TPRS Post - Judy Debois

Great post on the MoreTPRS goup from Judy Debois that I didn't want to forget!

Interesting questions, Deb. Here are some of my thoughts, for whatever they're
worth.


IMHO vocabulary lists will help some students, those who as you say have visual
memories and those who are interested in languages, as Dr. Krashen says. I
don't see how they can hurt the others, who will ignore them anyway, right? 
Unless you tell them to memorize them, in which case they will waste a lot of
time and effort that will not be very productive. Memorization is by definition
short term. I prefer to give my students a story, maybe a new story, that uses
the vocabulary in question. If they read it through they'll get revision in
context, which will give them new associations to help them remember the
structures. Once they have enough associations, the word/structure will be in
their long term memory. You might ask students who are artistic to illustrate
the new story, which will give even more associations, visual ones, with the
structures. So basically, you have to decide whether your limited time is better
spent making up three categories of vocabulary lists or making up a new story
for the most important vocabulary. (And you can cheat by giving them a story by
a student/students in another class using the same vocabulary.)


Illustrated student stories, written and illustrated by students, are a good way
to build up a library for FVR. It's a struggle for us to make the language
simple enough, but they do it automatically with the limited language they have.
In a small school like yours I'm sure they'll recognize the author's name and
will find it "compelling".


I think you're doing it exactly right when you "echo" what a student has said. 
This is what "caretaker speech" does all the time. Baby says "peas" and you
echo back "please". Student says "la verte voiture" and you smile and nod and
say "Oui! La voiture verte!" The student may catch what you changed and take
note or they may not catch it, in which case it means that they're not ready for
that yet. But they won't feel humiliated because you pointed out that they had
made a mistake, which will make them think twice before speaking up again.


As for "correcting" written work, I prefer to "edit" it. I've explained this on
my blog, but my examples are from small groups of students. With a class I
would choose three papers, one very basic, one more complex and the best paper
of the lot. Then I would "edit" them so that there are no mistakes. I type the
three papers up, and bingo! You have an embedded reading. (I understand that
this is how Laurie Clarq first started doing embedded reading.) When you return
their papers where you have underlined in green everything that is correct, you
also give your students the three edited versions, telling them that they were
written by students in the class but not giving the names. You will see them
reading them closely. Each time I'm amazed at how attentively students read
texts written by their classmates and how willing they are to read the same
story three or four times. I call that compelling comprehensible input. I
answer any questions about structures and vocabulary, smiling like the cat that
ate the cream because I know that they're going to retain my answers to their
questions. If there were frequent mistakes that you corrected and no one asks
why, it means they're just not seeing them yet. You may want to target those
structures in your next lesson.


Basically, one thing that I have learned from horse riding is that it's much
more effective to teach a horse how to do something right than to spend time
teaching it not to do something wrong. Pointing out mistakes is teaching
students not to do something wrong. Giving them correct models is teaching them
to do it right.

Spanish 1 Materials

I'm still figuring out a way to organize materials for students and anyone else who need to access them.  However, in the meantime, here are the first materials I have to support my Spanish 1 curriculum: A TPR notes handout with the words we will do in order and the master structures list for students to fill in.  That's it for tonight - more coming soon!

LICT Attempt 1

I've decided to go in a similar, but new direction with the LICT series and am starting fresh with my structures.  However, you can still find the link for the stories I've already created here:

1.1.1: Descriptions

1.1.2: Tiny the Elephant

1.1.3: The Dragon's Suit

1.2.1: Balooga the Whale

1.3.1: The Diamond Necklace

2.1.1: Blue Fish for Debbie

2.2.1: Lady Gaga's Puppy

2.3.1: Britney Learns to Sing

3.1.1: Magical Charlie

New Focus

I've had a few insights over the past few days that have given me new focus for how I want to develop my curriculum:

First, I was reminded of one of the things I learned during my first week of student teaching:
LU+R=S  which means Listening and Understanding + Repetition = Spanish

With more educator-type terms, I can rephrase this to say:
CI+R=A i.e. Comprehensible Input + Repetition = Acquisition

How did this help?  Because, while I've been focusing on comprehensible input, I forgot to account for repetition.  I was getting frustrated trying to pull structures directly from the Pobre Ana novels because, while they have plenty of repetition, it isn't presented in a format that is simplified or repetitive enough to foster language acquisition like I want to.  There is a step missing between learning new vocabulary and being able to apply it in that more complex context.

I've found that step by going back to using the LICT extended stories.  These stories are built upon one another, structure by structure.  Through reading them, students receive the repetition and spiraled material that fosters acquisition.  However, the teachers guide unfortunately doesn't match up with the readings as well as I'd like, so I'm back to developing structures and stories for LICT that I can use and really feel like my students are getting what they need.

