Adaptation1
Activity:The Hispanic game, "Miron...Micon" (an
outdoor activity).
Language:Spanish, 2-5 grades
Title:"Miron...Micon"
Adaptation:
(12 kindergartners) Two children hold and cross hands, pretending to
be a closed bridge. The rest of the students line up and follow
the teacher while she sing the song, el mirón.
Teacher and student walk around the two children, when these two
students hear the part of the song that says, "...que pase el
rey..", they open the arm like an open bridge. The teacher and the
students pass under the bridge; the last child in the line gets
caught. The two children (bridge) have previously selected a name
of a fruit for each of them. Then, one child will ask the child
they have caught,
"¿Qué quieres, manzana o
naranja?" That child has to choose one name of these fruits
and stand behind the child that represents such fruit. The two children
(bridge) have to change their name secretly. These steps would
repeat until the line of children ends. Then the teacher asks,
¿Cuántas frutas tienes
tú?, pointing at one of the two children. The
other students will count in Spanish. The one with the most
"fruits", (children), wins.
EXTENSION:The
teacher can use the game to teach vocabulary. For example, instead
of fruits' names, the children can use the names of
animals.
CORRELATION:Language is culture. Culture can be
exposed in games.
RATIONALE:The value of games. Games
have been defined as "recreational activities characterized by
organized play, competition, two or more sides, criteria for
determining the winner, and agreed-upon rules."
Children's interest in games with rules emerges during the stage of
concrete operations (7-11 years old). Around that
time, games become an important activity within the peer culture
and a resource to encourage meaningful social interaction. "Becoming
a student: Messages from first settings."David E.
Fernie
Adaptation2
Activity:Singing a song
Language:Spanish, Grades 2-5
Title:Los Arboles
Adaptation:
Teaching the song, "Los árboles". The
children will be able to sing the song after practicing it with the
teacher at least five times.
1.The teacher prepares the students by telling them what the
song is about.
2.Teacher sings the entire song, so the student know what
they are working toward. While the teacher sings, she will
represent the meaning of the song with motion.
3.Go through key words of the song,
"árboles", "mueven", "yo
soy", "amor".
4.Speak the song line by line and ask the student to repeat
after the teacher.
5.Sing a line at a time and have the student sing it
back.
6.Have rhythmic accompaniment if possible.
7.This song includes motion: the teacher should do all at
the same time.
8.Enjoy singing.
Words: Los árboles se mueven, mueven, mueven y
yo soy todo amor.
The teacher moves side by side with hands up. Point toward herself
to represent "yo", and cross her arms on her chest
imitating "amor".
EXTENSION:The teacher can use the same music and change the
article and noun to "las mariposas vuelan."
RATIONALE:Songs reinforce or introduce material used for
other activities in the curriculum. "Some children's songs
from target culture have a greater vocabulary load then...children in the
first several years of an elementary school foreign language
program can manage with understanding and enjoyment." Curtain
and Pesola page 265.
CORRELATION:Songs are a part of culture. Language is
culture.
Adaptation3
Activity:Vocabulary / Picture Match-ups
Language:Spanish
Title:Clothespin Match-ups
Adaptation:
The students will be able to match correctly clothespins and
pictures. The teacher creates a circle (wheel) out of cardboard.
Divide it into twelve sections. Teacher asks 12 students to choose one
picture from the table and glue it on each section of the wheel.
The teacher brings the clothespins with the words on it and demonstrate
where they go on the wheel. She says the word, and the students
repeat after her. Then the students take the pin off the wheel and
mix them up. Then she asks them to match the pin with the picture.
(The figure and the clothespins have matching numbers on the back.)
Later, when the this activity has been mastered, the teacher can
incorporate more clothespins with action verbs on it and ask the
students to match figures with the names and the verbs. There will be two
pins for each picture. For example, "el pato"
- "nada". "el caballo" -
"cone".
EXTENSION:Have additional pictures of the animals on the
wheel and ask the students to place the figure on a map. With this
activity the student will learn to respond to the question,
"¿Dónde vive _____________?
