My department chair, Karen Knight, and I were discussing assignments for our remote learning experience that could potentially extend through the end of the year. “I want to give them a memory, Padrah. I don’t want to assign them 150 questions that won’t mean anything to them later.”
Exactly.
Karen proposed an idea that I absolutely love and will adopt for my classes in the coming weeks. Her students will be creating a scrapbook about their lives and the world during this global pandemic. The project builds upon itself with new themes or chapters for each week, with flexible expectations of responses written in the target language. Here is a breakdown of themes we brainstormed:
Week 1 – Current events headlines: Students gather current events articles and explain and summarize COVID-19, how it started and has evolved over the weeks. Students could elaborate on how it has specifically affected their community.
Week 2 – Family, activities, and the “New Normal”: Ask students to gather pictures and tell about their family. What are their ages? Jobs? Do they no longer work or work from home because of the pandemic? Most importantly, have your students discuss what their lives are from day-to-day now that they are at home. Have they been on more walks or spent more time with family?
Week 3 – A little humor: The memes, the GIFs, the videos of what people are doing to pass their time during stay-at-home orders are all pulling everyone through this with a smile. Have students recreate their favorites in the target language.
Week 4 – Twenty years from now…: What do students think the world will look like post-pandemic? Will we be more prepared and learn from this experience? Many schools and businesses have had to alter their ways. Will there be an overhaul to how we operate?
Week 5 – Reflection: Give your students an opportunity to express how they are feeling during this time and how it has impacted their lives. I would strongly encourage different mediums in which the students could present. Some are more comfortable with written or spoken words. For others, a drawn picture alleviates the pressure of speaking. Give an outline of reflection questions that can guide the students.
Presentation styles: There are various presentation options that a student can choose from for his or her final product. While we are living by the motto of “Keep it simple” in this teaching era, I believe that the more options you present, the better. Students only need to choose one, but by giving them alternatives, it accounts for their learning style preference as well as resources available to them. I could not possibly list all the resources available but here is a start:
Paper is always an option. Karen Knight proposed to the other Spanish teachers to accept this project at the beginning of next school year for a grade or extra credit.
Flipgrid presents a user-friendly video option. Even if students have a hard copy of their scrapbook, they could bring it to life by narrating it in a video.
Wakelet allows for beautiful digital storytelling, easily allowing students to add current events headlines as well as paragraphs with their own commentary and reflections.
Google Slides can include text, pictures, videos, and be customized to the student’s taste.
Handwritten, recorded on video, collected into a digital format…no matter which option your student chooses, you gave them choice. Most importantly, though, you gave them a memory.
COVID-19, corona virus, global pandemic. The year 2020 will be marked by these words when we look back. This event that swept the world disrupted much: our lives, our work, our economic system, and there was no exception made to our educational system.
In a matter of days, schools were forced to consider how to support their students within the possibility of shelter in place circumstances. Online learning became a reality. Even schools in the most ideal situation regarding resources were still overwhelmed with acclimating to virtual classrooms outside of their brick and mortar. Each school or district had their specific challenges. Some that normally provided a safe space and meals could only hand out curbside lunches to those fortunate enough with the transportation means. Others had to determine the number of devices to temporarily loan and how students (and teachers) would obtain them. But everyone affected dealt with the challenge of launching full-time remote learning that would best serve their learners, and in a quick turnaround.
Where we are now.
The response has encompassed a gamut of emotions, and understandably so. Administrators and teachers are needing to make fast, heavy decisions. Parents are suddenly educators. Students who relied on school for food are now less concerned with their academics when they have become full-time babysitters to younger siblings whose parents still work during this crisis.
While uncertainty and anxiety still loom, positivity has been in abundance. Humor to lighten the circumstances is starting to surface. Hop on Twitter and you will see the generous support of teachers reaching out to their students and colleagues. I beamed when seeing a Tweet, “Trying this for the first time!” and wished I could be a fly on the wall to see how schools rolled out their remote learning plan. Digital Innovation Specialists (or your district’s equivalent title) have worked around the clock to answer emails, phone calls, and texts. We are trying to support our learners in this difficult time, but let’s not forget how massive of a transition this is for teachers and families…and well, everyone.
“When faced with a problem, I reframe it as an opportunity.” -Richard Branson
It seems unrealistic to think that the educational system will remain unaffected by the recent massive modifications. I anticipate that the 2020-21 academic school year will look differently for some, but not yet for all. With the start of a school year less than six months away and no clear end in sight of the pandemic, we all may just need to step back, regroup, and take a breath before doing an overhaul of the next academic year.
Considerations for the (near and distant) future
We are all in the same boat.
Many parents and students are worried that their academics will fall behind, that regression should be their biggest concern. Similar asynchronous learning techniques are being practiced across the nation. While the academic situation anywhere may not be the most ideal, we are all in the same boat. Fall 2020 will be a reset for everyone everywhere. Until then, let’s talk about grace for a moment.
“Whatever the platform to keep learning moving forward, we also cannot lose sight of the importance of connecting people.” -Kellie Lauth, CEO of mindSpark Learning
Grace over grades.
