It happened in 2016 / Speaking activity: Cultural diversity in the Olympics

This activity has been designed for my Spanish students, therefore most of the responses will be in Spanish and focused in the IB exam format. But this activity applies to all languages classes, remember that visual stimuli are great ice breakers to start conversations, debates, discussions, etc in your class.

Activity:
1.- Look at the image in this post and describe the scene [be as specific as you can, to the detail]
2.- Mention the topic this image is related to and justify it
3.- Give your personal point of view
4.- Develop your ideas and don't forget about supporting details 
5.- End with a personal reflection
Think about these three questions, they can help you develop your ideas:

Questions:

- What's going on in this picture? 
¿Qué está pasando en esta imagen?
- What do you see that makes you say that? 
¿Qué ves que te hace pensar eso?

- Do you find any connection to your own culture? 
¿Ves alguna conexión con tu propia cultura?

Then, join the conversation by posting comments below and responding to the comments of others. Your teacher can give you personalized feedback replying to your comments below.

Context information for the image:
Doaa Elghobashy of Egypt and Kira Walkenhorst of Germany compete in the preliminary beach volleyball event at the Rio Olympics.
Image's source: 
Website: Reuters
Photographer: Lucy Nicholson
Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Date: August 7, 2016.

Relájate y aprende

Related links:

• Interactive oral activities for Spanish B SL
• Individual oral for Spanish B SL
• Resources for the Individual Oral

Idea based on: The Learning Network, New York Times.

Lunaprofe 4/10/2017  No comment

ab Initio Internal Assessment: Educación

I am working on getting these activities on paper [just for schools] as a part of a personal social project I want to start as well, but in the meantime I am just putting everything together here. Enjoy!

Instructions:
1.- Observe the image
2.- Answer the questions in the space provided
3.- At the end of the presentation click on "exportar el texto", a .doc file will download to your computer with the questions and your answers
4.- Turn it in to your teacher
5.- Read his feedback carefully
6.- Come up with an action plan to improve and set a specific goal and time to review your progress
7.- Review your progress

Please, if you find a minute, give me some feedback in the comments. It is really useful.

Sharing education, 

sharing a book...

that's what changes the world

Brad Meltzer

Lunaprofe 3/28/2017  2 comments

It happened in 2016 / Speaking activity: A house built on bombs

This activity has been designed for my Spanish students, therefore most of the responses will be in Spanish and focused in the IB exam format.
Activity:
1.- Look at the image in this post and describe the scene [be as specific as you can, to the detail]
2.- Mention the topic this image is related to and justify it
3.- Give your personal point of view
4.- Develop your ideas and don't forget about supporting details 
5.- End with a personal reflection
Think about these three questions, they can help you develop your ideas:

• What's going on in this picture? / ¿Qué está pasando en esta foto?
• What do you see that makes you say that? / ¿En qué te apoyas para decir eso?
• Do you find any connection to your own culture? / ¿Encuentras alguna conexión con tu propia cultura?

Then, join the conversation by posting comments below and responding to the comments of others. Your teacher can give you personalized feedback replying to your comments below.

Context information for the image:
A boy stands in front of a house built on bombs dropped by the U.S. Air Force planes during the Vietnam War.
Image's source: 
Website: Reuters
Photographer: Jorge Silva
Location: Ban Napia in Xieng Khouang province, Laos.
Date: September 5, 2016.

Relax and learn!

Related links:

• Interactive oral activities for Spanish B SL
• Individual oral for Spanish B SL
• Resources for the Individual Oral

Idea based on: The Learning Network, New York Times.

Lunaprofe 2/27/2017  No comment

Speaking activities: Niños fumando

This activity has been designed for my Spanish students, therefore most of the responses will be in Spanish and focused in the IB exam format.

Activity:

1.- Look at the image in this post and describe the scene [be as specific as you can, to the detail]
2.- Mention the topic this image is related to and justify it
3.- Give your personal point of view
4.- Develop your ideas and don't forget about supporting details 
5.- End with a personal reflection

Think about these three questions, they can help you develop your ideas:

• What's going on in this picture? / ¿Qué está pasando en esta foto?
• What do you see that makes you say that? / ¿En qué te apoyas para decir eso?
• Do you find any connection to your own culture? / ¿Encuentras alguna conexión con tu propia cultura?

Then, join the conversation by posting comments below and responding to the comments of others. Your teacher can give you personalized feedback replying to your comments below.

Enjoy!

