Designing Activities to Designing Activities to Integrate Skills in SpanishIntegrate Skills in Spanish

Designing Activities to Designing Activities to Integrate Skills in SpanishIntegrate Skills in Spanish

Alejandra LejwaAlejandra LejwaHutchison SchoolHutchison SchoolMemphis, TNMemphis, TN

TFLTA 2007 ConferenceTFLTA 2007 ConferenceCool Springs MarriotCool Springs Marriot

Franklin, TNFranklin, TN

Advantages of Instruction Based on Integrating

Skills

• It is real, more natural• It is how language functions• It teaches culture• It provides and requires more to

and from the students

ObjectivesAccording to the College Board AP© Spanish Language Course Description (Available on AP Central© website)

• Present to the student ample opportunities to read and listen to a wide variety of authentic Spanish language directed to many audiences

• Develop the student’s ability to understand authentic material, and to produce accurate and appropriate use of the language

• Develop the student’s ability to recognize cultural elements implicit in oral and written material and to interpret linguistic cues.

• Develop the ability to summarize main points and important details, and make predictions from written and audio sources.

The Challenges

• Including more than one skill per activity on every activity

• Finding authentic audio and written material

• Providing of audio listening and recording devices

First Steps: Simple Changes in Teaching Strategies

The syllabus• Organize the course based on personal,

academic, and cultural topics.• Present the material to be covered by

skills or exam sections. (Formal Speaking = Oral Presentation)

• Review, reuse, adapt, add, change, etc. previous lesson plans.

Selection of 2007-08 Class ProgramUNIT 2: La comunidad humana y las minorías. Weeks 4 to 6

• Grammar review package: Direct and indirect objects. Sequence of object pronouns. Review of impersonal and passive se. Reflexive structures. Comparisons.

• Vocabulary: El aeropuerto y los viajes. El avión y el turismo. Los países y las nacionalidades. Vocabulary distinctions: depender de, soportar-mantaner-apoyar-sostener, volver-regrresar-devolver, mudarse-trasladarse-moverse, sentir-sentirse, soñar con

• Idiomatic expressions related to work and ethnic groups.

• Literary reading: “Mareo escolar” by Jose Burciaga. • Article reading and Formal speaking: Research on minority community.

Los cubanos y los cubanoamericanos.

• Journal – Informal writing: Admission quota in the universities.Thank you note.

• Essay – Formal writing: “Description and issues of minority group” With audio and reading sources.

• Informal speaking: Whole class interview of Hispanic person from the community.

• Review what teachers of lower levels have done and/or are doing.

• Develop team approach with teachers of lower levels.

• Provide examples of the types of activities that help develop at each level the necessary skills for the AP© course

First Steps: Simple Changes in Teaching

Strategies The Spanish Program

• Design activities around the same topic

• Start by thinking about the skill you want to work on rather than on the grammar structure

• Start with one skill and add on

First Steps: Simple Changes in Teaching

Strategies Lesson plans

First Steps: Simple Changes in Teaching

Strategies Lesson plans (cont.)

• Use grammar reviews as homework• Make clear that students are

expected to include the reviewed grammar

• Provide vocabulary• Plan on class time to use on a topic

but do not be limited by it.

First Steps: Simple Changes in Teaching

Strategies Lesson plans (cont.)

• Look for topics that interest the students

• Include variations within the same topic

• PLAN what you are going to do each class

• Include any type of reading

First Steps: Simple Changes in Teaching

Strategies Class expectations

• Class time is to work on developing skills• Grammar review is to be completed and

corrected at home• ONLY SPANISH policy for all oral and

written communications with teacher in and out of classroom and school

AP© Class-Sample Activity

La comunidad hispana y las minorías

1. Reading of internet article about Cubans and Cuban Americans (reading)

2. Answer comprehension questions in writing (writing)

3. Present information orally to a classmate in 2 minutes, with reference to the article (speaking)

• Fishbowl discussion: Individual questions about internet article (informal speaking, listening)

• Interview a Cuban immigrant from the community (informal speaking, listening)

AP© Class-Sample Activity La comunidad hispana y las minorías

(cont.)

