Q. I have read “A Natural Approach to the Year”, and am so excited to dive right into it with my Spanish level 1s. My dilemma is that I’m starting at a new school next year, teaching Spanish 1 AND 2. I would really love to do the same with my level 2s, but I’m not sure how/where to start because they’ve had a full year of Spanish, and this is going to be my first year doing CI, TPRS and non targeted instruction exclusively (and I’m new to the school). Any suggestions, recommendations or guidance for starting my level 2s?
A. Yes Haley I’m glad you asked. The answer may surprise you. Teach the level 1s with the new stuff, but don’t try it on the level 2s. It’s because most likely they will rebel, and hard. Their reasoning: “Why should I work in a new way with you (thus experiencing rigor) when all I had to do was memorize a few verbs for the A in level 1?”
Then, after a month or so, they will hear that the level 1s are enjoying the class. Some level 2s will ask for some of that. Do not give it to them. Teach them exactly as they were taught last year.
However, as the weeks go by, starting in October or so, give them five minutes of an OWI or something like that at the end of class. Tell them that class ended early that day, the important stuff is over, and you just want to speak some Spanish to them and all they have to do is listen – tell them that it is a “listening activity”.
Even with the level 1s, I suggest giving no speeches about how they will be doing “something new” this year! No big promises. Just go into the language as per the plan in the book and stay in each section of the proposed instructional plan as long as you want. Then when the 2s start looking at the walls, at the gallery and all the fantastic images, and start wanting in, be very standoffish. Make them earn it. increase their time backwards slowly from the end of class and by spring you will have undone the culture from year one, and the change will be complete. But don’t go overly fast.
On Monday, July 2, 2018, 6:34:38 PM MDT, Haley Keller