There has been no shortage of anxiety in the early launches of nationwide remote learning. Administrators may not have the answers for their teachers. Grading systems are still yet to be determined. Best efforts of delivering devices or even simple workbook packets have been unsuccessful, thus leaving some students unaccounted for and begging even more questions that also remain unanswered. Much is unknown.
Furthermore, teacher, some of your best laid lessons may have had a glitch. Perhaps there have been unforeseen troubles on your end or for the student. Perhaps you did not anticipate certain factors when you bravely launched your new online remote learning tool. But you tried something new, which is honestly a step in the right direction.
Or maybe your students are now full-time babysitters for their younger siblings. Maybe they took a job at the local grocery store – one of the few businesses currently hiring – because their parents are no longer bringing in an income. Your math or history or Spanish lesson is not at the top of their priorities.
Regardless of the situation, much grace should be given across the board to everyone. Use this time as an opportunity to connect in a different way with your students instead of focusing solely on the importance of grades.
It’s time for some deep reflection.
Teachers and administrators should take advantage of this overhaul to reflect on the state of their school and educational philosophies. Are the current measures in place truly supporting students and preparing them for 2030 and beyond? Did your pre-pandemic school structure graduate global citizens who are connected to their community and the world beyond?
Ask yourself: Were your learners making an impact outside of the walls of your classrooms?
The emphasis on global connections across learning is still not completely widespread in schools across the nation. Each year has come with exciting changes in the last decade through the works of educators who saw a stagnant system, realizing that change is inevitable with how the world has evolved. Many schools discuss developing a well-rounded learner, but what does that look like in this era?
Trailblazers among schools encourage their students to not only think outside of the box but to also analyze and evaluate with an empathetic perspective. Pear Deck, Design Thinking, and countless other tools and models encourage creative engagement without ignoring the social-emotional factors always at play. Discussions and chats can be held to include all voices. Flipgrid videos embolden even the shyest learners and build confidence. ePals connects K-12 classrooms across the world. There is an abundance of resources available now to educators than even a mere ten years ago. The stagnant culture of textbooks and worksheets have slowly been making their way out the door. It is still easy, however, to fall into the routine of fulfilling the requisite content and standardized testing preparation, among other duties.
Are we too lost in the standards?
Before I continue, I believe in the value of curriculum standards. I have written and re-written curriculum maps and applied them to my teaching. But I have also seen teachers become so caught up in the minutiae that the standards become overwhelming, sacrificing potential student outcomes.
What if we took a moment to identify our end goal?
Understanding by Design (UbD) is one example of a backwards design approach to lesson planning. Identify the desired results and acceptable evidence that supports this, and avoid aimless activities simply for the sake of covering material. Forego checking all the boxes and instead produce a more well-rounded individual who understands and engages instead of sits and regurgitates. Work backwards and create reasonable, attainable standards that truly assess the students’ skills with rigor and value. The process will have an enormous amount of trial and error on the teacher’s part, but should we not push ourselves to be life-long learners, like we ask of our students?
Most importantly, let’s consider empathy. If a global pandemic doesn’t evoke empathy, then what will? I have always been a huge proponent of project-based learning (PBL) and Design Thinking. I believe every school should have a class devoted to marrying these two concepts to better serve their community. What issues can be addressed within your community and how can they be addressed? The young, innovative minds that sit in our classrooms have answers and ideas that will take you off guard, in a good way. Let them take ownership of their learning. Let them engage. Let them choose. Change your lesson plan model and embrace innovation and creativity that go beyond the pages of the textbook.
Comfort levels
My most interesting conversations with teachers from coast to coast have been about school culture, particularly surrounding EdTech and more progressive pedagogical practices. The comfort and acceptance levels vary greatly, ranging from resistant to all-in, not just among teachers but within their leadership team, as well. I was shocked to hear of some schools whose administrators did not see the value in incorporating technology. How could that still be in this era when people often reach for their technology before their toothbrush?
Online learning is here now, but does not mean that it will become the permanent standard. Nothing can replace the interpersonal relationships that develop among students, students and teachers, and contribute to classroom culture. I cannot imagine my world without the intangible reward of teaching students and the connections made on a daily basis. This temporary model is not going to replace our traditional schools but it has certainly upended how many think education should be.
It’s been a while since I’ve posted a Marker Mic Drop (MMD), and now seems no better a moment to do so in light of the COVID-19 global pandemic. In short, a Marker Mic Drop is an opportunity to recognize others for their amazing talents, thoughts – you name it – that they bring to the table.
I hopped on Twitter this past week for the first time in weeks post-baby number two. I had already received an email from Matt at Ditch That Textbook on an abundance of resources. I considered devoting my MMD post to the amazing amount of resources he and his team had displayed for teachers and parents homeschooling during this remote learning time. However, when I continued to scroll through Twitter, I realized I could no longer choose just one person or group to highlight. I was proud to see the first responder-like reaction from teachers in support of their communities. Teachers to teachers or teachers to parents, the outpouring of resources, the sharing of Flipgrid activities, the building of each other up with powerfully supportive comments…we all share one mutual goal: support our students and each other in this new endeavor.
