As we observe our students in the classroom setting, we look for them to be engaged in learning, not just “busy,” nor “on task.” We want them intellectually active in the target language with challenging content in a real world context. While attending my most recent district professional development day, the following explanation adapted from […]

Feedback is one of the most powerful influences on learning and achievement, but this impact can vary, dependent on when and how it is used . Evidence shows that although feedback is among the major influences, the type of feedback and the way it is given can be differentially effective. Dr. John Hattie, world renowned […]

Nowadays, it is pretty common that technology plays an important role in the world language classroom. Our guiding resource ACTFL offers a position statement regarding the use of technology. “ACTFL acknowledges and encourages using the potential of technology as a tool to support and enhance classroom-based language instruction.” At the same time, ACTFL “recognizes the […]

I recently wrote the following in a personal statement of my teaching philosophy: I value a safe and culturally rich classroom environment where risk-taking in the target language is encouraged thus preparing students to communicate in real-life situations using communicative, collaborative and creative skills they have gained as they apply the content they have learned. […]

Student presentations are commonplace in world language classrooms and have been for a long time. Teachers use them for all the right reasons: instruction moves from teacher-fronted to student-centered, students gain responsibility for course content, and learners practice ACTFL’s presentational mode of communication. Presentations offer a possibility to assign research outside the classroom to students, […]

When we think of 21st Century skills we tend to think that the pedagogy which guides us to incorporate these skills must be accompanied by high tech tools. Of course by definition some skills (such as technology literacy) will need to be fostered by high tech tools, but there are others that can go low […]

Let’s start with ACTFL’s position statement on the use of technology as an initial step when deciding to go high or low tech in a lesson or activity: The use of technology should never be the goal in and of itself, but rather one tool for helping language learners to use the target language in […]

“Only by acquiring skills that bring us into contact with the physical world can we flourish as social individuals.” Matthew B. Crawford, The World Beyond Your Head, 2015. Scissors, tape, glue, and brightly colored construction paper. The first thing I remember constructing with my hands was a wide-brimmed floppy paper hat for my mom, an […]

I recently reacquired the suitcase that I lugged around on my very first trip to Paris. The moment I grabbed it by its handle and felt it dig into the flesh of my fingers, I was flooded with sensory memories – cue the soundtrack to Amélie! Only instead of seeing movie-like images, I could smell […]

Using ACTFL’s 21st Century Skills Map as our guide, how can we strengthen the ways we teach recurring cultural themes such as food? Food seems to be a favorite topic of our students and many of us teach a unit on food or often incorporate it into our lessons. We’ve chosen to look at food […]