Pam Kaatz dba Color Connection–2826 Robinson Road–Denton, TX 76210
Texas Education Agency–CPE Provider # 902-292
214-906-2106 kaatz@airmail.net www.color-connections.com www.verb-wall.com
WORKSHOP #1: BUILDING ARTIFICIAL REALITIES:
CONTEXTUALIZING GRAMMAR, SYNTAX and VOCABULARY
LENGTH OF WORKSHOP: 6 HOURS
SCHEDULE: (Changes may be made to meet specific needs of participants.)
8:30-10:00 90 minute session 12:45-2:00 90 minute session
10:00-10:15 15 minute break 2:00-2:15 15 minute break
10:15-11:45 90 minute session 2:15-3:45 90 minute session
11:45-12:45 60 minute LUNCH
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Workshops may be arranged…
1. …by the District LOTE Coordinators—for their teachers and others.
2. …by a teacher who can host in his/her school.
Host attends free and receives the Spanish Verb Wall kit.($150)
3. …by the local Education Service Center–with enough teacher requests.
You must let them know you are interested.
Price for the workshop will be determined by the individual group circumstances.
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OPTIONS:
(1) The 6 hours may be scheduled for 2 different meetings of 3 hours, or 3 meetings of 2 hours.
(2) The workshop may be extended to 9 or 12 hours. In which case, concepts would be reviewed and additional interactive lessons would be demonstrated.
(3) This workshop may be blended with the VERB WALL workshop for any target language, including English for Speakers of Other Languages.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
I instinctively knew that teaching my interactive demonstration lessons in Russian, a language about which 99.99% of the participants would know nothing, was a very powerful way to show them how this methodology affects the language learner. Imagine my shock and subsequent sense of pride when I realized that what I was doing had been advocated long ago:
Instruction begins when you, the teacher, learn from the learner.
Put yourself in his place so that you may understand what he learns and the way he understands it.
SOREN KIERKEGAARD~DENMARK~1813-1855
THE LEARNER WILL….Upon completion of this workshop, the educator participant will be able to…
►► (1) Understand that the target language is best acquired as the first language was acquired. While most language educators agree, in theory, that this is the ideal way, we understand that the total reality of the early childhood linguistic experience cannot be reproduced within the limits of the classroom setting. We CAN, however, imitate the essence of first language acquisition by
- ••providing the context necessary for comprehension
- ••allowing students to show comprehension through actions and “safe” utterances
- ••making language production the logical outcome of the situation
- ••realizing that communication teaches language skills unconsciously
►► (2) Avoid causing LLBDS: Language Learner Brain Damage Syndrome. This condition is usually caused by forcing upon the learners rote memorization of vocabulary and grammar rules. Anyone who has studied another language remembers reciting lists of verb conjugations, but then not being able to call up those forms randomly as they are needed. (I know about LLBDS because I, myself, suffered from it. Fortunately, I was cured by a great university teacher and a year in Argentina.)
►► (3) Implement these Language Acquisition theories using the lessons they “lived” in the Russian language. Having felt what the learner feels as the brain begins to organize the randomly presented concepts, the teacher can use these same techniques while presenting his/her target language.
►► (4) Explain to other teachers in his/her department that Building Artificial Realities is NOT a different curriculum; it actually supports all curricula.
►► (5) NOT become frustrated by trying to change immediately and completely his/her teaching style. This type of teaching is difficult to implement at first. When the educator participant has experienced the success of one of these lessons, he/she will be able to add more.