Do

Seeking the future of world language learning at the intersection of comprehensible input, project-based learning, global education, and love.

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Resources
October 16, 2018
Straw wars: #authres photo resources for Carrie Toth’s Mar de plástico premium
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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Sara-Elizabeth Cottrell
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August 12, 2010
My supply list premium
I just made my supply list for this year. It’s been whittled down a lot this year. The actual one has a clip-art face on it but I don’t think that uploaded well to Google Docs. 🙂 (Disclaimer: I should add that I teach advanced electives at a private school that doesn’t have the faculty […]
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Uncategorized
November 30, 2009
Print & audio sources for AP synthesis essay re: efficient energy premium
In the world language classroom, we are not just teaching language. Language as a means of communication by its very nature enables us to touch our world in different ways. That’s why I say all the time that a major part of our responsibility is to help our students become world citizens by keeping them […]
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Sara-Elizabeth Cottrell
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Recent Posts

  • Mon amis found magic, and it’s throwing stuffies.
  • Everything works (or nothing does).
  • Sometimes, the journey is a circle.
  • In the end, these are your favorite posts.
  • In the end, these are my favorite posts.
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Archives

  •  2023 (1)
    •  March (1)
      • Mon amis found magic, and it's throwing stuffies.
  •  2022 (2)
    •  October (1)
      • Everything works (or nothing does).
    •  September (1)
      • Sometimes, the journey is a circle.
  •  2019 (31)
    •  December (5)
      • In the end, these are your favorite posts.
      • In the end, these are my favorite posts.
      • One last time: Book Club '19, All the Fluff
      • What I learned from COFFEE (or, another hat I wear)
      • Every story comes to an end.
    •  November (3)
      • Make a MovieTalk more than a MovieTalk: 5 ways
      • And then PBLL says to TCI... #ACTFL19
      • 4 ways to incorporate a Song of the Week comprehensibly & thematically
    •  October (2)
      • One thing at a time: Step Five.
      • One thing at a time: Step Four
    •  September (4)
      • One thing at a time: Step Three
      • One thing at a time: Step Two
      • One thing at a time: Step One
      • Try adding this 1 practice to your classroom culture this year
    •  August (6)
      • Authentic poems for the Spanish novice
      • Hurry up & move! Two (no three! no SEVEN) new brain breaks
      • Supercharge a "News" unit
      • 10 real-world project examples for PBLL
      • Brain Break: Play 5 Second Rule!
      • The Miss Musicuentos of 2003: 5 things right, 5 things wrong
    •  June (1)
      • Join me for a revolution: #SociallySilentSummer
    •  May (3)
      • The 3 silver bullets that killed my textbook
      • Reflections on our AAPPL experience
      • How proficient language speakers get there, and how it changed my goals
    •  March (3)
      • 6 strategies to turn to when (language class) plans go awry
      • 10 songs for a Spanish class health unit & "duele"
      • The wait is over. #EsperanzaRenace
    •  February (2)
      • Legacy, or how my father's spirit lives on in my bilingual child
      • The fundamental perspective that drives your approach to TCI
    •  January (2)
      • Pick & choose lightning review for Novice Spanish
      • Resolved with a Plan 2019: Stuck rabbits, changing puzzles, picking up a paintbrush
  •  2018 (32)
    •  December (2)
      • Thank you, and what you read this year
      • All the Fluff: Book Club 2018
    •  November (3)
      • Gallery Blitz: High-energy novel review
      • From the "icky" test to the Supreme Court: Reflections on teachers sharing (& selling) ideas
      • If the resource fits, use it! (But what fits?)
    •  October (2)
      • Straw wars: #authres photo resources for Carrie Toth's Mar de plástico
      • Keys to an unforgettable, successful #unconference session
    •  September (5)
      • My most expensive resource is now FREE
      • StoryDrawing the song "Latinoamérica"
      • Crowdsourced tips: Toward a new, improved conference model
      • It's conference season. Kick FOMO out the door.
      • RESOURCE RELEASE: Trip Itineraries for Novice High Spanish
    •  August (8)
      • This year, consider... 4) drawing the story
      • #AuthresAugust: Kiva project descriptions
      • This year, consider... 3) paying for apps & services
      • #AuthresAugust: Tips for teaching an authentic novel
      • This year consider... 2) teaching a learner novel (resources for Peter va a Colombia!)
      • #AuthresAugust: Turning TripAdvisor reviews into a trip itinerary
      • This year, consider... 1) A vocabulary brainstorming station
      • Back to work: #AuthresAugust and This year consider...
