Category Archives: Reading

French Reading Activities for Novice Level Learners

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One of the most effective ways to build confidence in novice-level language learners is through engaging, scaffolded reading practice. When students feel successful reading in the target language, it boosts their motivation and reinforces the structures and vocabulary they’ve been acquiring. These French reading resources are designed specifically for ACTFL Novice High or CEFR A2 learners.

These reading passages introduce students to young people from a variety of cultural backgrounds, helping learners connect language to real-world contexts. As students read about their peers’ lives, interests, and traditions, they’re not just practicing vocabulary and grammar—they’re also gaining a deeper appreciation for the richness of the cultures where the language is spoken. This aligns well with the World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages and the goal of building intercultural competence.

What makes these French reading activities particularly effective is the scaffolding. Each reading is supported by five engaging and effective activities that guide students step-by-step:

Pre-Reading Vocabulary – Activates prior knowledge and sets the stage for comprehension.

True/False Questions – Encourages quick processing and builds confidence.

Multiple-Choice Questions – Promotes careful reading and deeper understanding.

Comprehension Questions in English and the Target Language – Offers flexible access and allows for differentiated instruction.

Answer Key Included – A major time-saver for teachers and a great support for self-assessment.

Whether you use these readings for sub plans, homework, early finishers, or as a core part of your French interpretive reading instruction, the format is versatile and easy to implement. Best of all, your students will feel empowered as they successfully read authentic-feeling texts and gain cultural insights.

As language teachers, we know that reading is a powerful input tool—and when paired with meaningful follow-up activities, it becomes even more effective. These scaffolded French reading resources are a great way to support comprehension, build cultural connections, and boost your students’ confidence as communicators.

 

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Creative Project to Engage with Comprehensible Novels

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As language teachers, we’re always looking for ways to engage students beyond traditional book reports. The “Unpack the Book” project is an innovative, interactive way for students to deeply engage with a Comprehensible (CI) novel while fostering creativity and language proficiency. Here are detailed strategies and concrete tips for implementing this project in your language classroom.

Overview of the “Unpack the Book” Project

“Unpack the Book” challenges students to create a scrapbook that summarizes and explores key elements of the CI novel they’ve read. The final product is both creative and reflective of their comprehension and interpretation of the novel. To support implementation, you can download the template in French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and German.

Preparation Before Reading

Before students begin reading, set the stage with pre-reading activities:

  • Introduce Key Vocabulary: Provide a word bank of essential terms from the novel.
  • Discuss the Novel’s Context: Talk about the cultural and historical background of the story.
  • Make Predictions: Have students hypothesize what they think will happen based on the title and cover.

Encourage students to maintain a document while reading, which should include:

  • Characters: Note the main characters in each chapter.
  • Short Summaries: Write 2-3 sentence summaries per chapter.
  • Hashtags: Create a hashtag that encapsulates the main idea or emotion of each chapter. Example: #LostAndFound for a chapter about a character’s discovery.

download the template in French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and German.

Students Engage with the Content and unpack the book

These are the pages of the scrapbook along with what they should include:

Cover: A picture representing the book, such as a character or cultural symbol.

Vocabulary: A list of 20 new words with translations.

Hashtags: One hashtag per chapter to summarize key themes.

Characters: Brief descriptions of the main characters.

Events: Summaries of three major events.

Quotes: Five impactful quotes from the book, including the speaker’s name.

Culture: 2-3 cultural elements from the book.

download the template in French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and German.

Assembling and Presenting the scrapBook

Students will fold and assemble their scrapbooks, adding a tactile and interactive element to their learning. They can present their work through:

  • Classroom Presentations: Students share their books and discuss their findings.
  • Gallery Walks: Students display their books and engage with peers’ work.
  • Small Group Discussions: Encourage students to reflect on cultural connections.

Assessment and Reflection

Assessing the Project: Evaluate creativity, language accuracy, and depth of engagement.

Student Reflection: Have students answer reflection questions, such as:

  • How did creating this mini-book help you connect with the characters and themes of the novel?

Conclusion

The “Unpack the Book” project is a dynamic way to enhance languageproficiency and cultural understanding. Try it in your classroom and share your students’ experiences!

download the template in French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and German.

