Nothing exists in concrete form that talks about how to use CI/TPRS at the upper levels. I do remember Melanie started a discussion about 8 months ago about this and I suggested that reading be the central focus of any upper level class but I just don’t have the experience with TPRS/CI at the upper levels.
The only people qualified to write about this topic are those who have started out a group of kids with CI and seen them advance to graduation with only our method. Anne Matava has done that, along with Laurie, Bryce and only a few others.
I really appreciate the thought that has gone into what David (Maust) has written below.We need to get some concrete stuff that we can access for upper levels and this is a start. If you are an upper level CI teacher please contribute what you can during the coming year as you think things through and try things in your classroom. Hopefully by next summer we’ll have a plan. I’ll make the category.
TPRS Routine in the Upper Levels:
I am looking for advice on how to best structure doing TPRS and CI in the upper levels – (although I ask myself often if there should be much difference between what we do in lower and upper levels). I love the simplicity of just doing CI at a speed that is appropriate for the students at any level and my gut tells me that this is the general approach I should take. But I would love to hear from some of you out there who have more experience doing CI in the upper levels and what you do to make them memorable and engaging years for your kids. Are there any principles or practices that you have found helpful for students who have been in a CI rich environment for two years? anything different from what you do in lower levels? any more opportunities for production?
Here’s a little about my particular situation and the type of upper level classes I will have next year:
I teach Latin in a public school in a full TPRS mode, much the way many on this blog do. I am using a textbook only in so far as it is our main reading resource in class. The stories in the textbook that I use read much like a novel in ancient Rome, so it is essentially my “novel” for class since there’s not much out there written in easy Latin with sheltered vocabulary for beginning students. I can go at whatever pace I want through these stories and this is great for me because that means I can spend as much time as I want doing fun PQA and class-created TPRS stories. We also do a regular routine of dictations and free-writes, I do pop-up grammar as needed, and attentive participation in class is an important part of students’ grades.
After the first two years, I usually combine my level three and four classes. Next year I have 50 kids signed up to take level 3 and 30 kids signed up to take level four, so this will make two 40 person or so combined classes. Next year’s group of kids is a fun and creative bunch, and I think they will do well with doing mainly the same routine that they already have done, with a focus on oral PQA and stories. I don’t have many of reading resources (outside of my textbook) that I feel are both compelling and easy enough to read pleasurably for this particular level. I like the dynamic in the lower level of balancing out time between oral stories and our “novel” reading and would like to do this next year, but the level 4 kids have already finished most of the textbook stories I use for the “novel” component. I’m trying to think of other things to read, but will have to probably have to adapt some more difficult readings for them. So any ideas especially on how you do reading in the upper levels is much appreciated too.
Thanks so much for your thoughts on this!
David Maust