This electronic listserv focuses on early foreign language learning and provides community support and interaction.

Ñandu continues to be an active listserv addressing current topics and issues.

To read archived messages, click here.

Sign Up For Nandu

Videos of Exemplary Teaching

Watch examples of language teaching in immersion and in regular foreign language classrooms.


Examples from Immersion Classes
Here are two video examples of good language teaching in the elementary school immersion classroom. Both video clips, one in Spanish and one in French, are from language immersion classes, where the subject matter is taught in the foreign language. The excellent techniques used by the teachers are ones that can be used in any type of language program for children.

These video examples are used with permission from Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland.

video icon PLAY
(Approx. time = 4 min. 20 sec.) 		Watch a poetry lesson on the "Caracol" poem in a fourth grade Spanish immersion class. The teacher featured is Graciela Senger.
video icon PLAY
(Approx. time = 3 min.)		 See a first grade French immersion social studies lesson about types of shelter people need. The teacher featured is Donna Gouin.



Notice how the teachers convey meaning to the students (also called "negotiation of meaning"). Look for examples of:
  • Body language and gesture
  • Simpler and slower rate of speech
  • Use of definition by examples
  • Representation of real objects
  • Graphic organizers
In addition, notice how the teachers attempt to understand communication from the students. Look for examples of:
  • Expanding and refining language
  • Expanding one-word answers
  • Requesting clarification
  • Paraphrasing
  • Rephrasing and repeating

 

Examples from Foreign Language Classes

Teaching Foreign Languages K-12 is a video library for K-12 foreign language teachers, provided by Annenberg Media. It consists of 28 half-hour and 2 one-hour video programs, a library guide, and a Web site. The video can be watched for free online. Videos cover Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Chinese, Italian, and Russian lessons in Grades 1- 12, both in immersion and regular foreign language classrooms.

 

Updated 6/2/2006