Language Coaching by Amy Lenord
  • Blog
  • About Amy
    • Consultation
  • Spanish
    • U1: Trading Places
    • U2: Bright Lights Big City
    • U3: Whole New You
    • U4: Taking a Trip
    • Helpful Handouts
    • Class Calendar
    • Class Info
    • Review Materials
    • Independent Study
    • ¡Música!
  • Publications
    • Amazing Anchors
    • Assessment Tools
    • Instructional Tools
    • Lessons & Activities
    • Processing Guides
    • Proficiency Building Tools
  • On Pinterest
  • On YouTube

Not Enough Input: How El Internado & My TPRS Friends Are Pushing My Practice

4/17/2016

16 Comments

 
PictureJohnny Five by Camarada Bakunin http://bit.ly/1MBz8lB
It is no easy thing to be a language teacher in transition. If you started your career teaching language in a traditional way (grammar focused, textbook led, communication light to non-existent), you will always be transitioning. Old habits die HARD. The longer I teach and the more I learn about how to teach language properly, the more layers of ineffective practice I have to keep peeling back and off. If I shed any more I might be going to work naked!

Well, not really.

All school years present their challenges, and looking back on this year I can say with confidence I know the reasons I was having such a hard time, and even better than that, what I can do about it in the future. The answer to both of those mysteries is this: MORE INPUT.

I will tell you that I had to learn this lessons in such a strange way. It was hard, and yet easy, too. This time the learning for me was a like a battle because I struggled the most with identifying the problem my students were having. We would have such a hard time on any day that the lesson was based upon input. I would work my tail off giving input, and they would just stare at me like a freak hybrid animal in the restricted part of the zoo. There were even days that I would get mad at them for just being so passive and non-responsive. I couldn't figure out why they would behave that way if they had come from level 1 classes in the same district and from classes using the same curriculum. It hit me like a ton of bricks while I was driving one day (driving and showering seem to be inspirational activities for me). My a-ha moment was realizing their teachers had all been new: new to teaching, new to the program, new to the school, new to EVERYTHING. For no fault of their own, those teachers not only didn't know how to teach in the target language, they didn't know how to teach students to learn in the target language. That training in level 1 classes is equally important to the content presented to them. I thought once I had the problem figured out things would get easier, but that hasn't proven true. You see, what has happened now is many of the students who came from those newbie teachers' classes don't believe that target language teaching works. They don't see how input and their responses to input grow their own language skill. They don't know what to do to make sense of text input. So, what do they do? Resist or shut down. I even have one particular student who argues with me about instructional strategies. Needless to say we are all just trying to survive the year. I do confess that being human, I war with myself between being mad at them and wanting to throw in the towel versus remembering that they cannot help what their learning experience was last year. My biggest mistake was assuming that they were taught the way I would have taught them if they had been my students.

Today, I am grading their most recent writing assessments and making notes of the general, across the board feedback I need to give my students. Even now I find myself battling feelings of frustration as I read paper after paper in which the student writer cannot tell the difference (after 2 years of instruction) between present and past or worse, first person and second person verb conjugations. In my head I know they would have better control of this had circumstances been different, and had I figured all of this out earlier in the year, but the traditionalist teacher in me is banging her figurative head against a brick wall right now.

The good news is this: when the student is ready, the teacher will appear. Yes, I have had a break through. I am almost nervous to even write it out because I am quite embarrassed to be this far along my journey only to have the epiphany I have just had. PLEASE DON'T JUDGE ME for this. Just before I picked up my computer to log into my blog account to blog this very post, I was grading a student paper that flipped the switch for me. At that moment, looking at the first person verbs he was using to talk about a second person subject I realized that the majority of my students just haven't had enough input. I also realized that the input they have received wasn't as effective as it could have been because they weren't trained what do do with it. Add to that, something that seems to be completely unrelated to this story, but that has served as the glue that stuck all of this together for me: El Internado.

I know what you are thinking. You are probably wondering where the heck this post is going, but let me explain a little.

