This week students began to learn how to describe more permanent characteristics of people using the verb 'ser'. The lack of continuity between this topic and 'time' which we have been learning about for the previous two weeks is obvious, but thus are the issues inherent in curriculum based on grammar driven text books. The point of connection is the verb 'ser' which is used in both telling time and describing people.
On Monday I presented the different forms of the verb ser that accompany different subject pronouns, and introduced students to vocabulary relevant to describing peoples physical characteristics and personality. After the initial presentation we did some practice activities, which we continued on Tuesday.
As this is Thanksgiving week, we planned a low key day for Wednesday, anticipating high absences for family trips and high student energy. Important content, however, was not sacrificed. We began class with an activity in which students engaged each other in 30 second conversations and had to return to their seats if they spoke English or failed to speak at all. The end result was that most students spent 10 solid minutes speaking Spanish! A feat that was exciting for both them and me. We then spent the rest of the period reviewing the vocabulary that we have learned since the beginning of the year through picture bingo (I circle pictures on the overhead and they cross out the corresponding Spanish word on their paper).
On Monday we will continue to practice describing people and begin to learn about how to explain what people like and why. Next week will be my last week, with the final exam on Friday, and hopefully some time to close up the analysis of immigration issues that we have been conducting throughout the unit.
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