November+30

=Tentative Agenda for November 30=

1) **Housekeeping:**
 * Roll
 * Cherice sits at the BACK of the room today.

=12:40 - 1:00=

2) **Learning Logs**:


 * Part A**

//Appoint someone to edit this page. As a group, brainstorm a bulleted list of answers to the questions below.//

a) One thing Cherice seems to understand now that she didn't when we began this semester is . . . - We have a different knowledge set than she expected - We're highly goldish/blue

b) One thing Cherice does better now than when we began this semester is . ..

- Class time is spent more productively to fit the collective needs - The need for clarification on projects and assignments - Modifies requirements - More approachable and revealed more of herself - Accomodates and adjusts according to our needs - She teaches with her whole heart and believes in our ability to be great WL teachers
 * give directions
 * anticipate problems

c) If we were teaching TE 804 next semester, we would . . . - Have intermediate deadlines for projects - Organize discussions so the topic is more obvious and immediately applicable - We're ready to move beyond such a focus on personal concerns and move to a focus on instructional strategies - Specific preparation early in the semester for applying for jobs - Keep the class USEFUL.


 * Part B**

//Now that you've had a chance to think about TE 802, think about your OWN teaching. Please go to the discussion board for this page and add your answer to each of the following threads.//
 * One thing I understand now that I didn't when we began this semester is . ..
 * One thing I do better now than when we began this semester is . ..
 * One thing my students do better now than when we began this semester is . ..

=1:00 - 2:00 - Lesson Planning= Planning in 802 user:cartierm

Key Principles

 * It is important to balance relevance with rigor

> >
 * Supplemental activities are a way of:
 * **Adapting**/**Differentiating** the content so that it better suits the individual needs, personal interests, and learning styles of your students
 * **Contextualizing** content to make it more culturally rich and personally meaningful and relevant for students
 * **Supplementing** the text as a means of filling gaps or strengthening weak activities in the text
 * You should be prepared to give a professional reason for every activity you ask students to do, every assignment you make, and every instructional method or material you use. "It is SO fun!" and "The kids just LOVE it!" do //__not__// count as "professional" reasons. (Although those responses certainly can serve as clues to you regarding what will work, you need to think more about WHY kids find it fun, WHAT about it kids love, and HOW those things affect students' learning.)

Understanding the Process: Think Aloud

 * The process I would use to make instructional decisions when planning from a textbook is . ..

Envisioning the Implementation

 * A typical week in a language class would probably look like . ..


 * Introducing vocabulary... I'm tired of just giving them the words and having them repeat. Once they know them we can do fun stuff, but I want to do the fun stuff to introduce it... user:burgeramy

My kids absolutely love this way of learning new vocabulary and it works! -Write the words on the board - Have students write them down in Spanish/English as bellwork - Go over meanings – have students repeat each word. - T does an action while saying the word and Ss repeat - T only says the word and Ss just do the action - Have a student be the one to say the word and the class does the action This really works! Two weeks later my student asked me how to say a word that we had learned this way, I did the action and they said “oh yea!” and knew the word – putting an action with the new word is better than putting an English translation with it. user:dawnmarie


 * Pacing - I've been reading a ton of information in vocabulary exercises, learning centers, etc. and you could definitely spend a lot of time on any one topic. How much time would you devote to each (vocab., grammar, culture, etc.)? user:fraucote1


 * Learning Centers - How much do you cover and what do students do? user:cartierm

=2:00 - 2:15 - BREAK=

=2:15 - 3:15 - Work Time=

//You have a choice of 4 things to work on during this time, and when you have gotten what you needed from one working group, you may leave it and work on something else.//

1) FLTEACH Assignment - **Use the time to get feedback on your project, see what others are doing.** Post completed FLTEACH projects here.
===2) Inquiry Projects - Work individually, divide responsibilities among your group members, spend the time collaborating, or view the sample projects. Post completed inquiry projects here.===

Group Time - user:mllegibbs user:emilylewis user:cartierm user:kristynd user:sherm118

Just 15-20 min. to touch base with groups - user:dawnmarie user:fraucote1 user:blitzsar user:AmandaGSpanish user:richa521 user:decortem user:Bubblewrapper

//And just in case you've forgotten what you decided to do. . .//
 * //[|Classroom Management]// //- user:AmandaGSpanish// user:sherm118
 * //Inquiry Project Classroom Management//


 * //Culturally Authentic Service Learning Activities// user:emilylewis user:cartierm user:decortem user:fraucote1 user:richa521 user:Bubblewrapper


 * //Maintaining Professional Relationships//


 * //Planning Effective Lessons from the Textbook// user:AmyBas user:kristynd user:dawnmarieuser:armst156


 * //Target// //Language Refinement Plan//


 * //Maintaining Sanity Throughout the Internship: A comprehensive guide for interns and their mentors// user:mllegibbs user:sherm118


 * //Strategies for Teaching Native Speakers// user:amandabainbridge


 * //Special Education Labeling// user:blitzsar

= =

3) Lesson Ideas - Use the time to ask your colleagues for help and ideas re: the specific concepts your students will be learning soon.
Brainstorming how to teach clothing, comparisons, or whatever is helpful. user:cartierm

4) Swap Shop - Use the time to present your swap shop materials to others who are interested. Each presenter gets 5 min. Post your activity ideas here and on the Swap Shop page.)