About a month ago I came down with the flu. It was a Friday night, and I was running a low grade fever, but not feeling puny enough to pass out, so I turned on Netflix and decided to give the Spanish telenovela, El Internado, a look. Six seasons and seven episodes in one month later, I know that my Spanish is improving and my speaking confidence is sky high, but not because I have been speaking Spanish to practice. It is all because I have been watching El Internado in Spanish with Spanish subtitles to help me with the more challenging parts. One of the benefits of watching this dang show is that I know a bunch of new words, but better than that I can confidently speak using the imperfect subjunctive for probably the first time in my entire Spanish-speaking life. No really. That's no exaggeration. I know exactly when to use it, and the only thing I have to think about is conjugating the imperfect subjunctive verb correctly. Other than that,  I HAVE GOT IT, and I have got it because of input.

Here's what I now KNOW and OWN:

The way my students and their struggles plus my El Internado input tie together is this...
1. Input teaches language learners what language chunks MEAN in a way that...
2. The learner understands and starts to feel confident enough to use those language chunks herself, but...
3. The learner needs a little guidance on how the variable part of that chunk should be formed...
4. But only enough to say what she wants to say. So, more input is needed to...
5. Provide her examples of other verbs in that language chunk, and then...
6. She needs opportunities to practice or process that language chunk herself, and then...
7. When the teacher sees confusion arise due to miscommunication, more input is needed to...
8. Demonstrate the difference in the messages the language chunks are sending.

I also now better understand that a language learner's ability to process input and grab onto new language chunks is expedited by how well they were trained to process input in those early days of L2 learning.

My students don't know the difference between first, second and third person because they haven't seen enough meaningful input on those things. They also are having a hard time with present versus past for the same reason. They are having these problems because they came from teachers who didn't know to do it, and they have a teacher now who didn't know they didn't know, and neither did they.

The hard part now is that I only have 33 more days with them, and really that translates to about 25 teaching days due to state and AP testing, assessment days and semester exam review days they all expect. I have to really think about how to use input in a way that really benefit them, but that they won't resist. THAT is especially hard since curriculum-wise we are at a point in the year in which they are suppose to be able to read text that includes present and the past tenses. I don't think coasting is in the cards for me this spring. 

At least now I know what I know.

Happy Coaching and Happy End of the Year Countdown!

16 Comments
Arelle Hughes link
4/17/2016 03:16:00 pm

I LOVE this post! "The longer I teach and the more I learn about how to teach language properly, the more layers of ineffective practice I have to keep peeling back and off." This statement summarizes everything I have been feeling throughout my teaching journey trying to transition successfully to CI methods. I have been on such a reflective kick lately that I am thankful I am not the only one. I've realized so many things that I can improve upon, and the year is coming to a close. At times I feel guilty for not doing things "right." But we don't know what we don't know. So being reflective, asking important questions, and seeking solutions is the best that we can do! And no matter what, it's better late than never. So no coasting for me this spring either, but I'm thinking the summer will allow me to overhaul SO many things. Teaching never stops, and neither does learning...

Reply
JD Honke
5/2/2016 01:44:03 pm

Maya Angelou said, "Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better." I feel like I keep wanting to BE better and encourage my students better and learn more, but I'm just not there.

Reply
Martina link
4/17/2016 07:23:38 pm

I love that you are always trying to learn and do better by your students! That's what makes for a great PLN :)

Reply
Carrie Toth link
4/17/2016 07:36:09 pm

Love this post, Amy! It is like looking in a mirror! This journey to helping MORE kids love and learn language is a winding road!!! So grateful I walk the road with friends like you!

Reply
Freda Yoshioka
4/17/2016 09:25:41 pm

I so admire your brave post! I have had the same epiphany more than once, which means that I sometimes backslide when I don't spend enough time around other CI teachers.