Helpful Resources
While there are a number of resources out there, do not overwhelm yourself. Here are a few of the most concise sites that have surfaced in these early days:
Project-Based Learning will enrich student learning. Check out PBL Works for an overview.
Backward Design (UbD): The concept is simple but often overlooked when lesson planning spirals into the minutiae of required content. Identify your end goal and plan learning experiences.
Challenge your students but let them choose: Give your learners an opportunity to explore a topic that matters to them. Is there a community issue that interests them? Charge them with developing a solution. This is a time of flexibility in education, which also means that you may not be working against the same time constraints. Let them choose. Let them explore. Let them dig deeper and make their own (cross-curricular) connections.
Ease your load with online assessments: If you aren’t already familiar with EdTech platforms that will grade your assessments for you, it’s time to start exploring. Start with Edpuzzle and Quizizz (Link to my overview: Edpuzzle (The Curious Creator Blog))
Easily record your lessons: Use a Google Chrome Extension, such as Screencastify, to post video lessons. Take it a step further and create an assessment with Edpuzzle based on your video.
Schools – consider rolling out in phases: This is an overwhelming experience for all parties involved. In light of the day-to-day unknown and the sudden leap into remote learning, consider gently easing into it with a modified schedule that transitions into your school’s norm.
Is online learning not an option? Many school districts are in less than ideal situations to ease into a remote learning plan due to lack of resources. While some are handing out curbside lunches every day at schools, they are also loaning devices and coordinating with local internet companies to furnish free internet for the near future. If worksheets and textbooks are your only option, consider Choice Boards and Project-Based Learning to still enrich students with a deeper learning experience.
In short, this is uncharted waters for many. Take a step back to breathe, create, and embrace your inner learner. Whether you are a teacher or a parent-now-educator, just remember: You’ve got this.
Quizizz is a gamified assessment tool that not only engages students but also provides valuable data to teachers. This EdTech tool is extremely user-friendly that comes with two incredibly important features: the ability for the teacher to give individualized attention to each student and reports with student and question data breakdowns.
Pre-made quizzes – Like Kahoot and Gimkit, you will be able to search for pre-existing quizzes so as not to start from scratch.
Classes: This is a new feature that can be found on the left hand side menu. Teachers can assign games without the need for a code. Students can log in to see assignments, progress reports, and flashcards, to name a few highlights. Teachers can also share updates with parents and connect to Google Classroom directly from the “Classes” menu page. The portfolio of current feedback to students and parents is an invaluable built-in Quizizz quality.
Self-paced = more individualized attention – I’m no stranger to Kahoot but when students need a little more one-on-one assistance with questions, Quizizz allows me to float the room. Each student answers at their own speed as opposed to one countdown for the entire class. I can read the frustrated expression on a student’s face or see the red next to their name to know there have been more incorrect than correct answers. Some students will ask for help but many are still too shy. This allows you to address each student’s needs without making them self-conscious.
Meme sets – Memes will automatically appear after each question but you do have the option to create your own meme set. Click “Memes” on the left side menu and then “Create New Meme Set.” Name your meme set and choose from the dropdown menu of memes or upload your own picture, then enter your own text. (Don’t forget to click “Save changes.”) The memes are categorized by “correct” or “incorrect” answers. Use the “Show Memes” toggle under Quiz Settings to select your Memeset and show pictures after each question. (Note! The Quiz Settings page will appear after you click the “Play Live” or “Homework” buttons on the quiz page.)
Post-quiz data – Each game concludes with specific data on how students performed, displayed in a visually appealing graph of red and green. The graph immediately draws your attention to questions that need to be reviewed in red. If I take a Quizizz for a grade, I can find the student’s percentage score in my reports. I have the ability to hide names and therefore rankings (first place, second place, etc.) during the game. When using Quizizz as a review, an overall percentage bar shows me class accuracy, letting me know as a teacher how well the class is grasping the grammar or vocabulary.
Calming (and also seasonal) music – The calming, meditative music that plays while students are working immediately sets the tone for learning once the game has begun. There are also festive tunes for the holidays!
Creative Quizizz uses in the classroom:
Check-in – Like many other gamified assessment tools out there, Quizizz will help you to check in on a concept without taking it for a grade. Remember! The live class average bar cues you in on their accuracy.
Quick review – For a grade or not! The post-game report gives you that option to have the data later if you need it. Just warn your students to use names that make them identifiable!
Homework – Co-founder Deepak Joy Cheenath recommends creating several quizzes with an accompanying Excel sheet that contains all game codes. Encourage students to have more fun while reviewing on their own.
Another option! Make one long quiz of review questions. Students can come and go, completing as much as they would like throughout several sittings, all without the need to create a account. Students can resume the game as long as they use the same name as when they previously played.
Review stations – Use Quizizz as one of several stations on a review day. This could also help to liven up your lessons in the days right before a long school break.
Student-created questions – APPSMASH ALERT! Use Google Forms, Google Sheets, and Quizizz to ease quiz writing. Create a Google Form where students can submit their questions with four possible answers. Export the data to Sheets and upload the data to Quizizz!
