Review story--Spanish 2

This is a story that I gave my students today:

Vocabulary:  lleva (she wears, se asusta, se pone)

 

Había una chica que le gustaba molestar a los profesores de Salpointe.  Siempre llevaba ropa muy ajustada, y si un profesor la mandara a Sra. Bemis,  cambiaría la ropa antes de llegar. Siempre llevaba un par de pantalones en su mochila y una camisa en su casillero. Por eso, los deans nunca la decían nada de su ropa y los profesores se enojaban más y más.

 

There was  a girl who liked to bother the Salpointe teachers.  She always wore very tight clothing, and if a teacher sent her to Mrs. Bemis, she would change her clothes before arriving.  She always carried a pair of pants in her backpack and a shirt in her locker.  So the deans never told her anything about her clothes and the teachers were getting madder and madder.

 

Un día, la chica llegó a la escuela.  Llevaba pantalones rositas muy ajustados.  Eran tan ajustados que era difícil sentarse.  Por supuesto, cuando la profesora, Sra. Dadante, la vio, le dijo –Necesitas hablar con Sra. Bemis.-

one day, the girl arrived at school. She was wearing very tight pink pants.  They were so tight that it was difficult to sit.  Of course, when the teacher, Mrs. Dadante, saw her she said, "You need to talk with Mrs. Bemis".

 

La chica salió del salón (classroom) con una sonrisa.  Llevaba su mochila.  Cuando puso la mano en la mochila ¡qué sorpresa!  ¡No había pantalones! ¿Dónde estaban?  Entonces recordó.  ¡Se los puso ayer cuando la vio Sr. Gerrettie!

The girl left the classroom with a smile.  She was carrying her backpack.  When she put her hand in the backpack--what a surpise!  There were no pants!  Where were they?  Then she remembered.  She put them on yesterday when Mr. Gerrettie saw her!

 

La chica se asustó.  ¿Tenía más pantalones?  No pudo recordar.  Fue a su carro y miró adentro.  ¡Había unos en el piso del carro!  Agarró los pantalones y los llevó al baño.  ¡O no!  Los pantalones eran muy sueltos (loose). ¡Eran los pantalones de su hermano! 

The girl got scared.  Did she have more pants?  She couldn't remember.  She went to her car and looked inside.  There were some on the car floor!  She graved the pants and carried them to the bathroom.  Oh no!  The pants were very loose.  They were her brother's pants!

 

La pobre chica fue a la oficina.  Sra. Bemis la miró y le dijo--¡Qué pantalones sueltos!-- La chica tenía que llevar pantalones feos del dean. También recibió detención.  Tenía mucha vergüenza porque los chicos se rieron de ella.  Pero sí llevaba ropa ajustada en la escuela muchas veces más.

The poor girl went to the office.  Mrs. Bemis looked at her and said to her, "What loose pants!" The girl had to wear ugly pants from the dean.  She also received detention.  She was really embarrassed because the kids laughed at her.  But she wore tight clothes in school many more times.

First full lesson and story--Spanish 1

Okay, to start off, I have not taught Spanish 1 in many years.  I'm...well, rusty is a good word.  Plus, when I taught in California, I used Look, I Can Talk More in Spanish 1.  It was a trial, and it worked.  I'm not sure why Blaine didn't promote it, but I think it's because the idea of teaching in present/past came up at the same time, and that one seemed more worthwhile, maybe.  Anyway, the school I'm out now uses Look, I Can Talk for Spanish 1 and LICTM for Spanish 2.  So I feel out of my depth.

I started on Friday with our first oral lesson.  We did lots of PQA using the following vocabulary: hay, tiene, quiere, va, le gusta.  In addition, I introduced "quien", "que", "cual".  Friday we had a full day of PQA, then Monday we did an oral story.  It was about a boy who wanted a dog, so he went to a pet store.  He found a dog, but it was one color and he wanted two.  He went to another store, but it was a Pug, and he didn't like Pugs.  Then he went to a third store--he found his dog.  Directly after that, we went to the story.  Like the previous story, it was in the present tense.  I don't go into the past tense for at least a month.  I want some continuity of tense.  Please understand--I have never been part of Von's past/present experiment, and I'm not sure I can do it justice.  I see nothing wrong with it; it just isn't something I'm willing to do right now.