    •  May (3)
      • #Langchat history and more: Stories and perspectives for your listening pleasure
      • Dear pregnant/young mom teacher: Dream small.
      • More translation-free twists on Matamoscas
    •  April (2)
      • Two cures for our obsession with high-frequency words
      • A must-have resource to accompany Felipe Alou
    •  March (2)
      • How the (shower curtain) word wall looks... so far
      • ImproviCuentos: Mad Libs + novel chapter = (90-minute) lesson plan
    •  February (2)
      • A tribute to your unhistoric acts, teacher
      • NCSSFL & ACTFL gave us new Can Dos: Your 15-minute(ish) guide
    •  January (3)
      • Mind Mapping Vocabulary
      • Blogs to watch 2018: You tell me!
      • Resolved 2018: Intention vs. plan
  •  2017 (30)
    •  December (4)
      • Book Club 2017: All the Fluff
      • The Power of Thank You (and what you read most)
      • Book Review: Raising Global Children
      • 21 gifts for the teacher you love
    •  November (3)
      • A minor stroke of genius: Count down the rabbit trail
      • ACTFL '17: Novice PBLL, and adapt that text!
      • Can I learn with you at ACTFL '17?
    •  October (2)
      • Break free from the verb chart. (FLANC '17)
      • Build an iceberg? I'm gonna need some ice.
    •  September (3)
      • Let the PLN make your simmer sauce (w/Ratoncito Pérez resources)
      • The $10 gift for EVERY teacher on your list
      • In search of music that says something real (#AuthresAugust)
    •  August (5)
      • The alphabet book every Spanish teacher must have (#AuthresAugust)
      • The best Spanish travel channels on YouTube (#AuthresAugust)
      • #AuthresAugust: Blogging street signs in Madrid
      • Authentic or learner material? Wrong question.
      • New resources: How frequent is that high-frequency word?
    •  July (1)
      • Welcome back! (sort of)
    •  May (2)
      • Summer Activity Record sheets for elementary to Spanish 2
      • Yes, some people are "good" at languages. So what? (Black Box)
    •  April (1)
      • A Musicuentos storytelling video
    •  March (3)
      • Why it's I Can, not I Need or even I Want
      • 5 steps to make a video viewing guide
      • Let's do this together.
    •  February (3)
      • So your students think they can dance...
      • One question: What do you use your L2 for?
      • Blogs to Watch 2017
    •  January (3)
      • Resolutions 2017: Support the community
      • Resolutions 2017: Do something empathetic
      • Resolutions (Systems!) 2017: Become Officer Hopps
  •  2016 (54)
    •  December (8)
      • Top post of 2016: Homework choice systems for Spanish class
      • Best of 2016, #2: Top 20 Songs for Spanish Class
      • Book Club '16: Who Owns the Learning
      • Best of 2016, #3: 5 ways to use infographics in language class
      • Book Club 2016: All the Fluff
      • Best of 2016, #4: Where's the agreement?
      • Best of 2016, #5: New(ish) authentic music!
      • When the textbookless teacher's creativity goes up in flames
    •  November (3)
      • Textbook as AID: #actfl16 slideshow and checklist
      • See you this year? Conferences & workshops
      • One more question: Did you become proficient because of a class?
    •  October (4)
      • So, what was your pathway to proficiency? (Poll)
      • Post-It Votes: Low stress, high interaction with input
      • VanPatten/Ellis/Conti/Long: "Principles" compared
      • Native speaker video resource: ¡GRACIAS Project Amigo!
    •  September (2)
      • The largest Spanish class PBLL collaboration ever?
      • Throwback ThurSLAy: Research that brought us here
    •  August (6)
      • #AuthResAugust: Interactive websites
      • #AuthRes August: Top 20 Musicuentos songs
      • #AuthResAugust: New(ish) Music!
      • Nine homework choice systems for world language classrooms
      • #AuthResAugust: The power of Twitter
      • Annual BTS sale: 20%-25% off ebook guides to authentic novels
    •  July (5)
      • A call to #AuthRes August
      • World language teaching after the Babel fish
      • Where are the points of agreement in language teaching?