I hope this post finds you well and gives you a new trick (or refresher on an old one) for 2020. In the meanwhile…
Ahhh…yes. Cue Julie Andrews. It’s that time of year when, whether you like it or not, holiday music and decorations abound and you just can’t help but have one of those little tunes in your head. (Personally, I’ve been waiting for this season for months.)
In the spirit of music, Favorite Things-themed parties and an end-of-year wrap-up, this post is highlighting some of my favorite tools and how I use them in the classroom. Without further ado…
Flipgrid
Flipgrid has stayed at the top of my list for a few years now. If you are not familiar with this tool, it is a platform that embraces and empowers student voice via individual recordings. Flipgrid embraces what I want to nurture most in my students: finding confidence, expressing their creativity, and positive encouragement among peers to become a more cohesive, accepting, and inclusive community.
While many EdTech tools have become more user-friendly and visually appealing, nothing rivals Flipgrid when it comes to reliability. The glitch-free experience only makes me love it more, especially on days when I switch directions to pick up the pace and promote student creativity. Once again, my many thanks, Flipgrid!
This collection of videos (available on YouTube or via 1 jour 1 question, France TV’s website) is specifically for French teachers. Young French students submit questions to France TV, who then summarizes a response that are accompanied by appealing animations. The questions range from “How long has Barbie existed?” to “What is terrorism?” prompting rich discussion. It won’t be long until your students are reciting the intro. It’s quite catchy!
Also see 1 jour 1 actu for print resources pertaining to culture and current events at a student reading level.
Class Dojo
While Class Dojo is predominantly used in elementary schools, this EdTech tool changed my speaking world. I assign points based on a student’s oral participation in French or Franglais, or take away points for speaking in English. The sound of a positive “DING!” or overwhelmingly ominous sound often puts students into competition mode, whether with classmates or to reclaim points lost.
Quizlet has been around for years, with good reason. Many teachers and students use it in its most traditional form – housing vocabulary lists and reviewing flashcards – but let’s take it to the next level.
I have abandoned the textbook for a few years now, meaning that I rely on resources that let my students create and collaborate with ease. I create a collaborative class set where students add their chosen vocabulary based on a brainstorming session of sub-themes. Once the list has been created, I cut up the words for OWL Language-like activities. There are a host of activities within Quizlet itself – tests, smart studying of words consistently missed – and of course, a little fun. My favorite way to Quizlet? Students do a Quizlet Live Relay, with one student facing all devices while their teammates wait their turns on the other side of the table. Once the student has answered, the next person rotates into the game.
Quizizz
Quizizz is another competitive EdTech tool that is extremely user-friendly. My two favorite aspects of Quizizz are my ability to give individualized attention to each student as well as the reports that follow each game. The report provides specific data on how students performed, displayed in a visually appealing graph of red and green. The graph immediately draws your attention to questions that need to be reviewed in red. If I take a Quizizz for a grade, I can find the student’s percentage score in my reports. The students love the memes, and I love the fact that I can walk around to help students as it is self-paced. Oh, and did I mention the calming, meditative music? The tone is immediately set for learning once the game has begun.
Google Images
I love G Suite and how easily everything talks to each other and to other EdTech tools. (For example, post your Padlet directly to Google Classroom under the “Share” menu.) Google Images makes for easy speaking prompts at the beginning of class or for inspirational Chindogu examples. Make sure to censor them before you spontaneously do an image search!
Edpuzzle
Ever wanted to ensure that students watch the entire video and also have accountability questions? Edpuzzle makes that happen. While I’ve come across a few glitches in students being organized into the proper class, the activities you can assign are well worth it. Make sure to add the Google Chrome Extension to directly edit within YouTube!
Organization made easy and efficient. Period. I teach four different levels across seven periods every day. That means I have a lot of different resources coming from various sources. Wakelet allows me to organize my collections so that opening what I need is just one click away.
Last, but not least, there is music. Whether you are streaming from Spotify or search for a (Francophone) artist on YouTube (always censor it first!), music motivates, makes your students move, and can help center their focus. There are a number of benefits to the brain besides the good spirit it will create in your classroom. Check out my recent post, Learning Through Song (The Curious Creator Blog) for ideas of how to use music in the classroom.
If you are not already on holiday break, you’re almost there! Enjoy the season with family, friends, and I will see you next year!
Choice boards: the project that simultaneously accounted for all language skills as well as differentiation. It was also the answer to my Thursdays in a hectic year.
What is a choice board?
Choice boards are exactly as they sound: The Bingo-like board give students varying options in regards to content theme and what platform they will present out for the end project. Here is what I drafted on a plane, which was eventually transferred to a Google Doc.
How it works: a breakdown
As you can see, I separated the project areas into reading, writing, listening, speaking, and cultural comprehension. I assign via the “Make a copy” option under Google Classroom so that students can edit the document. Students have the freedom to choose a box (their project), that could last anywhere from two to four weeks, depending upon the student’s own pacing. I require at least one project to be completed within a six-weeks marking period, but students can move onto another box as soon as they finish the previous. Here are my set guidelines:
Choose wisely! If you start a box, you must finish all three levels.
When you finish a box, change the color to show that it is complete.
Turn in your project via the “Turn it in” Google Classroom option. (Some students directly pasted links, etc., in the box of the chosen project.)