So then that leaves me to decide how I'm going to incorporate my novellas into my curriculum - though, in my last post, I discussed that to quite an extent.  Simply put, I'm going to reserve the last two weeks of the semester for reading novels, which works quite well into the other things I have planned.  In a nutshell, I'm going to design my curriculum like this:

• 7 weeks of TPRS and culture instruction, including all assessments, based on the LICT extended stories and structures pulled from them.
• 2 weeks of novella reading, during which I collect notebooks for grading (since students won't be using them!) and finalize everything before the end of the quarter

It seems simple enough to me, and I'm almost done developing my structures.  Once that's done, the next step will be writing stories, developing PQA questions, and creating materials (I can't wait to make more Inklewriter stories!)  During all of this, I'm creating an Interactive Notebook that corresponds with my curriculum as an example for students and for me to really think it through.  Things are starting to really come together!

More curriculum Ideas

I'm trying to figure out what and when I want to do certain structures and readings, and how it will all tie together, so here is my current plan...

Structures:

• Week 1
• Structures:
• había
• era
• quería
• fue
• Reading:
• LICT 1.1
• Week 2:
• Structures:
• vivía
• estaba
• tenía
• Reading:
• LICT 1.3
• Pobre Ana Ch. 1 (pages 1-5)
• Week 3:
• Structures:
• le gustaba
• le dio
• le dijo
• Reading
• LICT 1.2
• Pobre Ana Ch. 2 (pages 6-9)
• Week 4:
• Structures:
• quería tener
• buscó
• elefante con Jacuzzi
• Reading
• LICT 2.1
• Pobre Ana Ch. 3 (pages 10-14)
• Week 5:
• Structures:
• sabía que
• vio a
• lo llevó
• Reading:
• LICT 2.2
• Pobre Ana Ch. 3 (pages 14-18)
• Week 6:
• Structures:
• no sabía hacerlo
• podía
• no hicieron nada
• Reading:
• LICT 2.3
• Pobre Ana Ch. 4 (pages 19-21)
• Week 7:
• Structures:
• tan rápido como
• buscando
• tenía que
• Reading:
• LICT 3.1
• Pobre Ana Ch. 5 (pages 22-25)
• Week 8:
• Structures:
• decidió comprar
• pasaba tanto tiempo
• sabe bailar
• Reading:
• LICT 3.2
• Pobre Ana Ch. 6 (26-29)
• Other:
• directions
• Week 9:
• Structures:
• le parecía
• tenía que
• lo encontró
• Reading:
• LICT 3.3
• Pobre Ana Ch. 7
• Week 10:
• Structures:
• iba a bailar
• para hacerlo para ella
• pensaba mucho en
• Reading:
• LICT 4.1
• Pobre Ana Ch. 8-9

Patricia Va a California

• Week 1:
• Structures:
• creía que debía entrar
• sigieron buscando
• salieron
• Reading:
• LICT 4.2
• PVaC Ch. 1 (p. 1-3)
• Week 2:
• Structures:
• estaba muy preocupada
• había buscado
• llegó
• Reading:
• LICT 4.3
• PVaC Ch. 2 (p. 4-8)
• Week 3:
• Structures:
• tenía que hacer un plan para conocerla
• si tuviera lecciones, podría bailar bien
• si bailara bien, iría a Las Vegas
• Reading:
• LICT 5.1
• PCaC Ch. 3-4 (p. 9-13)
• Week 4:
• Structures:
• se los dio
• le importaba mucho
• volvió
• Reading:
• LICT 5.2
• PVaC Ch. 5 (p. 14-18)
• Week 5:
• Structures:
• iba a costar
• conoció a una chica
• me gustaría comprar
• Reading:
• LICT 5.3
• PVaC Ch. 6 (p. 19-23 )
• Week 6:
• Structures:
• tomó otra decición
• se puso muy contento
• le encantaría
• Reading:
• LICT 6.1
• PVaC Ch. 7 (p. 24-28)
• Week 7:
• Structures:
• se ensució
• lo dejó
• no observaba lo que estaba haciendo
• Reading:
• LICT 6.2
• PVaC Ch. 8 (p. 29-33)
• Week 8:
• Structures:
• no podría venderselo por poco dinero
• volvió a casa
• podría ganar dinero
• Reading:
• LICT 6.3
• PVaC Ch. 9-10 (p. 34-39)
• Week 9:
• Structures:
• None - Review
• Reading:
• PVaC Ch. 11-12 (p. 40-45)

Pobre Ana: Story 8 - Making an impression

Structures:

• New Structures
• tenía que hacerlo
• estaba (-a/iendo verb) bien
• estaba sorprendida
• Recent Structures
• Story 7: Transportation in Africa
• Story 6: A dress for Helga
• Story 5: A boyfriend for Linda
• Story 4: Chucky's Chocolate
• Story 3: Frederick's Marvelous Hat
• Story 2: Tiny the Elephant
• Story 1: Maria the Thief
• TPR Words

Story:

Había una chica que se llamaba Isabel.  Quería un novio.  Le gustaba Brad Pitt, pero a Brad Pitt no le gustaba Isabel.  Isabel tenía que hacer algo.

