I’ve tweaked a few minor things on Reading Option A, the gold mine for doing story spin out activities during reading classes. Our group member Ryan Dickison in Utah is conducting a workshop in Utah next week on ROA. He says: “I love ROA! It’s a power house. I use it with every story we […]

Here is a nice multi- language grammar site (unfortunately without worksheets) that you can point people to if they feel that they are not being “sufficiently challenged” (gag me with a stick) in your classroom: https://francais.lingolia.com/en/grammar/tenses

This is my response to the idea put forth in the first article by the above title: OK I’m weighing in on the “student actor output during circling” thing. This is my official position until tomorrow, when I reserve the right to change my mind. (I never want to be guilty of having just one

This comment by Carla is longish but important to read in its entirety if you are following the current thread on this topic: I am an intermittent reader of Ben’s blog but my dear friend and colleague, Alisa, mentioned that people were discussing circling recently. She watched the video Haiyun took of me doing a

These are from Sandra Lin. Don’t skip them if you have any time at all to watch them. Sandra definitely needs the feedback and support. She says: “I am using this method to middle school students with a traditional Chinese book and a traditional cooperating teacher. Some problems come along. The learning environment discourage me to

The email below from our PLC member Kevin Taylor was sent to Diana Noonan in Denver but could apply to any of our communities and prompt us to act if we can possibly do so. It is a bridge building email. It shows that what we are doing is important beyond the classroom. I feel

Hi Ben! I wanted to share with you and the PLC that I had a wonderful visit  from Lance Piantaggini yesterday.  He spent the morning with me in my classroom, observing and participating in 2 block-length classes, then we went out for lunch and talked shop.  It was SO MUCH FUN!   I recommend to all

The most important element of our success with CI is not even CI: Maria Popova shares: https://www.brainpickings.org/2014/04/18/antoine-de-saint-exupery-letter-to-a-hostage-smile/

Teaching this way requires vigilant self-reflection and relentless honesty. The growth is through the ups and downs of each class. A few days ago Craig West had a bad class and reported in on it here: https://benslavic.com/blog/advice-needed-7/ Then he thought about it and fixed it. THAT is where the gains and changes in our teaching will

John Piazza shares: Hi Ben, Not sure how many people know about this series. May come in handy for inviting our colleagues, administrators, etc, to think differently about acquisition/learning. The Black Box

There is so much backlash to the reform we bring that often we forget it is there. We just think it’s normal. But those little looks and comments and outright hostility from uninformed (uninformed about the research!) people will not always be there. We have to stand firm in spite of all the incoming heat

Joseph would like any feedback here. Remember our mantra – “If a picture is worth a thousand words, then what is a video worth?” Hey Ben, I have been training a young lady in CI and TPRS using your materials here in Israel.  I invite you to have a look at this video and offer