015: Unit Plans for CI Teachers

Teachers That Teach Podcast

#Podcasting Education #Language Learning #School Education

39:50

The truth is out West! We’re hopping on the ET Highway and venturing to the most notorious alien hot spots, including Roswell’s infamous crash site, Area 51’s eerie perimeter, and a mysterious desert watchtower. Join us as journalist Laura Krantz, host of the podcast Wild Thing , beams up to share stories from the front lines of UFO reporting—from strange sightings and quirky festivals to a mailbox where people leave letters to extraterrestrials. Maybe you’ll even decide for yourself: Is Earth a tourist stop for spaceships? UFO hot spots you’ll encounter in this episode: - UFO Watchtower (near Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado) - Roswell, New Mexico - Area 51, Nevada - Extraterrestrial Highway (aka State Route 375), Nevada - Little A’Le’Inn, ET Highway, Nevada - E.T. Fresh Jerky, ET Highway, Nevada - Alien Research Center, ET Highway, Nevada - The Black Mailbox, ET Highway, Nevada Via Podcast is a production of AAA Mountain West Group .…

8 years ago 10:54

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Key Takeaways:

[:30] How does Louisa plan a unit?

[1:10] Louisa’s classroom topics are pretty flexible.

[2:20] But! There’s a method to Louisa’s madness!

[2:30] Louisa breaks down what this year’s semester looks like.

[3:45] Louisa has walked the Camino in Spain every year for the last five years.

[6:00] There are 35 stages in the Camino; each of Louisa’s students are in charge of one of those stages.

[7:50] Louisa tries to keep this topic fresh for the students.

[9:50] After taking Louisa’s class, some students even find themselves going to Spain and walking the Camino!

[10:00] This is an excellent way to introduce the students to the target language culture.

Mentioned in This Episode:

TeachersThatTeach.com

27 episodes

015: Unit Plans for CI Teachers

Teachers That Teach Podcast

published 8 years ago

MP3•Episode home

Archived series ("Inactive feed" status)

When? This feed was archived on March 16, 2018 14:56 (7y ago). Last successful fetch was on November 01, 2017 21:56 (7+ y ago)

Why? Inactive feed status. Our servers were unable to retrieve a valid podcast feed for a sustained period.

Key Takeaways:

[:30] How does Louisa plan a unit?

[1:10] Louisa’s classroom topics are pretty flexible.

[2:20] But! There’s a method to Louisa’s madness!

[2:30] Louisa breaks down what this year’s semester looks like.

[3:45] Louisa has walked the Camino in Spain every year for the last five years.

[6:00] There are 35 stages in the Camino; each of Louisa’s students are in charge of one of those stages.

[7:50] Louisa tries to keep this topic fresh for the students.

[9:50] After taking Louisa’s class, some students even find themselves going to Spain and walking the Camino!

[10:00] This is an excellent way to introduce the students to the target language culture.

Mentioned in This Episode:

TeachersThatTeach.com

27 episodes

#Podcasting Education #Language Learning #School Education

All episodes

1
027: Rumors Spread Like Wildfire 11:40

8 years ago11:40

11:40

Welcome new listeners to the podcast! Thank you so much for joining in. This week, students were convinced that someone was planning a school shooting. Both the parents and students were very worried about this event taking place, but thankfully, it was just a rumor. There’s never a dull moment in class. Key Takeaways: [:45] Welcome new listeners. Louisa fills you in on who she is and what she does! [2:40] Louisa needs a lot of different activities to help keep the students engaged. [4:45] No matter how fantastic CI is, you will always get some trouble-makers. Louisa shares an example. [6:00] There’s going to be a shooting in the school...? [8:15] Both the parents and students were worried about going to the assembly due to this rumor. [8:45] Next week is the week before spring break. What does Louisa have planned for the students? Mentioned in This Episode: TeachersThatTeach.com Senorwooly.com…