All projects must be in French.
Online translators are not permitted under any circumstances.
All writing must be completed in class, not at home.
Have an outside the box idea? Run it by Mme Gatewood!
Within each box are three levels, all of which must be completed before moving onto another project (another box). Students must complete “L1” (level one) before moving onto the other two levels. Here are more examples for the choice board given to French 1-3:
These are some of my choice board options for French 1-3.
Thursday takeaways – keep these in mind
Check in for progress and accountability: While this is intended to be a self-paced project every Thursday, certain students certainly require more attention than others. Thursdays are also when I conduct weekly speaking assessments so, at first, I was not as actively monitoring the students’ progress on their choice board project. I am now mindful to check in during their speaking assessment to see their progress and help tease out ideas for their project.
Don’t wait until the end to grade! I felt like I had made a rookie mistake when I collected a majority of the projects all at the same time, coinciding with the end of the marking period. (Talk about a nightmare.) I strongly suggest giving students a grade for each level as the projects come in, staggering your workload. I use Middlebury Writing and Speaking Rubrics.
And most importantly…student enjoyment: Students had the option to choose their project, not set to a specific theme or grammar area. I had favorable feedback from students who enjoyed their opportunity to express creativity in varying forms. Whether they were designing French t-shirts and accessories for their store’s Google Site or planning an itinerary for the perfect trip to their chosen destination, students walked in on Thursdays with ideas in hand, ready to show off their creation to classmates.
This was an answer to a prayer of differentiating even further while peaking student interest. After all…it’s all about student engagement, isn’t it?
Many people think of Padlet as an online Post-It board for thoughts and discussion, an excellent visual. You can choose a template or a blank slate to create beautiful boards, documents, or webpages independently or with several other collaborators. People can add content, comment, like other comments, and make edits in real-time, making a virtual discussion easy to launch in your classroom. Check out below for more ideas!
A quick overview:
Once you have followed all of the standard account setup procedures on the Padlet homepage, you will be ready to explore the numerous features Padlet has to offer. Here are some highlights:
User-friendly setup and platform.
Changes are autosaved.
Quick sharing links for easy collaboration. Sign-up not required for contributors.
Unlimited contributors.
Available in 29 languages (and intentions to add more).
Updates are live, instantly appearing across all devices.
Various editing permissions, such as read-only, write, moderate, or admin access.
Padlets support almost any file type to be uploaded and can be exported as PDFs, CSVs, Images, or Excel Files.
Padlets can be embedded on a website or blog.
Padlets have a variety of privacy settings (see below).
Upgrade to Premium to create private networks, manage users and monitor their activity, store bigger files, create a custom domain, and have access to more wallpapers and themes.
Let’s dig deeper.
Choose from many options when creating a new padlet. Image source: http://www.padlet.com
What can be added to a post? Collaborators can add photos, documents, web links, video, and music to their posts, creating an incredibly vivid discussion or page.
Special feature! Afraid of the text that might appear on your screen when in the throes of discussion? Enable the “Filter bad words with good emojis” under the Settings menu.
Can I change the wallpaper that automatically appeared when I created a padlet? Absolutely! Go to the Settings menu (cog wheel icon) and click “Wallpaper.” You will be able to change to other available options or upload your own. Here are Step-by-Step Padlet Wallpaper Instructions for more help.
What are reactions?Teachers and peers can grade, star, upvote/downvote, or like posts on Padlet to give immediate feedback. Each Padlet can only have one reaction type, as designated by the Padlet owner. If reactions are turned on, users can react to their own post or other posts. Users are limited to one reaction per post but unlimited on reacting to all posts on the Padlet. Users can also change and delete their reactions. Enable reactions under the Settings menu and choose your reaction type!
What privacy settings are available? Click on the Share menu (top right) and then “Change Privacy” to modify your padlet’s viewability. Here are your options:
Private – completely hidden from the public.
Password – hidden from the public; password required if I choose to share the padlet with other people.
Secret – hidden from the public but accessible by those with the padlet link.
Public – anyone can see the padlet.
Creative Padlet uses for the classroom
The number one reason to use Padlet? Collaboration. Wait – creativity. No, wait – self expression. Have I made my point? There are too many reasons to pin down the best.
“Eulogy for a sandwich” padlet that I used with French 3 & 4. Image source: http://www.padlet.com
Introduce yourself – Ask students to create a board introducing themselves at the beginning of the year. This could also be a great option for a world languages family vocabulary unit.
Warm-ups and exit tickets – When students respond to the padlet, all of your answers are automatically in one place for you.
Exchange experience with another school – Post topic discussion questions and have students reflect upon their experience in their own culture regarding that topic. Let the two classes explore and compare cultural differences based on responses.
Live questions – Leave a padlet up on the board to see students’ questions come in during the lesson.
Online student portfolio – Students can contribute to their personal padlet over the course of the year.
Student-designed curriculum – Ask students to contribute their i.e., debate topics or current events to be discussed throughout the unit.
Classroom newsletter – Share information with your students and parents in one centralized location.
Brainstorming – Set the topic and let students’ ideas flow.