The story is about a boy who wants a blue dog.  He goes to his mother, but she has no dogs.  She says to go to her grandmother.  The grandmother has big dogs, little dogs, pretty dogs, and ugly dogs, but no blue dogs.  She says that there are lots of blue dogs in Walmart (that always got a laugh--not sure why).  So then he goes to Walmart.  There are lots of dogs there, too, and there is also a big blue plastic dog and a little blue plastic dog.  He is very happy.  He buys the big blue plastic dog and goes to his house.

First year--lots and lots and LOTS of repetition.  No matter how much you do it, there will still be some who don't get it.

More later.

The case for preliminary assessment

As a Spanish 2 teacher, I have used preliminary assessments for several years.  It gives me a good idea of the structures and vocabulary that the students know coming in.  Since my school, like many TPRS schools, teaches in both past and present in Sp 1, I give the test in the past tense.  This immediately points out the students who have never had past (transfers or freshmen from feeder schools) and students whose acquisition is deficient in essential Sp 1 vocab.  I then give a writing assessment.  By the way, neither of these are given a skill-based grade.  They are given a completion grade.  However, the students know that they are being assessed, so they do their best.

The vocabulary assessment serves two purposes:  it shows me what structures from Spanish 1 should be retaught, and it shows me what students need extra help.  I am always surprised at how very clear this is.  It is a 50-item test, and most people score within 5 points of one another.  Then there are always a few people who have scores significantly above the rest.  They are earmarked so that I can carefully review their writing.  If their writing is also above average, I recommend them for 2 honors.  Others are significantly below the average--for example, most people score between 37-42, but there are also 2-3 who score in the low 20s.  They are given mandatory tutoring so that they can catch up to the rest.

In Spanish 1, we give the school's placement test during the first week of class.  The reason for this is twofold:  we want to make sure every student has had the test, and we want to make sure that the students are in the proper level.  The placement test is followed by a writing sample.  This sample was eye-opening to me, a new Sp 1 teacher.  It showed the wide disparity of the Sp 1 students.  The majority wrote lists or very elementary sentences, but there were some who wrote stories that showed that they definitely should not be in Sp 1.  It also lets us see if there are native speakers who didn't take the test (or who took the test but didn't self-identify) because they don't feel that they can write well enough to be in a Heritage class.  Their writing, even though it is full of mistakes, has certain characteristics that show that the person writing is a native speaker (ke for que, for example, llebo for llevo, etc).

If you are wondering about assessment, I'd say to definitely give it a go.  It gives you a clear idea of where your students are, and it shows you what you need to know to help them to be successful this year.

By the way, my writing assessments are purposefully very general.  Second year:  un chico quería comer en un restaurante nuevo.  Tenía un problema--quería ir a un restaurante en otra ciudad y no tenía un carro.  Then in English I tell them to give him a name, explain the problem, find a solution that doesn't work, then find a solution that does.  This gives them the idea to go into past.  I don't count them down if they stay in present, but it does let me know that they probably had no past tense in first year.

In first year, the prompt is even simpler:  un chico quiere una amiga/novia.  In English, I tell them to describe the boy, describe where he lives, etc.  They can write a story where the boy tries to find a friend then finally finds one.   I tell them that I understand that this is Spanish 1.  There is no pressure to write a story-if they can't, then please make phrases or even just a list of the Spanish words that they know.  Very quickly, I saw that there were 3 categories:  the brand new ones, the ones who have had classes but who have never written and don't have sufficient vocabulary, and the ones who have vocabulary but are better off with a review year than with Sp 2.  This doesn't count the misplaced students, of course.

