resources
September 15, 2023
It’s a new season for Musicuentos. You know this. You probably also know it’s going to include regular breaking news, like the return of the Musicuentos Monthly newsletter, or the new Facebook group Musicuentos Tips, Tools, & Talk for Spanish Teachers. JOIN US ON FACEBOOK! My next announcement involves travel itineraries– eventually, for every Spanish-speaking […]
premium
September 23, 2019
One thing at a time: Step Three
premium
So you want to become a better language teacher, and that’s awesome! You’ve laid a good foundation in getting to know some sound research principles involving how people acquire and learn languages thanks to Steve Smith. You’ve figured out what to expect kids to build as they continue on their journey to being proficient in […]
premium
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 […]
premium
August 7, 2018
For the third year, let’s celebrate August (which is back-to-school time here in the southern half of the U.S.) with some #AuthresAugust! For previous posts related to using authentic resources in the classroom, including previous #AuthresAugust picks, check out my authres tag. Definitely take a look at my post from last August called “Authentic or […]
premium
May 29, 2018
Is it the year of the podcast? Back when I was asking for your help in identifying the best new blogs for 2018, Maris thought so. I certainly see a lot more buzz around about them- a whole lot more than I did in 2014. Spoiler alert: 2014 was not the year of the podcast. More […]
premium
October 11, 2017
We have big goals for our students. Tell me about yourself. Help us know how to get to your house. Describe a favorite park a Spanish-speaking tourist might visit. Narrate a story. That last one is my goal for my students this year. Well, it’s not even that complicated. For my middle grades learners, who are […]
premium
September 12, 2017
As much as I love my Madhur Jaffrey cookbook, “Quick and Easy” is not exactly how I would have titled it. But this year, I’ve discovered some super tasty Indian simmer sauces at the grocery store. Whoa. Guess what? My family loves them. They gobble up chicken in simmer sauces from a jar as much as or more than […]
premium
September 5, 2017
My husband bought me emoji stamps for my birthday. Really, he did, because I’d put them on my Amazon wish list. Why? Because a teacher needs emoji stamps, of course! Actually, this purchase stems directly from me being a homeschooling parent. Checking my daughter’s math is on my list of favorite things to do right […]
premium
August 22, 2017
Got a travel unit planned this year? (Who doesn’t?) I love travel, and I love travel units. I don’t care what statistics say about how many of our students will travel. It’s a globalized world, and they should. Getting some language skills before traveling has so many benefits. It shows the world we’re traveling in that we care […]
premium
August 1, 2017
Why care about frequency? If you want to remember why you care about high-frequency words, try learning a new language again. You’ll remember pretty quickly. In my recent journey to acquire some basic skills in Russian, I have more or less accidentally acquired three types of words: the ones I needed to say what I needed to […]
premium
May 29, 2017
Who still thinks that taking two to three months’ break from education is a good idea? Well, that’s a debated topic I don’t intend to get into here, but this I do know: more consistent contact with the target language can only help proficiency gains. What is it? In my case, my students have no […]
premium
February 25, 2017
It’s almost March and Mania musical de marzo is in full swing. And have I got a find for you. Refresh my music memory. It’s hard to tell who started it or if three people had the same idea over a period of a few years – maybe Jeff Klampka on Ben Slavic’s blog, then Spanish […]
premium