I don’t like to look all over when I am reminded of a quote – I just want to be able to find it. So I am initiating a new “Quotes Worth Remembering” category here. I want to put Kate’s recent quote in as the first one. If you read something that you want in there […]

I didn’t get that half time job at George Washington High School. I should say, I didn’t want it. It turns out that the department itself is great, a bunch of gifted young people firmly grounded in Krashen whose district scores are so high that the school has to leave them alone. It’s a long story, but I won’t be

Here is an email from Carol Hill: Dear Ben: I have a French 1 student on homebound instruction (concussion). She has not been in class since March. Just got this from her homebound French teacher. Thought I would share. Best, Carol “I’m very interested in the story telling methodology.  Eileen is way ahead of most

For most of us Laurie needs no introduction – she is one of the leaders of using comprehension based methods in the classroom and has been a constant source of inspiration to me personally. She really fits my definition of what the term warrior means. For those who have yet to meet her, here is her

Germany is pretty much leading the world in the green movement. The French certainly aren’t going to lead Europe into anything having to do with comprehensible input, not with their love of analysis and wine. But in a recent comment from Martin in which he invited Robert and others to visit him if they are in Germany, it

I just got this from Angela; it certainly brings up more about a leitmotif that has been front and center here over the years: Hey Ben! Check out this article that I ran across: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/outlook/7616618.html Here’s a line that really stuck out at me… “Our students do not reach professional fluency by listening – they

Each spring, after teaching massive CI in the form of stories and reading, I am always conflicted (I’m sure we all are) when it comes to thinking about teaching them some grammar. Some of them, after all, are next year heading straight into classes where grammar instruction is the order of the day. I just

I got this email from Drew who is over in Germany this week doing some professional training and whose experience there prompts reflection on what we all are doing: Ben, After 5 years of no German in my life I decided to come to Germany to do a German class for German teachers in case

Jen recently had a year end interview with an administrator about her new work with comprehension based methods. She said that her administrator asked this crucial question: “How do you choose which structures you’re going to work with if you don’t have a textbook to give you a road map?” This is an excellent question –

I got this bio description today from David Young which is, in his own words, “ridiculously long”. He offered to edit it. I say why do that? My goal is to keep the group small, the trust high, and get to know each other. So  maybe get a big cup of java and settle back and

Story scripts should be simple and emotional. Students are attracted, as Michele once said, to verbs and emotions. But too many verbs confuse them and stories lacking in emotion bore them. Amy Catania (http://amycatania.tripod.com/cuentosfantsticos/) wrote a story about a waitress who lost her new ring and started jumping up and down on a table screaming,

I’ve been remiss in posting group member bios and apologize. Here is one from Ardythe. Her description of her situation in central Illinois is powerful, and one can hear in her comments in our group so far and in the following words that she is going to be successful in that situation. The lower levels