1
026: Getting Creative with Señor Wooly’s El Banco video. 12:08

8 years ago12:08

12:08

It’s two weeks before spring break and the students always get a bit angsty around this time of year. Louisa loves to play a game from one of Señor Wooly’s videos, called ‘El Banco,’ to help the students get completely immersed in the material and temporarily forget about the soon-to-be break. In this episode, Louisa explains how it’s done! Key Takeaways: [:30] Feel free to send Louisa an email! She’d love your feedback and questions. [:40] Please don’t forget to review this podcast on iTunes! [1:00] Monday’s coming up and Louisa loves to turn to Señor Wooly for lessons. [2:15] Everyone is waiting for spring break, and classes can become a bit of a drag for the students. [2:25] During this time of year, Louisa likes to use the video ‘El Banco,’ from Señor Wooly. [4:00] The students begin to interrogate the two ‘robbers’ in Spanish. [5:40] There’s a good cop/bad cop in this game as well. [7:45] Louisa sometimes gets the campus assistant involved! [9:45] This game helps set the students up for Señor Wooly’s video and helps them understand the material much better. [11:05] Louisa’s tip is to use the ‘El Banco’ video from Señor Wooly to help practice past tense words. Mentioned in This Episode: TeachersThatTeach.com LWalkerPHD@Gmail.com Senorwooly.com…

1
025: Student Case Studies! 9:31

8 years ago9:31

9:31

Louisa invites three students on to the show, two of whom have been through Louisa’s class. Sonya describes the experience of working via textbook and the other two students, Dulce and Nana, describe what benefits they’ve received long after attending Louisa’s class. Key Takeaways: [:40] Louisa interviews two of her students that took her class a couple of years ago. [:45] Sonya discusses what her Spanish class was like without Louisa. [1:40] One of Louisa’s students never used a textbook. What was her experience like? [2:30] How did Dulce learn vocabulary? [3:15] Dulce found it very helpful that you could speak the words as well as read it on text. [3:30] What were Dulce/Nana’s thoughts about a deskless classroom? [4:40] The students still use their Spanish! [5:50] How did Louisa’s class prepare her students in Spanish? [7:30] Louisa does not do a lot of error corrections on her students. Mentioned in This Episode: TeachersThatTeach.com…

1
024: Assigning Students Jobs Part 2 11:15

8 years ago11:15

11:15

Louisa continues her discussion on the various jobs she assigns her students in the classroom. Giving students jobs is an excellent way to keep them engaged and interactive while you’re teaching! Key Takeaways: [:50] Every other Monday, students are assigned new jobs! [1:10] Louisa asks the students what jobs they had last week in the target language. [2:10] These job introductions should go quickly. [2:55] Louisa breaks down what a typical day looks like with these jobs assigned. [3:55] Every student can be tasked a job, from papers to pens. [5:20] None of the students are allowed to have their backpacks underneath their seats. [6:20] Louisa is incorporating more visuals in the classroom, now that she has a projector! [8:15] The Spanish vocabulary that Louisa uses in the classroom can easily be used outside of the classroom. [9:55] Add jobs into your classes, and see the different it’ll make! Mentioned in This Episode: TeachersThatTeach.com Fluencymatters.com/conference Fluencyfast.com Ntprs.info Benslavic.com…

1
023: Fantastic CI Conferences to Attend 13:58

8 years ago13:58

13:58

Today’s tip is brought you by Dave! Dave’s CI journey started 2.5 years ago. When he read the material online, he knew there were a number of ways to apply it in the classroom. Not sure where to start, Dave dived head first, and started attending CI conferences around the country. Today, he discusses what he learned with Ben Slavic. Key Takeaways: [:30] Who is Dave? [1:00] Dave learned CI about 2.5 years ago. [3:20] Dave discusses Ben Slavic’s conference that he attended. [5:25] When attending Ben’s event for the first time, he learned a lot of philosophy about CI, but still didn’t quite understand how to apply it in the classroom. [9:30] If you don’t have the funds to go to various conferences, just attend the one that’s nearest to you. [12:40] Dave is getting ready to attend a Portland conference. Mentioned in This Episode: TeachersThatTeach.com Fluencymatters.com/conference Fluencyfast.com Ntprs.info Benslavic.com…

