Do you want your kids to be fluent Spanish speakers? Are you going crazy trying to find classes, resources, and strategies that work? Let’s talk about Comprehensible Input. This life-changing concept will definitely help you and your children learn Spanish in no time.
Have you ever wondered why was it so difficult to master Spanish in High School? Or why classes were so frustrating back then? I personally never experienced it when learning Spanish, since I am a Native Spanish speaker, but I did when trying to learn French. I remember the struggle, and after so many years, the only French I can speak is “Bonjour”.
On the other hand, my younger brother, who had the same experience I did back in High School, can speak it fluently. The only tiny, little difference we had is that he spent two years living in France after graduating.
Why did he learn and I didn’t? Because I was “learning” it the wrong way. Isolated verb conjugation, memorizing grammatical rules and repeating vocabulary words, without any context at all. And that’s not how language acquisition happens naturally.
Language Acquisition
Language acquisition happens when you understand what you are receiving. In other words, when language is meaningful and delivered in a rich context, in a way that we understand subconsciously.
It is true that we can consciously put grammatical rules and verb conjugation into practice when writing or taking a test, but in real life, when we communicate, we can’t. Why? Because that’s not how we naturally speak.
When we speak, we don’t think about any concepts, we don’t analyze subject, verb form, predicate, etc… We just speak, because that language is already part of us, part of our subconscious mind. As a result, we are capable of reaching out to that part of our brain where our language has developed, and use it without even thinking about it.
Now, how does that happen in the classroom? How can learning Spanish be meaningful?
Using Comprehensible Input. And what is that? Input is the language we received from the environment. Comprehensible simply means that we receive it in a way that we understand. Comprehensible input is not a strategy or teaching method. It’s just a concept. It’s how, through exposure to real life, meaningful, engaging experiences that we are able to comprehend in rich contexts, language is acquired inside our brain.
How do I apply Comprehensible Input with my students?
By exposing them to multiple experiences and lots of repetition. Providing engaging, meaningful activities that children feel identified with. Things they can relate to, and expose them multiple times in different contexts.
How can we do that? Here are some of my favorite strategies and activities to teach Spanish with Comprehensible Input:
Integrate Calendar Talk
This is one of the simplest, yet enriching comprehensible inputs you can provide your students with. I always start my day using the same routine, calendar talk. Incorporating visuals to talk about the weather, days of the week, months of the year, season, special celebration, what to expect from today and the upcoming days, gives my children the opportunity to engage in rich conversations.
Sing Songs
Songs are an amazing and powerful tool when learning or teaching Spanish. I like using songs as part of my teaching content. We plan activities around a specific song. By using puppets, visuals, games, and hands-on activities, we are certain it is comprehensible for students. Plus, the simple lyrics and rhythm makes it easier for children to memorize it.
Read stories
Reading is Power! This is the best strategy ever. I make sure to do a Novel Study every couple of months with an appropriate engaging story. We use visuals, vocabulary flashcards, reading comprehension and writing activities. Plus, every day, children have a quiet time to do independent reading. They get to choose any book they want.
Build background knowledge
I like using visual text support for any novel study, songs, or texts that we worked on. That way, we make sure students can comprehend the context of the story and unfamiliar words. I organize the images and explanations in a PowerPoint or Google Slides Presentation by chapters, and discuss it with students.
Use visuals
Visuals are a magnificent way to encourage children to comprehend what they are being exposed to. I use visuals to scaffold the learning process. Visuals can include flashcards, puppets, real-life objects, images, etc.
Watch movies or videos
I love using movies and videos as part of my novel study. I read books that include a movie or video clip. We get to compare and contrast both of them. In addition, we use videos in the classroom to show, pause and discuss about it.
Plan Comprehensible Input activities
Hands-on activities have been proven to be a great way to use Comprehensible Input. They make learning engaging, increase retention, keep children focused and motivated to keep learning. In conclusion, children “learn by doing”, and this also applies to learning a second language.
Use Total Physical Response
Total physical response (TPR) is an approach to teaching a second language. It is based on working listening skills linked to physical activities to reinforce comprehension. I love using TPR to practice listening and build vocabulary. I integrate TPR when we play games like “Simon says”, skip count using a tennis ball or balloon, and Hopscoth. Plus, it’s engaging and fun for students.
Model, model, model
This is a must for any teacher. It doesn’t matter if you are teaching a second language, math or science. Modeling is one of the most beneficial strategies teachers can use in the classroom. I try to model everything I do, and everything I want my children to do. In other words, when modeling, there’s no chance for misunderstanding of what’s expected in the classroom. Modeling helps children comprehend what they are being asked to, and encourage them to connect words in Spanish with actions.
Interested in more?
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