Philosophical chairs – Post the discussion topic to allow students to analyze and logically form their arguments for debate.
Book Shelfies – Students take a picture of a book they read and write a review.
Story starters – Students complete the story that you begin, whether via opening text or a picture.
Eulogy for a sandwich – My students ran with this serious yet funny writing assignment.
Messages from parents – Parents can leave their child a message for the first day of school.
Icebreaker and emotional check-in – Post a question, i.e., how students are feeling about the upcoming school year. When answers are anonymous, students may feel more secure after seeing other students with the same fears or desires.
Visual vocabulary board – Assign a word to each student on a collaborative padlet. Each student must define the word, use it in a sentence, and add a visual.
Collaborative review – Students must write in a true/false or multiple choice question based on content learned during the week. The teacher can then create a review game (i.e., Quizizz, Kahoot) based on student’s padlet questions.
Padlet is an excellent visual discussion-promoting tool that can make your lessons come alive. Furthermore, it saves student work to one location, making ideas, projects, collaborative vocabulary boards, etc., easily accessible and organized. Try it out today!
One Manhattan, NY school abandoned all textbooks in 2017 due to their “antiquated content.“ Image source: http://www.nypost.com
I had the perfect opportunity…and I failed. One hundred percent missed the mark and failed as a teacher.
There is a class that I will always look back on and think, “It could’ve been so much better.” I was blessed with a French 3 class of four students (yes, I said “four”). While I had tried abandoning the textbook once in the past, it had been daunting. At the time, I was a young teacher who put more work into the units than the students and I still wasn’t satisfied. I had not attempted it again but realized a few years back that something had to change.
My class of four was bored. They were bored. I was bored. It felt like the longest seventy minutes of every day. They were polite and did their work but no one was excited or fully engaged. I tried every tactic in my teacher toolbox and felt like everything fell flat. It was not that way in my other classes, however, I was noticing a complete lack of listening skills across the board. Writing was strong, reading and speaking were mid-level, with the exception of the few that had consistently raised their hands to answer questions since their early days of French 1. Things had to change.
Step 1: Take the plunge.
Image source: www. keepcalmandcarryon.com
A few years ago, students and I rejoiced when I made the move to not be chained to chapters. I had some ideas but also the fear that it would turn out to be the same as my original experience. Fortunately, experience and planning quickly made it seem like the perfect answer. While this will always be a work in progress, the level of student engagement and ownership of their work was immediately noticeable. That was certainly the best payoff of all.
Step 2: Develop a plan.
I had a lot of activities that I thought would be great for a non-textbook setting but quickly realized that a lack of organization could make this experience disastrous. I focused on the basic language skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking), and structured my units from there. I also crave routine so, for example, by regularly scheduling speaking assessments on Thursdays, I had consistency across all levels. This helped me check all my boxes by the end of the week that each skill had been addressed.
Develop a plan:
How will you determine units?
How will you determine sub-themes within each unit?
How will vocabulary be organized when they no longer come from a photocopy?
What grammar and cultural content will be included?
In what formats will I present materials if I don’t have a textbook?
What resources will I draw on and give to the students?
Again, routine works for me so I tend to have a similar pattern of how I approach each unit. Unit lengths average two weeks but sometimes lend themselves anywhere from one week to maximum three weeks.
I always have a starting unit in mind so that I am ready for the beginning of the semester.
Students write their interests on paper and I compile them into a Poll Everywhere to narrow down units or vote which one we will embark upon first. There tend to be common interests but when I have several varying topics, I use Google Forms for students to vote on their top three.
Each unit begins with brainstorming sub-themes in partners or small groups. Whiteboards fill up faster than you can say “Allez!” so limit the time before you go down a rabbit hole of sub-categories.
Common sub-themes along with student votes for or against help start to shape the unit. You will also need to help your students realize that some of their extremely specific sub-themes may not have a place in this unit. But don’t restrict all their fun. When the sub-theme “bizarre foods from around the world” literally has your students bouncing in their chairs and saying, “Oui, Madame! Pleeeaase…,” you let that one in.
Developing a vocabulary list:
I use semantic mapping, a tool strongly recommended by AP CollegeBoard throughout all levels, to brainstorm unit sub-themes and the vocabulary list. Students work in pairs to develop an English list of words they would like to know based on the sub-themes. I input the English words into a collaborative Quizlet and students divide and conquer to add their French terms. Make sure to double-check their spelling and accents!
How to create a class Quizlet: Add a study set –> Create a new set –> Only editable by me (top right), change to “Certain Classes” and choose the correct class. Your students will now be able to edit the set so you can divide and conquer the list. Make sure to double check their spelling and accents!
Developing grammar and culture:
I maintain the same grammar as I normally would for each level. I use Google Docs to create guided notes that can either be printed or used digitally. Students can use their own digital copy (made under Google Classroom) and edit via i.e., Google Docs or Notability.
Cultural content is dependent upon the determined units, pursuing that topic in the Francophone world via literature, news articles, France24 or RFI publications, YouTube, etc.
I frequently use 1 jour 1 actu (the same site as my routine opening to class of 1 jour 1 question for listening practice).
