Cherie Thomas sent this with a vPQA slide presentation that just makes me want to be in a classroom again:
Ben,
I read the Jim Tripp script yesterday when I got to school and decided to scrap what I was going to do and use this. My kids have their writing SOL’s this week in LA and the county mandated writing PTA for me next week, so I decided to to have a fun a class with a cute story and where they could learn a couple new structures instead of beating them over the head with a writing stick. The poor little things look deflated this time of year.
I have been reading your vPQA posts and read the description under the primer last week. I made this yesterday morning literally 15 minutes before class, so I’m not sure it’s good enough to share with the group on the blog, but if you would like to post it as a starting point for anyone you are more than welcome. I found it to be the anchor I needed to give the kids the visual support they have clearly been craving. We easily stayed in L2 the entire class, and they had a blast. I PQA’d the heck out of the sentences on the first few slides and used kids to briefly demonstrate as well. With my 8th grade French 1’s, the first went quickly because they are familiar with porte, but I stayed longer on the next 2 structures. When we moved on to asking for details it went so smoothly. I also have a body parts poster that I would laser tag to when needed for suggestions and I used the promethean board to fill in blanks. We had just made it the story asking part when class ended, and I think I will work in slides in the 3rd person for tomorrow. I teach 7th grade Intro French (semester course) as well and because the 7th graders are only a few weeks in, I spent more time on porte, clothing and body parts with them breaking it up with a game of Simon dit. We only PQA’d in that class, but I noticed a big difference in their engagement level. Any suggestions you have on how to improve the slides would be greatly appreciated if you have the time. I really love this strategy, but I’m not sure I’m doing it correctly to get the fullest advantage out of that power punch I know it will deliver.
Thank you for all that you do! This PLC has been invaluable to me this year. My head swims with the ideas I read about and has given me courage to continue teaching using this wonderful method. I had been out of teaching for several years and was only hired part time for this school year. Last week they offered me a full time position because they love what they are seeing in my classes and hearing from students and want TPRS/CI to spread department wide! He agreed to fund my trip to NTPRS this summer and provide any support I need to continue learning and improving. Hopefully soon the French numbers will grow to a full course load and I won’t have to teach the additional electives.
Thank you again!
Cherie
Power Point Saint Patrick- Tripp