Learning Centers in High School? Absolutely!Successful Centers for the

Interactive Foreign Language Classroom

Presenter: Tracy Flynn SpampinatoWakefield High School, Raleigh, NC

Wake County Public Schoolstspampinato@wcpss.net

KLINIKI. Background information—How the idea

for „Klinik“ developedII. Rationale for Centers at the High School

LevelsIII. How it works in my classroomIV. Managing student work—Organizational

Tips  V. Strategies for floating teachers … or "how to

do more with less" VI. Where to find resourcesVII. Pros and ConsVIII. Questions, Exchange of Ideas

I. Background information—How the idea for „Klinik" developed 

a. Challenges of teaching multiple preps/ 2 foreign languages

b. Needed something to meet the needs of all the different levels within one class

c. Lots of ideas, but how/when to implement them?

d. Wanted to keep students engaged, enthusiastic, but also to take ownership of their learning

e. Loved the idea of "centers" which elementary teachers have been using since the dawn of time!

For German Class:Called it „Klinik"—play on words… In German, the Klinik is like a hospital…where you go to get better…!

Starting point:

4 basic skills of learning a language:

Speaking, Reading, Writing, Listening…Add Grammar, and that’s how I

created 5 dimensions around which to create a "center“ or “station.”

II. Rationale

1. Promotes independence and forces students to take ownership of their learning

2. Students become more responsible, or learn the consequences

3. Provides time for enrichment AND for remediation4. Allows time for teachers to work with

students individually or in small groups

5. Provides time for students to be creative with the language

6. Allows for choice! Students choose what they want to do and when they want to do it (within the specific framework set up by the teacher)

7. Allows for differentiation!8. Makes your program unique!!

My Level 3 students boast about theKlinik day to the younger levels, and the students in levels 1 & 2 look forward to experiencing ,,Klinik"

III. How it works in my classroom,,Klinik" is once a weekFirst 10 minutes of class students write in their

journal

-Students get their individual folders and immediately get to work

 There are 6 dimensions with a variety of activities set up for each:

I. Sprechen/Speaking II. Lesen/ Reading III. Schreiben/Writing IV. Grammatik/Grammar V. Hörverständnis/ListeningVI.Vokabel/Vocabulary Station

This is my classroom—I don’t change the desks or the layout for Klinik, unless I already need to change the desks for other classes.

I. Speaking:A.Role-play (skits) B.„Stammtisch" C.„Glücksbeutel" (grab-bag) D.„Bildbeschreibung"—Describing a

picture or narrating a picture sequence like on the AP exam

In this file tote students can find which picture sequence cards they want to describe.

There is also a box of speaking cards where students can pick out which speaking tasks they want to turn into a skit.

This is the box with the speaking cards for skits, dialogues, writing topics.

This is where the picture sequence cards are kept.

Here are the pennies for the Stammtisch activity.

These girls are doing the ,,Stammtisch” activity.

Notice students giving up pennies if they speak English!

II. ReadingA. „Lesestückheft"—a binder with a collection of

reading activitiesB. Magazines/ Newspapers (read an article of

interest, fill out the info-sheet to accompany it) These could be magazines you already subscribe to, or online magazines

C. Buchlesen—Story books, novellas, etc. 

D. On-line activities which support the text which have reading components

Reading Corner—where most of the books or magazines are located.

This student is reading a book…with the help of a dictionary.

III. Writing:A.„Kreatives Schreiben„/ Creative

WritingB.„Bildbeschreiben“/ Picture DescriptionC.DialoguesD.Picture sequences—great for Pre-APE. Essay topics related to instructional

themes

IV. GrammarA. Supplementary grammar worksheets

organized into a file (i.e. stem-changing verbs, past tense)

B. Students may work on current grammar homework that was assigned during the week

 C. "Remediate and retake" a certain # of

grammar assessments during the semester.

 D. There are also a number of online sites

which provide for grammar practice of all levels.

 

This student is retaking a grammar assessment after having completed test corrections and supplemental worksheets.

