LESS TEACHER TALK,
MORE STUDENT ACTION
BY:
NICOLE SILIMPERI
HOW DO WE PROMOTE THE USE OF
THE TARGET LANGUAGE?
 NOT ALL STUDENTS INTERESTED
 TAKING THE LANGUAGE FOR VARIOUS REASONS
 CREDIT
 COLLEGE ADMISSION
 LOOKS COOL, PICK UP CHICKS
 AND A FEW, ACTUALLY WANT TO LEARN THE
LANGUAGE
SO, HOW DO WE GET THEM TO USE
THE LANGUAGE?
 A LOT OF THE STUDENTS WILL NOT USE THE
LANGUAGE.
 NOT JUST OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM, BUT WILL
AVOID USE IN THE CLASSROOM
SO, WHAT DO WE DO?
 AS INSTRUCTORS, WE WANT TO SEE OUR STUDENTS
SPEAKING, WRITING, READING, AND BEING ABLE TO
UNDERSTAND WHEN LISTENING TO THE TARGET
LANGUAGE.
 WE REDIRECT OUR FOCUS, WE STOP TEACHING
GRAMMAR REPETITIONS AND VOCABULARY LISTS.
 WE ASSIST THEM IN THE USE OF THE LANGUAGE BY
GIVING THEM THE OPPORTUNITIES TO PRODUCE
PERFORMANCE BASED ASSESSMENTS
 WHAT ARE THEY?
 ASSESSMENTS THAT ASK THE STUDENTS TO PRODUCE
IN THE TARGET LANGUAGE VIA TASK PROMPTS AND
SCENARIOS.
WRITTEN PBA’S
 STUDENTS WILL USE THESE TO WRITE NEWSPAPER
ARTICLES, ADVERTISEMENTS, FILL OUT
APPLICATIONS, ETC.
 THE PBA’S ARE FOR REAL WORLD USAGE
SPOKEN PBA’S
 THE STUDENTS WILL HOLD CONVERSATIONS
INVOLVED IN REAL WORLD SCENARIOS:
 MALL
 SCHOOL
 HOME
 WORK
READING PBA’S
 STUDENTS WILL READ NEWSPAPERS,
ADVERTISEMENTS, MAGAZINES, SHORT STORIES,
POETRY, ETC.
 READING TO LEARN MORE, NOT JUST TO RESPOND
TO REPETITIVE QUESTIONING
 EXAMPLES???
LISTENING PBA’S
 STUDENTS WILL LISTEN TO SONGS, AUTHENTIC
CONVERSATIONS WRITTEN AND PRODUCED BY
OTHER STUDENTS, TELEVISION ADVERTISEMENTS,
NEWSCASTS, SPORTCASTS, ETC.
 DEMONSTRATION???? – NEWSCASTS USE IN CLASS.
EXAMPLES OF PBAS
 SCENARIO -You and your friends are going to dine in a
restaurant wherein the staff only speaks the target language.
You will greet the host/hostess, respond appropriately to the
waiter/waitress’ requests, and order your food and drinks in
the target language.You will speak with your friend about
appropriate restaurant behavior and the do’s and don’ts.You
will use the appropriate greeting to leave the restaurant.
EXAMPLE OF PBA
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TASK:
Greet the host/hostess.
Greet the waiter/waitress(instructor).
Respond appropriately to waiter/waitress’(instructor) requests.
Request items from the waiter/waitress using the appropriate
form of commands.
Speak with your friend about your likes and dislikes, loves and
what bothers you.
Also, talk to your friend about what the food is like using ser and
estar.
Order food in the proper manner.
Use appropriate phrases when leaving the restaurant.
EXAMPLE PBA
 ALONG WITH THE SCENARIO AND TASK, STUDENTS
ARE GIVEN A LIST OF VOCABULARY TO USE.
