Angie writes:

Would you send me a quick description of your “repasito” bellringer? Is it an oral or a written task? I was doing a bellringer that involved translating short sentences, but I found that going over it was a drag on the beginning of class. What is your experience?

The repasito is a short written review that students do as a bell ringer activity at the beginning of class every day.  For me, it is an important classroom management tool.  The purpose is to have something for students to do when they walk in to class; they have their job to do and I have mine. It helps to ground both me and the students. The repasito helps me by creating a bit of time to deal with absent students, answer questions and take roll. It helps the students by reviewing what we were doing the day before and getting them focused on Spanish class. Students also have to be quiet during that time which can help to establish a disciplines tone in the classroom as well. I was amazed when, after a teacher had observed my classes for a week and did interviews afterwards, several students mentioned that the repasito was one of the things that helped them to learn the most in the class. I was not expecting that.

The repasito is written on the board, ready for the students when they enter the classroom each day. It is always in the same spot on the whiteboard and always consists of five questions–that makes it easy for distracted students to spot it and easy for their distracted teacher to remember how much it is worth at the end of the week. It is usually five very short questions that remind students of the words or situation from yesterday’s lesson. Students write their answers in their composition books.

The repasito is low stress, but consistent. It is not a quiz.  Students can use notes, look at words posted around the classroom, or quietly ask their neighbor for an answer but most remember the answers and write them with no trouble.  that’s what I want–quick and successful for them.  Like every day, I want them thinking that this Spanish stuff is easy, that they are good at Spanish.

I also like to make the questions comprehensible input, so usually it is just a quick translation from Spanish to English. Level I students in particular can read Spanish and show understanding with English. We quickly go over the answers when I have finished taking roll. It is odd when everyone does not get 100%.