One of the most powerful experiences of conferences like iFLT is that you get to observe master teachers teaching. It is particularly powerful if you observe someone of a language that you don’t speak because you are essentially a student and can appreciate how slow...
“There wasn’t much session variety.” “No one explained anything.” “But, what does that look like?” “I don’t know where to find the presenter’s resources.” “The coaches and presenters weren’t accessible.” In capturing what makes iFLT such a special event, I reflect on the aforementioned statements that (spoiler alert!) were not overheard at iFLT 2018 in Cincinnati. So,...
Welcome back, CI Peek followers! After a brief summer hiatus, we are back in full-force! You are in for a real treat as we begin a new series: "FOMO CI Peek Blog Series" by Arianne Dowd! We will sail into the new school year with...
Whew! Wow! What a great week it was! We had so much fun with all of the #iFLT18 participants, coaches, presenters, and students! Our new cohort format was well-received and we are looking forward to reading everyone's feedback and planning to make #iFLT19 EVEN BETTER! We...
The iFLT team is so excited to see everyone in just a couple short days! We are making a big push this year to get everyone on social media sharing their learning with the teachers who are unable to attend! So, we are going to...
For those of you going to iFLT next month in Cincinnati, we are SO excited to see all of you as we learn and grow together! We know that some of you were unable to attend, and sadly, many of you were left feeling disappointed...
I love using readers in my class but feel it is so important to provide students with opportunities for movement and interaction with the material. At the end of the school year we read Bianca Nieves y los 7 toritos in my high school level...
Most teachers who use any form of storytelling in their classrooms will tell you that props can make a huge difference in the level of fun and engagement of their lessons! Whether you are StoryAsking with actors, or using Reader’s Theater following a chapter of...
You've been pouring your heart into providing your students with a comprehensible input-rich acquisition environment all year long, and now you're wondering how much of that effort will still be evident by September! Summer homework, unless students are heading into an AP class in the...
This past week, Dr. Stephen Krashen published a blog post entitled “90% fever: Should we require that the teacher use the target language 90% of the time in class?” Being the researcher he is, he expressed his misgivings about ACTFL’s statement about 90% Target Language,...
There was recently a lively discussion on the iFLT/NTPRS/CI Teaching Facebook Group about how TPRS novels / Comprehension-based readers are assigned a level. The discussion made me realize that there is currently no uniform (or even remotely similar) formula or system among the various publishers/authors...
Last month at the OFLA Conference in Cleveland, Dr. Paul Toth gave a keynote address and a 3-hour workshop entitled 'How Can They Communicate If They Don't Know the Grammar?'. Unfortunately, I did not have the opportunity to hear either presentation, but as luck would...
At iFLT 2017, I presented a session called “Digging out of the Reading Rut.” In this session, we explored ways to read chapters of a text differently and activities to follow up those chapter readings. Because many Fluency Matters comprehension-based readers have 10 chapters let’s...
At iFLT 2017, I presented a session called “Digging out of the Reading Rut.” In this session, we explored ways to read chapters of a text differently and activities to follow up those chapter readings. Because many Fluency Matters Comprehension-based readers have 10 chapters let’s...
4th quarter has arrived and both students and teachers find themselves looking toward the end of the school year. The last 9 weeks can be both exciting (our students are able to do things they couldn’t in August) and tiring (seniors have senioritis and so...
Most of us are three-quarters of the way through the school year. Some of you may have spent some time during Spring break, a snow day, or a recent weekend considering how your classes have gone so far this school year and are fine tuning...
This is a continuation of an article that began last week. To read part 1, click here! Being lost in a comprehensible, compelling book creates an optimal condition for acquiring language. The more compelling the story, the more likely learners are to tolerate a bit ‘noise’...
Hands-down reading is one of the most powerful tools for facilitating acquisition of vocabulary–whether it is vocabulary from your first, second or third language. Most educators acknowledge the power of reading to enhance one’s first (already-established) language (i.e.: expand vocabulary, develop writing skills and improve...
In my school, we have 2 tracks for Spanish 2: College Prep and Regular. Since Michigan has a graduation requirement of the successful completion of 2 consecutive years of the study of a world language, my Spanish 2 students are coming to my classroom needing...
A common question I get asked is “What level is this reader for?” Another question I get asked is “Which readers do you use in level ___?” I have even recently seen a teacher create an online poll asking other teachers to VOTE for the...
Remember that READING is just a tool for providing a comprehensible platform to facilitate various interpersonal exchanges. For students to acquire language, you have to be in the language, and to sustain interaction, you need an interesting topic and comprehensible language. That’s what Fluency Matters...
The Power of Stories by Emily Ibrahim When I first began teaching elementary school Spanish, getting my students to remember vocabulary in Spanish was like pulling teeth. I only saw them once a week for forty minutes (can any other elementary school language teachers relate?!) and they...
Last week, I was given the opportunity to attend The Joint National Committee for Languages/The National Council for Languages and International Studies (JNCL-NCLIS) Language Advocacy Day in Washington D.C. as a representative of the Illinois Council on Teaching of Foreign Languages (ICTFL). Although I saw many familiar...
Movie Talk originated as an element of the Focal Skills approach developed in the 1990s by ESL instructor Dr. Ashley Hastings. Movie Talk is an essential component in developing what is known in Focal Skills as the “Listening Module.” In Focal Skills, students spend intensive...
Before you read Carrie's blog post, the Fluency Matters Team thought it might be a good idea to hear from Carol Gaab, the Editor in Chief at Fluency Matters: I won't go as far as saying that writing a good story is easy. I would, however,...
If you have ever uttered or heard the following questions/comments, then you should definitely read on: “My administrators gave me a bad evaluation, because s/he said my class Is not student-centered.” “My supervisor said that I am talking too much, that my class is too...
Every semester I have my Spanish 2 students do a short piece of writing in class that is assessed as part of their semester exam. Usually at the end of the semester, students are quite stressed and feeling less than inspired. I have found that...
Have you ever wondered why Fluency Matters refers to its novels as ‘comprehension-based readers’ ? The answer is because a novel is merely a story that is told using random language. Our readers are anything but random! They are strategically written and painstakingly edited to ensure...
Reader’s Theatre is something I do with my classes at least once while reading a class novel. My classes range from 25 to 35 students depending on the level. Last year I taught 6 classes and my smallest class was 28. This year the biggest...
The ‘holidays’ can be one of the most exciting and uplifting times of year for some and utterly painful for others. Some of our colleagues and friends are going through health crises, others are grieving the loss of loved ones, and others are just plain...