L: What are the best novels to buy these days? What are people recommending? I need to spend $440 in grant money fast on some readers for my very literate Level 3s and 4-APs.
Me: The thing is if you read my “Hit List of 26” [the reader can search it on the PLC] you see that I am against reading “up” [explained in that article]. I think that even though your students are very literate they should still experience zero, or next to zero, conscious engagement when reading (reading up). SO I would recommend easier novels, those typically taught in level 2 or level 1 depending on the student, IF I gave them novels at all, which personally I wouldn’t do* except in the Free Choice Reading sessions that start class.
L: I just started the process for developing organized, multi-paragraph essays on academic topics. I am the only French teacher at my school, and I do French 1 through 4-AP. I have done mostly non-targeted CI with these students for the whole time they have had me. Students are good with narratives, but have yet to master expository writing.
Me: I personally think that they are hundreds of hours from that. The expectations that they can do expository writing in the upper levels are too high, in my opinion. I would tone down that part of my instruction at levels 3 and 4. They can write in college, because they will have had so much input that they will be able to write effortlessly, since you didn’t waste time having them write too much in levels 1-4. Again, just my opinion. Moreover, writing is one of the favorite things of college professors – it keeps them in their minds where they live.
L: In my level 2 classes, I just do a gentle listening/writing practice with my French Level 2s. They are just doing card-talk with summertime vocab. We are learning to write about the student-of-the-day. We switch from using descriptive paragraphs about the student of the day, into narrative paragraphs about what they did in a town they visited over the summer and end with some writing about summer in general, to serve as a concluding device, and possible transition into an expository paragraph on the health and psychological benefits of vacations. This could lead to a general conversation on health and self-care.
Me: Again, I’m good with that plan until the last part, and that is where personally I won’t teach even a fourth year student to do this. Again, it’s just too early. We always overate them in their ability to output. Again, just my opinion based on my own experience.
L: I told my upper levels that we were not going to watch any movies until I got good at teaching writing. They are easy to work with, and I wanted them to know that a change needs to happen within me, before the change from narrative to expository writing takes place within them. We will watch our first movie after we have gotten familiar with the writing process and feel good about our progress. Not a single student even protested. I think they are happy that they can look forward to developing their writing skills immediately this year.
Me: Sounds like some good kids!
L: Over three days, I did the basic things in Tina’s repertoire w/ my Level 3s and 4s, but added the first step below:
1) brainstorm in Eng/rewrite brainstorm ideas in French/ survey student interests from the brainstorm
[the result was we are going to study the importance of sleep]
2) Find French academic vocab to support our future writing
3) Started card talk while mixing in the new academic vocab
4) Started immediate follow-up with structured sentences and paragraphing.**
** This is a step that I never gave myself permission to use till Tina did. Genius!
Now, because of all of the positive energy from the morning classes, the French 1 classes in the afternoon are easier to guide than in the past. I keep the listening very simple, but they can *see* more in a student-of-the-day paragraph than I used to think they could. After some discussion and drawing inputs w/ questions, I can show them the paragraph below and they can write it with me,
L’été de Jayden
Jayden est un garçon américain qui aime deux sports. Il joue au football américain et nage. Un jour, Jayden nage à Huntington Beach. Il regarde une étudiante. Il dit, “Bonjour !” Jayden est content.
The Level 1s loved it, Ben! It is a great start to the year, regardless of what happens next. Even with all the ups and downs, students are starting to be proud that they chose French at our school. ASL and Spanish are very popular, and I still get great students every year. But I want to have the best program at my HS. ?
Me: I’m sure it will, because of your skill, experience and dedication.
*This is a very sensitive area tied to equity. If thirty five kids have a wide range of reading ability, because of their background down to elementary school, availability of books throughout their childhoods, family wealth, etc. then many of them will be odd man out in classes that “challenge” the class, which is code for “only teach to the top kids in the class”. We don’t want that. So what we choose for reading materials is a big deal. We want everyone to be able to read, especially because it is input and input drives the CI train. Kids should never be made to feel behind in a reading class, and yet as we speak most do in those skewed to the few class reading of novels settings. That is why six years ago I went to the 10′ individual free choice of books – any level – sessions to start class and why I condemn the reading of class novels during class time. Reading should be individual, not as a class (saves a lot of money since we only need to purchase 2 or 3 titles instead of 35 classroom sets. The books offered to the individual readers should be easy. If those four kids out of the thirty five want to read “up”, fine. But don’t make the class do it.