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Spanish Language and Culture Units

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Spanish Language and Culture Units

Your students will learn all about geography, climate, food, traditions, ethnicities, religions, history and language of Latino and Hispanic countries in these units. Students engage with the ideas in various ways, from an accessible reading and a Map Talk to writing about the countries and comparing them to another country. There are options for completing a project on paper or digitally as well.

Spanish Language and Culture Units

Here is What is included in EACH units:

Page 1: A young person introduces himself or herself and provides details about the country. Students can read on their own, in pairs or small groups or you can read it together as a class.

Spanish Language and Culture Units

Page 2: This a Map Talk script with the details mentioned on page 1 in more accessible language. You can simply provide this document instead of page 1 if your students are at a lower proficiency level. This list of details is most effective when used along with a map of the country and you engage the class in a Map Talk. There is a page that walks you through how to do a Map Talk.

Spanish Language and Culture Units

Page 3: This is a page for students to keep track of new vocabulary. There are 10 essential words from the text listed with their English meaning along with 10 open spots for students to write in any additional new vocabulary.

Spanish Language and Culture Units

Pages 4 + 5: These are graphic organizers for students to keep track of the details about the country. They can be used with the narrative on page 1 or with the Map Talk on Page 2.

Spanish Language and Culture Units

Pages 6 + 7: These are note pages for students to keep track of the details about the country. They can be used with the narrative on page 1 or with the Map Talk on Page 2. These are an alternative to the graphic organizers on pages 3 + 4.

Spanish Language and Culture Units

Pages 8 + 9: Students write in details about the country in the boxes at the top and draw pictures representing the information in the blank box below. Students can also search for pictures and the print and glue them in the boxes. This is a also a digital version in Google Slides.

Pages 10 + 11: This is an alternative to the project on pages 7+8. Here, students report the information in a mock social media post. They put a picture and then write about it in the caption. Students can get inventive with this and write as if they saw these things in person. This is also a digital version in Google Slides.Page 12: This is a Venn Diagram for students to compare one country to another country. Once the other country is chosen students can research some of the details presented about the in this unit and then fill in the Venn Diagram. Students will then write a paragraph comparing the two countries.

 

Page 13: For students at lower proficiency levels, this page has sentence stems that students can use to write sentences.

Page 14: This is a true/false assessment for students once they have worked with the information about the country. If the sentence is false there is a line for students to write the correct information.

Spanish Language and Culture Units

Page 15: Answers to the true/false assessment.

Spanish Language and Culture Units

These units have everything that you need to bring the Spanish language and Latino and Hispanic cultures to your classroom.

Spanish Language and Culture Units

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French Language and Culture Units

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French Language and Culture Units

Your students will learn all about geography, climate, food, traditions, ethnicities, religions, history and language of Francophone countries in these units. Students engage with the ideas in various ways, from an accessible reading and a Map Talk to writing about the countries and comparing them to another country. There are options for completing a project on paper or digitally as well.

French Language and Culture Units

Here is What is included in EACH units:

Page 1: A young person introduces himself or herself and provides details about the country. Students can read on their own, in pairs or small groups or you can read it together as a class.

French Language and Culture Units

Page 2: This a Map Talk script with the details mentioned on page 1 in more accessible language. You can simply provide this document instead of page 1 if your students are at a lower proficiency level. This list of details is most effective when used along with a map of the country and you engage the class in a Map Talk. There is a page that walks you through how to do a Map Talk.

French Language and Culture Units

Page 3: This is a page for students to keep track of new vocabulary. There are 10 essential words from the text listed with their English meaning along with 10 open spots for students to write in any additional new vocabulary.

Pages 4 + 5: These are graphic organizers for students to keep track of the details about the country. They can be used with the narrative on page 1 or with the Map Talk on Page 2.

Pages 6 + 7: These are note pages for students to keep track of the details about the country. They can be used with the narrative on page 1 or with the Map Talk on Page 2. These are an alternative to the graphic organizers on pages 3 + 4.

French Language and Culture Units

Pages 8 + 9: Students write in details about the country in the boxes at the top and draw pictures representing the information in the blank box below. Students can also search for pictures and the print and glue them in the boxes. This is a also a digital version in Google Slides.