Next time:  what do you do to teach Sp 1 in the first weeks--unless, of course, I change my mind :)

First full day of instruction--2nd year

Second year, for me, is a continuation of the TPRS used in the first year.  Our students that continue into the second year have a grasp of pretty much all of the vocabulary used in first year (we use LICT).  We had excellent first year teachers in Peggy Patterson, now in Ecuador, and Jeanette Apaez.  When the students come to me, I can start right in, and I can be sure that 90% of them will be with me all the way. 

However, there are always transfer students and students who aren't in that 90%.  Therefore, I go slowly and carefully during the first days (and afterwards, too, of course!  Slow and steady wins the race--and assures acquisition).  I start by simply making a story.

There is a girl.  Her name is Gwendolyn.  Class, is there a girl?  What is her name?  Where does she live?  Is she tall or short?  What color is her hair?  What color are her eyes, etc.

Gwendolyn likes lots of things.  What does she like?  Get 2 things and then ask "What does she like more--apples or swimming?  Does she like anything more than swimming?  Flying?  Is there anything strange that she likes?  Swimming with seals?  Where does she go to swim with seals?  I ask for volunteers to give the answers.  Candy helps. 

After we have the basics of the start of a story, I go into story mode.

There was a girl named Gwendolyn.  She liked to swim with seals at the beach.  Class, which beach did she go to?  She really liked to go to San Diego.  One day, she went to swim with the seals, when--oh no!! Class, what happened to Gwendolyn in San Diego?  You get different responses and either go for the best idea or ask the students which was right.  That's right, there were no seals in San Diego!!  Class, why weren't there any seals in San Diego?  Options.  Wow, all the seals were visiting Mexico!  So what did Gwendolyn do?  Oh, she went to Mexico.

After that, we retell the story.  There was a girl named ___________.  She liked to __________.  She swam at the beach in ________________.  She always swam with _______________.  One day, she went to San Diego to _______________, and, oh no!! _________________!  etc.  This is done orally.

After the retell, time permitting, the students can either do a CLOZE retell in the 3rd person (same story) or retell the story to each other.

So, that's what I do in the first days.  Any questions?  Comment!!

First day of full instruction--Spanish 1

Hi everyone--
Just a bit about the first day of school.  I don't care for it too much, really, because I don't get to teach nearly as much as I'd like to.  I hear myself prattling away in English about my class rules and procedures, homework, etc, and I wonder if they're as sick of it as I am.  Probably--I'm one of 7 teachers that have to give them the same exact thing.  But then--I show them how to play the game.

With the first year, I give them their first three words--there is/are, his name is, he goes.  And then we just have fun.  I show them my cow puppet --There is a cow.  Then I stop and tell them how to play the game.  "Remember that I am the most interesting person you've ever met.  Why?  Because I'm the one who gives you your grade, of course! (Big smile).  So when you hear a sentence, you want to show me that you think it's really interesting.  We then practice "interested" sounds.  So then, I say it again, and of course it is followed by "ooooo, ahhhh, wow,"etc.  We go on.  "¿Hay una vaca?"  And I tell them that this part is really easy.  Just answer the question.  We go on.  "¿Hay una vaca o hay un elefante?"  They answer.  "¿Hay un elefante?" No!  "No, clase, no hay un elefante, hay una ______."  Then I ask, "For a dulce, who can tell me what that sentence means?"  For a candy, someone is always ready to tell you what they think the sentence means.  So I listen, and 99% of the time, they get it right.  Whether it's right or wrong, I still give them the candy because they're volunteering.  "Class, how did you know what that sentence meant? Dulce."  Again, candy gets results.  Someone will invariably say "It was on the board!"  And then I will say, "Hay was, yes, but how did you get vaca?"  And that person will snort and say, "Because you have it in your hand!!"  "Oh, yeah, I guess that's right, huh?

