Tag Archives: CI strategies

189: Project That Engages Students in Story Details


We are all well aware of the importance of comprehensible input in our classrooms, and to support this many of us use stories as the way to do it.  Do you use short stories, novels or graphic novels or comprehensible (CI) readers with your students? I’m excited to see that many teachers are using and leveraging texts with their students. I want to take this a step further in this episode and tell you about a project that engages students creatively with story details and newly acquired vocabulary and structures. 

Blog post about the “unpack the book” project with examples and templates.

Topics in this Episode:

  • the “unpack the book” project
  • preparing to read
  • keep track of details while reading
    • characters
    • chapter summaries
    • hashtags
  • the project book pages
    • cover
    • vocabulary
    • hashtags
    • characters
    • events
    • quotes
    • culture

Blog post about the “unpack the book” project with examples and templates.

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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170: Calendar Talk is More Than Just Calendars with John Sifert


What do you know about calendar talks? Maybe you have tried them yourself and maybe you’re hearing about them for the first time. In today’s episode I speak with John Sifert, a Spanish teacher in Iowa.  John, aka Padre de Cinco, walks us through the many benefits of using calendar talk activities, along with actionable suggestions for engaging students in speaking about a variety of topics that go beyond simply saying the date.  Whether calendar talks are new to you, or if you’re looking for some ways to enhance how you are already doing it , you will walk from this episode with actionable tips and suggestions.

Topics in this Episode:

  • what Calendar Talk is and how it goes beyond just discussing the calendar
  • how Calendar Talk can be adapted to suit different proficiency levels and keep all students engaged
  • specific topics and activities that teachers can incorporate into Calendar Talk to make it more interactive and meaningful for students
  • examples where Calendar Talk has significantly enhanced students’ language learning and classroom interaction in John classroom
  • practical steps and strategies that can teachers take to implement Calendar Talk in their classrooms to maximize its effectiveness and student participation

Connect with John Sifert:

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.

Follow wherever you listen to podcasts.