|
|||||
|
—176→ Frances J. Parsons Thayer Academy, Braintree, Mass. As foreign language teachers in secondary schools, we are constantly seeking productive ways to enrich and enliven our programs and to involve all our students. The «Living Sentence» is one such method. First, the teacher invents a list of sentences (8-10) in the target language which reinforce and review a point of grammar, e. g., the verb gustar. 1- ¿Qué te gusta?, 2- Me gusta cantar, etc. Next, the instructor prepares a series of large cards (construction paper will do), on which are lettered with magic marker, one item to a card, all of the words and punctuation marks necessary to express the sentences in Spanish, but without duplication. For example:
The cards are then shuffled and distributed to the students. Each individual will have multiple cards. The instructor reads the sentences in English, one at a time, and the students holding the cards necessary to express the sentence in Spanish rush to the front of the room and arrange themselves in the appropriate order. The remaining students, after passing judgment on the results, read the correct sentence in chorus. Another exciting, effective means of teaching and reviewing in the foreign language classroom is the use of songs. The following song, sung to the tune of the popular childhood rhyme «Itsy Bitsy Spider», is one example which focuses upon the use of the infinitive with the verb gustar, while reviewing the four seasons. ¿Qué te gusta? Me gusta esquiar; me gusta esquiar. En el invierno, me gusta esquiar. Me gusta viajar; me gusta viajar. En la primavera, me gusta viajar. Me gusta nadar; me gusta nadar. En el verano, me gusta nadar. Me gusta estudiar; me gusta estudiar. En el otoño, me gusta estudiar. Me gusta cantar; me gusta cantar. Todos los días me gusta cantar. First, the instructor presents the song to the class. They learn and practice it together, after which the following exercises may be completed. Students may be asked to: A. Fill in the blanks Me gusta __________; me gusta esquiar. En el __________, me gusta esquiar. Me __________ viajar; me gusta __________. En la __________, me gusta viajar. Etc. B. Circle all of the infinitives in the song. C. Answer the questions in a complete Spanish sentence. 1. ¿En qué estación te gusta esquiar? 2. ¿Qué te gusta hacer en la primavera? 3. ¿Cuándo te gusta estudiar? Etc. D. Draw a picture of what you like to do in one of the four seasons of the year. Be prepared to explain in Spanish what you are doing. Both of the above activities may be adapted for use in more advanced levels. For example, the «Living Sentence» might feature multiple object pronouns. The song «Canción de la Alegría» (Ode to Joy) emphasizes tú commands. More sophisticated exercises might be debating a problem/situation suggested by the song or summarizing the message/story of the song in one's own words. Finally, my students and I enjoy setting original lyrics to familiar rhymes or tunes. Frequently I offer my students the opportunity to earn extra credit on a final exam by writing original lyrics to a rhyme or song, thereby accommodating those few who consistently finish ahead of the others, and providing myself with some comic relief from the tedious task of correcting. These devices are well worth the time they take. Your students will be enthusiastically involved while improving their language skills.
|