      • My own position statement: the why & how of TL use
      • July agenda: To boldly think in public
    •  June (2)
      • Welcome, again
      • This side of the Year of No Grades: How it changed (me)
    •  May (1)
      • Seven things I will (should/would/might) do next year
    •  April (8)
      • They couldn't hear the word "no"
      • Scaffolded reading: Novice Mid #authres "Places to Plans"
      • NEW Summer PD: Brave Little Tailor CI strategies workshop
      • Dear Everychild: Learn a language
      • I am (Shakespeare): A practical, fun TL transition/brain break
      • Extra, extra! Special guest at (Base)Camp Musicuentos
      • Guest Post: What is "unconscious" acquisition in the classroom? (Justin Slocum Bailey)
      • I'll never use authentic resources again
    •  March (6)
      • Primacy/Recency Lesson Plan Template
      • Better acquisition by altering (not eliminating) translation
      • 5 ways to use infographics in language class
      • Armed for incomprehensible input (CSCTFL '16)
      • Effective Storytelling with Consistency, Cartooning, and Cool Content (CSCTFL)
      • The Best Laid Plans (CSCTFL '16)
    •  February (3)
      • It's TIME! Register for Camp Musicuentos 2016
      • The word to fear in lesson planning
      • Culture, description, family: Novice #authres this week!
    •  January (6)
      • Quick tech to start your year: One-Click Timer
      • Quick Tech to start your year: Video DownloadHelper
      • Quick tech to start your year: Screencastify
      • Chameleons and bears and early language class, oh my!
      • Blogs to Watch 2016
      • Resolve for 2016: Walk free, and pay it forward
  •  2015 (78)
    •  December (11)
      • Top post of the year: The 2015 updated rubric
      • Book Club 2015: Make It Stick
      • Best of 2015 #2: The five things I must have in my syllabus
      • Book Club 2015: All the etc. in one post
      • Best of 2015 #3: How important is task completion?
      • Semester 1 assessment: Elementary edition
      • Too much choice = a self-defeating tyranny?
      • Best of 2015 #4: My homework choices for very early novices
      • Best of 2015 #5: Using the song El perdón
      • Ending the year with Best of & Book Club
      • How about an elementary rubric?
    •  November (4)
      • Couch conversations from ACTFL: A conference in sound bytes
      • Teach me to say what I need to say: Overview of TBLT (Black Box)
      • See you at ACTFL '15?
      • A checklist: Adapt, Incorporate, or Ditch a textbook activity?
    •  October (7)
      • 7 Brain Breaks for World Language Teachers
      • Give & take #authres activities: Let's collaborate!
      • Collaborating via Google Drive step-by-step
      • Correcting all those errors? Step away from the red pen. (BlackBox)
      • Twitter Lingo for World Language Teachers
      • More resources for very early circumlocution
      • More TL in class is tough. Let's do it anyway. (BlackBox)
    •  September (6)
      • A conference in sound bytes: 6 quotes from KWLA '15
      • The Best Laid Plans (KWLA '15)
      • Cultura y Comunicación con Comerciales (KWLA '15)
      • Novice description with a deep cultural AP twist
      • See you this year? Conferences & Camp Musicuentos 2016
      • The taco/sushi talk - visualized!
    •  August (9)
      • These are a few of my favorite things
      • ANNOUNCING: The 2015 updated performance assessment rubric
      • Let me tell you about tacos... I mean crêpes!
      • You can't possibly teach it. But you can do this. (Black Box)
      • Homework choice for elementary students (and my syllabus)
      • BTS: The Taco Talk for Intermediates
      • Finally: My homework choices for very early novices
      • The five things I must have in my syllabus
      • If I learn it, can I use it? The interface debate (Black Box)
    •  July (6)
      • Back-to-school time! Upcoming posts, resources on sale
      • Starting my interactive notebook
      • I can do more with you than I can alone (Black Box)
      • This is design-based learning: A disaster relief team
      • No dog with my iced tea, please
      • All they need is accurate input... right? Wrong. (Black Box)
    •  June (4)
      • The new required school supply: Find your own audience
      • Grammar drills aren't all in your head... or in your head at all (BlackBox)
      • The one-word key to teaching culture
      • Why your method doesn't matter: Black Box videocast
    •  May (4)
      • Embedded listening
      • Rubrics: How important is task completion?
      • Add this to your Novice AND Intermediate HW choice options NOW
      • What a design-based WL program looks like
    •  April (6)
      • "Three Before Me" poster in German and French
      • Three before me
      • Why interpersonal isn't interpretive
      • How can a transition empower your class?
      • How can I help you put research to practice?
      • Forced to adopt a textbook: Now what?
    •  March (7)
      • New song: El perdón for two levels
      • En español, por favor: Fostering bilingualism in children
      • It's not about the I in IPA, or the vocab list
      • Armed for a world of incomprehensible input: Circumlocution training
      • Timely repost: the "I don't understand!" signal
      • Poll: what conference proposals?