For example, ¿Dónde vive
el tiburón? The student responds: "El
tiburón vive en el mar", and places the figure
on the ocean section of the map. Later, the students can play this
between peers. One will ask the question and the other will
respond and vice versa.
RATIONALE:Teacher and student-made materials
are often most effective in communicating a concept. Textbook page
224 - Stacking the Elementary School Foreign Language
Classroom.
CORRELATION:Language is meaningful. Language is
communication. Language is culture.
Adaptation4
Activity:Mexican Breakfast
Language:Spanish
Title:Staying with a Mexican Family
Adaptation:
Fantasy where students are to pretend that they are in a Mexican
family. They are to act out a typical morning routine. Each
family member has a specific task to do in addition to caring for personal
physical needs after sleeping all night long. The students will be
led through this episode by the teacher who explains what each family
member must accomplish during the daily morning routine. An
example would be the role of Mamá. She rises first
and, in a rural setting, would have many chores. She would first
fetch water, then light the fogones, (stove), then, grind up corn
for tortillas. She would pound masa and shape tortillas by hand, then
heat these on fogones. Later, after she makes coffee and does
other chores, she would prepare for family meal (el desayuno). The family
would join to eat tortillas with butter or natilla. THey would
drink coffee. Then, each would go on to school or work or the household
chores. Students could end fantasy by eating tortillas and
drinking coffee which they help to
prepare.
EXTENSION:Another meal, or eating on a special
occasion.
RATIONALE:This activity would be an example of
a fantasy as found in Chapter 9 pages 156-157. A similar
activity is also described on pages 302-303 (#12) in
the sample lesson plans of the appendix A. Eleanor Thonis writes,
"The natural curiosity of pupils and the inventiveness of the
teacher can convert each experience into an opportunity for
expanding conceptual linguistic and cultural horizons". This
statement from her book, Teaching Reading to
Non-English Speakers (page 34), accompanies a list of
classroom approaches which focus on culture as does the fantasy
experience which I've outlined above. One such activity is to show
films and filmstrips. In order to expose students to the daily
morning routine of a Mexican family, I could show a videotape first. The
tape is entitled: "Families of the World: Pablo, Story of a
Mexican Boy". This would show the family engaged in the actual
activities mentioned in the episode. "Teaching Reading to
Non-English Speakers", Elenor
Thonis
CORRELATION:The activity above has a total focus
on culture. It allows for "Education for Global Awareness"
as explained on page 160 of text. Customs and lifestyles
activities are included in classroom experiences since they enrich
our understanding of other peoples lives and gives meaning to language and
motivates students. Glover and Bruning (page 65) insist that
"Learning is most likely to occur when it is made meaningful to
students." This activity proves the truthfulness of such a
statement. This activity is based on the Immersion principle #10:
"Culture is an integral component of language learning."
Language and culture cannot be separated without a loss of meaning. This
activity tends to reunite the two aspects (lang. and culture).
Immersion strategy #1, realia usage and immersion strategy #2,
hands-one experience with use of oral or written language
are both involved in the above activity. FLES teachers do well to
incorporate as many Immersion strategies as possible as successful
teaching depends on such.
Adaptation5
Activity:Speaking Extemporaneously
Language:Spanish
Title:Role Play
Adaptation:
A student picks a situation from a hat. These
situations would vary depending on the age and language skills of the
class. The situations would cover a wide variety of "What
If" type circumstances. Examples: "What it ... I had the
flu/ I won the lottery/ It was my birthday/It was July 4th/ I could
drive a car/ I had a box of cookies/etc. Student would have an
allotted time to think of an idea for the answer to such a circumstance
(perhaps 5 minutes). Then he/she would act it out. The class
would guess what he/she plans to do in the situation. Student would then
five a verbal description of the actions which he/she simulated in
the miming. The class would acknowledge this information and
determine how close their guesses were to the actual proposal by the
original student.
