Unlock with PatreonThe Problem with CI
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Beth Kuntz
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19 thoughts on “Beth Kuntz”
…sometimes upper level students intimidate me because they ask how to say words ….
For me to stay true to my vision of what comprehensible input is for me in my classroom, I don’t allow my students to ask that question. They are not being trained in those words. The class is not about those words. Those words are not the targets. They will forget those words. Those words take the CI train off the tracks. Those words all too often require more explanation which, since they are not germane to what we are doing, require more circling on topics unrelated to what we are doing that day*. They can’t ask me how to say anything. It doesn’t fit. I got enough going on.
*the topic of a class is never general discussion in the target language. It is specific discussion designed to include multiple repeated sentences including only the specific targeted structures which I have chosen for that day, usually no more than three of them. My students don’t drive the curriculum, they merely think they do when they answer my questions with cute answers. Often, students who ask such questions don’t care what the word is, they just want the focus over their way. The focus in a CI class should only be the meaning of what is going on, as delivered directly to the unconscious minds of the students via repeated humorous and interesting and meaningful statements and questions that include the targeted structures in them only.
Well this just cleared away a whole lot of mess that’s been happening in my classroom. Thanks, Ben!
Agreed–thank you, Ben. You present CI clearly as it should be and I appreciate that clarity and articulation! A big part of me says that my seniors who are so ready to be done and out of this place will finish the year the way they have been interacting with it and continue resisting using the Spanish they know and that we are focusing on… so I’d probably be wiser to focus on clearing away the messes with my Spanish 1s and making sure it is all comprehensible.
I really need help with setting the ground rules from day one. I have found CI to be very stressful on my part because I let it get off track and off focus. I need to set parameters for myself so that I can continue with CI. Advice anyone?
Andrea, if you find yourself getting off track, maybe you need to scale back a little of what you’re doing in class (saying this though I don’t know exactly what you do in class, so hopefully this will apply!). What I mean is, make sure that you stay IN BOUNDS as often as possible with the structures that you’re working on that day.
For example, if you’re working with HE/SHE EATS, then you want to circle that structure as much as possible (following the circling template, which I’m sure you know about!, but making sure to not ask the same questions over and over — mix them up, etc). Add details, but just one at a time. So, asking “WHO EATS?” and getting from the class “Bob!”, now circle “Bob eats”. And then ask “What does Bob eat?” and then circle with whatever answer you’re given. And then add a parallel character and compare the two! Circling deep and adding details slowly will help keep the focus for you on the structure that you’re working on for repetitions, which is the first key step, I think.
Secondly, as far as management goes, JGR (look for the category to the right) goes a long way in helping us manage the classroom — especially with students blurting out in English, having side conversations, etc. Basically, JGR is a rubric that assesses students skill with negotiating meaning in the Spanish classroom (which aligns well with the Interpersonal Mode) and it HAS TEETH. Anyway, maybe those two things help! Hope so. Let us know if there are more specific issues and hopefully we can help you out :).
Thank you Nathan. This is great advice and a great reminder about circling deep and staying in bounds. And jGR too!
Anytime Andrea :)! Good luck!
Where at in the home of the buckeyes, Ben’s favorite team, are you?
I am in northwestern Ohio, near Bowling Green. 🙂 And I will abstain from commenting to the below discussion about OSU since I agree with Ben!
Oops! I meant to say “I agree with Chris!” Haha. Sorry OSU fans.
No you said you agree with me. No taking it back. Too late. Nyah nyah na na nah! Freudian slip. Even Buckeye fans hate the Buckeyes. Heh heh. Go Illini!
Watch it.
Oh, do you mean the OSU team that lost to South Carolina in back-to-back Gator Bowls? Oh and they had that coach who hit a Clemson University linebacker after he intercepted a pass? The team that lost to Wichita State a week ago?
I don’t follow sports, especially college sports, at all, so I’m fine with whatever team losing however many times they want. I just wanted to mess with you.
Welcome, Beth!
It is crazy teaching advanced students without a background in the language. I can understand how you feel about the upper level students. It happened to me.
How large are your upper level classes?
Thanks for the welcome!
My Spanish 4 classes include a class of 19 and a class of 6. My class of 6 is great when we stay focused! My class of 19 is full of chatty senior girls at varying levels of acquisition, one fluent sophomore, and 1 boy.
Get the fluent sophomore out of there, into some independent study to learn how to read and write his own language, if he is in any way detrimental to the group’s process.
I have found that fluent kids in CI classes, except for the occasional rare one, generally upset the focus of the class and are more of a problem than a help.
I would love to hear how you coped and how you dealt with that happening to you, too. I appreciate any ideas! Whenever I have them doing output, I always tell them to “use the words they know” but I realize I have allowed them to continue asking by answering them when they ask, and so reinforced that non-CI behavior. I want to change, I am just tired of their whiny complaints when I am firm about using and building on basic Spanish!
…whenever I have them doing output….
I don’t recommend that you require them to speak.
“Output” in my context is usually writing, creating stories. I have required them to speak for a few activities though… this mostly happens in Spanish 4. Would you not require them to speak in Spanish 4? Thanks for the help!