Context information for the image:
You can see kids smoking, they are chatting out of St Louis Times, the newspaper they worked for, in 1910.

Related links:

• Interactive oral activities for Spanish B SL
• Individual oral for Spanish B SL
• Resources for the Individual Oral

Idea based on: The Learning Network, New York Times.

Lunaprofe 2/13/2017  No comment

It happened in 2016 / Speaking activity: Air Force One approaching to La Habana

This activity has been designed for my Spanish students, therefore most of the responses will be in Spanish and focused in the IB exam format.
Activity:
1.- Look at the image in this post and describe the scene [be as specific as you can, to the detail]
2.- Mention the topic this image is related to and justify it
3.- Give your personal point of view
4.- Develop your ideas and don't forget about supporting details 
5.- End with a personal reflection
Think about these three questions, they can help you develop your ideas:

• What's going on in this picture? / ¿Qué está pasando en esta foto?
• What do you see that makes you say that? / ¿En qué te apoyas para decir eso?
• Do you find any connection to your own culture? / ¿Encuentras alguna conexión con tu propia cultura?

Then, join the conversation by posting comments below and responding to the comments of others. Your teacher can give you personalized feedback replying to your comments below.

Context information for the image:
Air Force One carrying U.S. President Barack Obama and his family flies over a neighborhood of Havana as it approaches the runway to land at Havana's airport.
Image's source: 
Website: Reuters
Photographer: Alberto Reyes
Location: La Habana, Cuba.
Date: Monday, March 21, 2016. 

Relax and learn!

Related links:

• Interactive oral activities for Spanish B SL
• Individual oral for Spanish B SL
• Resources for the Individual Oral

Idea based on: The Learning Network, New York Times.

Lunaprofe 2/10/2017  No comment

It happened in 2016 / Speaking activity: Coexistence

This activity has been designed for my Spanish students, therefore most of the responses will be in Spanish and focused in the IB exam format.
Activity:
1.- Look at the image in this post and describe the scene [be as specific as you can, to the detail]
2.- Mention the topic this image is related to and justify it
3.- Give your personal point of view
4.- Develop your ideas and don't forget about supporting details 
5.- End with a personal reflection
Think about these three questions, they can help you develop your ideas:

• What's going on in this picture? / ¿Qué está pasando en esta foto?
• What do you see that makes you say that? / ¿En qué te apoyas para decir eso?
• Do you find any connection to your own culture? / ¿Encuentras alguna conexión con tu propia cultura?

Then, join the conversation by posting comments below and responding to the comments of others. Your teacher can give you personalized feedback replying to your comments below.
Context information for the image:
A Muslim woman wearing a Hijab stands in the waters in the Mediterranean Sea as an Israeli stands nearby on the beach in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Image's source: 
Website: Reuters
Photographer: Baz Ratner
Location: Tel Aviv, Israel.
Date: Tuesday, August 23, 2016.

Relax and learn!

Related links:

• Interactive oral activities for Spanish B SL
• Individual oral for Spanish B SL
• Resources for the Individual Oral

Idea based on: The Learning Network, New York Times.

Lunaprofe 1/30/2017  2 comments

It happened in 2016 / Speaking activities: Refugee children are still kids

This activity has been designed for my Spanish students, therefore most of the responses will be in Spanish and focused in the IB exam format.
Activity:
1.- Look at the image in this post and describe the scene [be as specific as you can, to the detail]
2.- Mention the topic this image is related to and justify it
3.- Give your personal point of view
4.- Develop your ideas and don't forget about supporting details 
5.- End with a personal reflection

Think about these three questions, they can help you develop your ideas:

• What's going on in this picture? / ¿Qué está pasando en esta foto?
• What do you see that makes you say that? / ¿En qué te apoyas para decir eso?
• Do you find any connection to your own culture? / ¿Encuentras alguna conexión con tu propia cultura?

Then, join the conversation by posting comments below and responding to the comments of others. Your teacher can give you personalized feedback replying to your comments below.

Context information for the image:
Refugee children play with a stuffed toy at a muddy makeshift camp at the Greek-Macedonian border, near the village of Idomeni, Greece.

Image's source: 
Website: Reuters
Photographer: Alexandros Avramidis
Location: Idomeni, Greece
Date: Tuesday, March 15, 2016.

Relax and learn!

Related links:

• Interactive oral activities for Spanish B SL
• Individual oral for Spanish B SL
• Resources for the Individual Oral

Idea based on: The Learning Network, New York Times.