Pages 10 + 11: This is an alternative to the project on pages 7+8. Here, students report the information in a mock social media post. They put a picture and then write about it in the caption. Students can get inventive with this and write as if they saw these things in person. This is also a digital version in Google Slides.

Page 12: This is a Venn Diagram for students to compare one country to another country. Once the other country is chosen students can research some of the details presented about the in this unit and then fill in the Venn Diagram. Students will then write a paragraph comparing the two countries.

Page 13: For students at lower proficiency levels, this page has sentence stems that students can use to write sentences.

Page 14: This is a true/false assessment for students once they have worked with the information about the country. If the sentence is false there is a line for students to write the correct information.

French Language and Culture Units

Page 15: Answers to the true/false assessment.

French Language and Culture Units

These units have everything that you need to bring the French language and Francophone cultures to your French.

French Language and Culture Units

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Guide Students to Interpret and Discuss Authentic Texts in the World Language Classroom

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Do you use authentic texts in your language classroom? These materials, created by and for native speakers, offer invaluable opportunities for students to interact with real-world language and cultural contexts. Authentic texts engage learners by exposing them to natural language, cultural nuances, and diverse perspectives. In this post, we’ll explore five practical strategies for helping students interpret and engage meaningfully with authentic texts.

Guide Students to Interpret and Discuss Authentic Texts in the World Language Classroom

What Are Authentic Texts?

Authentic texts include resources such as newspapers, blogs, songs, advertisements, and videos. They are created for native speakers, not for language learners, which makes them rich in real-life language use and cultural significance. By incorporating authentic texts into the classroom, you provide students with exposure to natural language structures and idiomatic expressions. These materials also help students develop cultural awareness and make learning more engaging and relevant.

However, using authentic texts effectively requires thoughtful selection. Choose texts that match your students’ proficiency levels and cater to their interests. This ensures the content is accessible while still challenging.

Strategy 1: Selecting Appropriate Texts

Selecting the right texts is foundational for success. Choose materials that are relevant, engaging, and culturally rich. For beginners, start with simpler materials like short videos or infographics. As students advance, introduce longer or more complex texts. Incorporating a mix of text types—articles, visuals, videos—keeps lessons dynamic and appeals to different learning styles.

Example: Use a weather forecast video for novice learners. Students can identify key weather terms and practice describing their local weather using similar vocabulary.

Strategy 2: Pre-Reading Activities

Pre-reading activities prepare students for the content and language in the text. These activities activate prior knowledge, introduce key vocabulary, and set a purpose for reading.

Implementation Tips:

  • Discuss the cultural context to build background knowledge.
  • Use prediction activities by showing a title or image from the text.
  • Provide essential vocabulary to help students approach the text with confidence.

Example: Before reading about a cultural festival, show pictures of the event, introduce relevant vocabulary, and ask students to predict what the text might cover.

Strategy 3: Guided Reading and Annotation

Guided reading and annotation help students actively engage with the text. Teach them to highlight key points, underline unfamiliar words, and write questions or comments in the margins.

Example: While reading a short story, students annotate descriptive language and discuss how it contributes to the story’s tone. Pause periodically to clarify difficult sections and encourage discussion.

Strategy 4: Post-Reading Discussions

Post-reading discussions encourage students to share interpretations, ask questions, and connect the text to their own experiences. Open-ended questions promote critical thinking and collaborative learning.

Example: After reading a poem, students discuss its emotional impact and how the poet’s word choices contribute to the mood.

Strategy 5: Extension Activities

Extension activities help students apply their learning to new contexts. They make lessons interactive, creative, and fun.

Example: After reading a dialogue, students write and perform a new scene where the characters resolve a conflict.

Final Thoughts

Authentic texts bring culture and language to life. While these materials offer excellent cultural exposure, they often require modification for accessibility, especially for novice learners. Be mindful of how students engage with these texts—ensure the tasks promote understanding beyond word or sentence-level comprehension.

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175: Getting the Most out of a Comprehensible Novel with Jennifer Degenhardt and Theresa Marrama

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Do students read in your classroom? What do they do with the reading? In this episode I speak with Jennifer Degenhardt and Theresa Marrama. They are both authors of CI Novels that I have personally used in my French and Spanish classrooms. I thought I’d go right to the source when thinking about the many ways that we can engage our students in target language reading. Jennifer and Theresa share their writing process, inspiration for their stories, and  ideas for getting the most out of comprehensible novels.