      • Anatomy of a novice question
    •  February (7)
      • I see a... great chance to practice prepositions
      • Speaking of motivation: Guest interview on Paulino Brener's EPC Show
      • It's TIME! Open registration for Camp Musicuentos '15
      • The M that trumps your method, materials, & madness
      • Shake things up: Vary your seating - every day
      • #Teach2Teach 3: A coach who failed me, and a coach who didn't
      • Pronunciation gold: Forvo.com
    •  January (7)
      • It's a myth, #11: Assessing communication without communication
      • My favorite authentic resource combining culture & calendar
      • #Teach2Teach Question 1: The Great Balancing Act
      • All new resource: Battleship for es / está
      • 2015 Resolution #3, Expand your learning network: New blogs to watch
      • 2015 Resolutions #2: Act like we're on the same team
      • 2015 resolution #1: Stop being so hard on yourself
  •  2014 (96)
    •  December (22)
      • Book Club '14: George Müller & Bruchko
      • Best of 2014 #1: Every language teacher's biggest mistake
      • Best of 2014 #6: Carol Gaab's rebuttal to my TPRS critique
      • Book Club '14: Creating Innovators
      • Best of 2014 #2: Where I depart from classic TPRS
      • Book Club '14: Stella Bain, Gemma Hardy, & a bittersweet hotel
      • Best of 2014 #7: What I love about TPRS
      • Book Club '14: Monuments Men, With the Old Breed, In Pharaoh's Army
      • Book Club '14: The Kite Runner
      • Best of 2014 #3: Sample homework choice systems
      • Book Club '14: Crazy Busy
      • Book Club '14: The Hobbit & The Scarlet Pimpernel
      • Best of 2014 #5: How I use verb charts
      • Book Club 2014: Amazing Grace (Kozol)
      • Book Club '14: A Step of Faith & Walking on Water (The Walk series)
      • Best of 2014 #4 & #8: Curriculum planning outside the textbook
      • Book Club '14: Five Days at Memorial & Men We Reaped
      • Best of 2014 #9: Genius hour isn't a great idea for novice classes
      • Book Club '14: The Painted Veil & Life After Life
      • Best of 2014 #10: The new JCPS curriculum documents
      • Happy Cyber Week! Resource sale Dec. 1-3
      • Musicuentos Book Club 2014
    •  November (4)
      • Lessons from ACTFL '14: if they have all the answers, they're trying to sell you something
      • What's ahead: ACTFL, best of '14, and the book club
      • Linguacafé: The idea that rocked my interpersonal world
      • What we learned at IFLTA '14: Everyone struggles, Culture leads
    •  October (5)
      • Communicative teaching in the shadow of [grammar-focused] common assessment
      • More multi-tasking children's lit
      • Next on my PD list: New proficiency videos
      • What we learned at KWLA: share, think, respect
      • The game-changing authentic resource guide for Spanish 3+: it's here!
    •  September (4)
      • Three days and then...
      • The technology that's making us irrelevant...and more relevant
      • Thank you, reflective teachers
      • See you this year? Conferences & Camp Musicuentos
    •  August (6)
      • How I teach La ciudad de las bestias
      • Putting homework in their hands: Sample systems
      • The First Day Story: Empowering with CI
      • Keeping games communicative
      • Let's talk tacos: Informing parents & students on proficiency
      • Regreso a clases! Ciudad on sale
    •  July (2)
      • Oso de Mantequilla: A tribute
      • It's coming!
    •  June (7)
      • What we learned at Camp Musicuentos
      • Lesson plan: Indirect objects and celebrations (template too)
      • New Podcast: What kind of corrective feedback works?
      • New resource: Educating parents and students on proficiency
      • Another resource: JCPS new curriculum documents (K-12)
      • Introducing the past tenses together
      • Time for you to get feedback?
    •  May (9)
      • Upcoming workshop (IN): Proficiency-based lesson planning
      • Stop calling this easy & fast
      • Revisiting Photopeach for the AP Final
      • Stop stressing: It's wrong to do the best you can
      • Three tasks for crafting an effective message: Black Box Podcast episode 4
      • A Year in a Day: Camp Musicuentos 2014
      • Taking care of business: Summer collaboration for a successful year
      • 4 ways to tweak the exit ticket
      • Black Box Podcast episode 3: To Sell Is Human, part 1
    •  April (9)
      • Top 25 Spanish novels
      • Let's play
      • New activity resource: Tweetfest!