Then we go on and put more info into the story.  They get to decide where the cow goes and so on.  After that. I write the story as a CLOZE exercise on the board, and I leave out a few words.  They fill out the story.  Then I call on more volunteers (dulces), and they take turns telling me how they filled in the blanks.  Whether it's right or wrong, I write it down.  Then I ask if there is a problem, but only if there's a problem.  The wrong answer is crossed out and the correct one is put in above--modeling how I want them to do this retell in real life.  After it's all over, I ask them if they think they could learn Spanish this way.  Invariably, they give me a resounding "Yes!"

I like to start school this way, since it gives me a chance to take away any fear the student might have.  I've had students come to me and whisper that I shouldn't expect much.  Those same students are the same ones who are my biggest cheerleaders when they realize that they can learn using TPRS.

So that's my first day with ones.  If you want, I can do 2's tomorrow.  Also, if you have any questions about starting school or need a friendly shoulder, please don't hesitate to comment or email.

Ciao!!

New Year, New Class

Well, Happy August!  I'm excited to be back to school...well, I'm not, really, but I know that I soon will be.  I'm going to be teaching Spanish 1 for the first time in many years, and I'm also mentoring a new teacher who will be teaching the same levels--1 and 2--that I teach.  I would like to say that I'm excited, but I'm really not.  I know, though, that the best thing for me to do is just to TEACH.

What do you do during the first days of class in Spanish 1?  I plan to start right in with "circling with balls", included as "Power PQA" in the following link.  http://ntprs.org/ntprs.org/Handouts_2013.html  For those of you who didn't get to go to NTPRS this year, this is a list of handouts that were given out at the conference.

My head hasn't quite been spinning, but I have been thinking a lot about what to do.  I am in an enviable position, I think, because I am already the main 2nd year teacher, so I know what I want my students to know when they come to class.

In TPRS, we don't do "list vocabulary"--that is, we don't expect the students to memorize items in a list (seasons, colors, numbers, etc.).  Instead, we include these things in stories.  I go a step further--I give them the vocab in songs.  My students from 10 years or more ago tell me that they STILL remember "Quiero el bifstec!"

When I am ready to go to the first reading (probably sometime in the first week), I will start with a very simple story such as this.

There is a student.  He is a boy.  He calls himself Jim.  He plays baseball.  There is another student.  She is a girl.  She calls herself Sally.  She plays soccer.

This is a very short story, of course, but it becomes a playing field for tons of questions.

Class, is there a student? Is there a student or an elephant?  Is there an elephant?  No, there isn't an elephant, there is a ________.  Is the student a boy?  Is the student a boy or a girl?  Does the student call himself Mike?  Does the student call himself Jim?  Does Jim play baseball?  etc.

These seem like horribly simple questions, but remember that some of these students have never spoken Spanish before.  This easy first exposure gives them lots of repetition and a way to feel comfortable and confident that they can do this!

I hope that you have a great school year!  During the year, I will be sharing stories with you--basically for first and second year.  I would love any requests for stories, especially in the advanced levels.  I'm very rusty, and writing helps my skills to stay strong.

el cazador y el cochino blanco (a true story)

Okay, this is one of my favorite stories.  It concerns my late husband, Valeriano, his friend Jeff, and a certain white pig.....

The vocab:  estaba preocupado, escopeta, tiro

Una historia verdadera

My husband, Valeriano really liked to hunt.  He hunted many animals:  rabbits and squirrels, dear and bear, and even rattlesnakes.  More than anything, he liked to hunt wild pigs.  Although he really liked to hunt, he didn't have much luck.  The only thing he killed frequently was rabbit.

A mi esposo, Valeriano, le gustaba mucho cazar.  Él cazaba muchos animales: los conejos y las ardillas, los venados y los osos, y aún las culebras de cascabel.  Más que todo, le gustaba cazar los cochinos salvajes.  Aunque le gustaba mucho cazar, no tenía buena suerte.  La única cosa que mataba con frecuencia era el conejo. 

Vale had a friend named Jeff.  Jeff wasn't a hunter, though he had many rifles.  He'd never hunted in his life, and he wanted to hunt something.  One day he spoke with my husband, and the two decided to go to Parkfield, a city in central California.  There were many pigs in Parkfield, and Vale was sure that they could find something there.

