First-Day Suggestion
Sheri,
For my first 3 weeks, my goals are to do some class building activities, go
over policies, and do Chapter 1 LICT “The Cat Story”. My students are 8th
graders who have had one year of Spanish with good communicative teachers
who don’t use TPRS.
The first day, they will come in and I will give them assigned seats
assuming that the administration has given me class list prior to the first
day. I generally try to seat students boy, girl, boy girl in a random
fashion. They then fill-out an index card with their name, address, phone
number, and parent’s names. I use these cards to contact parent throughout
the year. Next, I tell them a little bit about TPRS which I call
storytelling and long-term memory. Then we start right in with Lesson 1. I
like to get started right away because in all the other classes they are
doing rules and policies. Except for talking about TPRS and long-term
memory, I try to keep the class in Spanish.
The second day, we do a class building activity for about 20 minutes. And
then we’ll continue with Lesson 1.
This year my third day is a Monday. We’ll do a short class building
activity, continue with Lesson 1, and then spend the last 10 minutes going
over policies and grades.
This year I won’t start with TPR. Many of us are not TPRing in the
beginning. As far as starting with TPRS, this is what I recommend: use
LICT (the two new yellow books) with your Spanish I class. Use LICTM (the
two green books) with your Spanish II class.
The first day, explain the basic rules of storytelling:
1. They need to respond to every statement. New information: Wow or
Ahhh. Old information: Answer the question.
2. They need to sit-up and look at the speaker in an attentive manner.
3. I’m going to tell a story and they are going to help me by providing
some of the details.
4. My goal is to repeat our phrases of the day as many times as
possible so that both the vocabulary and structure of the language ends up
in their long term memory.
5. Sometimes I’ll ask for their help counting repetitions, acting, etc.
6. It won’t feel like learning but they will be learning an amazing
amount.
7. They need to politely and respectfully stop me when they don’t
understand something I’ve said. I teach them the time out sign.
To get started with a story, get a set of index cards and script out the
story.
Card 1: 1st phrase, gesture, 3-4 commands using the phrase.
2nd phrase, gesture, 3-4 commands using the phrase.
3rd phrase, gesture, 3-4 commands using the phrase.
Card 2: Some personalized questions using the 3 phrases.
Cards 3-??: Write the first sentence of the story. Underline or highlight
where students could provide different information. Then write out your 1st
set of circling questions. Then write out 1-2 questions asking for
additional details.
Do this for each sentence of the story.
Make sure you number your index cards in case you drop them or put them on a
ring.
In the front and back of the room post your interrogative with the English.
Your students will use the ones in the front of the room and you can use the
ones in the back.
If you have scripted out your story, you may not actually need to use your
cards but you’ll have them as back-up. I usually write my cards for the
first two weeks and I’ve been doing TPRS for 7 years. I don’t actually use
them but I still write them out and then after 2 weeks, I don’t feel I need
to script at all.
Read over Susie Gross’s handout on the 3 steps; read over the coaching
handout and select a skill to work on. Once you feel you can do that skill
well go on to another skill. Read over Julie Baird’s handout on Asking a
story. All three of these can be downloaded from Blaine’s website. They
were handouts in Las Vegas.
Above all go slow, teach to your barometer student, relax and have fun!
Remember bad TPRS is better than no TPRS. TPRS is a process and a skill
that takes practice to become proficient. Most of us, even those of us with
years of experience are still learning and perfecting.
Joanne
