SCRIMP

Don’t “scrimp” on these vital language acquisition practices in your teaching: SCRIMP. Whether you are presenting in person or remotely, teaching an oral or reading lesson, you need to keep these in mind.

SCRIMP is a reverse acronym, in that you should keep each of these in mind as you teach, but not to worry, the little bit of extra focus to get that this is a reverse acronym will make it stick in you mind even better!

Praise and Encouragement

We can say far more than a simple Muy bien to encourage and praise out students. This document can give you some ideas: MUY BIEN Y MAS

Here is a list of rejoinders in Spanish to teach your students to give them an outlet for their energy: SPANISH REJOINDERS

See more rejoinders in other languages on the Call-and-Response, Rejoinders and Passwords section on this Free Stuff page.

Classroom Jobs

Giving students classroom jobs not only helps the teachers, but they can help make kids feel like useful members of the class. Classroom jobs not only help the classroom run more smoothly, they also change the affective component, making students feel more welcome. When they are contributing, students become vested in the success of the class.  The result is often fewer behavior problems and less sabotage of the teacher’s efforts.  Recruiting students to help in class has always been popular among teachers in the lower grades. Ben Slavic contributed by creating several unique classroom jobs for his world language classrooms. Since then, many teachers have adapted and adopted classroom jobs.

Here is a compilation of  jobs students can do in class with explanations: Classroom Jobs

This is a big help for little annoyances in the classroom. Stop misbehavior before it gets out of hand with the THINK SHEET.

Here are Think Sheets for kindergartners by Tatiana Meza:
Think Sheet Kindergarten Tatiana Meza 

INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION Self Assessment   

Here it is as a Google form that students can fill out electronically. Thanks to Sarah Chiquitó for creating and sharing this handy form.

This rubric is emphasizes that a world language class is a communication class and a student’s behavior has to do with the communication in the target language that they and everyone else is doing in class. Even arriving on time is related to interpersonal communication because the teacher likely greets students at the door in the target language and the first few precious minutes of class are devoted to priming the brain for learning. Adapted from Lauren Tauchman, currently teaching at Denver East HS, in Denver, Colorado. As best I can tell, a version of this rubric was originally developed by Jen Schongalla.

Student Grading is OK Put the Owasso vs. Falvo Supreme Court ruling to work for you. Save yourself time grading endless papers and let your students have instant feedback on assignments and quizzes by letting them grade one another’s work. It’s legal. Don’t let anybody tell you it’s not.

Study Buddy Maps

Study Partner Maps help students learn the geography of the target language world easily and quickly.

EXPLANATION OF THE “FRIENDS FROM…” MAPS

Spanish:

AMIGOS DE CENTROAMÉRICA 
AMIGOS DE SUDAMÉRICA 
AMIGOS DE ESPAÑA 

French:

Thanks to Erica Davis from Montana for this: Les amis de la classe (France)

Thanks to Bridget Webster of Colorado Springs, Colorado for this:
LES AMIS DE L”AFRIQUE NORD ET L’OUEST