The topic of discussion on forums has been how tough Spanish II is and how much fun Spanish I is. And every one just states that as fact. And the reason why is because of all the grammar packed into it.
I have never noticed that quite as much but then I have always pushed to talk about the preterit in Spanish I so that the students have a foundation of one of the toughest verb tenses before even going into Spanish II.
Instead of just making a statement like the one above as fact, we really need to look at why AND look at how we can change that. My solution: teach more in Spanish I (the kids are more than capable) so that Spanish II isn't so packed full.
So I'm going to be trying something new this year. After we finish this unit and all students pass the present tense competency test (I have 1-3 students left depending on who passed last night after school), I am going to introduce the preterit, imperfect, and future.
Before you think I'm crazy, let me explain. Ideally we should be doing more spiraling with content instead of requiring mastery the first time it is introduce. If students were exposed to a concept, then revisited it and started applying it with resources (verb charts and explanations), and only then asked to internalize it (all this happening over several years), I think that students would be more successful.
So I am going to create huge posters with charts of the verb endings for the preterit, imperfect, and future and a short explanation of each of them (plus maybe your most common irregulars) and teach students how to use the charts. I'm not going to expect them to memorize verbs (although some will start to internalize them). I won't test them this year at all on the differences between the preterit and the imperfect (although some will start to internalize the differences). This year I will only test them on their ability to form verbs using the charts. And we will have ample opportunities in class for them to use the verb charts in their writing and speaking.
I'm really hoping that this will open doors for students when it comes to communicating yet not push too much on them to memorize.
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2 comments:
I stumbled across your blog through a mom who homeschools her kids in Spanish who lists your blog as a resource. Thank you for your thoughtful comments. My kindergartener is in public schools and I have another daughter who starts kindergarten in the fall, but they don't offer any sort of Spanish classes until the kids reach middle school. I also have a two year-old and have been teaching all three of my girls Spanish at home. Do you have any advice on teaching techniques for someone like me who is teaching my girls, between the ages of 2 and 6 Spanish at home?
rdmami - E-mail me directly, and I'll try to give you a few tips. I haven't spent much time teaching Spanish to kids so young but did teach 1st grade after school Spanish for 2 years.
rebecca dot klamert at gmail dot com
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