Tag Archives: Culture

Spanish Reading Activities for Novice Level Learners

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 Spanih 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 Spanish 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 Spanish 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.

French Reading Activities for Novice Level Learners

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.

 

Spanish Language and Culture Units

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

French Language and Culture Units

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

171: Focusing on Cultural Products, Practices, and Perspectives


How do your students engage with culture in your classroom? One way to approach cultural topics is to look specifically at Cultural Products, Practices and Perspectives. Focusing on these cultural aspects helps students develop intercultural competence, which will then make language learning more meaningful and relevant to them. It also allows students to see beyond language and understand the people who speak it. In this episode I share practical strategies to engage students in understanding Cultural Products Practices and Perspectives.

Topics in this Episode:

**Be sure to download the The CI Toolbox. 15 Comprehensible Input (CI) activities for your language classroom to support comprehension and authentic engagement. These suggestions are a compilation of ideas shared on the World Language Classroom Podcast by me and many guests. 

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126: Cultural Self-Reflection with Jocelynn Hubbard


Are your students comfortable reflecting on their own experiences? Are we, as teachers, comfortable doing this?  This is an important first step in asking our students (and ourselves) to understand and appreciate other cultures and experiences. Today I speak with Jocelynn Hubbard, host of The Culture-Centered Classroom, about how we can engage students in their own cultural self-reflection. We will also learn to do it ourselves.

Topics in this Episode:

  • what cultural self-reflection is and its impact on students in the classroom
  • the process of self-reflection with examples of the types of resources that you use to support the process of cultural self-reflection
  • how to introduce this practice to your students, and some possible challenges that might come up
  • how to create a safe and inclusive environment for your students to explore and discuss their cultural identity openly
  • how cultural self-reflection has influenced Jocelynn’s teaching approach and helped her to better meet the individual needs of her students

Connect with Jocelynn Hubbard :

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You  can also be a part of Leveling Up coaching episode if there is an area of your teaching that you like to improve or enhance.  Join me on the podcast for a Leveling Up Coaching Episode.  

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105: Revisit Culture and Representation


This is episode 4 in my 2023 summer headspace series. This is a chance to revisit episodes from the previous school year during the summer months when you may have a little extra time. Beginning August 28th, you will see new episodes with exciting new topics every Monday.  For today we take a look back at episodes 78 where Allison Perryman talks about seeing, hearing and tasting culture and episode 88 where Kia D. London discusses representation in the language classroom.  Let’s jump in.

  • Allison Perryman (78): formats for presenting and engaging students in diverse cultural experiences
  • Allison’s approach of seeing, tasting and hearing diverse cultures with students
  • Kia D. London (88):  examples of centering representation and diverse racial and ethnic content from Kia’s classroom and curriculum
  • how to do this consistently while also engaging students authentically

Episodes: 

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78: Seeing, Hearing & Tasting Culture with Allison Perryman


What is culture and how do you engage your students in cultural topics?  In this episode, we are looking at culture, but with a lens of seeing, hearing and tasting so that culture comes alive for students in the classroom.  Allison Perryman, a Spanish teacher in Virginia, joins me to talk us through how she uses the senses to engage students in the diversity of target language cultures. We also talk about why it is beneficial to honor our students’ individual lived experiences as they approach their language and culture learning.

Topics in this Episode:

  • what culture is and how culture can be an entry point for student engagement
  • why it is necessary, and ultimately incredibly beneficial, to talk about diversity in the language classroom and how can we use this as an opportunity to affirm students
  • formats for presenting and engaging students in diverse cultural experiences
  • Allison’s approach of seeing, tasting and hearing diverse cultures with students

Connect with Allison Perryman:

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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.

27: Diversifying World Language Curriculum with Ben Tinsley


In this episode we look at what world language curriculum has included and what has been left out, with a critical eye on diverse ethnicities and voices.  I’m joined by Ben Tinsley, a French teacher in Philadelphia.  He guides us through his own language learning journey as a Black student and how he did not see himself and the Afro-Black-Caribbean experience reflected in his language learning experience.

This prompted him to unapologetically center Francophone Black people in his curriculum.  This conversation will help us all provide our students with language learning experiences that authentically, and accurately, reflect the diversity of our target language cultures.

Ben speaks about…

  • his personal experience with language learning
  • what has been missing in language curriculum, particularly regarding diverse ethnicities, voices and lived experiences
  • why is it essential that we include diverse voices and ethnicities as an essential part of our curriculum, rather than one-off discussions
  • how to make sure that our students understand the full range of voices, ethnicities, and lived experiences of those in our target language cultures
  • where to find resources and how do you make them an organic part of the curriculum

Connect with Ben Tinsley:

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Authentic Resources in the World Language Classroom

ACTFL provides us with Core Practices that guide teachers toward teaching language proficiency rather than simply teaching about the target language.  It comes down to providing students with opportunities to do something with the language and not just demonstrate what they know about the language.

Authentic Resources in the World Language Classroom; French, Spanish

When we take on the task of providing opportunities for students to engage with culture ACTFL recommends using authentic cultural resources.

Authentic Resources in the World Language Classroom; French, Spanish

What is an authentic cultural resource? 

  • Eileen W. Glisan and Richard Donato explain that “Authentic texts […] are created for various social and cultural purposes by and for users of the target language.”  The word authentic implies that “the text has not been simplified or edited for the purpose of language instruction.”

How do I choose authentic cultural resources? 

Leslie Grahn suggests that these resources should be:

  • Authentic (truly for by and or native speakers)
  • Appealing (compelling to students)
  • Accessible (according to the students’ proficiency level)
  • Aligned (integrated into goals and backward planning)

What are some possibilities for authentic cultural resources? 

  • Video clips
  • Poems
  • Audio clips
  • Songs
  • Articles
  • Commercials
  • Infographics
  • Books
  • Podcasts
  • Advertisements
  • Images
  • Memes
  • Quotes
  • Movies
  • Stories
  • Conversations

One of the best pieces of advice that I have heard regarding using authentic cultural resources is from Leslie Grahn:

“Adapt the task, not the text.”