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Instructional Software Presentation: Content Area Spanish

Relative advantage of using instructional software in Spanish classes: instructional software in a language classroom offers many advantages, both specifically and generally. First, for the student who doesn’t enjoy learning a language, by immersing him or her in interesting culture, using interactive games and showing them how they will use it in their futures, students will become more motivated. Students will become excited about class and excited about assimilating a language because it becomes interesting and applicable when supported by instructional software. Students also do not want to spend time doing menial tasks them deem boring like creating flashcards. By using flashcards that already exist online, students will just focus on practice and quizzing, not on the boring part of making them. Removing tedious tasks results in motivation and focused learning. Further, because teachers cannot assess and speak to each student individually each day in the target language, instructional software presents students with the opportunity to focus on truly assimilating the accent and nuances of the language. More generally, instructional software allows teachers to engage students for a higher percentage of the school day. This higher engagement level allows students to explore their own abilities and learning paces while maintain a challenging and rigorous course and curriculum. Also, by using instructional technology properly, students will enjoy diversified learning and reviewing and this will increase motivation in average students.

Instructional Software Evaluation tools

Evaluate children’s software here [] Evaluate high school and middle school software here [|http://www-personal.umich.edu/~sdbest/techplan/maps/App_e.htm] [] []

Drill and practice: Drill and practice is irreplaceable to the assimilation of Spanish vocabulary. Although sometimes used improperly, I do not ask students to do an activity like this for more that 10-15 minutes. This does not introduce a topic but instead reviews and reinforces the vocabulary that we have already been working on. These types of activities are beneficial to students by providing immediate feedback and increasing motivation (clicking is always superior to writing on paper), and they save me time as a teacher. [] Flashcardexchange.com is vital to my class because all of the chapter vocabulary cards have been made; we just search for them and start studying! Students love downloading them to their phones and iPods to study on the go. I frequently use this as a sponge to start the day or as a review for the student who finishes an assignment early. Tutorials Tutorials tell my students most of what I say in class, but are written down for my visual learners and for students who take more time to process information. Tutorials help my students at home to complete an assignment when they seem to have forgotten notes, or can’t remember exactly how to complete an activity. Additionally, I recognize that even after explaining a topic in three or four different ways, some students still need to see it again or explained yet another way. Below is a website that I refer students to as a back-up for them to be able to reference. Tutirals must be interactive for students and be controlled by them entirely. They need to be neat in appearance and useful. Concise explanations should be the main element to tutorials. [] This website walks students through all types topics in very slow, organized steps to ensure that they can read it and understand. This free site offers quizzes beginning at a simple level and then becoming more complex. I use this in class to offer a back-up to my teaching. [] This website is included in student’s tuition and offers tutorials, homework activities, writing, cartoon explanations, songs, listening and reading to accompany our textbook. As the main way I assign homework, I love that there is always a tutorial button you push that explains the topic in 1-2 minutes and then allows the student to practice again. We use this to occasionally review for a test, as there are practice assessments. Simulations Simulations in Spanish class don’t necessarily need software. We need to put them in situations where they can only speak Spanish, so this can be done effectively by the teacher in a role-playing activity or a conversational day. Software that would put students in this situation where they can only speak the language would include software that will make the impossible possible: essentially transport the students to another land to explore while discussing what you see in the target language. [] I have used Google earth in class to explore different specific parts of Spain and Central America. This is always so interesting to see what students think about the actual map and landscape of the country we are exploring. [] Skype has provided access to classrooms in places like the Canary Islands and Mexico. Conversing in English (by students there) and Spanish (by students here) has proved interesting and engaging. This greatly saves money for my school, because we are only able to take a language trip once every two years.

Educational Games Educational games are my personal favorite. I remember being in elementary school and always loving when I was rewarded with the opportunity to play Oregon Trail. Engaging, fun, informative, and practical, educational games are viewed as a prize or reward for behaving and working hard. Last year, one of my students told me that he had learned so much and will remember it from these sites. One of my girls came up to me after class and confessed to playing tudiscoverykids.com at home on her own time! Her mom had gotten mad because she thought her daughter was avoiding homework. This level of enjoyment and engagement was music to my ears!! [|http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/adventure/spanish2.htm#] Maggie’s Earth Adventures are geared towards elementary students, but a first or second year Spanish student, although in high school, speaks Spanish at an elementary level. These games are an engaging way to end class some days and are seen as a reward for completing work early. Students learn practical vocabulary that I do not explicitly teach. [] Again, this site is geared towards elementary students, but still enjoyable for my students. They love playing/learning on this site! I even got in trouble from my technology support department for letting my students play games during the day; after closer inspection they realized they too had been fooled by the fun layout and engaging atmosphere of these sites.

Applications

By far, the best thing that we could have as educators is an application that takes everthing that I just said and combines it into one, while encouraging problem-solving and critical thinking. [] Rosetta Stone is an application that incorporates all of these technology types. Little instruction and direction allows students to listen better to the Spanish being read to them as well as allowing them to figure out what is happening. After about 60 seconds on their first day, they understand how the program works and love it. Completing in Spanish, incorporating vocabulary and grammar to reinforce what is done in class, and selecting review sections and questions based on what students did poorly on puts Rosetta Stone in its own category. My students love walking into class and knowing that it’s a Rosetta Stone day where they can work on it, uninterrupted, for 50 minutes. Grading and teaching students immediately while sending the information to the teacher provides a truly enjoyable, engaging learning environment.