      • Black Box Podcast episode 2: Circumlocution
      • An impromptu "langcamp"
      • See you at ACTFL '14
      • 4 ways to keep curriculum relevant
      • Tutorial on the best free PD you'll find in your own home
      • The Musicuentos Black Box Podcast: IT'S HERE!
    •  March (11)
      • Authentic visual illustrations of proficiency (Spanish)
      • Curriculum planning outside the textbook, Part 2
      • A week or more of working with Vivir mi vida
      • Resource release: Complete verb pack
      • Curriculum planning outside the textbook: Part 1
      • Corrections to simple verb pack
      • Musicuentos is on Pinterest!
      • Is this the best we can do?
      • Writing a restaurant review: Activity from Bethanie Drew
      • Putting a number grade on proficiency-based assessment
      • Resource release: Simple verb pack
    •  February (7)
      • My favorite source for restaurant (and other) reviews
      • Guest post: A TPRS rebuttal by Carol Gaab
      • TPRS strategies I don't put in my toolbox
      • What I love about TPRS
      • Repost: Valentine's #authres from Twitter
      • How I use verb charts
      • Guest post: What students need- A leader (David Seibel)
    •  January (10)
      • Every language teacher's biggest mistake
      • My new favorite digital storytelling app
      • Why Genius Hour can't work in a novice classroom
      • Website review: Geoguessr
      • 2014 resolutions #5: Use more authentic sources.
      • 2014 Resolutions #4: Take a step outside the textbook
      • Reviewing 2013: Five blogs to watch
      • 2014 Resolutions #3: Survey your students.
      • 2014 Resolutions #2: Collaborate with someone
      • 2014 Resolutions #1: Read a book
  •  2013 (110)
    •  December (13)
      • The #1 Musicuentos post of 2013 (and the six years before that)
      • Best of 2013: #2 - Tips for the new AP
      • Best of 2013: #3 - Choice in homework, updated
      • Best of 2013: #4 - Novice song for Spanish Class Idol
      • Best of 2013: #5 - Can you control vocabulary?
      • Best of 2013: #6 - Is your lesson plan out of whack?
      • Best of 2013: #7 - Four habits that enrich vocabulary
      • AP Spanish final exam: Controversia navideña y Vacunas para niños
      • Best of 2013: #8 - Novice high vs. Intermediate low
      • Best of 2013: #9 - Using assessment to inform your teaching
      • Best of 2013: #10 - Spot-checking conversations
      • First-ever Musicuentos ebook: Reader's Guide to Ciudad de las bestias
      • Happy December!
    •  November (8)
      • AP Spanish essay - Obamacare
      • Vote: Musicuentos proposal for ACTFL '14
      • Setting goals
      • Don't go to ACTFL '13 without TELLing
      • Repost: A story for demonstratives
      • Listen to some Grammy music
      • Caring about the Really Big Deal
      • Calm before the excitement!
    •  October (4)
      • Using assessment to inform your teaching
      • Just some fluff: Makeup for busy mom teachers
      • Top 3 mistakes teachers of novices make
      • Book review: Teach Like A Pirate
    •  September (7)
      • Interacting with authentic materials: a guide
      • Using audio-lingua
      • Seven keys to a great story
      • Stations: Exploring music
      • It's a myth: Equipping students to communicate with... themselves
      • Turn a Novice Song into "Spanish Class Idol"
      • Is your lesson plan out of whack?
    •  August (12)
      • Children's literature for the world language class (Helena Curtain)
      • App review & Giveaway! High School Spanish
      • Choice in homework, updated
      • Back to school: Proficiency posts
      • App Review: Storykit (bonus - meet my family!)
      • Back to school: Evaluate traditions
      • Back to school: Blogs with great ideas
      • App review & giveaway: Word Magic dictionary and thesaurus
      • My authorized AP syllabus
      • Back to school: Musicuentos "first days" posts
      • Back to school: Give them signals
      • Going back to school with Musicuentos
    •  July (6)
      • Tips for the New AP
      • Don't be fooled! What the AP does and doesn't measure
      • Illustrating proficiency with a laugh
      • Snag some free apps while you can!
      • Stop asking for unnatural language
      • Fun video: Animals, present, feelings
    •  June (9)
      • Targeting problems with a pop quiz
      • Song, irregular present, part 4: Tengo tu love
      • It's my birthday - check out our presents!