EXTENSION:
RATIONALE:The
article offers suggestions to help teachers to have the main teaching
objective of language behaviors as communication. It explains the
ineffectiveness of the audio-lingual method of foreign
language teaching, especially regarding pattern drills. She quotes
Emile B. de Sauze, "Language is invention....it cannot be memorized
ready-made....speakers reinvent the language for
their own needs each time they use it." She encourages that students
speak as natives do - off the tops of their heads.
"Encouraging Spontaneous Speech in the Audio-lingual Classroom,"
by Fern S. Margolis.
CORRELATION:Immersion
principle #2 - There is a natural use of oral language.
(Meaning). Immersion strategy #5 - Teachers monitor
student comprehension through interactive means. (By allowing class to
guess what student proposed to do in circumstance teacher checks
overall comprehension). On page 64, meaningful situations are
emphasized, rather than repetitive situations. This goes will with
Margolis' ideology which deems repetitive drills ineffective. A
focus on human interaction is utilized in the activity given. Students
are give opportunity to create language as a means of
communication. A context is built in by the "What it.."
circumstances thus language can be used naturally. The activity
above also fulfills the criteria for a good foreign language teaching
technique as outlined by Dr. David Gurney in the handout, in
particular #25 on page 2 -- Avoid passing exactly the
same question to two students. Since each student chooses a
different circumstance from the "hat", we avoid the boredom of
repetitive drills.
Adaptation6
Activity:Spanish Bingo
Language:Spanish
Title:Bingo!
Adaptation:
Students have previously been taught numbers
0-25. They are given blank bingo sheets with a free space
located in the center of grid. Students must fill in numerals
0-25 using numbers only once. They then listen as teacher
calls numbers out in target language at random. Students mark
numbers as they are called. If a student claims to have won a
"Bingo", then he must read the numbers from winning row in the
target language. The game continues until 5 or 6 winners are
found. Then all students continue game until teacher ends it. Even those
who won a round must continue on same card, thus all are on
task.
EXTENSION:May be used with other vocabulary words.
Or winners may call numbers until new winner is found to replace
them.
RATIONALE:Chapter 13 of the text highlights the
need to use play/games to carry out language acquisition
activities. "Students regard any well-designed,
successful activity that they enjoy as a game." Students enjoy the
sense of mystery and competitiveness which accompanies the game of
Bingo. I usually give prizes or bonus points to winners and allow
the students to have a chance for success by earning such awards. The
most important point is that games should be
fun!
CORRELATION:Chapter 13 outlines ten guidelines for
games. The above activity fulfills the following guidelines:
1)
Children need to understand the language and express themselves in
it.
2) All have maximum opportunity to participate. No one
rests.
3) Playing time is spent communicating.
4)
Competitive element.
5) Easy to play, moves
quickly.
9) Game has a name.
This activity motivates
and causes meaningful communication.
Adaptation7
Activity:
Language:Spanish
Title:
Adaptation:
The author proposes to explain how
content-based instruction for foreign languages is a
successful teaching tool. Although it takes time and planning, the
whole child can be educated in a way that is appropriate to his
development. Plus, "it makes second language learning a
partner with the other subject areas." Krashen and Terrell (1983)
are quoted as explaining, "language is best taught when it is
used to transmit messages, not when taught for conscious
learning." The authors suggest three basic tasks to prepare
for this type of program:
1) establish a relationship with core
teacher.
2) choose areas in curriculum for use.
3)
create curricula that are developmentally appropriate for students'
ages.
The activity mentioned in the article shows how social
studies topics can be successfully reinforced in the second
language. The unit is called "The Neighborhood." The
related activities are: a trip around the block (students notice
cars, stores, fruits in market, buildings, windows, doors,
landscaping, etc.) From these ideas, students may be taught varied
vocabulary. Various concepts such as shape and size, all in target
language. Activities to follow may include drawing pictures,
writing a journal/book, painting a mural, graphing the information,
discussions, etc.
EXTENSION:
RATIONALE:The
textbook outlines content-based instruction in Chapter 7.
