Those who, like me, think that the Star Sequence provides the truest overall curricular form to NTCI might enjoy this suggestion from Alisa:
Here is an optional modification to The Star Sequence:
Add a 6th point that includes:
(1) Small Talk
(2) Classroom banter
(3) Card Talk
(4) National Day
and other beginning of class or connecting /transition talk that may or may not ‘activate’ some of the language in use for whatever is going on [to prepare the story].
The reason I think it’s so important is that it helps us get to know our students and they, us.
For example, my students recently did an OWI-to-story about a big chili pepper named Picante. He is nervous because the evil chef, Señora Shapiro, has his girlfriend, Pepper, in her hands, about to make a salsa.
I used some off-topic banter to tell the students that this was an especially funny detail, because I don’t really do the cooking at my house! (my husband does)… I would not be found in my kitchen preparing salsa – rather maybe grocery shopping, cleaning, or tasting for him…
Anyway that banter (mostly) in the TL allowed them to appreciate the extra humor of having me as the evil chef…
Best,
Alisa
Related: https://benslavic.com/blog/category/star-sequence/