 * Jeopardy Review Game - [[file:Jeopardy review - mester 1 exam.ppt]] user:kristynd


 * Bridget's TPRS Example :) Word 2007 [[file:TPRS Swap Shop Example.docx]] Word 2003[[file:TPRS Swap Shop Example- Word 2003.doc]] user:leonar77


 * Info gap with prepositions and city vocabulary - Students were paired and then had a folder in between the desks so they could not see each others papers. Students were given city A, or city B, and then they were to talk to each other to find out what was "mixed up" in their cities. Students were given a list of "landmarks" that were the same on both cities to use as reference, and then they had to describe where each item in their city was, so that their partner could draw it in on their own paper. I have a handout, I think I typed it on the computer at school, I'll post before we meet. If you want to use it before, email me. user:cartierm


 * Una campaña para coleccionar la ropa (Clothing drive!) user:decortem


 * Popsicle Stick Practice (practice with TENER expressions) - [[file:Popsicle Stick Practice.doc]] user:dawnmarie

> =3:15 - 3:30 - Questions & Clarifications=
 * Participation Guide for rowdy classes - [[file:Participation guide.doc]] user:armst156
 * Subjuntive with Doubt info gap activity user:burgeramy
 * Clothing and colors as well as tu --> yo practice info gap activity user:burgeramy
 * Froggy se viste A great way to teach/reinforce reflexives using story-based instruction user:blitzsar

**Due Dates -** Everything is due December 7. (FLTEACH one-pager, inquiry project, self-videotape write up, swap shop).
0) **SIRS -** We'll fill out the forms on Dec. 7.

1) **FLTEACH One-pager** - I will look at these prior to class on December 7 and we will spend 30-45 minutes viewing and discussing them as a whole class.

2) **Inquiry Project** - I'll see how many groups we end up with (and some will be groups of 1), but I think there will be a small enough number of you that we can use 5-7 minutes per group for you to present your projects to us. Template for that:


 * Issue - The issue we decided to investigate was ..
 * //. . . differentiating instruction for gifted students.//


 * Stakeholders - This issue affects . ..
 * //Students with special needs comprise 14% of the student population in our high school, and over half of those students are gifted.//

>
 * Background of the Problem - What you need to understand about this issue is . ..
 * //Although stereotypical notions of children who are gifted evoke images of know-it-alls, nerds, or teachers' pets who do well in school, students who are gifted have just as many special needs as students who are mentally handicapped and are actually one of the most underserved populations in our schools.// //Many gifted students are perfectionists who exhibit symptoms of anxiety and depression in spite of their academic achievement and success. Large numbers of g////ifted students are also chronically in trouble for misbehavior, truancy, and underachievement. They are frequently overlooked by teachers who do not understand their behavior, frustrate parents who expect them to be gifted in everything they do, and confuse peers with their social and emotional immaturity and quirky interests.//


 * Rationale - We decided to investigate this because . ..
 * //. . . over 1/3 of the students in our French 3 class have been officially labeled as students who are gifted. We have a number of classroom management issues in that hour and are wondering if that is, in part, due to the fact that we do not seem to be meeting their needs.//


 * Research Questions - We wanted to know . ..
 * //. . . what to expect from students who are gifted and what they need?//
 * //. . . why gifted students so often fail to complete their work or participate in class?//
 * //. . . how other language teachers have successfully addressed some of their needs in the past?//


 * Research Process/Data Collection Tools - The three different sources of information we consulted were . ..
 * . . . //interviews with students, parents, counselors, and/or special ed teachers//
 * //. . . survey of French 3 class//
 * //. . . research articles from FL Annals//
 * Methods of Data Analysis - We made sense of our data by . ..
 * //. . . identifying the main ideas from each interview and then looking for key themes that were repeated over and over again across the interviews//
 * //. . . tabulating the survey results//
 * //. . . comparing our results with what the research articles said//


 * Findings - What we learned was . ..
 * . . . //students who are gifted have strengths and weaknesses just like anyone else//
 * //. . . students who are gifted do not benefit from being assigned MORE of the same work, or just doing the work FASTER//
 * //. . . students who are gifted need to be challenged cognitively//
 * //. . . students who are gifted need support to develop stronger social and emotional skills//
 * //. . . students who are gifted often do not do work because it is boring or seems irrelevant//
 * //. . . students who are gifted sometimes feel completely overwhelmed because they have difficulty narrowing their interests to a reasonable topic, synthesizing all they know, or knowing how to break things down into manageable steps//


