Customized Learning in Spanish Class

Many Americans who went through a foreign language (now World Language) program in schools say that they cannot speak the language they studied and they're surprised that they remember a few words. Those that did become proficient immersed themselves in real settings with native speakers and that they were motivated to learn the language.

How can world language programs immerse students in authentic settings with native speakers and motivate students to learn? There are many language education approaches that have been proven successful like TPRStorytelling, communicative approaches and  immersion. Which one is the best?

According to educators in Maine, the best approach is the approach that meets the needs of the individual. The article 10 Key Components of Customized Learning describes components of an education system that is standards-based and individualized. Custom Learning is defined as a deliberate plan that allows learners to be successful with content at their own pace and in a way that works for them.

How can the customized learning be applied to world language instruction?

20th century foreign language course of study:

• Traditionally, foreign language teachers bought into a textbook series. Each student got the same hardcover textbook and a workbook. The textbook company decided on the content. The teacher focused on listening, speaking, reading, and writing separately. Ancillary supplies included audio tapes of speakers giving one-liners in the target language and students could also watch videos created by the textbook company for each chapter. All students moved on to the next unit of study regardless of how they performed in the previous unit.

21st century Custom Learning in World Languages:

• Shared vision: World Language teachers need to be in agreement about the essential components. 
• Curriculum Content and Organization: Less is more when it comes to curricular essentials. Teachers come up with a short list of essentials that all students must acquire during a unit of time. The curriculum is clear to students. 
• Climate of Voice and Choice: Often teachers and students prefer one approach over another. Teachers and students need to have the opportunity to make choices. Students can easily achieve the standards and have time for in-depth, personalized study. Allow students to develop specialized language so that they can leave the program being able to communicate in fields such as medical, automotive, sales, etc.
• Learning Progress Management and Formative Feedback: World language teachers facilitate learning first through thought-provoking lessons guided byessential questions. Then they provide formative feedback as the student uses higher order thinking (HOTS) to analyze, evaluate and demonstrate their understanding. Instruction in the lower order thinking includes vocabulary building and understanding grammar so that students can communicate their ideas. 
• Multiple Pathways and School Structures: The school is designed so that students can learn in different ways. Some can learn the traditional way, use technology to complete flipped tasks or do an internship, for example.

One-size-fits all instruction is out and customized learning is in. Motivate students by letting them control how the content can be applicable and practical to their lives. Evoke students' interest in authentic topics, give them the lower-order knowledge the need to perform at the higher-order level. 21st century world language students can and ought to achieve proficiency through customized learning.

Reliable Sources, Even in Spanish Class

If you let kids loose on the Internet and ask them to summarize what they learned, be prepared for absurd responses. In It must be true, I read it on the Internet: Elusive 'tree octopus' proves how gullible web generation is, Donald Leu recounts how students were convinced that wrong information was correct and then shared that information with others.

It is important to reiterate to students that not everything on the Internet is true, even in Spanish class. Students need to check multiple, reliable sources to validate and information. In Spanish class, students should learn about the conquest from the perspectives of  the conquistadors and also from the native people that the Spaniards encountered. Both recount history in very different ways. Christopher Columbus (actually his name was Cristóforo Colombo, and then Cristobal Colón ) reports his own biases about the Taíno people in his diary to the king and queen of Spain. Teachers, ask students, "What was Colón's purpose in writing a diary to the king and queen of Spain? What did he want?" Decedents of the Tainos, historians and scientists and recount different versions of what happened. Ask students, "Who is the author and what are his resources?" Students also need to evaluate the author's purpose, read reports from multiple sources and perspectives, and draw their own conclusions.

Unfortunately, misleading or bias reports may lead to bullying and racism that leads to generations of oppression. Here is how some modern day indigenous people reacted to the celebration of Columbus Day. Requiring students to draw their own conclusions after researching information from varying sources is not just higher order thinking, but also responsible citizenship.

BYODevice to Spanish Class

In the 21st century Spanish classroom, students learn and develop their listening, speaking, reading, and writing in 21st century ways with the use of devices. In 5 Instructional Shifts to Promote Deep Learning, Susan Oxnevad suggests creating essential questions, guided lessons, and opportunities for students to demonstrate their knowledge in creative ways. She describes a classroom in which there is no "front of the classroom," the class is busy and perhaps noisy, and the teacher is a facilitator. The flipped classroom is a great way to differentiate to meet the needs of students' abilities and interests. However, flipping, in my mind is one way to make a lesson great. I am not convinced that all lessons need to be flipped. Students may prefer a direct lesson from the teacher. Teachers ought to use a variety of best practices and techniques to maintain student interest.

My school has adopted a Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) policy and the students are able to access the school WiFi on their personal devices. We have school iPods and I have a couple of iPads that students can borrow. Many students have their own iPods or iPads.

Here is a flipped lesson for a Día de los Muertos research project:

Lesson: Students watch instructional videos on Día de Los Muertos and an overview of time periods in Spanish history.

App:      30 Hands (iOS)

Project:
1. Each student is assigned a muerto famoso (famous dead person).
2. Students research biographical information and why the person is most famous.
3. Students record a voice narration for each image.
4. Students can publish and upload their presentation (.mov) to Google Drive, My Big Campus, Dropbox, and other web platforms.

Discussion: Students watch each others' projects and discuss.