Topics in this Episode:

  •  what comprehensible novels are and why they are valuable tools in world language classrooms
  • What inspired Jennifer Degenhardt and Theresa Marrama to write comprehensible novels, and how thet decide on the themes and content for their books
  • how teachers can effectively integrate comprehensible novels into their curriculum to maximize student engagement and language acquisition
  • examples where using comprehensible novels made a significant impact on students’ language learning
  • practical strategies implementing comprehensible novels 

Connect with Jennifer Degenhardt and Theresa Marrama:

Work with Joshua either in person or remotely.

Teachers want to hear from you and what you are proud of in your classroom.
Join me as a guest on the podcast.

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Preparing for AP Success Beginning at the Novice Level

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Do you have AP language classes in your program?  When do you begin focusing on the linguistic and cultural competence skills that students will need to succeed at this level? A Pre-AP focus can be quite beneficial in the language learning process, fostering critical skills and mindsets early on. Whether students pursue a language at the AP level or not, these skills not only enhance and support academic success, but  they also cultivate confidence and competence.

Preparing for AP Success Beginning at the Novice Level (French, Spanish)

Let’s look at the benefits of integrating Pre-AP strategies and curriculum into language program curriculum and objectives. These provide students with a strong foundation for their language learning pursuit.  They will be well-equipped to succeed in an AP class, or, if they don’t follow that route, they will still have the skills needed to communicate effectively and with confidence.

Building Strong Language Foundations

To pave the path for success, emphasizing core language skills—Interpersonal Speaking Interpretive Listening and Reading, Presentational Speaking and Writing—is pivotal in lower-level classes. These skills are the foundation of language proficiency and serve as the building blocks for advanced language studies. Incorporating authentic resources, such as news articles, videos, and podcasts, enriches language learning experiences. Students greatly benefit from exposure to real-world materials, providing a glimpse into how language operates in authentic contexts.

Cultivating Critical Thinking

Even at lower proficiency levels, cultivating critical thinking skills is attainable. In lower-level classes, introduce basic analysis and synthesis abilities. For instance, encourage students to analyze short texts or compare different viewpoints on straightforward topics. Questioning techniques play a pivotal role in promoting critical thinking. Pose thought-provoking questions that urge students to delve deeper into a text’s meaning, nurturing thoughtful discussions and enhancing overall comprehension.

Integrating AP Themes in Lower-Level Classes

Delaying the exploration of AP themes until AP classes is not necessary.

Beauty and Aesthetics

  • At lower proficiency levels, you can introduce discussions on topics like art, music, and cultural expressions. Challenge students to describe a famous painting using simple vocabulary and then compare their interpretations.

Science and Technology

  • Basic science and technology-related vocabulary can be introduced . Have students read simplified news articles about technological advancements and discuss their implications in the target language.

Personal and Public Identities

  • Exploring personal interests and identities is relevant at any proficiency level. In a straightforward “About Me” presentation activity, students can introduce themselves and share their hobbies.

Families and Communities

  • Family structures and communities are universal topics that can be discussed even with basic language skills. Encourage students to create posters representing a community event or a family gathering.

Global Challenges

  • Basic global challenges, like environmental issues, can be introduced in lower-level classes. For instance, students can engage in dialogues discussing simple ways to contribute to solving these challenges.

Contemporary Life

  • Everyday life topics are relatable for all learners. Consider a role-play activity where students simulate common situations like ordering food at a restaurant using basic conversational phrases.

Differentiation and Inclusion

Acknowledge the diverse learning needs in your classes. Implement strategies that cater to various learning styles and skill levels. Tiered assignments serve as an excellent approach to adapting tasks to different proficiency levels, challenging advanced learners while providing extra support for those who require it.

Your Turn…

The advantages of focusing on these “AP skills” extends beyond advanced content; it lays a solid foundation for language learners. By integrating these strategies and curriculum into lower-level classes, educators equip students with the tools and mindset required for success in advanced language courses. Try out these suggestions and tailor them to your unique classroom contexts as you empower students to grow in proficiency and reach higher levels of cultural competence.

