All of us want to be better at our craft and develop our skills as teachers. As world language specialist I wanted to provide an experience to sharpen skills and inspire teachers as they prepared for a new school year.
On August 1st 2018 we will welcome one of the most in demand speakers on the CI circuit.
(I know you are asking yourself: isn't it a little early to talk about next year? Actually, to land a 'big name' is not easy and generally takes over a year lead time. They are really popular speakers! We are fortunate to be able to get him! I wanted to make sure you put it on your calendar early! :))
I shared with him some of the goals we have for our learners here in CFB and he developed a workshop just for us! His workshop will provide all teachers with strategies and techniques to prepare us for a great year.
Some of the things we discussed:
- How can we as teachers be compelling yet stay in the target language 90%+ in the classroom?
- Stories can bring life to a classroom: how can we use them and even make our own?
- How can we include reading more effectively in our classes? (with students at all levels, including NS)
- What are some language classroom management techniques that can keep learners focused on language acquisition?
This is the program Bryce worked on just for us!
WORKSHOP PROPOSAL
FOR CARROLLTON-FARMERS BRANCH ISD
Bryce Hedstrom, brycehedstrom.com
Workshop Description: This workshop will help world
language teachers learn more about research-based methods of instruction along
with many practical tips, techniques, and strategies for immediate use in the
classroom. Parallel strategies in both literacy and oral language will be
presented that engage heritage learners as well as non-native students. The
focus will be on using differentiated comprehensible input-based methods that
help all students acquire more language more quickly and with more engagement.
Attendees will receive an electronic
packet of over 100 resources to help them implement the training they receive
in this workshop.
Morning Session Compelling Communication: 90%+ Target Language Use & More Interaction 8:30 – 11:30
I. What Is Teaching with Comprehensible Input?
Acquisition
vs. Learning
Input
vs. Output
Oral
Language vs. Written Language
Word
Frequency Awareness & Resources
Teaching
Grammar Communicatively and Effectively
Parallel literacy strategies for native
speakers
II. Getting Meaningful Repetitions
Engaging
students and getting compelling input with
Special Person interviews
Why
Stories Engage Our Imaginations
Basic
Storytelling: Thumbnail Sketch and Resources for Developing Skills
Lunch on your own—or voluntary working lunch with discussion 12:00-1:00
Afternoon Session Teaching
Reading Effectively 1:00-4:00
III. Compelling Reading? Is there Such a Thing?
Developing a Compelling Reading
Program: Why Read?
Whole Class Reading: The Backbone of
the Curriculum
Free Reading: Where the Most Acquisition
Comes From
Reading Aloud: Reading That Ignites
Imaginations and Conversations
Reading Differentiation for Native Speakers
Kindergarten Reading: Every Kid’s Favorite
Kind of Reading
Reading Materials
IV. No Instruction without Structure
A New Look at Classroom Management in
World language Classes
Classroom Jobs: Shared Control
Time Saving Strategies
Relational Management: Using Peer
Pressure to Help Learning Objectives
Body Language Awareness: It’s the
Little Things
“It disheartens me to see so many
teachers try and then give up because they cannot make all the pieces of
their teaching work right away. I also dislike the way that the inertia in
education is crushing the dreams of so many gifted teachers and making students
think that they are bad at learning.
It doesn’t
have to be this way. I want to contribute to solving these problems of
discouragement and abandonment of our profession by giving teachers hope.
I believe that success in the classroom is possible; that students can
learn and that teachers can be both productive and happy.
Bryce Hedstrom believes
that honey works better than vinegar, that cooperation works better than
competition, and that an encouraging smile works better than a disapproving scowl.
His teaching emphasizes a comprehensible input-based approach which includes storytelling, acting, reading, music, student engagement and
plenty of laughter.
Bryce is a high
school teacher and teacher trainer in northern Colorado. He has a B.A. in
Spanish and an M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction. Bryce has taught since 1989 at the
elementary, middle school, high school, and college levels. He received
the Best of Colorado award from the Colorado Congress of
Foreign Language Teachers in 2008.
He has written
scores of books, articles, blogs and lessons to train teachers and to teach
Spanish learners. He produces training guides, posters and artwork for
the same purpose.
Some of the most
rewarding work he has done has been serving as an interpreter for short-term
pediatric medical clinics in Mexico and Guatemala with a group of regional
doctors.
