If you aren’t familiar with Embedded Readings, a term coined by Michele Waley and Laurie Clarq, the gist is that the teacher creates a series of readings that build on each other to help build reading fluency and support comprehension. A very brief example: Base readingBill is a teacher. Version 1Bill is a Spanish teacher.Continue reading “Embedded Readings as Leveled Assessments”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
CardTalk: Personalizing vocabulary for EVERY Student
CardTalk (previously, Circling with Balls) is a super easy, no prep activity that you can do with literally anything. A lot of people have written about how to do CardTalk (Click here to read Martina Bex’s overview) but to save you some time here’s a quick step by step process: Give students an index card(henceContinue reading “CardTalk: Personalizing vocabulary for EVERY Student”
Silver Lining: Learning to SLOW DOWN in hybrid teaching
Hybrid teaching has its own challenges. For me it’s that I only see my high school students two or three times a week depending on the week. I see my middle schoolers every day. Right now my middle schoolers are a week ahead of my high schoolers. For my sanity, I don’t like that, becauseContinue reading “Silver Lining: Learning to SLOW DOWN in hybrid teaching”
What did you learn today (Update)
Last year I wrote about how adding a simple question at the end of class “What did you become more comfortable with today?” helped show students that even though class might not FEEL like learning sometimes, learning is happening. When learning feels passive (all I have to do is listen and read, I don’t doContinue reading “What did you learn today (Update)”
Using Flipgrid to proctor online writing
I was SO hesitant about what writing in class would look like this year. I thought about students writing on paper and then taking a picture and uploading it to our LMS for grading. But that might’ve become too much work for students and myself. I mean, what are my worries about having students writeContinue reading “Using Flipgrid to proctor online writing”
Virtual TPR and Beginning the Year
I’m still not sure exactly what this year is going to look like, but I don’t think anyone else knows either. I do know that, as always, I want to focus on making opportunities for students to receive comprehensible input. One way I try to ensure comprehension throughout the year is to establish gestures forContinue reading “Virtual TPR and Beginning the Year”
Those PESKY Standards
First off, let me say that I LOVE Indiana’s World Language standards. They are SO easy to navigate not only for teachers but for students. If you are not a world language teacher, the National Standards from ACTFL and most state standards are comprised of the 5 C’s. CommunicationCultureConnectionsComparisonsCommunities. I’d take a leap and sayContinue reading “Those PESKY Standards”
Comparing class texts to make reading assessments
One of the things I LOVE about teaching with comprehensible input (TCI) is that I can start each class with the same prompt (a question, a story script, etc.) and no two classes are the same. We focus on similar language but the additional language we add is unique to each class depending on theirContinue reading “Comparing class texts to make reading assessments”
MORE Remote lesson plans on Canvas
I created another set of lessons that you can use if you’re on Canvas! Simply add an audio/video story and a text. Story Based Remote Learning Module If you don’t have CANVAS here are the activities that students do in this module: Behind the scenes: Find a story. Record video/audio, prepare a parallel story forContinue reading “MORE Remote lesson plans on Canvas”
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