This student had been absent when a new grammar topic was taught—he is catching up on notes.

V. ListeningA. "Radio-plays" which are available to my

students:Romea und Julian ; Reisefieber

B. „Lieder-Lückentexte"= Cloze activities and other activities for a variety of songs in the TL

C. Online activities which correspond to the text, or are provided by the textbook co.

D.  NEW (for me!) Podcasts!! 

This student is doing an online listening activity; he is using his own headphones in this picture.

This file tote contains the worksheets which accompany the radio plays. Students come and pick up whatever worksheets they need.

I have a couple of CD players checked out from the library stored in my classroom for students to use.

This student is watching a video for a listening exercise.

I check out the laptop cart from the media center every other week.

IV. Managing student work- Organizational Tips  1. Time to collect materials & develop ideas which

will work given your school & teaching environment

2. Have a detailed description of all activities, be very clear about the nature of each option

3. Know how you want students to demonstrate that they are "doing the work/learning"—what will be the evidence? 

4. Identify how many times a week these activities are feasible for your class—once a week? Every other week?

Management Cont’d5. Decide how do you want to assess these

activities

6. Allow students to keep folders or files in the room

7. Circulate! It should be clear to your students that you are aware of whether or not they are working. Decide if you want to offer a mid-semester check-up or some sort of weekly check on their progress. 

8. Be open to students’ ideas—sometimes students will have great ideas that you can work into the centers 

9. PILOT YOUR IDEAS!!

V.Strategies for floating teachers … or "how to do more with less"1. Schedule time in the media center2. No $$? No worries! Try to build activities around what

you already have or around whatever resources your book provides

3. Can you switch classrooms for one day with a teacher you get along with? Maybe a teacher who has computers in the room or just a better layout?

4. Keep it simple—perhaps limit the amount of activities per dimension

5. Find out if you can leave student files/folders or other materials in a secure location in the classroom, or load materials in a box/crate on your cart

6. If you have to "lug" materials around, consider splitting activities up—one week you offer reading and writing activities, another week offer listening and speaking activities

VI. Where to find resourcesA. Internet!! Endless supply of materials on the

'NetOnline magazines, newspapers, podcasts, videos, most is all free

B. Embassies frequently offer free materialsC.Textbooks: Does your textbook series have a "Pre-AP"

workbook? Many do. You can find a lot of good reading selections from these workbooks.

--Are there reading selections in parts of your book you never get to? Use those!Use reading selections from other textbooks

D. Newspapers in the TL from the communityE. Music!

Use your favorite songs in the TL

Resources Cont’dF. My personal favorites:

Teacher's Discovery (www.teachersdiscovery.com)Applause Learning (www.applauselearning.com)

G. Write a grant, or petition the PTSA for $$ to acquire suppliesH. Ask around—let people know the kind of

materials you are looking for, and see if anyone is willing

to donate old materialsI. Share resources with other teachers in the

building or district—split costs! J. Share ideas—one coworker could create

activities for one dimension, you do a different one, then swap!

VII. Pros and Cons

+ PROS1. Promotes independence and

forces students to take ownership of their learning

2. Students become more responsible, or learn the consequences

3.Provides time for enrichment AND remediation

4. Time for teachers to work w/ students individually or in small groups

5. Time for students to be creative with the language

6. Allows for student choice7. Differentiation!8. Encourages teachers to be

more creative9. Great idea for split-level

classes10. Makes your program unique!!

- CONS1. Pressure to meet pacing

guide/ curriculum needs—some

teachers may feel that Centers take away from an actual "teaching" day

2. Other teachers in like-subjects (PLCs) may resist the idea of centers, thereby making it difficult/impossible for a single teacher to create centers2. Lack of support from department or school3. Feeling of inadequate supplies or materials4. First-year or beginning teachers may be overwhelmed as it is; perhaps not ready to implement ideas yet.

Think—Students with disabilities! Allows

you to provide alternative forms of

assessment, and meets the needs of

multiple intelligences!!

VIII. Questions? Exchange of Ideas

Danke! Merci!

¡Gracias!