Intermediate-Learn Spanish Through Reading, Discussions, Games and Activities! FLEX Class (La Llorona)

Stories, laughter, and games make compelling forces in language-learning! In this class, near the beginning of their Spanish-language journey will practice different kinds of structures and phrases each week while engaging in games and activities while listening to simple stories and a class novel. 2 years of Spanish knowledge is recommended.

Though this flex version of the course includes no live class time, please see below the various ways we will interact over the course of this learning experience:

~Interaction Through Instructional Videos~
Each Sunday, I will post a video introducing the new structures and vocabulary for the week.  I will also read the story of the week and provide comprehension questions.   Students will have opportunities to show their understanding through various methods and activities.  The teacher will provide constructive feedback on responses.

~Interaction Through Reinforcement Games and Activities~
Each week features a simple beginning Spanish story that practices that week's structures and vocabulary. Each Monday, I share a video of myself reading the story, I provide printable versions of the stories and practice activities for the students. I recommend that students read that story to a person at home, SSR (Sustained Silent Reading) or record themselves and share with the teacher for additional practice.  We will correct comprehension questions every week for feedback and have an optional interactive game or activity to check for understanding. 

I use Google Slides to teach this unit.  I teach with a focus on Comprehensible Input and not grammar since that is not how language is naturally acquired.  Comprehensible input Spanish readers are a game changer in the classroom. Leveled readers in Spanish tell captivating stories and incorporate repetition of high-frequency language making them an extremely effective way to engage students.  We will read a novel entirely in Spanish, have discussions in Spanish and play games/activities to expose students to the target language. The focus will be on developing skills in the areas of listening, speaking and reading.

Many people are new to Comprehensible Input, so let’s start with a general question. Why is reading important in the CI classroom? How does it complement the input students get listening? Reading is essential to growth in proficiency. It allows students to process the language with their eyes at their own pace. They can change speeds, read a passage multiple times and more easily decipher meaning of unknown words. It also allows teachers to vary the delivery of input.  Students need to hear many different voices in the target language. As they read, the input comes from the voices in their heads. Reading invites us to create pictures in our imaginations. Doing so forces students to engage with language in a new way. It also exposes students to the flow of natural language and many current and historical cultural themes.  

The novel for this Book Club is called, La Llorona (The Weeping Woman). Laney Morales’ dream of playing soccer in Mazatlán, Mexico soon turns into a nightmare, as she discovers that the spine-chilling legends of old may actually be modern mysteries. Friendless and frightened, Laney must endure the eerie cries in the night alone. Why does no one else seem to hear or see the weeping woman in the long white dress? Laney must stop the dreadful visits, even if it means confessing her poor choices and coming face to face with La Llorona de Mazatlán.

The low unique word count and high frequency factor (the number of times core structures are embedded in the text) in the Comprehension-based™ reader, ‘La Llorona de Mazatlán’, make this an ideal read for advanced beginning Spanish students. Each page is loaded with cognates (words that are similar in English and Spanish), recycled vocabulary, and illustrations, which makes this read highly comprehensible. Enjoy the story! The more you enjoy it, the more you will acquire Spanish without even realizing it! We hope you enjoy reading your way to FLUENCY!

Class Novel- La Llorona (English title: The Weeping Woman)
Class 1- Students will read and discuss Chapter 1- 2 of novel.
Class 2-Students will read and discuss Chapter 3-4 of novel.
Class 4- Students will read and discuss Chapter 5-6 of novel.
Class 5-- Students will read and discuss Chapter 7-8  of novel.
Class 6-- Students will read and discuss Chapter 9-11 of novel.
Class 7- Students will read and discuss Chapter 12-14 of novel.