Sunday, August 14, 2016


TRICK YOURSELF AND YOUR STUDENTS INTO USING THE TARGET LANGUAGE UP TO 90 % IN YOUR CLASS.

picture of Lonnie Dai Zovi holding up cards from Musical Echoing visual and chant methodology

Lonnie Dai Zovi teaching in the target language

But what if the criteria mentioned in the previous post is not and cannot be met? Can you still approach 90? Eventually or sooner than you think.

Compromise.

  1. Don’t feel bad. Remember, like drinking 8 glasses of water, and exercises every day, this is a goal. Surprisingly, when I ask large groups of teachers at language conferences how many of them teach immersion at the lower levels, only about 10-15% raise their hands. For upper levels, (3 or 4)  the number goes up. This is like when my dentist  told me never to give my children soft drinks. When I saw  her at a fast food restaurant with her 3 children drinking soft drinks, she confessed that she suggested that to her patients, but she herself could not enforce the no soft drink rule with her own children. Theory vs. reality.

  1. Do your best. You CAN teach your way. Many people who are fluent today were taught in many ways. None of my teachers taught in all Spanish, save my college professors, and I am fluent.

    A picture of the visuals in Lonnie Dai Zovi's actual classroom showing her famous Spanish Snappy Sayings and a few of the subjunctive posters to help the visual learners

    Some of the Spanish Snappy sayings above the board
    and few Subjunctive Posters
    • Speak  and present as much in the TL as your situation allows you to. One teacher I know does 50% immersion. She speaks first in Spanish then again repeating the same concept in English. Double work for her? A time waster? Efficient scaffolding? Could unmotivated students not listen to the TL part and wait for her to say it in English? Maybe yes to all.
    • Adopt words and phrases in the beginning of the semester and never deviate. (Who is absent today? Pass up your homework. Bless you, excuse me, etc, May I go to the bathroom, etc. ) Spanish (Italian and French, German, Chinese, Arabic, Portuguese, Japaneseclassroom expression pics are good to display and use for this. Soon, without even demanding it, the kids will volunteer to speak more TL and /or asking how to say…

    • Use snappy sayings (Spanish, French, Italian) that pre-teach and review a lot of vocabulary and structures and grammar, and also teach and practice pronunciation. Besides being fun, building community (explained in a future blog), it also readies the kids for future fluency.

    • Institute Fluency Friday.  The kids actually respond very well to this day The teacher ONLY speaks in the TL. Later the students have to also speak only in the TL. This can be gradual, by semester and level. It is not too long and not forever. It is a challenge and not a mandate. Most students rise to the challenge to compete to be the first to know what the teacher is saying.


  • In upper levels , the TL should always be used. If the student have been scaffolded and prepped sufficiently, it is quite expected and welcome. The kids need to speak to each other informally in the TL also. That is harder to enforce all the time, but I try. Often the kids leave the room speaking Spanish after class, not even realizing it. After we read a passage, a story , or even have a grammar lesson (always in Spanish) I think that I have done a great job of explaining or acting it out. However, just in case I often ask who needs to step outside for another explanation, but in English. The rules don’t apply outside of the classroom walls, unless I say that they do. Usually the kids DID understand everything, they just needed to make sure.
    The football players from Lonnie Dai Zovi's Spanish 1 class are holding the "unifome" chant (a new member of the popular Spanish Snappy Sayings) said when they wear their sports uniform.

    The football players holding the "uniforme" chant

    In conclusion:

    • The ACTFL  90% immersion guideline does work well if the conditions are conducive to it.
    • Don’t beat yourself up if you are unable to do immersion. Do it little by little. You may find it gets easier and the kids adapt to it well.
    • Upper levels, honors classes, and  small classes really should institute immersion.
    • Those of you who successfully use the TL 90-100% of the time, be gentle on those who don’t. They are also good and effective teachers. Don’t judge – they are not you.
    To see some of Lonnie's many products in many languages and many subjects go to:

                   Lonnie Dai Zovi's Store on Teacher's Pay Teachers (and become a follower)

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