Lunaprofe 1/23/2017  9 comments

Spanish ab Initio Internal Assessment

*Updated for first exams 2020

We have been talking about the format of the IA for Spanish ab Initio and the requirements that have to be followed. Today I want to analyze a bit more this assessment from the teacher perspective based on the structure provided in the Subject Guide (below). One of the most important things experience has taught me is that you have to practice this type of exam. Don't use always the same questions but you can try using same topics, similar kind of questions...

Supervised preparation time	The students receives two previously unseen stimuli, each relating to a different theme from the course and selects one for the presentation. Each visual stimulus must be labelled with the theme to which it relates (in Spanish).	15 minutes
Part 1: Presentation	The student describes the visual stimulus and relates it to the theme and the target culture(s).	(approximately) 1–2 minutes
Part 2: Follow-up discussion	The teacher engages the student on the presented theme, expanding on what  the student has provided in the presentation.	(approximately) 3–4 minutes
Part 3: General discussion	General conversation on at least one additional theme taken from the five themes.	(approximately) 3–4 minutes

What can I do to help my students score the highest on this exam?

Part 1

Presentation (approx. 2 minutes)

If you are a teacher make sure your visual stimulus comply with the guide's requirements. An effective visual stimulus may be a photo, poster, illustration or and advertisement. Any language that naturally appears on the image should be minimal and must be in the target language:

• is clearly relevant to one of the five themes in the course
• is culturally relevant to the target language
• offers opportunities for students to demonstrate their international-mindedness
• offers sufficient visual text for students to describe a scene or situation
• allows the student to offer a personal interpretation
• enables the teacher to lead the student in a wider conversation
• is relevant and of interest to the student's age group

The students must not see these stimuli prior to the examination.

The same five stimuli can be used for up to ten students sitting the examination. If there are more than ten students sitting the examination, two visual stimuli from each theme must be prepared. 

The following table provides an example of how the teacher may choose to distribute the visual stimuli to ensure that each student receives two stimuli, each relating to a different theme. Teachers may wish to have two copies of each stimulus available in the event that examination site arrangements require a student to be in the “supervised preparation” phase at the same time as a different student is sitting parts 1–3 of the examination.

Part 2

Follow-up discussion 

(approximately 3–4 minutes)

The teacher should then engage the student in conversation arising from the theme represent by the visual stimulus. This conversation should not be limited to a simple question and answer format.

We have to pay attention to the questions we make. Our questions should:

• seek clarification or extension of observations made by the student in the presentation
• invite the student to respond to ideas presented by both the visual stimulus and the teacher
• encourage connections and comparisons with the student’s other cultural experiences
• provide the student with opportunities to demonstrate his or her understanding and appreciation of the target language culture(s)
• encourage the student to engage in authentic conversation to the best of his or her ability.
• be open-ended questions in order to offer the student the opportunity for authentic engagement

• Some questions or phrases we can use to make sure our questions are relevant are:
• ¿Qué piensas sobre _____ ?
• ¿Qué te parece ____ 
• Desde tu punto de vista ____
• ¿Cuál es tu opinión acerca de ____ ?

Part 3

A general discussion (approximately 3–4 minutes)

The teacher should signal that they are moving to the final section of the individual oral assessment in order to prepare the student for the change of theme. The teacher may use a phrase such as:
Let’s now talk about other things
We’ll now talk more generally.
I’d like to ask you some questions about other things.

In Spanish:
- Ahora vamos a hablar de otras cosas.
- Me gustaría hacerte algunas preguntas sobre otros temas.
- Permíteme que te haga algunas preguntas sobre otros temas.


This section lasts 3–4 minutes and should:

• introduce at least one additional theme
• seek clarification or extension of observations made by the student in relation to the additional theme(s) broached
• invite the student to respond to ideas that arise in the general discussion
• encourage connections and comparisons with the student’s other cultural experiences
• provide the student with opportunities to demonstrate their understanding and appreciation of the target language culture(s)
• encourage the student to engage in authentic conversation to the best of his or her ability
• allow an assessment of the student’s interactive skills.

Have some dept budget? You might be interested in this ;)

Related links:

• All you need to know about Spanish ab Initio [web]
• Management of the Individual Oral [pdf]
• Resources based on the IB format [web]
• Rubrics for Spanish ab Initio [web]

What we learn with pleasure we never forget.

Alfred Mercier

Lunaprofe 3/07/2016  5 comments