Utah DLI German Teacher Newsletter March 2025

Utah DLI German Teacher Newsletter

2024-2025 Events for Utah DLI German Teachers

March 12, 2025: DSD 1 Written Test (Nachholtermin: March 26, 2025)

April 17, 2025: BYU German Fair

July 28 - August 1, 2025: AUDII

July 30-August 1, 2025: Summer Bridge Institute

November 21-23, 2025: ACTFL Convention in New Orleans

Utah DLI Core Instructional Strategies

Do you remember the six core instructional strategies from your AUDII training? Can you name them from the top of your head? We will highlight one core strategy each month until the end of this school year to refresh our memory. This month, we are moving to the fifth core strategy: Student Engagement!

Core Strategy # 5: Student Engagement

This instructional strategy is at the core of all DLI programs: how to engage 100% of the students at all times during the lesson. Tried and true essentials in our classes are the use of individual whiteboards (visual) that students can hold up for the teacher to scan for an immediate check of understanding and OTRs (Opportunities to Respond), often in the form of turn and talks. A great resource for high levels of student engagement in all grade levels is the book Total Participation Techniques by William and Persida Himmele. Here is the link to their Resource Page for the book. It includes ideas and strategies from the book as well as teacher videos modeling the strategies, and a webinar by the authors on TPTs. Here is a list of TPTs, e.g. Quick Writes, Quick Draws, Air Writes, Hold Ups, etc. with explainations how they work.

We often fall victim to time crunches. We feel that we are rushed (rushed in DLI, really?) and might be tempted to skip the OTRs before we have a student share answers with the whole group. The problem is that we take away processing and learning time from the students that need it the most when we skip this step. Rule of Thumb: Never have just one student answer a question for everyone - always have students OTR first! All students need and deserve to answer all questions.

Does the Rule of Thumb apply on the English partner side? Definitely. Students benefit from this strategy in their native tongue, too. If you have high levels of English language learners in your DLI program, OTRs are a no brainer. How about in the upper grades and in secondary? We are even more tempted to skip the step of OTRs in the upper elementary and secondary grade levels. However, this is when we need to push for higher proficiency levels and accuracy in student responses through OTRs. The teacher can provide compound and complex sentence frames that students practice through OTRs before sharing with the class. So, the Ripple Rule still applies - even in 12th grade and in college.

Articles Worth Reading

Measuring student progress across multiple languages might be challenging. Many school districts with DLI programs have adopted the AAPPL, transforming their programs and gaining critical data to drive instruction, improve outcomes, and enhance program credibility. In a recent case study, LTI explored how a Utah immersion program is using the AAPPL to set and achieve language proficiency goals for students. Read and download the case study here

Teacher's Notebooks as part of the Modeling Cycle. Here is an example how powerful modeling writing is - not only in elementary but also in middle school. Read the article here.

Teachers know from experience and have many anecdotes that writing something down by hand improves memory. Science supports that anecdotal evidence. Read this article published in Popular Science to find out more. Does typing still matter and have a place in schools? (Hint: yes, it does!)

Middle schoolers and organization? Do these words go together? Do you need to go to your happy place when your middle school (or high school) students open their backpacks and take 20 minutes to find a specific handout? Here are some tried and new tips on how to teach your students organization and study skills in middle school and beyond.

Lernmaterialien

Lernmaterialien vom PASCH-Netzwerk

Alle PASCH Materialien im Überblick gibt es hier. Man kann es nach Themenbereich oder Sprachniveau filtern. Eine wunderbare Ressource, wenn man auf der Jagd nach authentischem Material ist.

Der Frühling bringt manchmal Krankheiten mit sich! Hier gibt es einen SMS-Austausch zum Thema Kranksein auf A2 Niveau in jugendgetreuer Sprache.

Was bedeutet es, ein Mädchen oder ein Junge zu sein? Hier ist ein B1 Text mit vielen Anregungen zum Nachdenken zu einem universellen Thema.

Wie engagieren sich junge Leute? Here is a B2 text for our students on political engagement of young people.

Grants and Scholarships

AATG Grants and Scholarships

AATG has multiple grants and scholarships opportunities. Please click here to see them all.

Language Connects Foundation Micro-Grants

LCF/Vista Classroom Microgrants for Language Educators

The LCF/Vista Microgrants Program for Language Educators is an initiative aimed at supporting and empowering those who are dedicated to promoting multilingualism and cultural diversity in the classroom. This program provides small grants to K-12 educators who are passionate about teaching languages and incorporating cultural elements into their lessons.

This program is open to all K-12 language educators regardless of setting. Eligible individuals may apply for grants of $300 to fund a variety of projects, including:

Organizing cultural events or activities for their learners, including those in collaboration with relevant community organizations; and
Creating projects that support diverse perspectives and provide opportunities to develop cultural competence.

100 microgrants of $300 each will be awarded between September 2024 and May 2025. Click here to apply.

Would You and Your Students Like to Be Featured in the April Newsletter?

Send pictures and blurbs to Michaela at mclaus-nix@utahdli.org by March 31, 2025.

Please share your hard work and the accomplishments of your students so that we can celebrate you!

Contact:

Michaela Claus-Nix, Ed.S.

German DLI Coordinator

Utah State Board of Education

mclaus-nix@utahdli.org

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