Journal entry #2 Wednesday, January 15th Block 4 - Spanish I Lesson objective - Direct Object Pronouns Class size - 15 students

Today we began D.O.P.s in level one. I showed them the CD track that accompanies the textbook Avancemos 1! by McDougell Littell. In this video, you have young people in conversation using D.O.P.s. Following this, there is a grammar explanation and an English link to the grammar. After we watched these videos, I asked them to talk and turn to a partner and ask what are dops and how do they connect to the English language? I gave them 2 to 3 minutes for this conversation. I then reconvened the class and asked for volunteers to explain to me when dops meant. I had 4 hands go up. I chose a student give me his/her answer. I confirmed that indeed it was correct and informed the class that they needed to take some notes as we were going to see a more in depth presentation on how these dops worked in Spanish. At this point, I showed the students a PowerPoint presentation on step by step how the dops worked and what they mean in English. The students wrote as we reviewed each slide carefully. At different points in the presentation, I asked the students if they understood and if they had any question as I also gave examples as we moved through the presentation. I have students in this class that have never had Spanish before but have had another language. I also have students that have taken Spanish I before and failed it not because they are not capable but because they did not do the work. I have students in this class who are special needs students who have had Foundations of Spanish (very basic class) and were successful and wanted to continue with a regular Spanish class to see if they would be able to do the sequence. A side note, in the state of New York, you need a 3 year language sequence to graduate with a Diploma with Distinction. Otherwise, you

have not met the criteria for graduation if you do not have this language sequence. It is mandatory by the state. Unless you are language except, it does not happen often, you must take a foreign language for 3 years. There are students who have learning disabilities and we do offer a Foundations of Spanish A and Foundations of Spanish B so that these students can be exposed to the language and receive the credit they need. The students with disabilities fall under different rules and guideline so these courses are offered to meet their special needs. I deviated for a moment to state that I have many different types of learners in this classroom so that I have to introduce new material and information several different ways. After we finished taking notes, I then played a youtube video (music) that re-enforces the dops in Spanish. One thing I learned today from this lesson: I need to have better visuals that students can work hands on when it comes to this subject because I think this will help my special ed. students and my lower level learners. How can I improve this lesson: I am going to create a lesson that will have interactive components that students can manipulate. For example, bring in a shirt and a skirt and put it in a plastic bag. Have the sentence I have to buy the shirt and the skirt. Tengo que comprar la blusa y la falda. Tengo que comprarlas. Have students look and be able to see the different items separately and how the items go from being la blusa and la falda to being las or it in English. I think this will help them store it in their long term memory were acquisition is truly stored.