An update on the tape strips to Therese and the Maine Group: I am still too undiciplined during stories to properly use the tape strips. Sometimes I do it but I usually forget and the board is typically a mess. This is of concern to me because I know how organized boards like Linda Li’s help […]

There is one fundamental concept that we who follow Stephen Krashen’s ideas should embrace. It is the idea that we are doing real language teaching when we speak from our hearts in the pure TL to our kids in such a way that they understand and want to hear more. Real language teaching is the interplay

Unlike more pure subjects like physics and mathematics, foreign language education, with its myriad intangibles, is not easy to measure. Yet we, Tarot fools, stride confidently along the edge of the cliff, confident that the data we use to measure gains in our students is accurate. Where does this cavalier trust in data come from?

I got this from a colleague who had asked me about using CI with the textbook: Ben, Thanks so much for the advice! The problem with not using the textbook (Realidades) is that our district has common assessments, so everyone has to give the same tests… which come from the book. I have tried to

Marc commented on the prezi.com post today: Marc Sheffner 11.05.10 at 7:14 PM “Thanks for posting this, Ben. It helps me address a dilemma/problem I’m facing with regard to PQA. (I don’t understand what prezi.com is or how to use it; I don’t use any IT in my language classes, it just gets in the

An email from Elissa that should get some varied responses: Hi Ben! I have a bunch of questions, and promise I’ll call you sometime on your commute but in the meantime I’m wondering what your thoughts on doodling are. I’m trying to prohibit it– I can’t have eye contact when a kid is focused on

 Today I got an email from Ray Bauer who is doing important work in elementary TPRS. His email reflects perfectly my thoughts of recent weeks, that kids ultimately need to feel in control of generating their own stuff for the CI class.   (I can think of only one exception to the above statement, and

These two articles make me think that gesturing in TPRS may be underrated: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071104191551.htm http://www.futurepundit.com/archives/004434.html

Giving up control, staying in flow, and, most importantly, allowing the kids to feel in control as well, all while delivering massive amounts of CI every day, is what I have been wrestling with lately. It started with Michele’s comment here a few days ago: “…they like doing illustrations for their own stories. They like

I got this excellent inquiry from Josh about formal TPRS curriculae, whether they exist or not in the way he means below. I personally have not developed anything formal, just my books, and I think that any TPRS curriculum written in use so far has been written around available materials, usually those of Carol Gaab

Today was a lovely day in the 70’s in Denver and, on mile 40 of a 50  mile ride, this guy passes me on a $7000 bike. Dale Crum! I haven’t seen this dean of TPRS, expert in classroom management, for years, since I left Jefferson County. For those who don’t know Dale, he goes

You may want to use this story script from Jim later this month. I’m going to start this one early, because each year I seem to remember this script the day of Halloween or after it: Halloween I want to be you should be this year Two years ago, Hank wanted to be a dragon