AP© Class-Sample Activity La comunidad hispana y las minorías

(cont.)

• Write a thank you note for class interview (informal writing)

• Write an e-mail to a friend about class visit (informal writing)

• Essay / Oral presentation on issues affecting the Cuban American community (formal writing/ speaking)

Pre-AP Class Sample ActivityBotero

• Research about Botero. Find important information about his life and work. Use at least three articles (reading)

• PWP with artwork. Class discussion about main characteristics (speaking)

• Watch video about the artist. Compare Botero, as a person, with previous ideas about him. (speaking)

• Read textbook article. Answer comprehension questions. Present orally main concepts (reading - speaking)

• Read newspaper article about Art Gallery in Florida. (reading)

Express opinions about situation. (speaking)

• Write a letter to answer the situation, support or oppose to ideas of people involved. (writing)

• Record message inviting a friend to a Botero’s exhibition (speaking)

• Prepare oral presentation about Botero in comparison with other artists (Orozco, Riviera) (speaking)

Pre-AP class–Sample Activity

Los Sanfermines• Research about Los Sanfermines using at least three articles (reading)

• Report to class / classmate the main concepts of the celebration (speaking)

• Read textbook article. Answer comprehension questions (reading – writing)

• Watch video of Pamplona 2007 from “you tube©”. Listen to participants’ stories (listening)

• Write an essay as a participant. Imagine you are running with the bulls. Explain how did you prepare, what did you do during the run, how did you feel about it (writing)

• Tell a classmate about the experience -essay. Answer peer questions. (speaking)

• Write e-mail to a friend or leave her a message suggesting or opposing to her participation in the run. (writing – speaking))

• Prepare oral presentation for class. Use at least three sources. (speaking)

How to change an activity

• Look for the personal, academic, or cultural topic.

• Start with one skill• Add more activities to include

more skills• Link with grammar structures

Example : Song• Use songs that include cultural and historical content or

controversial topics.

• Looks for songs/singers/writers like:– Ruben Blades (Pedro Navaja, Decisiones)– Maná (Dónde dormirán los niños)– Juan Luis Guerra (Visa para un sueño)– Ricardo Arjona (Ella y él, Si el norte fuera el sur)

• Identify and understand main ideas, description of the situation, characters, etc. Avoid fill in the blanks.

• Present orally a synthesis of the song.

• Write a letter or record a message about it or to a character

• Respond orally and in writing to the situations, characters, etc.

Compare with other songs or poems

Research on topics presented in the song. Present orally.

Example: Literary Reading

• Research on topics, writer, historical events.• Present orally to classmate the main points of the

story.• Formal oral presentation• Fishbowl discussion• Write e-mail to friend recommending/ criticizing the

story • Movie, short film, commercial on similar topic,

historic time or event, characters, etc. • Essay comparing and contrasting story with movie,

film or commercial.• Reading newspaper article on related topic. Express opinions.

Example: Research Project

• Use at least three different articles• Provide audio for listening comprehension• Request comparison and contrast orally or in

writing• Formal oral presentation• Ask and answers questions to and from the

audience about presentation• Audience summarize orally or in writing the main

points • Record comments about topic• Write journal entry with opinions on topic• Write a letter to a person involved or affected

Example:Communicative Activity

Based on Grammar Structure• Find the topic (personal, academic, cultural)

• Introduce authentic reading and/or listening. Compare and contrast

• Request writing and/or rewriting

• Include oral presentation or short recording on the activity/topic

Sample Activity Based on Grammar Structure

Directions to prepare a dish• Read original recipes

• Relate dish to hispanic celebration

• Watch TV program about preparing a dish

• Provide vocabulary, structures, and regalia. Request creation of recipe or a dish

• Present dish preparation to class. Include written recipe

• Write e-mail to a friend about the dish

• Research on food related topics. Summarize main points in writing

Questions?

Presenter’s Infromation

Alejandra LejwaUpper School Spanish Instructor World Language Department Chair

Hutchison School1740 Ridgeway Rd. Memphis. TN

alejwa@hutchisonschool.org