1
022: Assigning Students Jobs 12:59

8 years ago12:59

12:59

Louisa discusses why it’s important that certain students are assigned jobs while she is teaching in the classroom. There are several different positions Louisa needs filled when a class is in session and she details the process in this week’s episode! Key Takeaways: [:45] What kind of students does Louisa have in her classroom? [1:15] Louisa has 36-38 students seated in groups of 4-5 around the classroom. [1:35] Louisa has a student play doorkeeper to keep distractions down to a minimum. [2:00] One student can also get to be the ‘guest greeter’ for the classroom. [3:30] So, what does Louisa do with the other students in the room? Well, she has about 20 jobs for them to do! [5:30] These job ideas, that came from teachers all over the world, Louisa has adopted over time. [6:45] Louisa has a student that calls on the students. The person who gets called will have to stand and answer the question. [8:15] After a question has been answered, the class celebrates. This is a great way to keep the students engaged and focused. [10:40] Louisa does have a ‘word of the day’ to help cover parts of the textbook. [11:55] Stay tuned next time as Louisa continues this topic! Mentioned in This Episode: TeachersThatTeach.com…

1
021: Maylen Loves Comprehensive Input Techniques! 11:59

8 years ago11:59

11:59

Louisa talks with a fellow Spanish-speaking colleague who teaches at a different high school in her district — Maylen! Maylen knows three different languages, Spanish, English, and French, and at her school, she teaches French to her students. Today, we find out how Maylen discovered CI techniques, and what her educational journey has been like thus far! Key Takeaways: [1:30] When was Maylen first introduced to CI methods? [2:15] Maylen recently attended a CI workshop and it was incredibly engaging! [2:50] When it comes to the research, Maylen became convinced, when she saw the results by Niko Mason. [3:40] Maylen has had pretty limited success with teaching via textbook. [4:30] Another reason why Maylen likes CI techniques, is because of the reading factor. [6:00] Maylen recommends you buy books, and develop a unit around the story of that book. [8:15] How has the CI method changed the way Maylen teaches? [9:50] Should a teacher wait till next year, to begin incorporating these new CI techniques? [10:45] Does Maylen open her doors to other teachers so they can watch and learn from her as she teaches? Yes! [11:25] If you’d like to talk about CI methods, Louisa would be happy to hear from you! Shoot her an email. Mentioned in This Episode: TeachersThatTeach.com…

1
020: Teach Your Students the Same Words, but Just in a Different Context 10:54

8 years ago10:54

10:54

Louisa shares a quick, ten-minute audio clip of Carol Gaab, from Fluency Matters, discussing ways you can teach the same word 100-250 times without the student getting bored. The key here is to introduce the word in a different context each time so that the brain can naturally pick up the usefulness of the word! Key Takeaways: [:35] What are some of the challenges today’s teachers face? [1:35] You can’t really, and consciously, practice a language. Carol explains further. [2:40] Instead of providing more vocabulary, teachers first need to provide more exposure by mixing up the context of the same basic and simple words. [3:30] How can you repeat the same word that many times? [6:00] You can search for videos using your target word to teach the students the same word in different contexts. [8:20] Carol won’t pick a video that’s more than 30 seconds for a beginner. Commercials tend to be perfect for this example. Mentioned in This Episode: TeachersThatTeach.com Fluencymatters.com…

1
019: A Breakdown of JGR 13:03

8 years ago13:03

13:03

Louisa discusses how she uses the JGR (Jenn’s Great Rubric) method in her classroom, and some of the modifications she’s added to it that differ from Ben Slavic’s way of teaching the JGR. Louisa explains how she breaks down her grading system, and what she does to help her students reach high marks in interpersonal communication for the end of the day, each day. Key Takeaways: [:35] Let’s talk about JGR, aka Jenn’s Great Rubric. [1:55] Some districts do not allow you to put behavior in academic grade. [2:00] Louisa has been teaching this way for the last ten years. [2:45] For the first year, Louisa focuses on interpersonal communication skills. [3:15] Louisa grades her students on interpersonal communication every ten hours, which comes out to about every two weeks. [3:50] Interpersonal communication is 40% of the student's’ overall grade in Louisa's classroom. Though, in other places, this can sometimes be 65% of the grade. [4:30] What does a student need to do in order to get 10/10 points in interpersonal communication? [8:00] Louisa rewards students who take an ownership role in the classroom, and when they showcase they are understanding the materials. [8:15] What happens to students who earn less than 7 points? [11:55] Remember, it is a work in progress. Overall, Louisa is happy with the results. Mentioned in This Episode: TeachersThatTeach.com Benslavic.com…

