FLANC-
September 30, 2005
“Incorporating
Projects in First-Year Spanish”
Alison
McGlinn
Tom
Soth
Northwest
Guilford High School
Greensboro,
NC
I. Examples (Rubrics
attached)
1.
¿Quién Soy Yo? Libro de Niños
3.
Libros de Tiempo Durante el Año
4.
Menus
para mi Restaurante Mexicano
7.
Historietas de la Rutina
Diaria
8.
“En Mi Familia” - proyectos de
repaso
9. Otros Ejemplos- Me Gusta;
Durante mi Vacación
II. Procedures:
·
Plan
to give students enough time to produce a quality product- usually 2 weeks is
sufficient
·
Introduce
students to the project assignment and rubric in class after first few days of
a new chapter. Vocabulary is fresh and students are excited about using new
vocabulary.
·
Show
examples from previous years or create one yourself. Show enthusiasm and
excitement about what they are going to do!
·
If
possible, use real children’s books in English or Spanish that are based upon
same theme as models. I have used them to give students ideas on how to
illustrate their book or how to center the book around a main character.
·
Don’t
break the momentum now! Allow students to begin the project in class on the day
that you present assignment. This is the most important part to ensure success
of your students. If you don’t give them this initial time to get into the
project, to brainstorm and to ask questions, they will likely feel overwhelmed
later at home by themselves. All it takes is about 10 minutes to get started
with the planning of the first one or two pages.
·
Structure
the project so that students take small steps, receive feedback and then
continue. We typically follow these steps:
1- Pass out assignment
description and accompanying rubric. Thoroughly explain assignment and show
examples.
2- Give students sketch pad
(blank slides from PowerPoint presentation) to plan pages of book or pamphlet.
3- Allow students time with
partner to compare sketches and make changes or additions.
4- Assign clear due dates. Rough
draft due in 4-5 days. Be sure that you have time to cover the grammar needed
to complete project. Require on the rough draft of the written portion of
project. Drawings can be postponed
until the final due date.
5- On day rough drafts are
brought in, take time for sharing and peer revisions. This will allow you to
identify students that are struggling or are lacking the project. You will also
be able to address any problems seen in a large number of the products with the
whole class.
6- Set final due date for
5-6 days later. This allows students to meet with you individually if they need
additional help and allows them time to draw, type and put together final
product.
7- On final due date allow
time in class to present and share the final product. Students have worked hard
on what they have created and are eager to share it with others.
Student Presentations of
Final Product:
·
Oral
Presentations to class
·
Pairs
and Small group presentations (Point and Go)
·
Inside-Outside
circles- 2 smaller circles within classroom. Present product to one person,
then move around circle to present again to a new partner.
·
Gallery
Walk- display books or posters around the room for students to walk around and
view
III. Grading the Final
Product:
·
Evaluations
should consist of both student and teacher evaluation of work. Other classmates
might be asked to provide feedback on the projects that they viewed.
·
Rubrics
provide an objective and quick way to grade projects. They must be adjusted to
teachers’ particular assessment objectives.
·
Be
clear about your expectations for projects and what they will count towards-
quizzes, exams, or homework grade.
·
Try
to return rubrics to students on products within a week of turn in date. A
speedy grading of products gives them the feedback and the positive
reinforcement they need to feel successful in the class. This will help keep up
their motivation in your class!
·
Display
outstanding projects around room so that students can see work of others and
aspire to the same level with the next project
IV. What are the advantages
of using projects in a FL classroom?
·
Gives
teachers an additional and alternative way of assessing students’ proficiency
in FL
·
Takes
into consideration students’ different learning and testing styles and also validates
students’ abilities and strengths
·
With
the goal of sharing with the class, students are pushed to write with clarity
and accuracy
·
Motivates
students because teacher values their product and allows them to use their
talents
·
Motivates
students because they see that they can be successful in assessment with
availability of peer editors and text resources
·
Gives
more accurate picture of students’ overall ability in FL-- what they can do and
what they are trying to do
·
Communicates
that the teacher values creative expression in FL
·
Allows
for more choice in the classroom and gives students more control in their
overall assessment
·
Brings
students into your classroom for extra help that you might not otherwise see
·
Gives
you insight into students’ worlds- their family, their vacations, their
favorite foods, sports, music, movies etc.
·
Books
are all based around common theme or experience yet each students’ book is
unique and interesting
In conclusion:
The use of projects in a FL classroom requires
collaboration among writers and numerous opportunities for feedback and
revision of written work. While the process will take class time, students gain
valuable exposure to using the target language in a creative way and the
teacher gains better understanding of students’ progress overall.
Questions or Comments:
Please email us at:
Alison McGlinn: mcglina@gcs.com
Tom Soth: sotht@gcs.com