Profe B.com

1) Make a statement
2) Ask a question that requires yes as the answer / a positive question
3) Ask an either or question using words the kids already know. Don’t add new vocab here.
4) Ask a negative question (a question that requires NO as the answer) using the detractor in #3.
5) Re-ask the positive question that was asked in #2
6) Make the statement from #1 again.

Steps 5 and 6 close the circle. After #5 you can add question-word questions.

If we look at Moco Loco’s example, you can see most of the 6 steps above.
The boy ate bananas.
Did the boy eat bananas?
Did the boy eat bananas or gorillas?
Did the boy eat gorillas?
Did the boy eat bananas?
Who ate bananas?
What did the boy eat?

What is missing is restating the original statement. If you have provided enough input and students are answering the questions with zero response time, then throw in a question word. Make sure that they have the information to answer the questions that start with question words.

With beginning students, we often overestimate how much language they know. They appear to be with us, but they are merely trying to get the gist of the story. We want them to COMPREHEND the story. The circling of questions forces us to stick with one spot of the story and use the targeted vocab and info in numerous questions. It will seem slow and repetitive to you, but it isn’t for the students.

When students learn a foreign language, it is, well eh, foreign. That means that they have no concept of how the language fits together to make meaning. The first time students hear a sentence, they are trying to figure the gist of the gibberish they hear. The 2nd time they hear the same statement, they are trying to establish the meaning of the sentence. The 3rd (or perhaps 20th) time they are able to hear the individual words that make up that sentence. With repeated statements, they begin to hear the nuances that make the language unique and not just a bunch of translated words. Students need to hear those statements repeatedly. We need to do the circle of questioning so that we don’t move too fast through the story and that the students will hear the structures over and over and over until they intuitively know what sounds right.

Step 1 Vocabulary

Give the meaning in English
Gesture (younger students require gestures)

Personalize the vocabulary:
Ask questions using the new words.
Ex: If the word is a noun, asks if a student likes
it. If the word is a verb, ask if he does it.
Show interest by asking follow-up questions.
Ask the entire group about the first student.
Invite reactions by entire group.
Ask similar questions of another student.
Compare and contrast students.

Always look for confusion (hesitation or no response)
and use translation to clear it up.
Make sure that every student knows all of the new
vocabulary words.
Show interest and enthusiasm.
Capitalize on the comparison between students to make
a little story about them.

Step 2 Story

Get actors to dramatize the story. The actor performs
after each statement.
Spend plenty of time on the story (do NOT hurry.)
Follow each statement with 5 ? 6 questions. Use a
variety of questions: translation, low-level,
open-ended, and creative.
Use translation to clarify grammar and structure.
(Pop-up frequently throughout the story.)
Creative questions (that have no answer yet) invite
BEP (bizarre, exaggerated or personalized) details.
Students must answer all questions. they respond to
statements with ?Oh!? and ?Ahh!?
Use the information that you learned about students
(in step 1) to personalize the story.
Recycle parts of the story many times.
Retell the story without actors (but with more
questions and embellishments) if you need to.

Teach to the eyes! Look at the audience, not at the
actors.
Enjoy the sparkle students.

Step 3 Literacy

Give students a printed story.
One person at a time translates the story while the
rest follow along.
Make sure that students understand the entire story.
Use translation to explain grammar so that grammar is
tied to meaning, not to a grammar rule.
Discuss the reading in the language.
? Relate the situation, characters, and plot to
students.
? Ask if they have ever been in such a situation.
? Capitalize on the cultural information in the story.
? Use the story to teach life lessons.
? Give a short quiz on the reading.
? Act out a scene from a novel.
? Discuss character development, choices and values.

Repeat step 3 for as many readings as you have.
Extended readings and novels should be translated in
this manner.