Isabel fue a la casa de Brad Pitt.  A Brad Pitt le gustaban chicas que bailaba.  Isabel nunca bailaba.  Pero, tenía que hacerlo.  Isabel bailó mucho en la casa de Brad Pitt.  Brad Pitt la miró.  Brad Pitt estaba sorprendida porque Isabel estaba bailando en la cabeza.  Isabel no estaba bailando bien.  A Brad Pitt, no le gustaba Isabel.  Isabel estaba triste.  Tenía que hacer algo diferente.

Isabel fue a la casa de Brad Pitt.  A Brad Pitt le gustaban chicas que cantaban.  Isabel nunca cantaba.  Pero, tenía que hacerlo.  Isabel cantó mucho en la casa de Brad Pitt.  Brad Pitt la miró.  Brad Pitt estaba sorprendida porque Isabel estaba cantando como Shakira.  Isabel estaba cantando bien.  A Brad Pitt le gustaba Isabel.  Isabel estaba contenta.  No tenía que hacer algo diferente.

Pobre Ana: Story 7 - Transportation in Africa

Structures:

• New Structures:
• tomaba el ______ e iba a ______
• se subió a(l) ______
• se bajó de(l) ______
• Recent Structures:
• Story 6: A dress for Helga
• Story 5: A boyfriend for Linda
• Story 4: Chucky's Chocolate
• Story 3: Frederick's Marvelous Hat
• Story 2: Tiny the Elephant
• Story 1: Maria the Thief
• TPR Words

Story

Había una chica que se llamaba Jane.  Trabajaba en McDonalds en Africa.  Cada día tomaba su tigre e iba a su trabajo.  Antes del trabajo, se subía a su tigre, iba a McDonalds, y se bajaba de su tigre.  Después del trabajo, se subía a su tigre, iba a su casa, y se bajaba de su tigre.  Pero, había un problema.  El tigre quería comer a Jane.  Necesitaba otra manera de transportación.

Tenía un hipopótamo.  Jane siempre tomaba el tigre e iba a McDonalds.  Nunca tomaba el hipopótamo e iba a McDonalds, pero se subió a su hipopótamo, fue a McDonalds, y se bajó de su hipopótamo.  Después del trabajo, se subió a su hipopótamo, fue a su casa, y se bajó de su hipopótamo.  Pero, había un problema con el hipopótamo.  Era muy, muy odoroso y Jane estaba triste.  Necesitaba otra manera de transportación.

Tenía una girafa.  Jane siempre tomaba el tigre e iba a McDonalds.  Nunca tomaba su girafa e iba a McDonalds, pero se subió a su girafa, fue a McDonalds, y se bajó de su girafa.  En la tarde, se subió a su girafa, fue a su casa, y se bajó de su girafa.  No había un problema.  La girafa estaba perfecta y Jane estaba contenta.  No necesitaba otra manera de transportación.

Pobre Ana: Story 6 - A Dress for Helga

Structures

• New Structures:
• le gustaba ______
• no podía pagar
• iba a pagar con
• Recent Structures:
• Story 5: A boyfriend for Linda
• Story 4: Chucky's Chocolate
• Story 3: Frederick's Marvelous Hat
• Story 2: Tiny the Elephant
• Story 1: Maria the Thief
• TPR Words

Story

Había un hipopótamo que se llamaba Hugo.  Hugo quería un vestido para su novia, Helga.  A Helga, le gustaba un vestido azul con patos verdes.  Vestidos azules con patos verdes estaban en JC Penny, El Gap, y Marina Vieja de Guerra.  Había un problema. Hugo no tenía dinero.  No podía pagar con dinero.  Pero, tenía 428 iPods.  Tenía iPods verdes con diamantes, iPods rosados con flores, y un iPod de oro.  Iba a pagar con los iPods.

There was a hippopotamus that called himself Hugo.  Hugo wanted a dress for his girlfriend, Helga.  To Helga, to her was pleasing a blue dress with green ducks.  Blue dresses with green ducks were in JC Penny, The Gap, and Old Navy.  There was a problem.  Hugo didn't have money.  He couldn't pay with money.  But, he had 428 iPods.  He had green iPods with diamonds, pink iPods with flowers, and an iPod of gold.  He was going to pay with the iPods.