Guided “skeleton” notes given to each student. Image source: Padrah C. Gatewood
Deciding presentation format and resources:
This is where I put in too much time and effort on my first attempt at throwing away the textbook. Let them research and use different forums to present!
This is my Weekly Speaking Assessment (Master Template). It is a collaborative doc where students contribute an original question for each sub-theme. These are the weekly Thursday speaking assessment questions. No hiding the ball and there is complete student ownership (with a little proofing par moi.)
Impromptu speaking presentations: A Level 3 music unit required daily group presentations outlining a French or Francophone artist, a brief biography, his/her influences and who he/she has influenced, and a sample song link posted to the shared class Google Doc. Students worked in groups of two to three and had ten minutes to prepare their brief presentation.
Create Google Slides to guide discussions and maintain focus. (This is very helpful to give background and prompt discussion for the between units movie weeks.) When you are without a textbook, it is easy to bounce around and lose students in the process. Alternately, have your students create and present their own Slides for an engaging class discussion.
Throw Away Your Textbook – This site was created by a Spanish teacher who felt frustrated after seven years of teaching with a textbook. There are a variety of resources for inspiration as well as “True Stories from the Trenches.”
Common Sense Media – A major concern that might cross your mind when sourcing supplemental resources is if they are school appropriate. This website vets materials for you with a page for teachers and parents.
Google will change your world: If you’ve not already dove into the world of Google, make this your New Year’s resolution. Being a Google Certified educator, I understand how easily Google can 1) organize my life (emails, docs, classroom, quizzes…you name it), and 2) the creativity and ownership I can promote in my students.
A future post to come about all things Google and how to become certified!
Let’s not forget the abundance of resources out there (Nearpod, Edpuzzle, Flipgrid, Seesaw, Book Creator, etc.) that can help create engaging activities or help you write a quick reading exit ticket.
Plan but don’t overplan. Make your students do the work! After everyone adjusts to the idea of learning without a textbook, your students will take ownership of and pride in their work. There will be increased learning with more engagement and an overall more meaningful and enjoyable experience for everyone. Isn’t it worth trying at least once?
Music. Música. La musique. No matter how you say it, the word “music” will undoubtedly ignite emotions, memories, and connections in ways only possible by rhythm. Not only is there an emotional connection with music, but a strong cognitive one, too, that takes a stronghold in our memories. How many times have you heard a song from your childhood twenty years later and still remember almost every lyric? How is there so much power in music?
Studies show that the gray matter’s preference is aligned with your own. Different parts of the brain will light up based on your personal preferences. Music preferences trigger a circuit called the default mode network in the brain, which is involved in focused thought, empathy, and self-awareness. Interestingly enough, studies have shown that music memories do not fade, even in Alzheimer’s patients. Alzheimer’s patients in the late stages tend to be unresponsive except when it comes to music. When their favorite music is played, they come to life, and the effect can sometimes last up to ten minutes after the music is turned off. Music has consistently proven beneficial for health in a number of ways for all ages and all walks of life. (Image source: http://www.ucf.edu)
My point? Music is powerful. I think that is undeniable. Now, let’s take a look at how we can implement it into the classroom.
YouTube and then some…
Here are a number of activities you can do with an original video:
My personal favorite: One student has their back to the screen, the other facing the screen. Play the video without sound the first time. The partner facing the screen describes the video in the target language or a blend of target language and English. After the first round, ask the listeners what they are envisioning at that moment! The entire class watches the video with sound the second time and allow time for further discussion.
Provide students with a lyrics sheet that is missing words. I give a word bank to the lower levels and listen to the song at least twice before we review the missing lyrics.
Search “apprendre le français en chantant” (“learn French by singing”) in YouTube and a wealth of resources will appear.
Music journals: Students were asked to discover a new artist each week and reflect in their journals, giving basic info about the musician. Create a playlist based on student interest to play in class.
Impromptu presentations: I provide the class with a collaborative Google Doc that has a template of information they need to fill out in groups. Each group must choose a different artist and has ten minutes to prepare information about the artist, including name, brief biography, personal influences, how he or she influenced music, music genre, famous songs, and their opinion of the artist’s music.
Music soundtracks: Create (or have your students create) a soundtrack for each unit.
Have an end-of semester karaoke competition! Find the subtitled videos on YouTube.
Learn the song then learn to dance! (Salsa, anyone?)
Host an international day or week celebration with performances by classes or language clubs in addition to any outside talent.
One Spanish teacher at my former school taught Christmas Carols and her students serenaded classes throughout the day.
I have always loved music. It was the very first thing I would put on when I entered my college apartment (after taking out my earphones from the walk, of course). It gives a calm and peaceful background or can make you feel compelled to get up and do.
Apart from playing French artists in class, I regularly play film scores. They are my favorite. I receive quite a few odd stares at the beginning of the year (“Why is she playing Superman?”) but then the conversation turns into, “Wait, is this Superman?” “No, it’s Batman.” Students like to guess the score and complete their warm-ups, bopping their heads to the tune of Darth Vader’s Imperial March. While music tastes vary, there is a certain bond that happens when everyone at the table knows the tune of Indiana Jones swinging from his rope.