 THEY ARE ALSO GIVEN A LIST OF GRAMMAR TO USE
AND CULTURAL REFERENCES
EXAMPLE OF PBA
 STUDENTS ARE ALSO GIVEN “I CAN” LISTS.
 THESE HELP KEEP THEM FOCUSED ON AN ULTIMATE
GOAL WHILE THEY COMPLETE THE TASK.
 FOR EXAMPLE:
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I can order food in a restaurant
I can understand a waiter’s or host’s response
I can describe a meal (for each meal of the day)
I can ask others to help me or give me items for my meal
I can describe appropriate behaviors in restaurants.
I can use the appropriate greetings in food related areas.
WHAT ELSE?
 STUDENTS ARE ALSO GIVEN THE BENCHMARKS THEY
ARE TO FOLLOW TO COMPLETE THE TASK.
 FOR EXAMPLE:
 2.NH.IC I can exchange information about familiar
tasks, topics, and activities. I can handle short social
interactions using phrases and simple sentences, but I
may need help or visuals, objects, gestures, etc., to keep
the conversation going.
BACKWARD PLANNING
 GIVE THEM THE PERFORMANCE BASED ASSESSMENT
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AS THEIR GOAL.
THEY WILL KNOW WHAT THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES
ARE AS FAR AS GRAMMAR AND VOCABULARY
WHAT THEY DO NOT KNOW THEY CAN
INVESTIGATE.
GIVE THEM TIME TO PLAN AND PRACTICE.
HELP THEM LEARN CONCEPTS WHILE USING THE
TARGET LANGUAGE.
SO WHAT DO WE DO EVERYDAY?
 YOU ARE NO LONGER TEACHING GRAMMAR
REPETITIVELY AND USING VOCABULARY LISTS TO
MEMORIZE.
 STUDENTS ARE CREATING FOR YOU.
 STUDENTS ARE USING THEIR CLASS TIME TO WORK
TOGETHER AND CREATE REAL WORLD SITUATIONS.
 DAILY ACTIVITIES INCLUDE AN ENDPOINT TO
CONVERSATIONS IN REAL WORLD SITUATIONS,
READING ADVERTISEMENTS, AND WATCHING
TELEVISION IN THE TARGET LANGUAGE.
WHAT DOES A DAILY CLASS PLAN LOOK
LIKE?
 BELLRINGER/WARM UP - WRITTEN CONCEPT USING
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PREVIOUS DAY’S INFORMATION – I.E. WRITE A SHORT
CONVERSATION INTRODUCING YOURSELF AT A PARTY.
REVIEW AND SHARE WITH A PARTNER
INPUT PHASE: POWERPOINT TO INTRODUCE NEW
VOCABULARY OR VOCABULARY GAME WITH STUDENTS
CONTROLLED GUIDED PRACTICE – STUDENT PRACTICE WITH
THE TEACHER AS FACILITATOR
INDEPENDENT PRACTICE/EXTENSION - STUDENTS PRODUCE
USING VOCABULARY IN GROUPS OR WITH A PARTNER –
SENTENCES, QUESTIONS, REAL WORLD PRODUCT
QUESTIONS ABOUT GRAMMAR ARE ADDRESSED WHEN THEY
ARISE
CLOSURE – REVIEWED OF FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
EXAMPLES
 A FEW OF MY STUDENTS CHOSE TO POST ONE OF
THEIR PERFORMANCE BASED ASSESSMENTS ON THE
INTERNET
 WITH A LITTLE LUCK, I CAN SHOW THAT TO YOU.
 WHILE I AM ARRANGING THAT….TRY YOUR OWN.
PARTICIPANT ACTIVITY
 IN YOUR GROUPS, CREATE A PERFORMANCE BASED
ASSESSMENT.
 USE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING UNITS:
 AT A RESTAURANT
 INTERVIEW AT A MALL
 SHOPPING AT A MARKET
 EXPLAINING MY SCHOOL DAY
 MEETING NEW PEOPLE AT A PARTY
QUESTIONS!?!??!