Vale tenía un amigo que se llamaba Jeff.  Jeff no era cazador, aunque tenía muchas escopetas.  Nunca cazó en su vida, y quería cazar algo.  Un día, habló con mi esposo, y los dos decidieron ir a Parkfield, una ciudad en California central.  Había muchos cochinos en Parkfield, y Vale estaba seguro que podían encontrar algo allá.

On the morning of the trip, Vale was worried.  he told me that his friend was very excited, and he didn't know what kind of hunter he was.  I told him, "Don't worry.  Your friend is with you, and you know how to use a rifle.  If he listens to you, you won't have any problems."  He smiled at me, but he was still worried.  As you will see, he was right to be worried.

En la mañana del viaje, Vale estaba preocupado.  Me dijo que su amigo estaba muy emocionado, y no sabía qué tipo de cazador era.  Le dije—No te preocupes.  Su amigo está contigo, y tú sabes usar una escopeta.  Si te escuche, ustedes no tendrán ningún problema.--  Me sonrió, pero todavía estaba preocupado.  Como vas a ver, él tenía razón para estar preocupado.

Vale and his friend went to Parkfield.  Four hours passed, and then the phone rang.  it was Vale.  He told me that there was a problme, but he said, "Don't worry.  Everything is fine."  Now I was really worried.  I waited for them, but Jeff didn't return, only Vale.  He told me what happened:

Vale y su amigo fueron a Parkfield.  Pasó cuatro horas y entonces sonó el teléfono.  Era Vale.  Me dijo que había un problema, pero me dijo –No te preocupes.  Todo está bien. —Ahora yo estaba muy preocupada.  Los esperé, pero Jeff no volvió, sólo Vale.  Me dijo lo que pasó:

In Parkfield, there was a field full of trees and rocks--many good places to hunt pigs.  Vale told Jeff, "Be careful.  Don't fire your rifle if you're not sure tha there is a pig.  Jeff agreed.  Vale took his rifle, found a rock, and hid behind the rock.  A few minutes passed, and then Vale heard an excited voice "A white pig!  I'm going to shoot him!  A rifle fired, and then a moment of silence.  Teh a really angry voice, "What the hell!! Why did you shoot me?"  Vale ran and saw something incredible!  There was a man with a white shirt.  Jeff shot the man!  But the man wsn't dead.  Instead of hitting the man, the bullet hit the rifle that the man was carrying  on his back.  What a miracle!

En Parkfield, había un campo lleno de árboles y piedras—muchos lugares buenos para cazar los cochinos.  Vale le dijo a Jeff—ten cuidado.  No dispares tu escopeta si no estás seguro que hay un cochino.  Jeff estaba de acuerdo.  Vale llevó su escopeta, encontró una piedra, y se escondió detrás de la piedra.  Unos momentos pasaron, y entonces Vale oyó una voz emocionado—¡Un cochino blanco! Voy a pegarle un tiro (shoot him).  Una escopeta disparó, y entonces un momentito de silencio.  Entonces una voz bien enojada: --¡Qué demonios! ¿Por qué me tiraste? --  Vale corrió, y ¡vio algo increíble!  Había un hombre con una camisa blanca.  ¡Jeff le disparó al hombre! Pero el hombre no estaba muerto.  En vez de pegar al hombre, el tiro (bullet) pegó la escopeta que el hombre llevaba en su espalda.  ¡Qué milagro!

What happened then?  For Vale, nothing.  It wasn't his fault.  Jeff was really worry because he had to appear before a judge.  He didn't receive jail time, but he had to sell all his rifles and pay the man's damages.  Jeff never hunted again. 

¿Qué pasó después?  Para Vale, nada.  Él no tenía la culpa.  Jeff estaba muy preocupado porque tenía que presentarse a un juez (judge).  No recibió tiempo en el cárcel, pero tuvo que vender todas las escopetas y pagar los daños (damages) del hombre.  Jeff nunca cazó de nuevo.