I think that, by the second year in the TPRS classroom, some students get really tired of the same old structure that I live by. For those classes, I have tried to give them what they are begging me for in a couple of different ways. First off, I do not do this every day because I am still the teacher and I know what's best for them...
I have started having them write the stories based on our target structures. They have enough language that they are able to do this. Then, I pick the best one and we go over it rather quickly the next day. A lot of times, their stories are based on fairy tales or movies, so it makes it a lot more interesting for the students.
I also spend a lot more time on PQA than I do with my first years. I don't know what it is about how I PQA, but I can't get the whole class to listen to me talk about one student in the class. They just don't care that their neighbor woke up at 6 am. Now, in the beginning of the year, when we are circling with balls, I can get the kids to pay attention for 45 minutes of me talking about one student. But they just don't listen during a normal PQA. Any thoughts on how I can spice it up?
I think that sometimes it is the time of year (Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarch) and sometimes it's the structures. I had the same trouble with "gets up"!! Finally I got one answer about the time...then went to the next person and asked them to finish the statement..."I get up at six when......." (circle circle) then another student (opposite of the room) "I get up at six when....because...." (circle circle) then "I get up at six when...because...but my brother only gets up at six when....." (circle circle) It only takes one student to be creative to get things going. :o)
ReplyDeletewith love,
Laurie