TPRS®/CI Languages Conference

Connection, Comprehension, Communication: Creating Community in the TPRS/CI Classroom

Presented by Michelle Metcalfe

Creating a strong class community is one of the pillars of the Comprehensible Input-based classroom. Through the development of strong personal connections and the use of carefully scaffolded comprehensible language, learners will begin to feel confident to express themselves authentically as they increase their fluency and proficiency in their new language. In this workshop, participants will learn how to use Daily Passwords, Calendar Talk, Card Talk, Special Person Interviews, Weekend Chats, CI Games, and other tried-and-true CI-friendly strategies to increase the amount of personalized, communicatively embedded, comprehensible input in their classes, staying in the target language for 90-95% of class time. Thus, opening the doors to greater fluency and proficiency among their learners.

TPRS 2.0: Beyond Circling

Presented by Michelle Metcalfe

In recent years, there have been new developments in the TPRS methodology. TPRS 2.0 is the latest version of the methodology, incorporating the advanced skills of “Triangling” and “Describe the Situation” (or DTS). These advanced skills have been proven to lead students to even higher levels of fluency than before. This workshop is for teachers who already have some experience with the core TPRS skills and are ready to move beyond the core skill of circling. In this workshop, participants will learn how to use the new TPRS 2.0 recipe and will experience how this recipe can enhance proficiency and engagement in their language classroom. The workshop will begin with a brief review of the basic TPRS methodology and the core skills.

Teaching with Comprehensible Input Novels

Presented by Adriana Ramírez

Classroom novels are a very powerful tool for taking students on a cultural journey, opening doors for them to see and understand a culture different from their own. When we read a novel as a class, we also help students with their language acquisition process. We facilitate a deeper understanding of the story and give them tools to make stronger connections and build robust mental representations.

In order for this experience to be successful, there are several steps that need to be taken. In this workshop, we will talk about different activities and experiences that allow the teacher to scaffold the process of reading a novel as a class.

Movie Talk + Embedded Reading: Taking Movie Talks to the next Level

Presented by Adriana Ramírez

Movie Talk is a very powerful CI technique on its own, but when you combine it with an Embedded Reading, you take it to another level. In this workshop, you will learn how to use an embedded reading to bring your video to life and get the most out of it. By combining the two techniques, you can introduce more vocabulary and grammar structures; this will help you go from a 30-minute Movie Talk lesson to a week-long lesson. It is your door to lots of CI.

Can we really teach culture? – An Intercultural Approach

Presented by Adriana Ramírez

Teaching the target culture and evaluating it are part of the requirements of teaching a language. But how do we teach culture without objectifying the other? How do we teach culture without perpetuating stereotypes? How do we teach culture without externalizing it? And most importantly, how can we evaluate this process?

In this workshop, we will explore the concepts of multiculturalism and interculturalism as well as respectful ways to approach a more honest assessment of the topic. You will reflect on how culture has traditionally been approached in the language classroom and learn how to teach and assess it in an intercultural way.

Teaching grammar and vocabulary in a communicative way within the TPRS context through mind maps

Presented by Marco Hernández

Integrating grammar and vocabulary into a storytelling methodology is pivotal for fostering effective language acquisition and learning. Teaching grammar and vocabulary through mind maps is a dynamic and effective approach that engages learners visually and conceptually. This workshop will present a different way to introduce grammatical concepts and essential vocabulary through stories. This visual and interactive approach aligns with diverse learning styles, making language learning a more enjoyable and effective experience.