1
018: Quick Tips on Making Movie Talk Successful. 10:16

8 years ago10:16

10:16

Louisa was able to catch up with Dustin Williamson, who teaches Spanish and French, and get his take on how he teaches movie talk in the classroom. He shares tips and walks us through what he does before movie talk, during, and after! Don’t forget to check out Dustin’s website for more great tips! Key Takeaways: [:40] Dustin loves hosting movie talk in his classroom. [1:20] Movie talk can be applied at all levels. [1:40] Oftentimes Dustin will do movie talk just before an upcoming vacation. [2:20] What does Dustin like to do before movie talk? [3:30] The video is not always the focus, the target language is. [5:20] Does Dustin have any examples of what a typical movie talk class looks like? [7:20] What ties a movie talk together? The post viewing sessions! Dustin explains further. [9:00] Dustin believes he could do a movie talk all year long and his class will still be successful. It is extremely powerful. Mentioned in This Episode: TeachersThatTeach.com Williamsonci.com…

1
017: Louisa’s Grading System 9:07

8 years ago9:07

9:07

When using CI techniques in the classroom, there is no right or wrong way to grade students. But to give teachers who are new to the technique some background, Louisa shares what she does in her particular classroom and what works for her when it comes to grading her students. There are four categories a student can perform well on. These are: homework, speaking, quizzes & classwork, and interpersonal communication. Find out more in this quick 9-minute episode! Key Takeaways: [0:35] How does Louisa grade students? [1:00] This grading method seems to have worked the best for Louisa after making some tweaks. [2:25] Louisa has a wide range of academically-prepared students. [2:30] All students are welcomed to take Louisa's class. [3:10] So, how does Louisa grade students? She has four categories. [3:40] What does the ‘‘interpersonal communication’ category consist of? [4:50] Louisa believes this category is essential! [5:45] Louisa admits that her speaking category is a bit controversial, especially because it only counts for 25% of the grade. [7:55] Homework is really easy to do, which is why it’s only 5% of the grade. Mentioned in This Episode: TeachersThatTeach.com Benslavic.com Grantboulanger.com…

1
016: Carrie and Kristy on Reading Engaging Novels 10:54

8 years ago10:54

10:54

Carrie Toth and Kristy Placido discuss why they felt the need to write their own novels in order to create engaging content for their students. Both teachers were having a hard time finding novels that their students ‘simply couldn’t put down’. Carrie and Kirsty felt as though if the students developed stronger connections with the target cultures, then they’d have more reasons to use their new language outside of the classroom. Key Takeaways: [:30] Why did Carrie and Kristy decide to write a novel? [2:00] The goal is to make your students forget that they’re reading in another language. [2:35] Trying to connect your students in new and engaging ways, makes them want to use their new language outside of the classroom. [3:20] When writing a novel for the classroom, it’s also important to ask the students for feedback. [4:30] What’s Kristy’s new novel about? [6:30] Why did Carrie write Vector ? [8:05] How does Carrie use novels in her classroom? [8:55] Kristy writes four novels a year. Mentioned in This Episode: TeachersThatTeach SomewhereToShare Hasta La Sepultura by Kristy Placido Vector by Carrie Toth…