The "cross-curriculum perspective" is a
result of this trend toward natural language use as a tool of instruction.
This article shows how we must help students use language to learn
language and content at the same time. This method is holistic
- students see language and concepts as an integrated
whole. They see a continuity in the curriculum throughout the school day.
Thus they can see greater relevance for learning all subjects,
including a foreign language. "Teaching Language Through
Content-Creative Ideas for the Teacher" by
Miriam Chapman, Betsy Grob, Mari Haas.
CORRELATION:The
activity given in the adaptation is a classic example of bridging the
elementary curriculum with the foreign culture. The FLES teacher
can follow the subject area teacher through various units (example:
"The Neighborhood") When this is done, students benefit
because they are engaged in higher thinking skills such as outlined
by Bloom (page 113). Application, Analysis and Synthesis are areas
which students rarely have an opportunity to practice in a typical
foreign language class where rote memory is emphasized. The mentioned
activity incorporated some Key principles of Immersion, namely
principle #2 - natural use of oral language, #3
- language as a tool of instruction, #4
- subject content taught in target language, and #11
- second language atmosphere permeates school.
Strategy #3 must be utilized in content-based
instruction - linguistic modification are necessary for
comprehension. If teachers carefully modify language use, students
will comprehend without frustration.
Adaptation8
Activity:
Language:Spanish
Title:"Bridging the Gap Between Pattern Drills and
Communication Exercises"
Adaptation:The article deals with the basis for use of communication
practice in F.L. classes as opposed to drills and repetition.
"The purpose of the communication exercises is to bring real
- life situations into the classroom and to involve
students seriously in a useful application of their own understanding of
how language and language learning works." The author
discusses Krashen's model advocating "situations in the classroom
that encourage students to experiment with monitoring, and to take
responsibility for improving their own communicative competence."
Exercises should relate to topics recently covered in class and
peers should be given the chance to monitor the student speaking so
that communication is understood. Results will be feelings of
"independence and experimentation that paves the way for
autonomous communication in the future. The author suggests 5
steps:
1) Present the topic in a situation.
2) Use
materials which allow for communication.
3) Provide grammatical
focus.
4) Give directions.
5) Present actual content
in translation or in fragmented form.
An activity which I have
used to some success in my class is called "El telefono". I
bring in a telephone and students pass it around the room from
person to person as a recorded ringing sound is played on a cassette tape.
The rings can last for an unexpected time. When the ring stops,
the student left holding the phone must answer it. The taped
message is usually a review of material with a cultural focus
(adequate time spent in greeting and inquiry to person's well
being). The student is given opportunity to answer series of questions or
respond to information given. Adequate pauses are also given on
tape. After saying their good byes, the student then continues to pass
the phone to others until next ringing sequence stops. At that
time a student must answer and communicate to the given material on tape.
The tape must be pre-made by the teacher and does
require time and planning. Students may do this activity in small
groups or as an activity for the entire
class.
EXTENSION:This may be used with any vocabulary or any
situation. For example, Dr.'s office calls, crank calls, wrong
number, old friend calls, relative calls, salesperson call,
etc.
RATIONALE:Students enjoy this activity as it
contains an element of surprise. They may refer to this as a game.
Chapter 13 describes good play as child's work and mentions that,
"any well designed, successful activity what they enjoy is a
'game'." Guideline for games are given and this activity follows
some of these:
1) Children need to understand the language and
communicate in it.
2) Students all participate as all have a
chance to get the phone as it is passed.
3) Playing time is
spent communicating.
4) Element of suspense.
5)
Easy, moves quickly. Only 3-5 minutes are allowed per
conversation.
This game makes learning fun. That is a
motivation for all students.
CORRELATION:This activity
would work well with any age student. Conversational materials would be
adjusted to their interests and level of language and cognitive
development as outlined on pages 66 - 68. Krashen's
theories insist that "language acquisition takes place when
input is meaningful and interesting to learner, when it is
comprehensible ( i + 1), and when it is not grammatically
sequenced." This activity fulfills the following pedagogical
theories of language learning:
I. Glover & Bruning
Principles of Cognitive Psychology
#3 How students learn may be
more important than what they learn. Students understand the learning
process.
