Starting the Year Right:

Class Management & Effective CI Strategies

Luisa MeyerBartow Middle School

Polk County World LanguagesNew Teachers PD 2021-2022

Take a deep breath...

2https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNXKjGFUlMs

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The first days of school

help establish the tone for

the entire year.

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Let's get it right from the start!

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Let's start with ...

Basic Class Management

(and beyond)

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Let them know you care.

› Welcome your students at the door with a smile. Ask them how they are.

› Make positive comments: "Nice shirt Yanira", "You look happy today", etc.

› Split your attention with the rest (inside)

› Get to know them and make connections.

(L1 or L2)

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Have work ready.

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Assign seats.

› Decreases anxiety.

› Prevents clicks/groups from forming on day 1.

› Helps you remember their names and take roll.

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Housekeeping

› Take attendance› Make sure you pronounce names

correctly.› Look them in the eye and smile.

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Housekeeping (Cont.)

› Address ONLY the MOST IMPORTANT issues today

› Bathroom, care of materials, listening

› I do not go over the class rules.› They are posted and I address them

as they come up.

Brainbreak (if time allows)

12manos, cabeza, arriba, abajo, levántate, siéntate, toca.

It is fun, helps with connections, lowers the affective filter, gets them moving, etc.

You have the chance to observe your students in a relaxed situation.

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Housekeeping (Cont.)

› Hand out the Syllabus at this time.› Have students write their name on it.› I do not go over everything, but may highlight

key points.› Explain to students the importance of returning

the last page with complete answers.

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Housekeeping (Cont.)› Q & As

› I encourage students to ask any questions at this time.

› If no one asks, I begin asking them questions (L1) based on their name cards (connections)

› COLLECT NAMECARDS to be used in future classes.

The first day(s) are filled with interruptions, changes, anxiety, and unpredictability.

Focus on making connections and establishing and enforcing regular class procedures and rules.

Introduce new vocabulary a little at a time. 15

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I "sweat the small stuff". It has taken me some time, and

learning from Tina Hargaden, to figure out how to do this

without losing my mind... ☺

If you let misbehaviors, disrespect, lack or

organization, etc., happen, it will only snowball. I like

to "nip it in the bud".

Stop! Point calmly.

Wait patiently until

the behavior has

stopped.Walk to the rules.

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This leads us to...

Effective CI Strategies

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Why do we teach the way we teach?

Basic explanation for our students (and parents & administrators)

Talk WITH them in terms they will understand.

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Why use Comprehensible Input (CI)?This is based on serious research

(but I will explain it like a MANIAC with the help of my friend Bryce Hedstrom)

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"M" stands for the MONITOR Hypothesis

If you are constantly trying to "monitor" what you write or say, you will find it VERY

DIFFICULT to speak/write fluently.Activity: Tell a story

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"a" stands for the AFFECTIVE Filter Hypothesis

Your emotions can help or hinder language acquisition.

So... That is why our classroom environment and everyone's attitude in class need to be

supportive and safe.

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"n" stands for the NATURAL ORDER OF

ACQUISITION Hypothesis

Everyone acquires a language in a predictable order. But... we are all in different places in our acquisition journey.

So.... We need to be supportive of each other (instead of judgemental).

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"i" stands for the INPUT Hypothesis

People acquire a language via Comprehensible Input. That is: when they understand (comprehend) messages

in the target language.

So... You need to pay attention AND I need to make my messages understood.

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"a" stands for the ACQUISITION/LEARNING

Hypothesis

Learning is conscious (learning about the language, its grammar and rules).

Acquisition is unconscious (the same way you learned your 1st language). Acquisition helps students remember

and speak effortlessly.

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"c" stands for the COMPELLING INPUT

Hypothesis

If the messages in the language are interesting, learners will acquire effortlessly and subconsciously.

So... I will always try to provide messages and activities that are compelling to you.

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We not only learn through CI, but our goal is to become

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Proficiency refers to

what you CAN DO

with the language.

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Activity for your students:

Students Establish

Personal Proficiency-

based Goals.

Helping students establish their proficiency-based goals for the

wl classLuisa Meyer 2021-2022

Adapted from the Creative Language Class http://www.creativelanguageclass.com/

I don't know.

What's

"proficiency"?

What is your

proficiency level in

Spanish?

Language

proficiency refers to a

person's ability to use

a language for a variety

of purposes, including

speaking, listening,

reading, and writing.

My sentences

are detailed

and

supported.