      • A meaningful approach to grammar
      • Websites for creating online magazines
      • A world with no magazines
      • Guest post: Coaching with choice
      • Screencast: Photopeach
      • Communicative grading made easier
    •  May (10)
      • Health infographic: Novice - Intermediate Activity
      • A lesson in finding authentic sources easily
      • Tips and songs for past participles
      • Foster higher-level thinking from the beginning
      • Summer: Language for the fun of it
      • Novice high vs. intermediate low
      • E-magazines with learner appeal
      • Step outside the textbook: Tell a story
      • Repost: Novice description with Jengibre and Pin Pon
      • Interpersonal communication by choice
    •  April (11)
      • Novice speaking: Describing self with Sie7e
      • Can you control vocabulary?
      • Activities from authentic resources: Future tense
      • Why I love mistakes
      • Maternity leave!
      • Lots of your class gone? Pick up a book.
      • Abandon the multiple-choice question
      • Songs for future tense
      • I choose béisbol: sample "homework" report
      • 300 times thank you
      • Reporting like kindergarten
    •  March (11)
      • Training in circumlocution: Ban the dictionary
      • Fun activity #9: A leer
      • Last tips on avoiding burnout
      • Cortometraje for narration
      • Make developing curriculum even easier
      • Even more tips on avoiding burnout
      • Authentic resource: trivia games
      • Still more tips on avoiding burnout
      • Two more ways to ease into developing curriculum
      • Song, irregular present, part 3: Carmelina
      • More tips on avoiding burnout
    •  February (10)
      • Intermediate news activity for all three modes
      • Easing into developing curriculum
      • If you don't pay attention to comprehensibility...
      • Burning out or burning bright?
      • Keeping the class engaged: Change activities
      • Fun activity #8: A cantar
      • Twitter/relationships activity, just in time for Valentine's
      • Tech tools gone wrong
      • Grading regular free-topic writing
      • Add more music to homework choices
    •  January (9)
      • Spot-checking conversations
      • Song, irregular present, part 2: Hace tiempo
      • Four habits that enrich vocabulary
      • Paragraph form
      • Myths 8 & 9: I don't do it because they can't handle it.
      • Assigning homework
      • Song, irregular present, part 1: Sigo con ella
      • More choice every day
      • A novice cross-curricular activity from authentic materials
  •  2012 (39)
    •  December (2)
      • 5 New Year's resolutions for every WL teacher
      • It pays to have a focus
    •  October (2)
      • Best and worst games I've seen
      • Example: authentic text for novices
    •  September (7)
      • Success with Stations
      • More student choice in homework
      • Prezi: The Choice is Theirs (KWLA 2012)
      • Prezi: Kick the Vocab Quiz (KWLA 2012)
      • Take the leap to standards-based assessment
      • Fun activity #7: Conecta cuatro
      • A song for feelings
    •  August (11)
      • Screencast: Edmodo
      • Myth #7: Spanish Mike is a taco.
      • A study in motivation, part 2: Self-assessing abilities
      • It's my blogiversary - but you get the gift
      • Menus
      • Reading guides: Cajas de cartón & Esperanza renace
      • A re-post for your first days back: Abecedario
      • Screencast: Finding authentic sources for prompts
      • Maintaining personal proficiency
      • Ideas for the first days of school
      • AP redesign: Units & EQ's
    •  July (9)
      • A study in motivation
      • Advice for teachers in training
      • More uses for Amor de mi tierra
      • Book review: The Talent Code
      • Songs for 'duele'
      • The Case for Commands
      • Got idioms?
      • Like Musicuentos? Like it on Facebook.
      • Very short times with very young kids
    •  June (1)
      • 5...4...3...2...1... LAUNCH!
    •  March (4)
      • Another change: Survey says...
      • Design your own final exam
      • What I'm changing this week
      • Repost for CSC12: Increasing target language
    •  February (1)
      • A storytelling success story
    •  January (2)
      • Not going to ACTFL again, but for the best reason ever
      • Free Ebook for WL educators
  •  2011 (57)
    •  November (1)
      • Dear novice-learner teacher - love, an AP teacher
    •  October (3)
      • Learning from #langchat
      • Not your average health unit
      • Presentation: Target Language: Expect More, Say Less
    •  September (6)
      • Spanish 3 assessment documents
      • For KWLA 2011: Media from Reel to Real
      • Accuracy vs. proficiency: an illustration
      • Fun activity #6: A escribir
      • App review: Tour Wrist
      • Myth #6: Memorizing vocabulary
    •  August (5)
      • Trending topic = authentic comprehensible input
      • Got the rubric!
