This year I am explaining to the students in each class that we are starting off the year with dual learning tracks. This does not mean we are putting students in different groups (we are not tracking students), it means we are operating in two different language areas.
One track is the Get-to-Know-You piece. We are interviewing about one student per day per class. I think of it as “circling” the student. I want to get to know my students and I want them to know one another. I think that if they know one another they have a better shot at respecting one another and maybe even growing to like and appreciate one another. This component in Spanish 2 is “What did you do this summer?” The goal is the same. Kids are awesome and they do awesome things that no one in the entire school knows about. I want to try to cure a piece of that.
The other track is basic Spanish for the level. In level one it is classical TPR–gets them up and moving and subconsciously obeying my directives and getting the idea that the learning is active in this class. In level 2, it is the most frequently used past tense verbs.
As we move through the year these two branches of Spanish will combine and intermingle so that we can learn more about one another and use that knowledge to learn even more Spanish. Two streams coming together, combining and becoming more powerful than you can possibly imagine–compelling input.
Hey Bryce. First of all thank you for your blogs and free stuff! : ) This will be my first year teaching high school Spanish 1 and 2, and this is very helpful. I was just wondering how you used the past tense verbs in level 2 at the beginning of they year. Do you have them act out certain words? What do they do with them?
Gracias,
Dona Jayme
I think it works best to introduce just a few words in the past tense at a time such as “was, went, had, etc.” Does this make sense?
Yes. But I was planning on asking them about what they did during summer, and circle their responses for awhile. Compare/contrast etc… What I’m wondering, do I do when they lose interest and it’s time for them to switch activities, move around etc.. Spanish I is easy because everything is new so I will work on TPR, phonics, numbers colors, little activities. Spanish II should already know most of this (although they were taught by the book last year so maybe they don’t) so I’m not sure what other activities to have them do at the beginning of the year.
Thanks again.
Right. Ok, I misunderstood your situation. You can still do something similar by just using the words “I went, I liked it, I worked, I spent, I played, I practiced” and just a few other verbs that will help them to describe their summer activities. Because they are familiar with common vocabulary from Spanish I they will be able to do this. Just keep it simple at first and gradually add more verbs as they get it. I think you are on the right track–using the real experiences of your real kids with real language to win them over.