In a second language environment, one of the most challenging skills is listening. I've heard anecdotal evidence in my school district to confirm that this is the area of greatest challenge for most of our secondary level language students, and I've seen firsthand in my classes that it can lead to high levels of frustration. … Continue reading
I'm currently in the final portion of a course on collaborative inquiry, and wrapping up a 4 member group collaboration that dug into an inquiry question that evolved to end up here: What supports will benefit teachers and students in an L2 (second language) learning environment so that students can engage in collaboration and inquiry? … Continue reading
My collaboration partner and I have been using stations (sometimes also called centers) in our secondary level French as a second language classes over the past year. When we tell our colleagues what we're doing, reactions vary. If we're talking to secondary teachers, the reaction is somewhere between asking us what we're talking about to … Continue reading
Truth: Change is hard. Here in B.C., we've gone through a period of curriculum change that has transitioned through draft documents, public feedback, revisions, and then implementation periods. The end result was that every single course at every single grade level got a new curriculum document. Think about that for a minute - every school, … Continue reading
Our languages department recently celebrated Carnaval at our school for the first time, and I wanted to share what we did for others who are planning cultural celebrations. For those who may not have heard of it, Carnaval is celebrated in a few parts of the world, and this quick video (in French) explains its … Continue reading
In my school, staff meetings are necessary events that teachers have to attend, but I think it's fair to say that they are not generally seen as more than that. As department head, I also hold one meeting per month, and I've done the same in my roles on various committees. Whatever the topic, it's … Continue reading
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