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Learning Centers in the Foreign Language Classroom
By: Piedad Gutiérrez
“If you build it, they will come”
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Reading Center
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TPRS includes reading as a fundamental activity in the acquisition process. The more variety the materials have, the better. The teacher, however, needs to select materials that are both understandable to the students and challenging to them.
Equipment |
Materials |
Activities |
Computers
Book shelves
Baskets
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Printed books
Printed magazines
On line books
On line magazines
Menus
Advertising
Posters
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- Individual reading
- In pairs reading
- Reading to a partner
- Reading to a stuffed animal
- Browsing picture books
- Story time
Post reading activities
- Making book maps
- Sequencing mixed up sentences
- Sequencing mixed up pictures
- Answering to questions
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Listening Center
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In TPRS, the teacher’s voice is the main source of comprehensible input. The storytelling and story asking activities are the core of the method. However we need to:
- Expose the students to other voices and accents.
- Train the students in activities where meaning cannot be negotiated, such us audio books and podcasts.
- Allow the students to integrate active playing in the academic learning.
Equipment |
Materials |
Activities |
Computers
CD Players
MP3 Players
i-pods
Headphones |
CDs or on line audio
Podcasts
Audio books
Songs
Teacher’s produced audio
Students’ produced audio
CD-ROM games
On line games |
- Individual listening
- In groups listening
- Interactive listening
- Reading along
- Coloring by command
- Drawing by command
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Writing Center
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Although TPRS is centered in comprehensible input, the students need to demonstrate their progress to others and to themselves. Writing activities are great roads to teach grammar explicitly.
Equipment |
Materials |
Activities |
Computers
Neo or word processors
Printers |
Paper
Pencils
Colors
Crayons
Markers
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- (Free) Creative writing
- (Guided) Specific topic
- Individual
- In pairs
- Whole group
After reading
- Write a book review
- Write a new ending to a story
- Write in your journal
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Production Center
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Often, the materials available in the market are inappropriate and ineffective for school settings. Therefore, we need to produce them. Enrich your collections of audio and visual materials by creating them with students. Give full credit to the authors and use the materials for assessment of comprehension.
Equipment |
Software |
Activities |
Computers
Microphone
Jump-drives or CDs
i-pods
MP3 players
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Garage Band
Audacity
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Audio
- Individual
- In pairs
- In groups
- Original monologues
- Original dialogues
- Spontaneous conversation
- Reading printed materials
- Interviews
Audio and video
- Handcrafted story
- Enhanced podcast
- Digital storytelling
- Digital photo albums
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Digital Library
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Let’s follow the wave!
Upload digital devices with music, audio books, podcast episodes, and videos relevant to you and your students. Offer to the students the possibility of listening while reading books. They can enjoy listening to familiar songs, watching short videos, reinforcing weak topics, or just catching up with material they missed while absent. The portable devices can be used in the classroom to complement the listening center or can be taken home as a classroom library loan. Keep your records in a safe place. I store mine in clear plastic pockets on the back of the closet door.
Equipment |
Materials |
Activities |
MP3 Players
Blackboard
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Commercial products
Teacher produced
Student produced |
- Individual - at home
- Reinforcement
- Review
- Extra help
- Pure enjoyment
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Presentation Center
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Students and learners need help to feel comfortable reading, speaking, and presenting in a new language. Just a few props, curtains, and toys will allow the students and learners to make the transition and deliver with ease.
Details to follow.
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The learning centers of my classroom have been partially funded by MFEE.
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