1
015: Unit Plans for CI Teachers 10:54

8 years ago10:54

10:54

How does Louisa plan for a unit or topic for her classroom? The good thing about Louisa's school is that it is flexible, so Louisa is able to play with some very interesting topics to help get her students engaged. Find out how her students learn about the Camino in Spain, in this quick 10-minute episode! Key Takeaways: [:30] How does Louisa plan a unit? [1:10] Louisa’s classroom topics are pretty flexible. [2:20] But! There’s a method to Louisa’s madness! [2:30] Louisa breaks down what this year’s semester looks like. [3:45] Louisa has walked the Camino in Spain every year for the last five years. [6:00] There are 35 stages in the Camino; each of Louisa’s students are in charge of one of those stages. [7:50] Louisa tries to keep this topic fresh for the students. [9:50] After taking Louisa’s class, some students even find themselves going to Spain and walking the Camino! [10:00] This is an excellent way to introduce the students to the target language culture. Mentioned in This Episode: TeachersThatTeach.com…

1
014: What the Layout of a 90-Minute Class Looks Like 11:41

8 years ago11:41

11:41

Louisa is currently at a Portland teacher conference and sits down with Craig to get an inside view of how he designs his classes during the week. In this quick interview, Craig discusses how he starts and ends his classes, and how he incorporates CI techniques into his teachings. Key Takeaways: [:40] What does a regular week look like in Craig’s classroom? [1:25] Craig’s classroom lasts around 90 minutes. [1:30] The class begins by establishing meaning for a select number of words. [2:15] Craig then asks for hand gestures. [4:15] Craig tries not to embarrass the students when they don’t know how to respond in the target language. [5:15] Craig tries to use gestures for each new word. [6:00] Every time you teach a new word, it sends the student back to the basics where they don’t feel confident in their abilities. [7:15] Craig tries to keep going until the students look bored. [9:10] You want to get the student to re-read the new words in new and engaging ways. [10:25] Craig has been a teacher for the last 11 years and he still hasn’t gotten tired of teaching these techniques! Mentioned in This Episode: TeachersThatTeach.com…

1
013: Ways to Manage a Deskless Classroom 11:14

8 years ago11:14

11:14

Louisa uses this quick 11 minute podcast to discuss how she manages her students in a deskless classroom. Louisa sees about 176 students throughout the day, and it can get tough to manage if you do not have the right systems in place. Listen in to hear Louisa's quick classroom management tips! Key Takeaways: [0:40] How do you manage a deskless classroom? [0:43] Louisa has 176 students throughout the day. [1:00] How does a deskless classroom work? [2:30] It's been roughly four years since Louisa hasn't had desks in her classroom. [2:45] After the fourth week, students are usually past the honeymoon phase. [4:05] Louisa discusses how she arranges the seats. [5:20] Everybody has students who are not quite ready for a different style of classroom. [6:15] Louisa estimates that half of her students did not have a CI class last year. These students take a little more time to get used to how things work. [8:05] Louisa takes about 30 seconds to welcome parents into the classroom, in Spanish. [10:35] Tune in next week for Louisa's next tip! Mentioned in This Episode: www.TeachersThatTeach.com…

Teachers That Teach Podcast

1
012: Focus on the Students, Not the Materials 15:04

8 years ago15:04

15:04

Karen Rowan is an author and speaker on TPRS® (Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling). Karen has been training and coaching teachers on how to efficiently use TPRS® techniques since 1996, and has a lot to share on this week’s episode. Karen’s biggest takeaway is to always focus on your students, and aim to make the material fun and engaging for them. Everybody wins when you and your students are having fun! Key Takeaways: [1:20] After teaching CI techniques for a long time, one of the things teachers forget is how hard it was, at first, to learn how to do it. [2:25] Teachers get excited about the new techniques available, but Karen reminds them that they have to focus on one thing at a time. [3:10] Focus on the students, not the book. [5:05] We only need about 500 words to communicate. [6:55] How do you know what your students don’t know yet? [8:15] Figure out what you want your students to know, and then plan backwards. [9:50] You want to be sure the material you’re teaching is compelling at all levels. [11:00] Karen discusses the upcoming conferences she’ll be attending. Come say hi! Mentioned in This Episode: TeachersThatTeach.com FluencyFast.com…

