The+Culture+Connection+-+BYU+2011

//This page contains agendas for Dr. Cherice Montgomery's sessions related to teaching culture at the BYU V Annual Spanish Teacher's Workshop.toc//

=A: The Culture Connection: Linking Language, Learners, & Life=

1: Explore
> > - Extensive library of digital texts (including children's literature and museums) from Colombia > > - Culture-based websites in Spanish > > - Searchable database of language maintenance/proficiency development lessons (reading and listening) in a wide variety of languages. Allows you to limit the search to video-based lessons. Click on the individual links to launch the lesson modules > > > - Check out CDs of music, content materials, [|culture kits], flags, and/or maps from the [|Outreach Resource Library] at BYU's Kennedy Center for free. The Center can also help you schedule [|free presentations] for your classroom regarding specific countries. You may also wish to explore their [|CultureGuides]--conuntry-specific teaching units for both elementary and secondary classes > > > - Latin American Network Information Center - Extensive list of texts in Spanish & Portuguese (organized by country) > > > - List of audio courses and podcasts in a variety of languages, including Spanish & Portuguese > > - Site in Argentina containing Quino comics & Mafalda videos
 * Children's Songs
 * Music
 * Nursery Rhymes
 * Resources
 * [[image:thinkthematic/AudiriaLogo.gif link="http://www.audiria.com/index.php"]]- A collection of multimedia texts from a variety of different sources (movies, radio, songs, TV) that teachers can use as the basis for activities

- Blog by Zachary Jones with links to materials in Spanish that reflect popular culture

2: Evaluate

 * Cultural Accuracy, Authenticity, Currency, & Quality
 * Pedagogical Possibilities
 * Creativity & Critical Thinking

[|Discussion Forums]

3: Search


[|18 Free Ways to Download Any Video Off the Internet]

- Links

- Links

- Videos

- Today's front pages from newspapers around the world

- Music

- Videos

- Documents

- Presentations

- Images
 * [|Spanish Art]
 * [|Spanish Culture]
 * [|Spanish Food]
 * [|Spanish Places]
 * [|Spanish-speaking People]

- Videos

- Videos

- Videos

4: Share
[|Discussion Forums]

[|18 Free Ways to Download Any Video Off the Internet]

- Allows you to convert and then download to the hard drive on your computer the videos you find online media type="custom" key="9767444"


 * Three cultural photos (Bonus: Highlight a specific grammatical structure)
 * One quiz question
 * One caption in the center

Your turn! (Other tech tool options)

=B: Inspired by Culture:= Planning Powerful, Proficiency-based Activities

Premises:
 * Learning is the process of forming associations and connections
 * The formation of associations and connections comes from the interaction between thinking and doing
 * The need for interaction between thinking and doing means our planning must focus on STUDENTS
 * A focus on students means we must focus on creating conditions that foster learning
 * Thematic planning is one way to create the conditions essential for learning

In other words, ". . . the selection of a material or activity is also the selection of an array of forces that will influence how students will be challenged to think . . . . The curriculum is a mind-altering device" (Eisner, pp. 13, 72).

"In the absence of our clear intention, our willingness to consciously change the settings of the world we are creating, the default culture is decisive" (Block, 2003, p. 143).

It is not about doing more, it is about layering what you do so that it has more impact. Paso a paso--what is your very next step? Textbook-->supplemental resources-->culture-->connections and comparisons-->communication and interaction-->communities-->integration

[|The Power of Understanding] (Duplicate, Adapt, Innovate)

What is the difference between a topic and a theme?
 * Topic: Tells students what they are going to talk about
 * Theme: Encourages students to explore the **significance** of some aspect of a topic __for themselves__, their community, and/or for others

Jane Harper, Mary K. Williams, Madeline G. Lively. //From Topic to Theme.//





=C: Cultivating Communication Through Children's Literature=

Children's Literature Page


 * Edit the task, not the text
 * Make multiple passes through the text for different purposes
 * Focus on meaning first, then form
 * Don't "teach" grammar, draw students' attention to patterns in the language
 * Make input comprehensible


 * Pre-reading:**

[|Papá] La hora de Francisca - Excusas La hora de Francisca - Predicciones El secreto en la caja de fósforos - Describe & Draw El secreto en la caja de fósforos - Si un dragón viniera a la escuela


 * During Reading:**

Historias del arte

Book exploration time


 * Resources**

- Magazine available in English and the language of your choice. Each issue is organized around a conceptual theme. Excellent visuals make great bulletin board material if you buy these in your local bookstore instead of viewing online. CAUTION: Much of the material in these magazines is NOT appropriate for classroom use, so teachers should preview and select carefully.

- Series of group conversation activities (mostly discussions and debates) organized around themes such as immigration, organ donation, war, etc.

- Magazine produced by the Embassy of Spain (also available through the Spanish Resource Center)

[|Thematic Units from the National K-12 Foreign Language Resources Center]