More About TPRS

 Below is a clip that goes in depth about how Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling works. Enjoy!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hl9eBJkRkeQ

                                          ¡Bienvenidos!  (Welcome)

Hola Padres!
This is a very exciting opportunity for your children to begin (or continue) the journey of becoming billingual/multilingual.  I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to teach your students Spanish.  I will be using many fun and interesting strategies to help your student begin to acquire the Spanish language and become more familiar with Spanish-speaking cultures. 

Methods 
In the beginning I will often give commands (TPR, Total Physical Response) and students will respond by doing something physically or gesturing that they do not understand.  Using movement and acting out words will help students acquire the language more quickly.  It's a lot like how your children acquired their first language.  You, parents, are excellent language teachers!  Another very powerful way to acquire language is through simple stories.  We will create and even act out situations or stories in class to work with new vocabulary and teach grammar  contextually (TPRS, TPR Storytelling).  Often the stories will be silly or crazy.  You may agree that children love to make up fun or goofy stories.    We use props, movement and theatre to make it easy for students to understand at all times and to make the experience fun and memorable.  Spanish songs will be taught also to improve listening skills, reinforce  language and even explore culture.   A literacy component begins early in the first grade curriculum with students reading simple stories in Spanish early on.  The fourth and fifth grade Spanish curriculum has been carefully backward planned  in order to prepare the students to read the short story Pobre Ana.  


The student role
The two skills that I coach students to use at all times are WATCHING and LISTENING.  In order for them to understand as many messages as possible in our short time together they must be actively listening.  I will encourage students to keep their hands free and watch me and other students when speaking and acting in order to maximize their comprehension through the nonverbal cues:  pictures, props, gestures, and body language.
Students are not required or even expected to speak Spanish in the beginning.   I do, however, ask that they refrain from speaking English, raising their hand to get permission to communicate in English (unless it is an emergency of course).   Most students will start in a "silent period" where they are watching, listening, and perhaps choosing to respond nonverbally only.   It’s as though they are a “babies” in new the language.  However, you'll find that their comprehension of the language will increase rapidly and they'll be "toddlers" in no time wIth many students speaking, with limited vocabulary, very soon.  Other students take longer to begin speaking, just as in one's first language. 

Can I help my child practice? Of course!  Please do.  If you speak Spanish to any degree I encourage you to use the language with your student in simple, easy to understand messages.  You'll find the vocabulary that they are learning posted on the blog each week and ideally you could recycle these words with your children via basic communication in Spanish.  Remember that practice in the early stages of language acquisition is mostly listening (input) and understanding as they haven't yet acquired enough language for much speaking or writing (output).



If you don't speak Spanish (yet) ask your students to teach YOU what they are learning in class using the vocabulary and activities posted on the blog.  This gives them the opportunity to switch roles and become the  teacher and reinforce their knowledge  You might be surprised how well your children may be able to teach you. Please check this blog for information about what your child is learning in class.  In addition I'll post cultural information, simple stories, songs, links, etc. to reinforce and extend the language acquisition opportunity beyond the classroom. I believe that acquiring a new language happens best through joy.  Please communicate with me if there is anything I should know about your child to make their learning experience more effective or more joyful.  I love world languages and cultures, and I want your child to love them too. Thank you for your support of the Sopris Spanish program.

MUCHAS GRACIAS, 
Señorita Katie Houchin
Spanish Teacher
Sopris Elementary School
khouchin@rfsd.k12.co.us