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September 26, 2019
Vol. 15
No. 2

Practical Tips for the New Language Teacher

It's an exciting time to be a new foreign language teacher. According to the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), language classrooms should be centers of communication where students explore meaning. Gone are the days of instructing students to open up a workbook and complete rows of conjugations. Instead, as students learn any language, the classroom should come alive with open conversation and dialogue.
As I prepare to enter my fifth year of teaching, I've found that with a strong team in my corner and a growth mindset that struggle produces progress, I have the tools I need to be successful. The following are some tips that I have used to produce an ideal environment for my students.

Speak the language as much as possible from the beginning.

ACTFL's goal for teachers and students is to speak in the target language at least 90 percent of the time in all levels. This may not happen in your classroom every day. The key to reaching this goal is to create a climate where everyone feels free to dialogue in the language. For this to happen, you should start speaking the target language from day one, as soon as students walk in the door. Starting off the school year in this manner will set the foundation and expectation of how you would like students to engage.
If you have a student who refuses to speak back to you, don't give up. Provide several low-stakes assignments that won't affect students' grades but allow students to show off her abilities and gain confidence. A thumbs-up, thumbs-down formative assessment is one way to accomplish this. I pose a yes/no or agree/disagree question to the class, then ask the students to respond with the thumbs up or thumbs down sign.
One outside resource I also find helpful for engaging students is Teach for June's lesson based on Teaching Proficiency Through Reading and Storytelling, or TPRS, which can be used in levels one and two on the first day. The activity involves having the teacher introduce himself by talking about preferred activities and asking yes/no questions to check for comprehension. Afterward, the teacher will introduce one student to the class by asking the student a series of get-to-know-you questions. Finally, the teacher will check for comprehension from the class by asking them yes/no questions about the student.
Additionally, Spanish teacher Cynthia Hitz has activities for all levels, such as having students collaborate on a top-10 list of reasons to study the language. One of my tried-and-true activities in the first week is using the students' name tents. Students fold a piece of paper in half and display the paper so that it resembles a tent. They can write their name in the middle of one side, and in each corner they write an interest, hobby, or favorite food. A comment made to a student about a favorite movie could lead to a whole class discussion about the movie of the summer.

Use visuals to spark dialogue.

For students, looking at a paragraph, worksheet, or slide full of unknown words can be intimidating. To appeal to today's learners, we need to look at where they spend most of their time: Twitter, Snapchat, and Instagram, which all rely on visuals. I use pictures in my French 2 class to create PowerPoint activities during which students describe or compare cities around the world. In my upper-level classes, I use pictures to spark debates and inquiries into topics like social media, education, and art. Posting a picture of a baby holding a cell phone can spark a discussion about the harmful effects of technology on developing minds. Showing an image of students in another country walking to school without shoes could prompt a discussion about access to education.
For these activities, students will need a strong working knowledge of the vocabulary to speak about the topic before having any sort of dialogue in the target language. Encourage students to speak in groups by asking a variety of yes/no, this/that, why/why not, and short-answer questions. For example, some questions I have asked my students during a technology unit include
  • Do you use social media?
  • Do you prefer Snapchat or Instagram?
  • Do you think schools should ban cell phones?
  • How often do you use your cell phone?

Become the stage diva you were meant to be.

One of the most enjoyable parts of teaching a foreign language is being overly expressive with gestures and body language to illustrate a word, phrase, or idea. As a native English speaker, my first reaction is to revert to English when my students do not understand what I am saying. Translating a word or two every so often isn't bad. If you translate almost everything you say, however, students will learn that they do not need to pay close attention to the target language; they only need to listen to the English instructions afterward.
This is where acting comes in. Using gestures to clarify what you are saying bridges the comprehension gap without doing students, and yourself, a disservice. For example, if I wanted my students to understand that the word cheveux means hair in French, I would touch, toss, and point to my hair. Use your whole body, take up space, and exaggerate your facial expressions and movements. This makes definitions clearer and will likely keep your students more engaged. If students do not understand what you are trying to communicate, try slowing down your speech and changing your movements. You can also include students in the fun by assigning partners to create movements for new vocabulary words or an original story where students play the roles.
Apply these suggestions in a way that works for you. Rome wasn't built in a day; be gracious with yourself and your students as you explore language-learning avenues.

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