Communication, Growth mentality, Lesson ideas, Personalized Learning, Teaching ideas

Six alternatives to oral presentation in second language classes.

I vividly remember what it was like to participate in my first university level French class. It seemed like everyone else was talking easily, having conversations and responding to the professor's questions in French. I, on the other hand, felt totally inadequate. Nothing in my high school French experience had prepared me for this. We … Continue reading

Curriculum, Differentiation, Lesson ideas, Teaching ideas, Uncategorized

How to set up stations in a secondary level language class

As a high school teacher, I have  heard from colleagues that they don't know why I use stations in my classes. They tend to see stations as something that happens in elementary schools, but not at our level. I have learned that breaking down the barriers between elementary and secondary is often one of the … Continue reading

collaboration, Curriculum, Growth mentality, Resources, Teaching ideas

Solving the puzzle: Aligning curriculum, resources and student context

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

Critical thinking, Differentiation, Lesson ideas, Listening, Personal and Social Identity, Teaching ideas

6 Authentic cultural activities for exploring Christmas traditions in second language classes

The week before Christmas holidays is usually a busy one in schools, and often a time when students' attention may wander. There are many Christmas-themed worksheets and quick activities available, but this year my collaboration partner and I have put together a series of stations for our students to explore some cultural aspects of the … Continue reading

Communication, Critical thinking, Differentiation, Lesson ideas, literacy, Personalized Learning, Teaching ideas

Five ways to use stations – adapted for use in second language classes

The more I am working on moving to more skill based instruction, implementing BC's new curriculum redesign, the more I am finding that using stations are a good instructional design to allow students to practice those skills using communicative activities, and receive feedback in class. The more I use them, the more they are becoming … Continue reading

Critical thinking, literacy, Personal and Social Identity, Personalized Learning, Teaching ideas

Making connections – Reader response journals in second language classes (Part 1 of 2)

Authentic texts in a language course are fun to explore, and engaging for students - the ability to read something that was not created at a given level for a textbook, or the ability to choose something that the student is genuinely interested in makes for a powerful learning experience. The challenges for a teacher … Continue reading

Communication, Critical thinking, literacy, Personal and Social Identity, Personalized Learning, Teaching ideas, writing

New directions: Using writing circles in second language instruction.

I don't know if this happens to everyone, but sometimes I get an idea that just doesn't leave. Like ever. And the only way to deal with it is to explore it, dig into it, follow it where it takes you. This past summer, my collaboration partner and I read a book that we had … Continue reading