Jo Gusman

I was an ESL/EFL teacher for a couple of years and in an effort to prep for the summer, I've been reviewing some of my old resources.

In 1998, I attended a workshop presented by Jo Gusman. I still have the 158-page handbook that accompanied the workshop. It's full of references to Stephen Krashen and graphic organizers, two of my educational favorites.

According to her website, Ms. Gusman is still  providing professional development based on brain research.

Here's some ideas I might use from the handbook:

• various kinds of bingo:

1. ABC
2. 123
3. Body
4. Verb

• language learners club
• make bilingual movies (ie: Welcome to School)
• flip book (One side is "facts," the other side is "feelings.)"

Adults Can Learn Language, Too!

Received this from Brip Blap via email today. It's by an adult who has not been successful at learning languages.

Why should we care what he has to say? Here's the take-away for me: Adults learn second languages all the time. Jobs and lovers are specific motivators mentioned in the article. With a compelling reason, I, too, can learn Spanish.

The author also says that it's easier to pick up a language when immersed. Again the take-away: The more I expose myself to the target language, the more I will learn.

We're making our own word searches for J's Palabras de la semana

Happy V Day!

To print:
http://www.puzzle-maker.com/WS/index.htm

J prefers to play online:
http://www.proprofs.com/games/word-search/

The Alphabet in Spanish on YouTube

We like this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUcu9PUh9_A

Free Animated Books

ETA 4/29/2011: Last time I checked, the Spanish books were gone. :(

The mighty books jr site is so exciting I had to post after my long hiatus. I found the password for a year's
worth of free books on this Wentz Educational Services blog.

Most of the books are in English, but there are 13 books and 3 songs in Spanish. 11 of them even have lesson plans!

These are incredible books! Try them!

Quote

Received this quote today.

Quotation of the Day: "The bright lower- or middle-class English youth who by dint of native ability and application wins a scholarship at one of the first-class public schools and learns upper-class English from his classmates simply by the force of social pressure, he doesn't get it from his English master -- at least not to any appreciable degree. This is informal learning." Albert H. Marckwardt, "Linguistics and English Composition," in A Linguistics Reader 18, 22 (Graham Wilson ed., 1967).

Dia de los Muertos

Here's a link to a vocab game on quia.