Creating a Comprehensible Input Classroom

1. Creating a Comprehensible Input Classroom Dr. Robert Patrick Parkview High School, GCPS

2. Introductions Who are you? Have you met my friend, CI? 1--I've heard of CI, but never really met. 5--We are old friends, and CI and I work together in class every day. Who am I?

3. What CI is and why it matters What is Comprehensible Input? • unconscious process of L1 • full attention on meaning • connect with meaning unconsciously • being "in the language" • knowing stuff about the language-NOT • output ONLY after tons of input • teacher in L2 90% of the time (but don't go crazy)

4. What is CI and why it matters • Adhere to interpersonal skills: • attentiveness • response • volunteer • signal • Play the “game” • Focuses on the Communication Standard

5. Circling and PQA--Personal Questions and Answers Safety Net: What does ______ mean? yes/no gestures: stop, slow down, repeat

7. Circling and PQA have/had/did have little white go/went/did go

8. A Little Poem Mary had a little lamb, its fleece was white as snow. Everywhere that Mary went, the lamb was sure to go.

9. Read and Discuss; Timed Writes • we can read and discuss anything in L2 • CI principles call for • readings that are interesting to the students • readings that are i+1, that is where they are currently in their ability plus 1--just an edge. • Reading should have 4-5 new structures or words only. • Place those on the board and introduce • Pre-reading--who, where, how, what happens, what is the problem?

10. Pre-Reading Who? Mary and her lamb Where? Everywhere! School. Outside the school. How? The lamb follows Mary everywhere. What happens? The teacher puts the lamb out of school. What's the problem? The lamb follows Mary everywhere! Why? That's the question that this poem teaches. Let's see.

11. Mary Had A Little Lamb Mary had a little lamb its fleece was white as snow; And everywhere that Mary went, the lamb was sure to go. It followed her to school one day, which was against the rule; It made the children laugh and play, to see a lamb at school. And so the teacher turned it out, but still it lingered near, And waited patiently about till Mary did appear. “Why does the lamb love Mary so?” the eager children cry; “Why, Mary loves the lamb, you know” the teacher did reply.

12. Timed Write--5 minutes Guide questions: Who Where How What happens? What's the problem? Why? How is it resolved?

13. Timed Writes--How To • After reading has been thoroughly read and discussed • Time based on ability, 5-20 min. Complaints about not enough time indicates need to increase. • Encourage them to write for the entire time. Chronology, spelling, grammar non-issues. Write what you can. • Count words. Portfolio. (Self)-evaluate.

14. Sentence Frames I have________. Once, I had _______, but ___________. There was a little ____, but it also _____. I saw a white _______. It went all the way to ______. I never want to go to ______.

15. One Word Pictures Lamb

16. Embedded Stories Level 1 Mary had a lamb. The lamb was white. The lamb was always with Mary. Mary and the lamb went to school.

17. Embedded Stories Level 2 Mary had a little lamb. It was white as snow. Everywhere Mary went The lamb went also.

18. Review • What is Comprehensible Input? • Why does it matter? • What have each of these processes had in common (Circling, PQA, R and D, Timed Writes, Sentence Frames, One Word Pictures, Embedded Stories)?

19. Contacts Bob Patrick email: robert.patrick59@gmail.co Ben Slavic's Professional Learning Community: www.benslavic.com Laurie Clarq's Embedded Readings site: www.heartsforteaching.com