      • New year, new units, new assessments
      • Jumping on the Animoto bandwagon
      • Rethinking "late" work
    •  July (1)
      • A song made for early Spanish 1
    •  June (9)
      • Proficiency & tacos
      • Proficiency levels shouldn't be a secret
      • Flipbook illustration
      • Ethics in the language class - we aren't their parents
      • Activity #5: Gira la botella
      • Symbol Illustration
      • Connecting your classroom
      • Myth #5: The textbook is all I need
      • Taking paperless to the blog
    •  May (2)
      • Combat the 'este tiempo' monster
      • Children's DVD giveaway!
    •  April (6)
      • Activity #4: Drama Inmóvil
      • Myth #4: The Time Whine
      • Have you used PhotoPeach?
      • The myths aren't going to ACTFL
      • Fun activity #3: ¡Arriésgate!
      • Fun activity #2: A conversar
    •  March (3)
      • Dismantling Myths 2 and 3: Learning about language and its cousin, Grammatical Terms
      • Activity 1: Cuento poco a poco
      • (Trying to) Make learning fun
    •  February (10)
      • Two new options for out-of-class fluency
      • Great resource from la Sra. Birch
      • Dismantling Myth #1: What's a qualified teacher?
      • Keep singing: 189 pages of Spanish lyrics
      • #Charlando para aprender
      • Vote for this week's #langchat topic
      • It's time for them to use their time
      • For tonight's #langchat: A game for description
      • Short listening activity tailor-made for beginners
      • Ciudad de las bestias: Guides public & streamlined
    •  January (11)
      • Instead of the vocab quiz
      • Best songs for stem changing irreg. present
      • Do something drastic - kick the vocab quiz
      • Topic for #LangChat 1/27
      • Topic for the first #LangChat 1/20
      • Low-level learners can't understand authentic media, what?
      • They can't speak, and it's our fault: Dismantling the myths
      • Don't teach a health unit without this song
      • New: A language teachers' weekly chat on Twitter - choose our first topic!
      • Since I stopped teaching to the [AP] test
      • Faith and Culture: help me decide our AP topic
  •  2010 (38)
    •  December (4)
      • 9 ways to increase students' TL use
      • I love collaboration
      • The problem with translation (from a student)
      • Why music is more powerful than anything (& how to use it)
    •  November (2)
      • iPad giveaway!
      • A collaborative project for our Spanish-teacher PLN
    •  October (2)
      • And the winner is...
      • In the spirit of open source: Ciudad de las bestias
    •  September (10)
      • Books recommended as 'easy'
      • Pure present tense & at least 22 repetitions of 'ya no'
      • For a conference attendee: resources in math
      • Searching BBC Mundo
      • Prompts with Power: writing/speaking prompts
      • Prompts with Power: Prezi
      • Prompts with Power: German & French resources
      • Prompts with Power: Dating in high school
      • KWLA Presentation: PLN-ology
      • Tweet with double objects
    •  August (6)
      • Interactive comic creator using Maya & Miguel
      • Ads of the World | Creative Advertising Archive & Community
      • Added some great new links
      • First 12 days of Spanish 1
      • My supply list
      • Scope & sequence, word list for Spanish 1
    •  July (4)
      • 5 tips for increasing (your own) target language use
      • A warm-up from @samocamila: por vs. para
      • Camila's all on board! (well, on Twitter)
      • Getting vocabulary from a tweet
    •  April (3)
      • Huge toy giveaway from SpanglishBaby
      • A case for avoiding "pet" grammar
      • Authentic audio with future tense
    •  March (2)
      • Interesting blog post about iPod as language lab
      • News article: appeal + subjunctive for influence
    •  January (5)
      • A high-interest exercise for imperfect/pasado continuo
      • A song with 17 verbs in past subjunctive
      • My corporate Spanish links, all in one place
      • "Adora la Exploradora"-the week we didn't feel like a boring past-tense review
      • My level 1 and 2 stories (for Bethanie, and whomever else)
  •  2009 (80)
    •  December (2)
      • A song with 37 repetitions of "más que"
      • Switch to a communicative set-up
    •  November (10)
      • Print & audio sources for AP synthesis essay re: efficient energy
      • Two songs for voy + a + infinitive
      • A case for free-topic blogging
      • It's 19 de noviembre!
      • Camila's new single: "Mientes" (release date 11/24!)
