Greetings parents and students! I am thrilled to welcome you to my German class this year, which will be starting Semester 2 due to our new schedule.
Using research-supported methods and the Colorado Academic Standards, I will use comprehensible language 90%+ of the time. To attain this, I use “high frequency chunks” embedded within highly compelling stories, novels, songs, videos and activities (rather than isolated vocabulary lists and grammar charts). Grammar structures are addressed as they arise naturally within the language in the class: focus is on meaning over form. This will allow students to acquire the language in a process that more closely mirrors that of first language acquisition, resulting in increased student confidence and success. I want students to acquire the language, not short-term memorize items to be forgotten later!
I will be providing the students with massive amounts of comprehensible input. Students will be responsible for demonstrating their comprehension or advocating for themselves when they do not.
Type of things we will be doing every day:
Gesturing and acting out vocabulary
Creating entertaining skits and stories
Learning grammar as it occurs naturally by using “Grammar Pop-ups” (brief description of the structure)
Drawing summaries of plots then explaining them out loud
Reading chapter novels and reenacting the action and dialogue
Celebrating holidays and learning German culture and history