This one is from Keri:
Hi Ben,
I have a question that maybe the PLC could help me with. Last year was my first “TPRS” year and, of course, those students are with other teachers. (I am the only TPRS / CI teacher in my department.) A teacher came to me concerned because she has a student that I had last year and she said that she is seriously struggling with grammar. The bigger problem is that that student received an A+ in my class last year. I really don’t want to have the reputation that my grades are inflated and my students don’t know anything.
However, that makes me wonder…should I grade more heavily on grammar? I admit, all students do great in my class…but it’s because I give them things that they CAN do…based upon tons and tons of comprehensible input I give them in the target language. But I really didn’t grade them on grammar. Their free writes, for example, were graded based on other factors, but not grammar. This year I am doing “speed writes” (I found this from another teacher on line – they write for 5 minutes about anything and I don’t grade grammar.) I am also planning on giving them more focused writing assignments similar to what I found on Adriana Ramirez’s youtube video. I am wondering if I should grade them on grammar and, if so, how heavily?
Thank you!
Keri
P.S. This is my first year teaching a level 1 and it is absolutely amazing how much they can already do! Day 5 of class I gave them a speed write and most were able to write about 30 words about someone having something, someone else wanting it and whether or not the person gives it to them. They did this using no resources. I also did a horizontal conjugation today with them (day 7 of class). It was about half a page typed and they changed it from the 3rd person to the 1st person, again using “wants, has, & gives”. They did very well and were even changing indirect object pronouns!!!