Contents

From https://www.languagemagazine.com/2019/08/16/the-role-of-equity-in-the-assessment-of-english-learners/

The Role of Equity in the Assessment of English Learners
by Teresa Krastel
August 16, 2019

Imagine you and a traveling companion are visiting the Netherlands to see fine art. You tour a beautiful museum, but your guide speaks only in Dutch and all of her materials are in Dutch. Fluent in Dutch, your traveling companion has the opportunity to read about specific works, ask directions, and converse with docents. But since you do not speak Dutch, there is only so much you can glean from the tour, despite your deep interest in and knowledge of art history. In this situation, you simply do not have the tools to get what you need out of the experience. You find the entire visit frustrating.

Now imagine you are given a test, also in Dutch, assessing what you learned from your tour. The results of your test will determine whether or not you are invited to an exhibit and roundtable discussion on your favorite artist, about whose life and work you are quite knowledgeable. You would likely do poorly on the test, but it is not an accurate reflection of your knowledge. Additionally, based on your score, you would likely not be invited to participate in the discussion, although your knowledge could be very insightful in such a session. If someone provided a tour and an assessment in your native language, you could truly demonstrate your understanding. Even with something low stakes, like this fictional scenario, the situation sounds unfair and inequitable. However, this is what happens on a much larger scale to K–12 English learners (ELs) every single day when they are administered tests in English. Just as a test in your native language of your knowledge of the fine art in the Dutch museum would have been more accurate and reliable for you, for ELs, assessments in their home languages are crucial in providing reliable and accurate information about their knowledge. To get a valid measure of ELs, assessments must be offered in the students’ home languages.

Read the full article at https://www.languagemagazine.com/2019/08/16/the-role-of-equity-in-the-assessment-of-english-learners/

From http://stemteachingtools.org

Here is a brief with recommendations for actions you can take to engage English learners in science and engineering: http://stemteachingtools.org/brief/27

From https://spanishmama.com

Whether you're brand new to TPR, or Total Physical Response, or you want a deeper background in a technique you're already familiar with, this post by Elisabeth at Spanish Mama will be helpful. She begins with the history of the technique, starting with James Asher, who developed it. From there she describes how to do it, gives examples of TPR-based games like Simon Says, and includes videos of classrooms using TPR.

Read this post at https://spanishmama.com/what-is-tpr-total-physical-response/

From https://weteachlang.com

Your InterCom editor is a huge fan of the We Teach Languages podcast series, and we've missed hearing fresh episodes for the last month or two. 

Now the series resumes with fresh new podcasts. 

Episodes 111 and 112 features Gianfranco Conti talking about developing listening skills: https://weteachlang.com/2019/08/09/111-with-gianfranco-conti-part-i/ and https://weteachlang.com/2019/08/16/112-with-gianfranco-conti-part-ii/

In Episode 113, Janina Hanson interviews Justin Slocum Bailey about the content of his recent workshop for language teachers: Mind, Body, and Voice Skills. Among other topics, Janina and Justin discuss the value of silence in the classroom and of paying attention to our minds and bodies: https://weteachlang.com/2019/08/23/113-with-justin-slocum-bailey/

All episodes include links to show notes and additional resources.

From http://elmundodepepita.blogspot.com

Julie from the Mundo de Pepita website shares a lesson plan and extra activity ideas that can serve as a template for anyone teaching a second language at the preschool level: http://elmundodepepita.blogspot.com/2019/08/sample-lesson-plans-for-preschool-world.html

From https://theconversation.com/whats-the-best-way-to-teach-children-a-second-language-new-research-produces-surprising-results-122059

What’s the best way to teach children a second language? New research produces surprising results
by Karen Roehr-Brackin and Angel Tellier
August 22, 2019

Research has shown that children are highly successful learners if they have a lot of exposure to a new language over a long time, such as in the case of child immigrants who are surrounded by the new language all day, every day. In such a scenario, children become much more proficient in the new language over the long term than adults.

But if the amount of language children are exposed to is limited, as in classroom language learning, children are slow learners and overall less successful than teenagers or adults. How can we explain this apparent contrast?

Researchers have argued that children learn implicitly, that is, without conscious thought, reflection or effort. And implicit learning requires a large amount of language input over a long period of time.

As we get older, we develop the ability to learn explicitly – that is, analytically and with deliberate effort. Put differently, adults approach the learning task like scientists. This explains why more mature classroom learners have greater success: they can draw on more highly developed, efficient, explicit learning processes which also require more effort.

...In our new study, we asked whether younger children who are generally thought to learn implicitly had already developed some ability to learn explicitly as well. What’s more, we looked at whether the ability to analyze language can predict foreign language learning success in the classroom.

Read the full article at https://theconversation.com/whats-the-best-way-to-teach-children-a-second-language-new-research-produces-surprising-results-122059

From http://todallycomprehensiblelatin.blogspot.com

In this post, Keith Toda describes a simple input activity that uses a visual of all of the Disney or Pixar characters as a prompt. The teacher asks students to find a certain character, and then they talk about the characteristics of that character.

Read a full activity description at http://todallycomprehensiblelatin.blogspot.com/2019/08/find-disneypixar-character.html

From http://www.creativelanguageclass.com

Here are four Friday routines you can try in your class, including a Friday cheer, and some support for self-assessment and reflection: http://www.creativelanguageclass.com/four-friday-routines/

From https://senorachase.com

In this helpful blog post, AnneMarie Chase gives several tips for effective, smooth-running classroom games, and then she links to descriptions of several popular and proven activities: https://senorachase.com/2019/07/28/making-classroom-games-awesome/