Novice Low

Novice Mid

Novice High

Intermediate Low

Intermediate Mid

Words

Lists and phrases

Sentences

Sentences + details

(5Ws), because, but...

Even though,

however,

opinion

Today, you will learn about

proficiency and will be able to

establish your personal

proficiency-based goals for this

school year.

A Martian landed in your neighborhood and is asking around about this thing called a “Taco”.

Using the paper and card you are given, describe a “Taco” to your new friend.

PROMPT #1

Using the paper and card you are given, describe the most fun activities to Cameron.

PROMPT #2

Novice Low

Describe it using only words. Try to think of the

ten most important words to describe it. Be very generic. There can be spelling errors and

wrong words like a Kindergartener would

make.

Novice Mid

Describe it using simple phrases and lists. You do not need to have verbs. There can be spelling errors and

wrong words. “Me like”

Novice High

Describe it using simple sentences with

few details. Use “I like”, “It has” and “It

is”. Limit the sentences to 4 words

or less.

Intermediate

Low

Describe it using detailed sentences with words like “with” “in”

“at” “also”.

Intermediate

Mid

Describe it using detailed sentences.

Combine some of your sentences with

transition words like “furthermore”

“however”.

Intermediate

high

Describe it using a paragraph with detailed

sentences. Include a simple personal story in the past tense. When I

was little, I went… Also include ordinal words like “first” “last” and “then”.

What's fun to do on the weekends around here?

Novice Low

Describe it using

only words. Try to

think of the ten

most important

words to

describe it. Be

very generic.

What's fun to do on the weekends around here?

Novice Mid

Describe it using simple

phrases and lists. You do not

need to have verbs. There

could be spelling errors and

wrong words. “Me like”

What's fun to do on the weekends around here?

Novice High

Describe it using simple

sentences with few

details. Use “I like”, “It

has” and “It is”. Limit the

sentences to 4 words or

less.

What's fun to do on the weekends around here?

Intermediate Low

Describe it using

detailed sentences

with words like

“with” “in” “at”

“also”.

What's fun to do on the weekends around here?

Intermediate MID

Describe it using

detailed sentences in

a paragraph. Start

with a topic

sentence. Combine

sentences with "even

though" or

"however"

Beginning

Spanish

Beginning

Spanish

Spanish 1

MANY

Spanish 1

Novice Low

Novice Mid

Novice High

Intermediate Low

Intermediate Mid

Words

Lists and phrases

Sentences

Sentences + details

(5Ws), because, but...

Even though,

however,

opinion

Write about (select a prompt) in SPANISH.

• This written activity WILL NOT be graded.

• It might seem very difficult or imposible.

• Do not worry.

• Just write anything you think you can IN SPANISH.

• This will help you and I to establish your proficiency level at this time.

What can you do to improve?

• Listen with the intent to understand.

• Read.

• Combine words and phrases into sentences.

• Read.

• Practice asking questions.

• Continue learning new words and phrases.

• Did I say read already?

• Maintain the conversation by asking questions.

• Read!!!

What are your

goals?

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Now we will get to the ...

Effective CI Strategies

You can find a list of strategies in Moodle, and another one in this Page.

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TPRTotal Physical Response

Assign gestures to common vocabulary, action words, etc. to enhance comprehension.

camina

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MOVIE TALK

"Chunkify" or "start & stop" a short video to expand, describe, ask, discuss, etc. the story, the action, the characters, the setting, etc.

Complement/expand with Write & Discuss

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Supe

r Bow

l VW

Dog

Strik

es B

ack

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WRITE & DISCUSSW&D is ONE OF THE BEST activities for:

Check for comprehension, summarization, students see how words are written, students hear what the words sound like, visualization of the vocabulary, etc.

Serves as an extension activy after the creation of an OWI, a movie talk, an embedded reading, a class novel, an image talk, Persona Especial, Calendar Talk......

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WRITE & DISCUSS: The process

• After an activity, the teacher invites the students to provide information regarding the activity.

• The teacher proceeds to write the information IN FRONT OF THE STUDENTS, so they can see the writing process.

• Students may provide a word, a phrase, or a sentence. It can be in Spanish, Spanglish or English. The teacher writes in Spanish.

• When it is done, the teacher reads it aloud, slowly, pointing to each word.

• Then the students translate the words (whole group, or volleyball).

• Lastly, the students copy the text in their notebooks.

¡Gracias!Any questions?You can find me at:Luisa.meyer@polk-fl.nethttps://spanishbms.weebly.com

62Special thanks to all the people who made and released these awesome resources for free:

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