Leah said:
My level 1 students are still blurting and having random English conversations during PQA, QA, the creation of stories, basically any CI speaking time. I enter their rubric grade EVERY day that we do CI (4 days a week). So, lots of grades are low and they know it. When I show grades at the end of class (at least weekly) the students who are the worst on the rubric don’t even want to see their grade.
Today I took a pause from creating scene 3 of our mini-story and focused on non-speaking CI. So we did 2 Textivate activities, a dictation, and then some math brake problems during our 40 minute period. The one class did WAY better than during story asking, so that there was little blurting and much less of side conversations. The second class still had random conversations across the room, but it was less disruptive to me, because I didn’t have to stop talking in mid-sentence every sentence.
Should I do less of creating stories because they can’t handle it and do more writing/copying? Should I type out LOTS (maye 50) circling questions for them to answer on paper with me instead of just aloud?! It’s just a bummer…
Suggestions?
Then James responded:
Leah, what you have described is my worst nightmare of going full-on jGR as described on this blog. Frankly, your scenario is why I don’t hammer with jGR. I want good behavior to occur because the students WANT to behave well; it needs to be intrinsic. If it isn’t, then what if they don’t care about their grades? I have a lot of level 1 students who failed Spanish 1 last year. Grades are obviously not a motivator for these sophomores. I have only found success with them by:
1) The 10 minute deal
2) Stopping at every infraction and going back to “do it the right way” (in a loving way, this makes them feel
stupid and I say that I am bored and that they are boring)
3) Private conversations
4) Going slowly enough and having a calm force behind my demeanor so that they are able to pay attention
Things are getting better slowly. Some good days, some bad days. In the meantime I keep telling myself: At least they aren’t sleeping.
Diane added:
I hear you. I have one group that daily seems to range between really doing well and talking constantly in English. I have to hold them accountable for that lack of Interpersonal Communication in the target language, and they know it. I’m now going to be entering a grade for them each day, indefinitely, until they have a pattern of appropriate use of Chinese and English and few issues with derailing class through distracting commentary.
But I also usually find ways to make students more accountable in the midst of class, too. Ben has done a listening quiz whenever a quiz writer student is ready with some more questions. Seems like it’d help! I also aim to assign jobs or activities during a time they need to be listening and demonstrating their comprehension (or lack, so they get clarification). That helps. But a favorite of mine is Listen & Draw. Everyone draws what you describe.
For a class that can handle interaction, make it story-asking. If they really can’t handle any opportunity to contribute in a positive way, you can make the whole description yourself. They get a grade for how many of the details they included in their sketch, so there’s accountability. Listen & draw has always worked for me. Kids ask me to repeat. After drawing, a superstar student can be asked for a retell, or you can pair them off for 30 sec. and have them describe to their partner what’s in their sketch. These pictures also make rather compelling things to look at the next day (Look & Discuss) and/or read about (Read & Discuss).