Another benefit? It is the signal that tells students to work. Even when the warm-up is on the board, you have explained it, and said “Go!” some students still don’t budge. I have found that when they hear the music, they know it is time to get down to business.
I have created playlists and follow some artists (for example, “This is Zaz” on Spotify). I exclusively speak French to my daughter and have created this playlist that may come in handy if you teach the younger levels: Pour les Petits (Spotify). At less than two years old, she was already clapping her hands and singing half the lyrics of some of the songs!
Yabla?
Yabla is a website with upgraded subscription plans to watch videos with a variety of options. You can choose from their full library or a limited selection if you are under the free version. You can slow down the speed of the audio, loop the video, and have subtitles in the target language, English, both, or none. In the bottom right corner, the blue “Games” button allows for vocabulary review, dictation, fill in the blank, multiple choice, and tracking scores. If you click on one of the subtitled words, target language-English dictionaries will appear on the righthand side. You can also bookmark a video in the top right or leave a comment about the video (subscribers only). Access to Yabla’s growing library containing over 1,950 videos costs $12.95 per month. Currently, Yabla offers videos in Spanish, French, Italian, Chinese, German, and English.
LyricsTraining is a website and mobile app that helps anyone learn languages through song. Their are currently thirteen available languages, ranging from English to Japanese. When you select a language and choose a video, you can choose your skill level within that video. This may be my favorite option with LyricsTraining, allowing for varying levels in the classroom and not having to find separate videos for beginner, intermediate, and advanced students.
Music is also separated by genre, allowing you or your students to even further personalize their experience. Game mode allows for multiple choice and fill in the missing lyrics, while the app also has a karaoke option. LyricsTraining can be completed as a class when projected on the screen – shout out answers or students write their answers on white boards – or individually if they are able to download the app. I personally love how it helps keep me up to date with the latest French music as LyricsTraining stays fresh and current.
To close, music is powerful. Music is timeless. Music has a huge place in our hearts and everyday lives so why not incorporate it into our classrooms? Many of us already do! There’s no such thing as too many great ideas. How do you use music in the (World Language) classroom? Email curiouscreator9@gmail.com to share your ideas!
We all have our strengths when it comes to the classroom. You receive students from other teachers and realize that there must have been a heavy writing emphasis when you see the students’ beautifully written paragraphs. Perhaps those students speak very well but are lacking in their written sentence structure. My weakest link? Listening. Except I did not realize this for too many years because I was not inheriting students from other teachers.
French teachers: Yes, I’m talking to you.
This post is intended for every (World Language) teacher, but yes, French teachers tend to be “on an island,” as I have so often referred to myself, typically the only French teacher in the department. I would not trade it for the world. The autonomy is liberating and I develop a deeper relationship with my students because I have them for minimum two years and potentially up to four. The pitfall of this scenario is that when you do not have outside perspectives to acknowledge student and teacher progress based on the content, you cannot see what you lack. I did not truly address my weakness in the classroom until I was faced with preparing my students for Le Grand Concours, the National French Content, when I moved to a new school.
The audio played and the panicked looks appeared faster on the students’ faces than you can say “Bonjour.” The results were no better. I realize that students tend to freeze at the sound of authentic audio because 1) it tends to be spoken more quickly, and 2) they are not accustomed to hearing French outside of their teacher’s voice. I thought discussion would prove that they had heard more than they thought, that they just had to pull out key words and we could piece it together as a class.
Nope.
At this point, I felt like a complete failure of a teacher. Yes, my students were skilled writers, but were they going to walk the streets of France with a pen and paper at all times? Certainly not. Something had to change.
In the last four years, I have incorporated at least one formal listening exercise each week, confronting the reality that listening to my French and overhearing other students in French was not nearly enough. I also start every class, regardless of level, with 1 jour, 1 question, short enjoyable videos (less than two minutes) that address questions of almost any topic. I did not think that these short videos would make much of an impact on their listening skills, but I have been presently surprised. They are engaging and most students look forward to them at the beginning of class, missing them when I’m out with a substitute. (They are now a regular part of sub plans.)
Over time, my intentional plan started to make small chips in the boulder that was blocking the road toward better listening skills. While I had not realized it at the time, I was implementing my now favorite 1% rule – that several small changes would make a difference.
My call to you in this post? Stop and acknowledge your weakest link. While classroom management is important, look at the skills you want students to acquire when leaving your classroom. When I confronted my lack of listening reinforcement, it also forced me to address creating a more balanced skills-based class. Are your tests framed for ease of grading or a true reflection of the students’ knowledge? Thursdays are now intended for speaking assessments based on student-created questions. Writing is constant but does not overshadow other skills. Students read a weekly story on Flipgrid from a short stories packet I created in addition to regular short cultural passages from the textbook.
Do not feel like a failure, as I did. Be realistic with yourself and truly confront what needs to change in your classroom. Take steps to improve then embrace your wins. The truth of the matter is sometimes we do not practice what we preach. Teachers want their students to grow but what are we doing to improve our teaching? Constant self-reflection and taking action upon those lacks will help you grow and not remain stagnant. Little changes lead to huge accomplishments. So, I ask you…
The Curious Creator 
