In this session, Michael talks about how to extend establishing meaning by creating conversation between teacher and students. Here are the notes I took:
Step one: establishing meaning
Tell the word, show a picture, give a gesture and a translation…start to BS (blabber to students)
Talks about what is in his classroom…what color, what number
Trick: have gestures for certain words and get participation points…extra for the first one For example, every time Michael says the word for man, they slap the desk for participation points.
When students insist on speaking English, say if you want to use English, let me give you this book and you can translate it to English.
Tricks for staying in step one and conversing with kids:
· Still use your vocab structures
· Break them down if they are too long
· In advance, think of typical questions you could ask about those structures
· Beginners: Who, what, when, where, how many, what color
· Advanced: how, why, did you (verb) too? (past tense), will you (verb), would you (subjunctive)
· 3-ring circus: present when they do it and past when they sit down
· Set up class for BS: I expect a reaction: Wow!, how sad! I can’t believe it! That’s not right! Obviously!
· Be interesting and interested*** Care about your kids
· Gesture with translation (un plato…un plato means plate)
· Imagine that you have a plate (subjunctive!!)
· Dirty (Who has dirty socks? Hand check! Who has dirty hands? Why are your hands dirty?)
Thanks for blogging about NTPRS. I couldn't make it this year and it's great to read what is going on daily.
ReplyDeleteDitto! I would have LOVED to have gone to NTPRS this year, but I was busy having a baby instead. Of course, I'm way more excited for my baby than NTPRS, but it would have been nice to be able to do both. Thank you for sharing your notes with those of us who couldn't attend this year!
ReplyDelete-Toni