Teachers That Teach Podcast

1
011: Individual Dictation for Children With More Spanish Experience 14:23

8 years ago14:23

14:23

Last week Louisa explained what she does with her students when it comes to running dictation. This week Louisa discusses how she does individual dictation and sets her students up for an engaging quiz session. Most of her students get a B-range grade in her classroom and Louisa's process to grade each student's quiz is made incredibly easy. Key Takeaways: [1:00] Louisa discusses how she makes this actively a little more challenging for students who know a bit more Spanish. [3:45] How does Louisa position 35-38 students in a classroom? How do they sit? [5:35] Be sure to have enough pens that are black or blue, green and red ink. [6:50] At the end of this activity, every student has a clipboard, a blue or black pen, and a piece of paper. [7:20] Make sure the students number their paper! Louisa explains further. [8:05] Students will have to write what Louisa says on line number one. [9:50] Students will then do self-corrections on line number two with their red pen. [11:55] This does take a little bit of time to explain. [12:35] Louisa reads line number three, which is in green, and corrects her students' mistakes if there are any. This makes grading very easy. [12:55] If students didn't get a B, they get to redo this test next week. Mentioned in This Episode: TeachersThatTeach.com…

Teachers That Teach Podcast

1
010: A Quick 101 Episode on Language Acquisition 7:10

8 years ago7:10

7:10

For this quick 7-minute episode, Stephen Krashen and Tina Hargaden join Louisa to discuss the fundamentals of how a child acquires a language. Stephen goes into depth as to why the introduction of stories and storytelling is so important towards acquiring a language for a child. It is both Stephen and Tina’s goal to get children more interested and excited about reading books, as this will help them learn a new language quicker. Key Takeaways: [0:40] What does the research tell us about language acquisition? [1:35] Anyone can be successful with language acquisition. [1:50] We can all do it. There’s no such thing as a ‘language skill’. [2:00] So, how do we acquire language? [2:55] To define it simply, we acquire language when we begin to understand what people are saying in a foreign language. [3:20] At the beginner's level of acquiring a language, it’s based off stories. Children love stories. [4:30] Even President Obama has been quoted to say that fictional stories make him a more understanding person. [5:45] It is both Stephen and Tina’s goal to get children excited about reading books. [6:30] Exposure to books and developing a love for reading, are the secrets to acquiring a new language. Mentioned in This Episode: TeachersThatTeach.com…

Teachers That Teach Podcast

1
009: How to Use Running Dictation in the Classroom 13:56

8 years ago13:56

13:56

In this week’s episode, Louisa explains a fun way to incorporate a group activity with students in the classroom through the use of running dictation. Her 10 minute tip includes a breakdown of how running dictation works and why the kids love to play this game! Key Takeaways: [0:25] How does Louisa use running dictation in the classroom? [2:05] Running dictation combines reading, writing, listening, and speaking. [2:20] This is a great activity for students to work together in the classroom. [2:30] How running dictation is similar to the “Telephone” game. [2:40] Louisa shares an example of what running dictation looks like in her classroom. [4:45] Louisa does not like partners of two because it means there are too many students running around at the same time. [8:00] Everyone in the classroom will be able to write once, run once, and be a helper once. [8:30] What is the most important rule of running dictation? You cannot run into other people! [11:10] For some reason the students think this game is a race, but it's not! [12:05] Running dictation lasts between 20-30 minutes. Mentioned in This Episode: www.TeachersThatTeach.com…

Teachers That Teach Podcast

1
008: How to Create Repetition for Your Students in an Engaging and Novel Way. 13:34

9 years ago13:34

13:34

Diana Castro, of Centennial High School, located in Corona, CA, sits down with Louisa to discuss some of the key topics she’s learned on the first day of a 2-day professional training with Carol Gaab, of TPRS Publishing, now known as Fluency Matters. Carol showed the teachers how to expose students to new and novel ways, to keep simple language structures, which can sometimes be boring or ‘too easy’, engaging. Carol taught these principles in Hebrew, a language the majority of the teachers was unfamiliar with. Key Takeaways: [0:55] What was it about today’s training that Diana really enjoyed? [1:25] Sometimes veteran teachers get bored with what they think is too easy, but Carol showed examples of how to keep things engaging. [2:00] Carol provides repeated exposure to the students for 60 minutes in Hebrew, a language the audience at the workshop was not familiar with. [5:15] How do we grade in a CI classroom? Hopefully, Carol will address this in tomorrow’s session. [5:35] Diana explains the chain reaction idea, that helps students both write and act out the new words they’re learning. [7:20] Louisa noticed that Carol has her students act out each of the sentences of the story, which really keeps you on your toes, and paying attention. [8:35] Diana also really liked the ‘what if’ activity, where it goes into greater detail about the characters’ actions, while still repeating and re-using the same words. [9:30] These activities prepared the audience for the Word Cloud, which they were able to use and put into functional sentences. [10:45] Of the things Diana learned today, what will Diana incorporate into her classroom? Mentioned in This Episode: TeachersThatTeach.com Tprstorytelling.com/ www.fluencymatters.com…