Reply
Becky Moulton
4/18/2016 09:26:05 am

Hello Amy,
Great post, thanks for your honesty and for sharing with others what you have learned.
Start where you are (and where your students are)! You'll do great and students will love learning the language.
Here are some favorite Maya Angelou quotes that I thought worked here.
Becky

“I did then what I knew how to do. Now that I know better, I do better.” ― Maya Angelou

"Courage allows the successful woman to fail- and learn powerful lessons-from the failure- so that in the end, she didn't fail at all."
-- Maya Angelou

Reply
Megan Green
4/18/2016 03:13:34 pm

I so agree about this! I only teach Spanish 1 and binge watching El Internado is helping improve my proficiency so much! I've been slacking a little and watching with the English subtitles so I can do other things while I watch, but no more! You rock!

Reply
Luz Antolinez
4/18/2016 06:44:47 pm

Amy, thank you for your openness and your insight. It is amazing how we figure out things when we are ready to learn them!! And now we know better we will do better!!!

Reply
Mendi
4/18/2016 07:45:28 pm

I SOOOO relate to this post. It's like we had the same realization at the same time. I'm just very unsure as to how to proceed at this point. Will you be doing P.A.C.E lessons to increase input? Is there a telenovela on travel they can watch? Suggestions appreciated!

Reply
Blaine Ray link
4/19/2016 03:31:10 am

To help students get the verbs right, you might try adding yourself as a parallel character every day. Consistently ask your student actors about yourself, himself and at least one other character. You spend your class time practicing conjugations but your students don't realize it.

Reply
Briana Livingston
4/19/2016 07:42:32 am

Thank you so much for this honest post. I have recently been coming to similar conclusions. I have not been giving enough high quality input to impact all of my students (rather than just the top students). It's helpful to know that we're not alone in the continual battle to figure out how to do this! And I appreciate your example of moving forward and not giving up!

Reply
Kathy Griffith
4/19/2016 11:02:56 am

Thank you for writing this. You've expressed something I have felt since I jumped off the cliff to teach with CI methods-- we've all experienced that "stare like we're a freak hybrid animal in the restricted part of the zoo." I loved that phrase!
Thank you for encouraging us to keep on pressing on. As we learn, so will our students.

Reply
Amy Lenord link
4/19/2016 06:41:48 pm

Thanks everyone for such encouraging comments and for continuing the discussion! Thanks for encouraging my professional learning! You are all awesome for sharing your thoughts and fanning the flames of a friend/colleague.

Reply
Ana Maria Davis
4/20/2016 02:10:42 pm

I have struggled so much this school year with jumping head first CI and TPRS.. I am beginning to think that block schedules and TPRS don't mix! I have lost count of how many times I have gotten the "hybrid animal at the zoo" stare this year, as well as how many times I have argued with students who took my first year teaching when I was more grammar based. Thank you for your encouraging words.. I will press on as I have 20 days left with my kiddos, and do some serious soul searching and overhauling of my units this summer! Any suggestions for how to implement TPRS in a block / 1 semester schedule will be greatly appreciated!

Reply
Laura link
4/24/2016 02:12:08 pm

"I can say with confidence I know the reasons I was having such a hard time": BOY have I been THERE. And I've had those know-it-alls who think they know my job better than I do too. This year, though, they've been a little quieter. I think part of it is, indeed, providing them the time--and tools--to adjust, but I think part of it too is making them stop to examine their successes. Making them keep track of how their levels have been going up has made them physically SEE that "my way" has been working.

Now I, too, really need to work harder on the focused input leading to the errors *I* am seeing. Thanks for helping me focus!

Reply
Clair Duncan
4/28/2016 07:41:16 am

Great post!!! I think I'll start watching El Internado also.

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Amy Lenord

    Just a Spanish teacher doing what she loves and hoping to inspire others to do the same.

