LESS TEACHER TALK, MORE STUDENT ACTION BY: NICOLE SILIMPERI

HOW DO WE PROMOTE THE USE OF THE TARGET LANGUAGE? NOT ALL STUDENTS INTERESTED TAKING THE LANGUAGE FOR VARIOUS REASONS CREDIT COLLEGE ADMISSION LOOKS COOL, PICK UP CHICKS AND A FEW, ACTUALLY WANT TO LEARN THE LANGUAGE

SO, HOW DO WE GET THEM TO USE THE LANGUAGE? A LOT OF THE STUDENTS WILL NOT USE THE LANGUAGE. NOT JUST OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM, BUT WILL AVOID USE IN THE CLASSROOM

SO, WHAT DO WE DO? AS INSTRUCTORS, WE WANT TO SEE OUR STUDENTS SPEAKING, WRITING, READING, AND BEING ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHEN LISTENING TO THE TARGET LANGUAGE. WE REDIRECT OUR FOCUS, WE STOP TEACHING GRAMMAR REPETITIONS AND VOCABULARY LISTS. WE ASSIST THEM IN THE USE OF THE LANGUAGE BY GIVING THEM THE OPPORTUNITIES TO PRODUCE

PERFORMANCE BASED ASSESSMENTS WHAT ARE THEY? ASSESSMENTS THAT ASK THE STUDENTS TO PRODUCE IN THE TARGET LANGUAGE VIA TASK PROMPTS AND SCENARIOS.

WRITTEN PBA’S STUDENTS WILL USE THESE TO WRITE NEWSPAPER ARTICLES, ADVERTISEMENTS, FILL OUT APPLICATIONS, ETC. THE PBA’S ARE FOR REAL WORLD USAGE

SPOKEN PBA’S THE STUDENTS WILL HOLD CONVERSATIONS INVOLVED IN REAL WORLD SCENARIOS: MALL SCHOOL HOME WORK

READING PBA’S STUDENTS WILL READ NEWSPAPERS, ADVERTISEMENTS, MAGAZINES, SHORT STORIES, POETRY, ETC. READING TO LEARN MORE, NOT JUST TO RESPOND TO REPETITIVE QUESTIONING EXAMPLES???

LISTENING PBA’S STUDENTS WILL LISTEN TO SONGS, AUTHENTIC CONVERSATIONS WRITTEN AND PRODUCED BY OTHER STUDENTS, TELEVISION ADVERTISEMENTS, NEWSCASTS, SPORTCASTS, ETC. DEMONSTRATION???? – NEWSCASTS USE IN CLASS.

EXAMPLES OF PBAS SCENARIO - You and your friends are going to dine in a restaurant wherein the staff only speaks the target language. You will greet the host/hostess, respond appropriately to the waiter/waitress’ requests, and order your food and drinks in the target language. You will speak with your friend about appropriate restaurant behavior and the do’s and don’ts. You will use the appropriate greeting to leave the restaurant.

EXAMPLE OF PBA TASK: Greet the host/hostess. Greet the waiter/waitress(instructor). Respond appropriately to waiter/waitress’(instructor) requests. Request items from the waiter/waitress using the appropriate form of commands. Speak with your friend about your likes and dislikes, loves and what bothers you. Also, talk to your friend about what the food is like using ser and estar. Order food in the proper manner. Use appropriate phrases when leaving the restaurant. 

EXAMPLE PBA ALONG WITH THE SCENARIO AND TASK, STUDENTS ARE GIVEN A LIST OF VOCABULARY TO USE. THEY ARE ALSO GIVEN A LIST OF GRAMMAR TO USE AND CULTURAL REFERENCES

EXAMPLE OF PBA STUDENTS ARE ALSO GIVEN “I CAN” LISTS. THESE HELP KEEP THEM FOCUSED ON AN ULTIMATE GOAL WHILE THEY COMPLETE THE TASK. FOR EXAMPLE: I can order food in a restaurant I can understand a waiter’s or host’s response I can describe a meal (for each meal of the day) I can ask others to help me or give me items for my meal I can describe appropriate behaviors in restaurants. I can use the appropriate greetings in food related areas.

WHAT ELSE? STUDENTS ARE ALSO GIVEN THE BENCHMARKS THEY ARE TO FOLLOW TO COMPLETE THE TASK. FOR EXAMPLE: 2.NH.IC I can exchange information about familiar tasks, topics, and activities. I can handle short social interactions using phrases and simple sentences, but I may need help or visuals, objects, gestures, etc., to keep the conversation going.  

BACKWARD PLANNING GIVE THEM THE PERFORMANCE BASED ASSESSMENT AS THEIR GOAL. THEY WILL KNOW WHAT THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES ARE AS FAR AS GRAMMAR AND VOCABULARY WHAT THEY DO NOT KNOW THEY CAN INVESTIGATE. GIVE THEM TIME TO PLAN AND PRACTICE. HELP THEM LEARN CONCEPTS WHILE USING THE TARGET LANGUAGE.

SO WHAT DO WE DO EVERYDAY? YOU ARE NO LONGER TEACHING GRAMMAR REPETITIVELY AND USING VOCABULARY LISTS TO MEMORIZE. STUDENTS ARE CREATING FOR YOU. STUDENTS ARE USING THEIR CLASS TIME TO WORK TOGETHER AND CREATE REAL WORLD SITUATIONS. DAILY ACTIVITIES INCLUDE AN ENDPOINT TO CONVERSATIONS IN REAL WORLD SITUATIONS, READING ADVERTISEMENTS, AND WATCHING TELEVISION IN THE TARGET LANGUAGE.

WHAT DOES A DAILY CLASS PLAN LOOK LIKE? BELLRINGER/WARM UP - WRITTEN CONCEPT USING PREVIOUS DAY’S INFORMATION – I.E. WRITE A SHORT CONVERSATION INTRODUCING YOURSELF AT A PARTY. REVIEW AND SHARE WITH A PARTNER INPUT PHASE: POWERPOINT TO INTRODUCE NEW VOCABULARY OR VOCABULARY GAME WITH STUDENTS CONTROLLED GUIDED PRACTICE – STUDENT PRACTICE WITH THE TEACHER AS FACILITATOR INDEPENDENT PRACTICE/EXTENSION - STUDENTS PRODUCE USING VOCABULARY IN GROUPS OR WITH A PARTNER – SENTENCES, QUESTIONS, REAL WORLD PRODUCT QUESTIONS ABOUT GRAMMAR ARE ADDRESSED WHEN THEY ARISE CLOSURE – REVIEWED OF FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

EXAMPLES A FEW OF MY STUDENTS CHOSE TO POST ONE OF THEIR PERFORMANCE BASED ASSESSMENTS ON THE INTERNET WITH A LITTLE LUCK, I CAN SHOW THAT TO YOU. WHILE I AM ARRANGING THAT….TRY YOUR OWN.

PARTICIPANT ACTIVITY IN YOUR GROUPS, CREATE A PERFORMANCE BASED ASSESSMENT. USE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING UNITS: AT A RESTAURANT INTERVIEW AT A MALL SHOPPING AT A MARKET EXPLAINING MY SCHOOL DAY MEETING NEW PEOPLE AT A PARTY

QUESTIONS!?!??!