Teachers That Teach Podcast

1
007: Using “Movie Talk”™ 11:59

9 years ago11:59

11:59

In this week's episode, Louisa discusses how she incorporates “Movie Talk”™ into her classroom. “Movie Talk”™ is another way to keep the classroom engaged in a novel way. Louisa breaks down what an average Movie Talk™ day looks like for her, using just a simple 3-minute Darth Vader Volkswagen commercial. Key Takeaways: [0:30] This week's podcast is all about “Movie Talk” ™! [0:40] How does Louisa incorporate movies into her classroom? [1:05] Louisa loves to use a commercial with Darth Vader in it. [1:35] The goal with this activity is to talk to the students, not to get to the end of the movie. [3:20] Louisa reestablishes meaning for the words the classroom has already worked on days prior before putting on the movie. [4:00] Louisa breaks down step-by-step how she uses the movie to help the students comprehend the input. [10:05] After about 20 minutes of describing what's in the movie and how it relates to the students, Louisa stops the movie before it gets to the end. [10:50] She uses the movie as a jumping off point into reading. Mentioned in This Episode: www.TeachersThatTeach.com Darth Vader Commercial Dr. Ashley Hastings…

Teachers That Teach Podcast

1
006: Everything You Need to Know About Free Voluntary Reading 11:19

9 years ago11:19

11:19

Louisa invites Mike Peto on the show to discuss how to incorporate free voluntary reading into the classroom. The point of this particular activity is for children to actively choose their own books and enjoy the act of reading. Each week, Mike allows the children to either switch their book for a new one or continue reading their current book. Mike finds that when children have an invested interest in their books, they tend to enjoy reading a lot more and they usually have an easier time understanding the book’s materials. Key Takeaways: [0:35] For this week’s episode, Mike will be talking to us about free voluntary reading. [1:10] What is free voluntary reading about? [1:45] The key is that this should not be an activity where you’re quieting the kids down. [2:14] Where do we get these books? [3:00] How can you and your students get started in free voluntary reading? [5:45] What does a typical day look like in Mike’s classroom? [6:40] You want your students to be intrigued by the book they’re reading. [6:50] For the first few weeks, Mike was really trying to teach his students to be mindful about which book they want to read. [6:55] At the end of the day, it’s about what book the children want to read, not what book the teacher wants them to read. [7:25] When the children finish the book, Mike gives a quick review about that book. [10:05] Unfortunately, Mike doesn’t let the children take home their books. Mentioned in This Episode: TeachersThatTeach.com Mrpeto.wordpress.com…

Teachers That Teach Podcast

1
005: Educational Videos for the Classroom 7:48

9 years ago7:48

7:48

Louisa discusses the types of educational videos she uses during the first two weeks of school. These videos help immerse the students in the language and it allows them to comprehend the language a lot more fluidly. She also incorporates fun games to help keep things fresh for them. Key Takeaways: [0:35] What kind of videos does Louisa use for the first two weeks of school? [1:25] When Louisa plays the Lunes is Monday video, she gets the kids to stand up and dance. [2:15] How does Louisa keep things fresh with this video for the students? [2:30] With Señor Wooly's video, Louisa uses what he says in the video as a password in order for the students to get in the door. [3:50] These videos are really quick to get through and they're a great way to begin the day. [4:00] With the Mochila Roja video, Louisa plays eye spy with the class. [5:10] Louisa usually doesn’t open the textbook in class. If a student is absent that day, then they will study from the textbook at home. [5:20] Everything the students do is comprehensible. [6:40] That's this week's tip! Use videos to help incorporate a different element into the learning process. Mentioned in This Episode: www.TeachersThatTeach.com Lunes is Monday Soy Guapo por Señor Wooly En Mi Mochila Roja…

