Cultivating a Love for Reading: Introducing Free Reading to Middle School Students
In this blog post, we’ll explore a twist on introducing Free Reading through book “speed dating” with middle school students. Learn how to guide students through a process of book selection, assessment, and reflection, and help to cultivate essential reading habits while igniting a passion for literature. From building reading stamina to fostering autonomy in book selection, this method offers a dynamic way to nurture lifelong readers in the classroom.
How to: 3 Reading Strategies for Novices
I always struggle with how to get my novice learners reading with texts they can comprehend. Here are my top three reading strategies that I use with my Novice Elementary and Middle School students.
¡Quince! Race to 15 in This Quick Dice Game for Spanish Class
I needed to get them re-reading the text - I just didn’t have time to keep creating new input! In a moment of inspiration, I created this re-reading race - I called it ¡Agarra el Número! It’s SO easy to play, low-prep, and has the bonus effect of reviewing numbers.
Tic-Tac-Número - Group Reading and Listening Game for Spanish Class
I needed to get them re-reading the text - I just didn’t have time to keep creating new input! In a moment of inspiration, I created this re-reading race - I called it ¡Agarra el Número! It’s SO easy to play, low-prep, and has the bonus effect of reviewing numbers.
How to Engage Students with Scholastic Magazines in Spanish Class
Spanish sub plans, Scholastic magazine graphic organizer
Agarra el Número - a World Language Reading Game!
I needed to get them re-reading the text - I just didn’t have time to keep creating new input! In a moment of inspiration, I created this re-reading race - I called it ¡Agarra el Número! It’s SO easy to play, low-prep, and has the bonus effect of reviewing numbers.
Top 3 Comprehensible Activities for Teaching about Las Posadas
Teach about Las Posadas with a slideshow story, a scavenger hunt, and a bingo game - all in comprehensible language even level 1 students can find successful!
How to Unlock the Power of Chat Mats to Support Conversation and Comprehension
I could see it in their eyes. Confusion, boredom, and a slight hint of ‘when does this class end’. My heart beat a too-fast rhythm as I struggled to ask questions my students would understand about Thanksgiving foods and activities. How would I get through this?
How the FLIPPED Running Dictation Saved My Formal Observation Crisis
What’s a FLIPPED Running Dictation?
Essentially, instead of putting clues or images around the room “scavenger-hunt style” for kids to dictate and translate, I put QUESTIONS about they text! They then had to search inside the text for the answers. Read more to see how I do it!
Top 3 Creative and Comprehensible Día de los Muertos Classroom Activities
What sounds better for Day of the Dead than a scavenger hunt, sugar skull reading project, and a bingo game - all in comprehensible language even level 1 students can find successful!
Unleashing Reading Comprehension Magic with Highlighters: An Unforgettable Classroom Adventure
A magical activity to practice reading comprehension strategies in the target language
Sick? These Sub-Plans Will Save your Sanity
It’s 3 am and I can’t sleep. My throat burns, my head throbs and in 4 hours I’ll be trying to corral 25 eighth-graders with a box of Kleenex in one hand and a bottle of Advil in the other. Panic overwhelms me as I realize I have no sub plans ready! Do I call out? What if I’m still sick tomorrow?
Categories
- Assessment 3
- Chat Mats 1
- Classroom Set-up 7
- Classroom management 2
- Community Building 2
- Comprehensible Input 28
- Culture 16
- Día de los Muertos 1
- Encouragement 1
- Games 18
- Grammar 1
- Holidays 4
- How to 5
- Lessons 4
- Movie Talks 1
- No Prep 2
- October Classroom Ideas 2
- Planning 1
- Reading 19
- Resource Round Up 1
- Review 1
- Speaking 3
- Stories 1
- Sub Plans 4
- Technology 2
- Thanksgiving 1
- Vocabulary Activities 2
- behavior management 1
- classroom community building 4
- teacher sanity 1