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Teaching Foreign Languages K-12: A Library of Classroom Practices

View & Analyze the Video

As you reflect on these questions, write down your responses or discuss them as a group.

Before You Watch

Respond to the following questions:

  • How do teachers work with the shorter attention spans of young learners?
  • What teaching strategies are essential when teaching early grades?
  • When working with students whose first language is a language other than English, how can developing skills in their first language aid in their English coursework

Watch the Video

As you watch “People Who Help Us,” take notes on Mrs. Alaloom’s instructional strategies, particularly how she manages a classroom of young learners, connects lesson content, and handles different dialects in class. Write down what you find interesting, surprising, or especially important about the teaching and learning in this lesson.

Reflect on the Video

Review your notes, and then respond to the following questions:

  • Sometimes Mrs. Alaloom addressed the students in Modern Standard Arabic, and other times she used more colloquial language. Why might she change her language register when speaking with the students? What is the benefit of doing so?
  • What techniques did the teacher use to maintain a positive, low-stress environment?
  • With what other content areas did the lesson connect? How did Mrs. Alaloom balance her content objectives and language objectives?

Take a Second Look

Watch the video again, but this time, focus on the following teaching practices: classroom management and visualizing vocabulary.


Practice: Classroom Management

  • How did the students respond to instructions?
  • What techniques did Mrs. Alaloom use to keep the students engaged, on task, and behaving appropriately throughout the class?
  • How were the activities paced? How did the pacing aid in the classroom management?

 

Practice: Visualizing Vocabulary


  • How did Mrs. Alaloom incorporate visuals into the lesson?
  • The visuals served different pedagogical purposes each time—what were they?

Series Directory

Teaching Foreign Languages K-12: A Library of Classroom Practices

Credits

Teaching Foreign Languages K–12: Teaching Arabic © 2016 Annenberg Learner and Qatar Foundation International. All rights reserved.
  • Closed Captioning
  • ISBN: 1-57680-731-2

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