FosteringGlobalCitizenshipthroughElementarySpanishDistanceLearning

CindyMurphy­ElisaTishmack­AngélicaArias

OriginoftheElementarySpanishDistanceLearningProgram

Milllevy

Pilotprogram

Leveledprogram

Objectives

BasedonWorldLanguageStandards

Rangelevelexpectation‐NoviceLow

Toreachallstudentsattheelementarylevel

Goals

ExposuretoSpanishlanguageandculture

BasicSpanishcommunicationskills

Students will develop insight into their own

language and culture

WhySpanish?

Cognitiveadvantages

Usedinbusinessandeducation‐globalmarket

ImprovesemploymentopportunitiesintheUS

Changeattitudesandbeliefs

ContentandComponents

Useofvideos Onceaweek,20minuteseachforthreeweeksofeachmonth.

Inputisfacilitatedthroughimmersion

Sectionsinclude:Songs,interaction(guessing),themedskits,geography,culture,foodandnumbers

Videoscoverthemesthatstudentsarefamiliarwith(e.g.,family,community,animals,feelingsandweather).

Classroomvisits

Eachclassroomonceamonth

Wevisit45+classrooms=1000+students

Focusisonoraldeliveryandinteraction

Fourdifferentdynamics;wholeandsmallgroupinstruction,pairwork,andindividualwork.

Ongoingassessment:Wetalktoteachers,checkhowstudentsaredoingonactivities.

Teachingguides

Outlineslessonobjective

Statesthelanguagestructure.

Actsasalessonplanforteachers.

Lessonevaluation.

Unitvocabularylistsforadditionalsupport.

Complementaryactivities

Wordbankgivenforextrasupport.Usedtoreinforcematerialfromvideo.

Oneachactivitythereisasectionwherethestudentspracticewriting.

Exampleoflanguagestructurestudentsareexpectedtopractice.

ModiYiedactivityfor2ndgrade.

ThreeStandardsofCommunication

Interpretive‐Languageuserslisten,view,andreadusingknowledgeofculturalproducts,practices,andperspectives.

Interpersonal‐Culturallyappropriatelistening,reading,viewing,speaking,andwritingoccursasasharedactivityamonglanguageusers.

Presentational‐speakingandwritingoccurinculturallyappropriateways.

Colorado academic standards for world languages.

Interpretive

•Receiveinputfromvideo•SpeciYiclanguagestructures

•Activityactsasreinforcement/informal

assessment•Repeatandguessduringvideo

Interpersonal

•Inclasslessons•Providefeedback•Studenttostudent

interaction•Teachertostudent

interaction•Lessonsbuiltaroundcontentfromvideos

Presentational

Reading,writing,listeningandspeaking

Instructionalapproach

Based on the communicative method

Languageasamediumofcommunication. Communicativeabilityfromearlystage. Useoftargetlanguage:immersion. Meaningful,functionalandspontaneouscommunication:activeversusstatic.

Authenticresourcesandinspiration. Diverselearningdynamics. Student‐centered:adaptstostudentsneeds. Emphasisonoralskillbutnotlimitedtoit. Errorsaspartoflearningalanguage. Useofvisualstimuli.

Content-based language instruction

The content is based on student interests, iscognitively engaging, and teaches across thecurriculum.

Familiar topics and authentic materials motivatestudents and lead to more active participation.

Students learn science, math, geography, art,literature, grammar and history through themessuch as Star Wars, Pirates, Cowboys, etc.

Learner­focusedinstruction

Promotinginteractiontomakestudentstakeanactiveroleandbereceptive.

Choosingappealingthemesinordertomotivatestudents.

Creatingagoodrapportwithstudents.

Usingcontinuousassessmenttoadaptinstructiontostudentsneeds:hearingtheirvoices.

Immersion

Toreflect naturalistic language acquisition.

To expose students to as much input as possiblegiven our limited contact time.

To encourage students to be proactive and uselearning strategies such as induction andprediction.

ScaffoldingtoSupportImmersion

1.Visualstimuli

• Gestures• Staging• Characterization:animatedandfamiliar

charactersandpuppets• Images:reusedinmultiplevideosandconstantly

associatedwiththesameconcepts• AminimaluseofsubtitlesinSpanish/English

2. Familiarthemes3. Musicandsound4. Humor5. Narrative

6. Contextualization,sequencingandrepetition.

Culture

Tochange attitudes and beliefs so students will bemotivated to learn Spanish.

To promote positive attitudes towardsmulticulturalism and multilingualism.

To promote learning across the curriculum byteaching geography, history, science, etc.

To emotionally benefit multicultural students.

Continuous assessment

To improve pedagogical strategies.

To hear student voices so we can work towardstoward fulfilling their needs and interests aslanguage learners.

Challengesandachievements

Challenges

Tochange attitudes and beliefs of students,teachers and the community: towards learningSpanish and towards the teaching approach.

To give as much opportunity for learning aspossible through a distance learning program withsuch limited contact time.

To keep students engaged in lessons that aredelivered through a virtual medium.

Achievements

Through continuous assessment we have realizedthat students are learning Spanish and becomingmore aware of Spanish speaking cultures.

Some teachers are better understanding ourteaching approach and becoming more involved.

With experience we are becoming more proficientin the use of the technology and are able to takeadvantage of it to meet our instructional goals.

Future goals

More assessment to hear student voices andmeasure their progress.

Incorporate computer and Web based activities.

Make instruction even more learner-centered.