Beginning the school year
Effectively…and in Style!
Julie Soldner
Contributions by Mark Mallaney, Nina Barber, Annick
Chen and Sarah Rasay
Academic tools for the
classroom
Wall Posters
 Question Words
 High-frequency verb structures, adjectives, adverbs
 Target Language – English
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Numbers chart, colors, weather, calendar
Transition words
Emotions
Irregular verb conjugations: to be, to do, to have
Rejoinders: How do you say? Oh really? I’m sorry. That’s too bad.
Reading strategies www.brycehedstrom.com
 Rigor Poster
How to choose reading material
Pick something interesting & comprehensible.
You should enjoy it and it should be relatively easy.
It does not have to be utterly fascinating.
You do not have to understand every single word.
It just has to hold your interest for a while and it has
to be something that you mostly understand.
 If you don’t like it or it doesn’t make sense to you,
choose something else to read next time.
 You can also read the same thing again if you want.
 That is a good option too.
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Classroom Rules and Routines
 Take time to go over exactly what the expectations are for
the class.
 Be intentional about YOUR rules and routines.
 Nina Barber says:
 I take time to explain CI to the kids, so that they understand WHY
we do what we do, and if it is done correctly, they can just relax,
listen, answer and gesture. Easy grade.
 Lots of TPR with basic verb structures.
 I use a few of Jalen Waltman’s beginning stories (the baby story, for
example.) www.waltmania.com
 I give lots of little quizzes and hold kids accountable for identifying
vocab and story info, so they learn early on that they cannot slack.
 I use Jason Fritze’s participation points.
Classroom Rules and Routines
 Mark Mallaney says:
 It is very important to establish routines right away so
that you don't have to micro-manage on a daily basis.
 Do lots of TPR around classroom procedures. In
essence, if I want to say to kids “When you’re finished,
stand up, return your clicker to the box, walk to the
bookshelf, grab a book, sit down and read” then I need
to do TONS of TPR with all of those structures.
 If you get a solid base of understanding on the verbs
needed to manage the classroom ‘right off the bat’
…you can turn classroom procedures into CI.
Classroom rules
(Ben Slavic)
 Listen with the intent to understand.
 One person speaks and the others listen.
 No “talking over” or random blurting.
 Sit up…Squared shoulders…Eyes on the teacher.
 Do your 50%.
 No English.
Annick Chen finds value in sharing
the Interpersonal Rubric…
Sarah Rasay shares
this info graphic
with her students at
the beginning of the
year.
Optimal time for input
According to brain research:
The best times during a class
period for input are the
first and last 15-20 minutes.
What is a Lanzamiento (Launch)?
A reading in the first 15-20 minutes of
class to get you in the mindset to learn
Spanish
Reading-Children’s books and reading
guide
Writing-overhead prompt and lanzamiento
guide
What is Spanish class like?
Different from your other classes
 Language acquisition only happens when written and
spoken messages are understood and students are relaxed.
 Have fun. Enjoy the learning (acquisition).
 To learn you have to Listen and Read
 Listen and Read with the intent to understand.
Check website (demonstration)
Participation is Key!
Effort is the most important
Speak Spanish!
Bring your creativity and positive
attitude to class everyday
Learn your students’ names and
have them learn each others’…
 Yo me llamo…Ella/Él/Ellos se llama(n)…
 This is an opportunity for them to practice
each others names as well as start learning in
the TL immediately.
 You can use famous people or characters for
them to continue practicing beyond their
class…
¿Como se llama
él?
¿Como se llama
ella?
¿Como se llama
él?
¿Como se llaman
ellos?
¿Como estás? ¿Qué tal?
 Let them know the expectation for classroom
greetings-no English allowed
 Teach them to go beyond the usual “bien y tú?
 Teach them how to say a multitude of emotions
such as sad, angry, bored, frustrated, tired, excited,
surprised, etc.
(These emotions are not only practical but can be
easily incorporated into classroom talk and stories.)
Yo estoy así así.
(I’m pretty good/ok.)
Yo estoy cansado/a.
(I’m tired.)
Yo estoy triste.
(I’m sad.)
Yo estoy emocionado/a
I’m excited.
Estoy aburrido/a.
(I’m bored.)
Yo estoy nervioso/a.
(I’m nervous.)
Classroom Objects and Commands
 Teaching objects in the Classroom—think of all
the possible objects that will be used-include
windows, wall, door, board, markers, calendar,
flag, map, backpack, etc.
 Slowly teach the objects while introducing the
commands such as stand up, sit down, grab, walk
toward, enter, leave, etc.
ventana
suelo
archivador
bolígrafo
bandera
mochila
Introduce adverbs intermittently…
 Use TPR with adverbs.
 Examples of fun and practical adverbs:
 Fast, slowly, quickly, silently,
romantically, crazily, etc.
 Teach basic emotions/feelings:
 Sad, happy, tired, bored, cries, smiles,
laughs, etc.
Examples…
 Close the window quickly and walk toward the
door scared.
 Grab a pencil quickly, open your binder and
take out a piece of paper very bored.
 Look at the teacher scared and walk toward
the board quietly.
Example Activities to practice
skills…
 Label objects in the classroom as competition
with laminated labels (team/individual)
 10 Index cards in groups of 3—two students
and a teacher and change roles—have to
perform for class and are evaluated by class on
accuracy, understanding and creativity
 Simon Says (pick student volunteers)
Teaching places in the School…
 Think about places in the school that they
will need to go to, could be used in a story
or are useful in everyday conversation
 Considerations—nurses office, entrance,
exit, playground, parking lot, principals
office, hallway, locker, bathroom, cafeteria,
gym, classroom, etc.
pasillo
escaleras
biblioteca
aparcamiento
entrada
oficina
Activities to review and refresh at
the beginning of the year…
Teach the prepositions.
 Examples are next to, in front of, behind,
far from, near to, inside, here, there, etc.
Activities associated with
prepositions…
 Practice with objects in the classroom.
 Practice with places in the school.
 Hide a piece of candy in the class and have the
students give clues using the prepositions.
 Describe a map of the US or world and talk
about different places.
 Describe places in Denver and have students
guess
What place is it?
 It’s next to South High School.
 It’s large and has many trees and a lake.
 It’s between Downing and Franklin Streets.
 It’s close to Merrill Middle.
 Many people do exercise, run, play sports and
walk their dogs here.
 It is surrounded by houses, apartment buildings
and businesses.
El Parque Wash
Jeopardy for Test
VERBOS
Q $100
LA CLASE
Q $100
Q $200
Q $200
Q $300
Q $300
Q $400
Q $400
Q $500
Q $500
LA CLASE
2
Q $100
Q $200
Q $300
Q $400
Q $500
LA
ESCUELA
Q $100
Q $200
MISTERIO
Q $100
Q $200
Q $300
Q $300
Q $400
Q $400
Q $500
Q $500
Final Jeopardy
Culminate with a Scavenger
Hunt…
(Have a list of 40 or so objects they have to find in the
school such as…)
 A red pencil
 A flag of Mexico
 A map of the world
 A Honda in the parking lot
 A purple backpack
 A disorganized locker