Sometimes you find an activity or technique and you can see all of the wonderful benefits but aren't sure how to implement it within your classroom. When I taught high school I was getting deeper and deeper into teaching using the C.I. method. C.I. stands for Comprehensible Input and was a language learning technique first promoted by Stephen Krashen. "Comprehensible input is language input that can be understood by listeners despite them not understanding all the words and structures in it. ... According to Krashen's theory of language acquisition, giving learners this kind of input helps them acquire language naturally, rather than learn it consciously." Within the constructs of this method, many other educators began promoting a simple and effective way of implementing CI within their classroom called FVR or Free Voluntary Reading. FVR, also from Krashen, links itself to the CI method by allowing students to be exposed to the target language through reading books of their choice in that language for a short period of time each class without the restrictions of worksheets or multiple questions about what they have read. It encourages a love of reading in a second language and doesn't bog it down with activities and expectations. At the high school level I simply required students to read at the beginning of class for 5 minutes and provided an ample library for them to choose from. The only requirement was for them to log the books they read. At the elementary level I gave FVR a quick rethink and decided it would work well with K-5 too. The big adjustment was simply not requiring them to keep track of what they read and to organize my books into bins that could be placed at each table instead of one singular table full of books for students to collect their book selections from at the beginning of class. I do provide 3rd-5th grade with a focus while reading though. During their reading time I ask that they look for a word that they did not know before reading but figured out based on context clues and record it on a cognate recording sheet (can be found in freebies). After reading time is over, students can volunteer to share their word with the class. I included this requirement after first explaining what a cognate is and how they can help students gain meaning from what they are reading along with looking at pictures. The best part about FVR is it gives you, the teacher, a little bit of time to get situated i.e. take roll, get your lesson ready etc. before starting class and gives students a little quiet time before they begin learning. I have really enjoyed implementing it within my classroom and the students look forward to their book time at the beginning of each class. Let me know if you have any questions about implementing FVR in your classroom.
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AuthorRachel has been teaching Spanish for over 15 years. She started as a high school teacher and then transitioned to the elementary classroom. She now teaches K-5 in a Colorado Spanish language immersion school. She is a mom of three who loves creating engaging and easy to use lessons for her students. Archives
February 2022
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