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98: From a Short Text to a Full Lesson with Sarah Barrientos Svatos

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How do you find a text, or any kind of reading that you use with your students?  Does it have to be a long piece of text to make sure that students really get something out of it or that you can use as a way for students to engage with the language? Today, Sarah Barrientos Svatos, a Spanish teacher in Spain, joins me to discuss how we can take a short text and turn it into a full lesson that touches on all of the communication modes. She has lots of tips to share so that you can get started right away.

Topics in this Episode:

  • what we mean by a “short text”
  • the benefits of using a short text
  • are short texts only effective at novice level or also effective at higher proficiency levels?
  • how to set students up for success by preparing them to engage with the text (pre-reading activities)
  • how to support students while they engage with the text (during-reading activities)
  • how to check for understanding of the text and set students up to produce output  (post-reading activities)
  • Download Sarah’s Paella Activity

Connect with Sarah Barrientos Svatos:

Work with Joshua either in person or remotely.

Follow wherever you listen to podcasts.

Teachers want to hear from you and what you are proud of in your classroom.
Join me on the podcast.
We record conversations remotely, so you can be anywhere.

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86: Lots of Activities for Any Reading with Ashley Mikkelsen

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Do you use reading as a source of comprehensible input in your language classroom? In this episode, we dive into the topic of reading with Ashley Mikkelsen, a Spanish teacher in North Dakota, who shares suggestions and ideas for engaging reading activities that you can do right away in your classroom. Ashley has a true passion for making reading fun and interactive for students. So, grab your notebook and pen, and get ready to add lots of pre, during, and post reading activities to your next lesson.

Topics in this Episode:

  • Ashley’s journey with literacy
  • the benefits of reading in the language acquisition process
  • simply reading or truly engaging with a text
  • activities for any reading:
    • pre-reading
    • during reading
    • after reading and leveraging the content

Connect with Ashley Mikkelsen:

Work with Joshua either in person or remotely.

Follow wherever you listen to podcasts.

Teachers want to hear from you and what you are proud of in your classroom.
Join me on the podcast.
We record conversations remotely, so you can be anywhere.

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Make Logic Puzzles in Any Language

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I’ve been workshopping how to make logic puzzles so that I can engage students in various vocabulary topics and language structures.  This is yet another way to provide students with opportunities to see and use language in context.  These logic puzzles also require a bit of critical thinking skills as they follow the logic and figure out the answers.

Make Logic Puzzles in Any Language or Topic (French, Spanish)

I spent some time coming up with the “equations” and templates so that I can just add in the topic vocabulary and write the clue sentences.  I decided to create 4 versions that increase in challenge level.

You can download your own templates and get to work creating your own logic puzzles for your students. The link below will make a copy of the Google Slide™ temples in your Google Drive™.  Just follow the equations for the clues and you will soon have logic puzzles using the specific content that pertains to your students.

Make Logic Puzzles in Any Language or Topic (French, Spanish)

How does it work?

  • There are 4 versions of the logic puzzles for increased challenge. The directions are in English, but can be easily changed to any language.
  • Begin by filling in the boxes in the top row and the column on the left. This can be names of people, pictures, anything.

Make Logic Puzzles in Any Language or Topic (French, Spanish)

  • Use the data “equations” to write sentences that lead students to follow the logic and figure out the answers. “=“ means a positive statement and “≠” means a negative statement.
    • 1. C ≠ 2
    • 2. B ≠ 4
    • 3. A = 2
    • 4. D ≠ 3
    • 5. C = 1
  • Using the example above:
    • 1. C ≠ 2 :  Mateo does not have a tablet.
    • 2. B ≠ 4 : Lucía doesn’t have a computer.
    • 3. A = 2 : Laura has a tablet.
    • 4. D ≠ 3 : Julia doesn’t have a pencil.
    • 5. C = 1 : Mateo has a notebook.
  • The checkmarks are there to make sure you are following the equations. When finished, be sure to delete the checkmarks and the letters/numbers above and to the left of the grid.

Make Logic Puzzles in Any Language or Topic (French, Spanish)

  • The last thing to do is to add question below where the students will find the answers in the grid.

Have fun with these and let us all know what you come up with.

Make Logic Puzzles in Any Language or Topic (French, Spanish)

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