 * Interpretations/Implications for Teaching - What we will do differently now that we know this is . ..
 * //. . . teach students how to recognize their strengths and compensate for their weaknesses//
 * //. . . differentiate our instruction for ALL students more frequently//
 * //. . . give students assignments that ask them to think about things that are interesting and meaningful to them//
 * //. . . teach students explicitly how to participate in groups and how to communicate their feelings in appropriate ways//
 * //. . . ask students to spend more time creating with the language for audiences they care about//
 * //. . . scaffold work for students more carefully--breaking things down into smaller pieces, modeling the product and the process, and thinking aloud for them//
 * Discussion - What we learned about schools, teaching, learning, and inquiry was . ..
 * //. . . that kids slip through the cracks in the bureaucracy of schools.//
 * //. . . that differentiating instruction for students with special needs actually benefits ALL students.//
 * //. . . that students' needs should drive learning, not teachers' plans (or rather, that teachers' plans should be based on students' needs).//
 * //. . . that when you rely on more than one source of information, interesting contradictions and puzzles are revealed that help you to see important, but often hidden, facets of the issue.//

3) **Self Videotape Presentation -** Your write-up is due on December 7. Use the template posted on the wiki for this. I'm looking for bulleted lists, not lengthy essays! The important part of the assignment is the quality of the thinking you do, not the writing.

Our first day back after the break in January, we will look at your 3-minute video clip. You'll need to use the following template for that presentation:


 * You will have one minute to explain the context of the video clip. Your explanation should consist of NO MORE THAN 3 simple sentences and should follow the outline below:
 * //Hour, Level, Length: This is my 8th hour German 1 class and our periods are 90 minutes long.//
 * //Objective/Content, Activity: Students were supposed to be practicing descriptive adjectives and prepositions of location by describing the contents of their maps to a partner, who was supposed to draw the missing elements.//
 * //Event: Although I was unaware of it during class, when I watched the video, I noticed that there were two boys fighting in the back of the room.//
 * You will have one minute to give us at least one (but no more than 3) questions to focus our attention and guide our discussion/feedback. (When devising these questions, think about what really concerns you, interests you, or puzzles you about this video clip and how you might use the collective wisdom of the group to explore those issues.)
 * //What hypotheses do you have about these students' needs?//
 * //How might I engage these students more successfully in the future?//
 * //Why do you think these students made the choices they did?//
 * We will watch the 3-minute video clip you have selected.
 * We will have a short conversation about what we have seen.

4) **Plans for TE 804** - We'll discuss this on Dec. 7, but I'm thinking they should include:


 * Assessment and oral proficiency (I have lots to tell you about that from ACTFL)
 * Classroom Management
 * Story-based instruction (this will be useful to all of you--esp. how to teach grammar using it, and it will give the TPRS folks some new ideas for supplementing what they are already doing)
 * Tips for Teaching Tricky Grammar Topics

First Day Back From Break
Our first day back, I'll present the new syllabus and we'll look at your videotapes. Any other requests?

=**Assignments for** **the Week of 11/30/07**=


 * **FLTEACH Project** - Read from the [|archives] or [|subscribe] (for free). Your one-pager is due Dec. 7. Click **here** for a list of links to free, easy-to-use, online tools that will help you to make cool one-pagers. Post FLTEACH projects here. If you do not wish your work to be posted publicly for some reason, you may e-mail it to Cherice.
 * **Inquiry Project -** The samples from last year will help you think about what form you might want this to take. Click **here** for a list of links to free, easy-to-use, online tools that will help you package your understanding and share it with the group. Post Inquiry Projects here. If you do not wish your work to be posted publicly for some reason, you may e-mail it to Cherice.
 * **Swap Shop -** If you haven't presented something, come prepared to share something you have created, something you've tried from your mentor, or something you learned from one of the professional conferences. You will have approximately 5 minutes to accomplish this.
 * **Videotape Critical Reflection** - Write-up is due Dec. 7. Your 3-5 minute video clip will be presented in class our first day back from the break in January.


 * Be sure to post your thoughts to these three pages. You do not need to sign your postings.**
 * Thoughts for Cherice
 * Thoughts for our Field Instructors
 * Thoughts for our Mentors


 * Mentor Meeting Handout for Mentors Who Couldn't Come -

FYI:
 * Overcoming the Wall of Resistance

Change & the [|Walls of Resistance] - This graphic demonstrates the key role that perspective plays in the change process and illustrates the high cost of a major shift in perspective

[|Where Do Change Initiatives Break Down? - Knowing-Doing Gap] - A great synopsis of some of the factors that keep people who know what to do from doing it.

[|Beyond Resistance Article] - Outlines 3 majors reasons people resist and offers suggestions for addressing each one.