Hugo fue a JC Penny.  En JC Penny, había un gato que se llamaba Gloria.  Gloria tenía el vestido azul con patos verdes.  Quería $2,793 para el vestido, pero Hugo no podia pagar con dinero.  Iba a pagar con los iPods verdes con diamantes, pero a Gloria no le gustaban los iPods.  Hugo no podía pagar.

Hugo went to JC Penny.  In JC Penny, there was a cat that called herself Gloria.  Gloria had the blue dress with green ducks.  She wanted $2,793 for the dress, but Hugo couldn't pay with money.  He was going to pay with the green iPods with diamonds, but to Gloria to her weren't pleasing the iPods.  Hugo couldn't pay.

Hugo fue al Gap.  En El Gap, había un pero que se llamaba Pepe.  Pepe tenía el vestido azul con patos verdes.  Quería $678 para el vestido, pero Hugo no podia pagar con dinero.  Iba a pagar con los iPods rosados con flores, pero a Pepe no le gustaban los iPods.  Hugo no podía pagar.

Hugo went to The Gap.  In The Gap, there was a dog that called herself Pepe.  Pepe had the blue dress with green ducks.  He wanted $678 for the dress, but Hugo couldn't pay with money.  He was going to pay with the pink iPods with flowers, but to Pepe to him weren't pleasing the iPods.  Hugo couldn't pay.

Hugo fue a Marina Vieja de Guerra.  En Marina Vieja de Guerra, había una ballena que se llamaba Beluga.  Beluga tenía el vestido azul con patos verdes.  Quería $781 para el vestido, pero Hugo no podia pagar con dinero.  Iba a pagar con el iPod de oro.  A Beluga le gustaba mucho el iPod de oro.  Hugo podía pagar y tomó el vestido azul con patos verdes para su novia.

Hugo went to Old Navy.  In Old Navy, there was a whale that called herself Beluga.  Beluga had the blue dress with green ducks.  He wanted $781 for the dress, but Hugo couldn't pay with money.  He was going to pay with the iPods of gold.  To Beluga to him was pleasing the iPod of gold.  Hugo could pay and took the blue dress with green ducks for his girlfriend.

Pobre Ana

While reading through Pobre Ana, I made a list of the structures that are used throughout the book.  Not all of them are included, but this is a fairly comprehensive list of the most important structures used.  I narrowed my list down to what I could tell stories about for approximately a quarter and grouped them together by what made sense for a story as well as a rough order for presentation due to necessity and complexity.  I  plan to teach these structures using stories and then sum up our learning by reading the book as a class during the final week of the quarter.  

Finally, at the bottom, I listed all of the cultural topics I found in the book that students could research and present to the class.  


Structures/Stories:

• Story 1: Poor Maria
• era un(a) ______
• había un problema
• quería un(a) ______
• fue a ______
• Story 2: Tiny the Elephant
• vivía en ______, pero estaba en ______
• estaba (feeling)
• tenía ______
• Story 3: Frederick's Marvelous Hat
• lo necesitaba para ______
• nunca compraba nada
• vio a la policía
• Story 4: Chucky's Chocolate
• le gritaba mucho
• siempre comía ______
• buscó el ______ pero no lo encontró
• Story 5: A Boyfriend for Linda
• pasaba poco tiempo ______
• le dio un boleto
• llevó el boleto
• Story 6: A Dress for Helga
• le gustaba ______
• no podía pagar
• iba a pagar con
• Story 7: Transportation in Africa
• tomaba el ______ y iba a ______
• se subió a(l) ______
• bajó de(l) ______
• Story 8: Making an Impression
• tuvo que hacerlo
• estaba (-a/iendo verb) bien
• estaba sorprendida
• Story 9:
• podía vivir con una familia mexicana
• le dijo
• no comprendió nada pero sonrío y les dijo "sí"

Culture Topics:

1. Passports and travelling abroad
2. Poverty in Mexico
3. Transportation
4. Mexican states
5. addresses in Mexico and other countries
6. utilities (power/hot water/etc)
7. homes in Mexico
8. Tepic, Nayarit
9. recreation (exercises, swimming with clothes on)
10. food
11. money
12. music
13. dances
14. schools
15. greetings and gestures
16. accents and regionalisms

Patricia Va a California

Culture

1. Guatemala
2. Panajachel, Guatemala
3. Lago Atitlán
4. tourists
5. volcanoes
6. indígenas
7. poverty
8. school
9. huipiles y cortes
10. colors of clothing to represent town
11. seasons of the year
12. work