Teachers That Teach Podcast

1
004: Give Your Students a 'Brain Break' With Annabelle Allen 13:07

9 years ago13:07

13:07

Louisa invites Annabelle “La Maestra Loca” Allen on to the show to help us better understand how to properly introduce and use brain breaks in the classroom. Speaking a foreign language for long periods of time can be very rigorous, no matter what age you are. So, it’s important to include frequent breaks to keep your class engaged and excited throughout the day. Key Takeaways: [0:25] What are brain breaks? [1:20] How does Annabelle know when the students need a break? [1:45] Annabelle gives frequent brain breaks to help her classroom keep engaged. [2:10] What does a typical brain break look like? [2:50] The brain break can last 30 seconds. They don’t have to be very long breaks. [4:15] Would giving the students too many breaks distract them from the actual material? [6:00] Brain breaks are incredibly necessary in breaking up the rigor of an intense class. [6:25] Annabelle shares a fun rock–paper–scissors game for the children to do. [8:00] How does Annabelle handle a student who is reluctant to do a brain break? [10:05] You don’t want to punish a student for not wanting to be ‘silly’. [11:15] Annabelle’s final thoughts — She really encourages the frequency of these breaks. The students need it! Mentioned in This Episode: Teachers That Teach Website Lamaestraloca.com…

Teachers That Teach Podcast

1
003: Setting the Expectation Through Classroom Rules 14:35

9 years ago14:35

14:35

Today's quick episode dives right in on how to setup the proper expectation in the classroom by using rules. Although Louisa is a Spanish teacher, her rules are listed on a poster in English so that every student is well aware of what is expected of them. Key Takeaways: [1:00] Let's talk on how to setup rules in the classroom. [2:10] Louisa is at the door every single day greeting her students. [2:35] There's a poster in the room that lists the rules in the classroom. Louisa talks to her students about each rule. [3:25] Although Louisa teaches in Spanish, the rules are listed in English. [3:50] Louisa's first rule is to listen with the intent to understand. What does she mean by this? [6:15] The rules set the tone for the classroom. [10:00] Louisa doesn't want any confusion at all with her students. She makes her classroom more welcoming for questions through the listed rules. [11:50] What does Louisa mean by 'do your 50%'? [13:15] Louisa used some of Ben Slavic's rules and adapted them to her classroom. [13:25] You need to set the rules and then follow them and enforce them. Mentioned in This Episode: www.TeachersThatTeach.com www.benslavic.com…

Teachers That Teach Podcast

1
002: Teaching Latin Using CI Techniques 8:21

9 years ago8:21

8:21

Keith Toda is a Latin teacher and discusses some of the techniques he uses in his classroom. Although some might believe Latin is a dead language, it really isn't! Keith teaches around 35 students in his classroom and will soon be transferring to another school that has 5 Latin teaches in it. Listen in for more! Key Takeaways: [0:55] What does the first day of school look like in Keith's classroom? [1:15] How do you create a community in your classroom? [1:35] Keith talks about the techniques he uses with his students. [3:00] The goal with Ben Slavic's technique is to establish relationships with children in the class room. [4:10] Keith's target language is Latin. [4:50] Keith usually has about 35 students in his class. [5:25] There is a growing interest in Latin. [5:55] When you're teaching grammar-translation, you're only appealing to a certain type of kid. [6:35] Students can take up to four years of Latin. [7:25] Keith talks about his blog and why he started it. Mentioned in This Episode: www.TeachersThatTeach.com www.todallycomprehensiblelatin.blogspot.com www.benslavic.com/circling-with-balls.html…

Teachers That Teach Podcast

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001: Welcome to the First Episode of Teachers That Teach! 10:16

9 years ago10:16