#2 Learning more likely when information is made
meaningful. Students will want to be involved in activity.
II.
Immersion Principles
#1 Communication Motivates all language
use.
#2 Natural use of oral language.
#6 Error
correction is minimal.
#10 Culture integrated with
language.
III. Immersion Strategies.
#2
Hands-on experiences.
#3 Linguistic
Modifications.
#5 Teachers monitor student comprehension
through interactive means.
This activity may also be used as an
evaluation technique.
Adaptation9
Activity:Fashion Show
Language:Spanish
Title:
Adaptation:
Students are put into pairs and given a few
minutes to review what their partners are wearing. Teacher sets up the
classroom with a masking tape runway down the center of the room.
Students make believe that they are models. As each walks down the
runway, his partner comments on the outfit he is wearing. The model
gestures to show that he is showing off that piece of clothing
mentioned. Then the two switch roles and the other partner comments as
his partner models.
EXTENSION:Students may
describe parts of clothing and as additional information they may tell
quantity, color, texture, size, cost, place of purchase,
coolness/warmth of material, etc.
RATIONALE:The use of
episodes creates an environment for communication so that rather than
simply label the pieces of clothing, which is boring, they must
discuss the clothing in collaboration with the actions of the other
student. As brought out in Chp. 8, "process is the primary
focus of planning and instruction." The speaker and listener
are in a situation of importance to both - through
interaction between people who have something to share." The
activity for the Fashion Show follows the guidelines on page
124:
1) Short utterances.
2) Natural use of
language.
3) Open to variations.
4) Flexible, can be
changed according to creativity.
5) Uses large portion of
previously learned vocabulary.
CORRELATION:In a sense,
the speaker leads the model through a sort of TPR situation. Students
react to commands of commentator. Page 66, one principle of
cognitive psychology is utilized, namely #4 - cognitive
processes become automatic with repeated use. This episode allows
students to practice communication which has already been learned,
as well as to create new things to say. Page 81, Pupils are encouraged to
communicate in the target language using vocabulary and structures
they know thus fulfilling Key Immersion Principle #1 -
Communication motivates language use. Page 87, this is an
experience planned for the maximum language use. The hands
- on situation provides for fulfilling strategy #2 of
key strategies of Immersion.
Adaptation10
Activity:Making Reservations at a Restaurant By Phone
Language:Spanish-5th Grade
Title:Quisiera Hacer Una Reservacion Para
Dos...
Adaptation:
Students pair up, while one plays
the restaurant proprietor and the other, the diner. Students are given
basic dialogue instructions such as: Identify selves, ask what the
diner wants, diner replies with number of persons in the party,
restaurant asks the day and time, diner
responds.
EXTENSION:The one student-diner,
asks what the special of the day is, and the other
student-the proprietor, must respond. In pairs, one
student calls the other student and asks him/her if he/she would like to
get together for dinner. The students are asked to identify their
favorite ethnic food and name restaurant where they eat
it.
RATIONALE:Dialog provide a structure for a series of
utterances that combine to develop a situation, an idea, or an
experience. (p. 123, Language & Children). Games, (including dialog)
can be useful as a way of providing context for practice of
language that will later be used in a genuine communicative situation. (p.
121, Language &
Children).
CORRELATION:Students are active
processors of information. (p.65, Language & Children). How students
learn may be more important than what they learn. (p. 65, Language
& Children). The creation of a climate that is communicative
reflects a holistic approach to language, in which the skills of
listening, speaking, reading and writing are not artificially
separated but are integrated in a meaningful total experience. (p. 143,
Language & Children). A situation must be created in the
classroom that is meaningful. (Notes).
1FOREIGN LANGUAGE METHODS K - 6
Dr. David W. Gurney
Associate Professor