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

    The Language Coach
    Tweets by @alenord

    Proficiency Points of Light

    Musicuentos 
    ​by Sara-Elizabeth Cottrell
    El mundo de Birch
    by Sharon Birch
    PBLintheTL
    ​
    by Laura Sexton
    Kristy Placido's Blog
    by Kristy Placido
    Language Sensei
    by Colleen Lee-Hayes

    Creative Language Class
    ​
    by Kara Parker &
    Megan Smith
    Somewhere to Share
    by Carrie Toth
    ​
    En Francais, SVP!
    by Wendy Farabaugh
    ​Super Spanish Senora
    by Talia Block
    Tales from the Salle de Clase
    by Megan Sulewski
    ​Que sera, sera
    by Amanda Diaz Mora
    Thinking About Syncing?
    ​by Catherine Ousselin
    Path to Proficiency
    Craig Talks Teaching

    by Craig McKinney

    Categories

    All
    90% Target Language
    90% Target Language
    ACTFL
    Activation
    Advocacy
    Apps
    Assessment
    Audio
    Authentic Resources
    Authentic Resources
    Authres
    Balance
    Blogging
    BTS
    Building Proficiency
    Building Relationships
    Building Trust
    Burnout
    Challenges
    CI
    Classroom Environment
    Collaborations
    Communication
    Communities
    Comprehensible Input
    Conflict
    Conversation
    Culture
    Daily Driving Questions
    Drawing Attention
    During Reading Strategies
    Elaboration
    Encouragement
    Failure
    Feedback
    Focus Questions
    Goals
    Grading
    Grammar
    Graphic Organizers
    Increasing Proficiency
    Independent Learning
    Input
    Inquiry
    Inspiration
    Instruction
    Interacting With Text
    Interpersonal
    Interpersonal Practice
    IP Blitz
    Know Thyself
    Language Acquisition
    Language Methods
    Language Proficiency
    Language Teaching
    Language Teaching
    Learner Training
    Lenord's Lessons
    Lesson Design
    Lifelong Learners
    Listening
    Making Meaning
    Meaning Vs. Form
    Mentoring
    Metacognition
    Momentum
    Multi-level
    Music
    Negotiating Tenses
    Networking
    New Year
    Novice Learners
    #OneWord
    Online Presence
    Online Presence
    Output
    PBL
    Performance Based
    Personal Growth
    Personalize
    Personalizing Language
    Planning
    Pln
    Politics
    Powerpoints
    Pre-speaking
    Preterite Vs. Imperfect
    Primacy/Recency
    Prior Knowledge
    Processing
    Professional Development
    Professional Learning
    Professional Organizations
    Questions
    Reading
    Reflection
    Relationships
    Resolutions
    Scaffolding
    Self Protection
    Self Selected Vocabulary
    Self-selected Vocabulary
    Speaking Practice
    Spontaneous Conversation
    State Organizations
    Strategies
    Structured Input
    Student Centered
    Support
    Survival Strategies
    Taking Care
    TALK READ TALK WRITE
    Target Language Teaching
    #Teach2Teach
    Teacher As Facilitator
    Teaching
    Teaching Challenges
    Teaching Tools
    Team Building
    Technology
    TELL Collab
    Tenses
    Textbooks
    Text Type
    The 10%
    Time Management
    TL Reading
    TLT
    TPRS
    TRTW
    Verb Charts
    Verbs
    Vocabulary
    Weebly
    What I Would Do - Ideas For Authentic Resources
    Workload
    Worksheets

    Archives

    January 2018
    November 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013

Powered by
Photos used under Creative Commons from wit, Јerry, Festival Gastronómico, davecito, swong95765, symphony of love, john581, One Way Stock, mirandamylne1992, GabboT, usacetulsa, katerha, Infomastern, STC4blues, GerryT, IQRemix, StockMonkeys.com, Andy Hay, Tambako the Jaguar, CollegeDegrees360, tfbpereira, Janitors, Experiencia Colombia, One Way Stock, jakeliefer, katerha, gobzoro, MICOLO J Thanx 4 1.4 mill+ views, Mr Conguito, Dusty J, Elsa Blaine, foilman, frankieleon, Wiertz Sébastien, Kevan
✕