      • A case for pleasure reading
      • Noviembre - a popular month for songs
      • Zachary Jones's "Clozeline"
      • Two songs + resources for Ojalá + subjunctive
      • A song just for @mamitati
    •  October (13)
      • You can't buy this in a textbook
      • Cultural connections: Four songs to explore using Google Earth
      • David Bisbal's YouTube channel
      • Correction on Pin Pon in Shrek
      • Four songs for contrasting que & lo que
      • Nominados en la 10a entrega de los Latin Grammy
      • Story and songs for subjunctive: indefinite/negative antecedent
      • AP sythesis essay sources: Los indocumentados y el sistema de salud
      • Blog that does what I do, only better
      • My October playlist
      • We must not ignore the Paz Sin Fronteras (video)
      • Build your perfect tenis (en español)
      • Video with por, haber, past participles, commands, from Coca Cola
    •  September (10)
      • Latin Grammy website gets a cool makeover... and nominations!
      • Songs for the elusive 3rd pers. sing. preterite
      • I just made my first Yodio
      • KWLA Fall 09 Conference presentation
      • Found Juanes on Twitter
      • For you French teachers
      • Bilingual toy giveaway, gracias a @mamitati
      • Keeping your eyes open for gold nuggets
      • CNN launches Latino in America
      • Bob Esponja on Mundonick
    •  August (4)
      • A correction on the correction of La Frase Tonta
      • I am in technology heaven
      • An AP oral presentation, with past tense: "Consecuencias"
      • I love crossover songs
    •  July (2)
      • Raimundo, the bilingual Latin American snail
      • A song for object/refl pronoun 'te'
    •  June (6)
      • A song for your hip-hop fans
      • Developing world citizens
      • Follow me on Twitter
      • Aquí Estoy Yo: video oficial
      • A new group on my radar
      • Two months later, back to the blogosphere (with a companion)
    •  April (5)
      • A most fantastic performance at Premio Lo Nuestro
      • The heroes speak Español
      • A brilliant pair of songs contrasting por/para
      • Useless grammar I used to teach
      • Adding some links--check 'em out
    •  March (7)
      • Negative commands + culture
      • Winds of change
      • Our students aren't the only ones who have speaking problems!
      • Activity: News interaction (present perfect)
      • A new smash hit with a subjunctive benefit
      • A shout out for Jacob & Joshua
      • El campesino y la princesa (a Spanish 3 story test, with a bit of subjunctive)
    •  February (15)
      • More interactive websites, courtesy of my students
      • A product I love
      • Good stories for commands
      • a story for imperf. vs. pret. and subjunctive influence
      • Interactive websites: practicing house/location/color vocab
      • Subjunctive for doubt: Story, song, activity
      • A good story for 'tiene'
      • A song for subjunctive/nosotros commands
      • A story for demonstratives
      • Rules in a communicative class
      • Cause and effect
      • Relating everything to English
      • A correction on La Frase Tonta
      • Equipping and informing, for free
      • A project based on motivation
    •  January (6)
      • "How much is estuvo de pie?"
      • One more song for subjunctive
      • A couple more subjunctive songs
      • An example of vocab
      • Internet scavenger hunts
      • A Spanish 2 story test
  •  2008 (51)
    •  December (7)
      • Videos from Jesús Adrian Romero
      • Alex Campos's YouTube channel
      • A story test
      • A video for Navidad
      • Great new song for subjunctive
      • ¡Nueva música!
      • A fantastic blog post
    •  November (14)
      • Ever heard of Patito feo?
      • Two groups you just can't go wrong with
      • Things to be thankful for
      • Grammar learning vs. acquisition
      • Forced to give grammar tests?
      • High aptitude is a beautiful thing
      • Another Spanish 1 reading
      • New media list!
      • At the ACSI conference in Dayton
      • Story success: Huevos verdes con jamón
      • Another story source!
      • Words we don't use
      • Song success: Hace tiempo
      • El carro de sus sueños
    •  October (12)
      • Overgeneralizing, again
      • Spanish 2 Story: La llama se llama...
      • Song success: Me voy
      • Not posting lately
      • overgeneralizing
      • The outcome of Pin Pon
      • Pin Pon in Shrek?
      • Best practices
      • Reading in Spanish 3
      • SCORE!
      • My media list
      • Awesome YouTube video
    •  September (18)
      • KWLA '08: Assessing comprehension without English
      • Song success: La llave de mi corazón
      • Spanish 1 Story: Insectos grises para el almuerzo
      • Finding stories
      • How do I find the music?
      • Modeling the billingual lexicon
      • Summaries of some classroom SLA articles
      • Love/Hate Krashen
      • Another article that rocked my world
      • More sunshine
      • When it's not all coming up roses
      • What on earth is going on here?
      • So, what are the cuentos?
      • The verdict on pop test 1
      • People I love
      • A pop test
      • Some assumptions
      • Starting to share my journey

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