The Personalized Learning Adventure

Adding Student Choice in Homework

Why personalize language learning?

• Ultimately, success depends on whether students continue to integrate language into their lives

after they leave our class.

• Research shows that giving students autonomy and purpose in learning is highly motivating.

Resources:

Bethanie Carlson Drew (bdrew@wcpss.net and aventurasnuevas.wordpress.com)

• Option #1: Choose Your Own Adventure!

• View student handout with complete choices

at http://tinyurl.com/ChooseYOA

• Students submit their work at any point

during the week via a Google form:

• Lessons I’ve Learned :

• A wide variety of options is key!

• The best projects are often the ones students create for themselves...but they need

encouragement and guidance

• Presenting the projects in class opens up a variety of other possibilities, and helps to increase

motivation and excitement

• Feedback from students:

• I liked it because it showed how Spanish is used through everyday activities

• I didn’t like it that much, but that could be because I did not do many of the fun ones

• I liked that we could choose what we wanted to do. I didn't like that it was every week. Maybe you could give

people the option to do things that aren’t on that sheet, let them come up with their own activity.

• I liked how we had the freedom to pick whatever we wanted and it helped me learn a decent amount

• I liked how it encouraged me to experience Spanish outside of class, but I felt like I couldn't do some of the

adventures, so I was stuck with the same few.

Option #2: The Real World

• Adapted from Kara Parker and

Megan Johnston-Smith at

creativelanguageclass.com

• Thematic focus tailored to current

unit of study.

• Students select which options they

would like to complete. Still have

the option to create own project/

activity.2

• Post with eight sample choice-in-homework systems: http://bit.ly/1xEqPcf

• Sample report from a student:

Sara-Elizabeth Cottrell (musicuentos.com)• The latest update on the point-system choice-in-homework document: http://bit.ly/1oDIUr6

3

Laura Sexton (sraspanglish.blogspot.com)

Name_____________________________ Class___________________________

Personal Goal #___

My current strengths as a Spanish learner (choose all that apply)___ Vocabulary recall & application ___ Pronunciation ___ Vocal inflection/pacing___ Grammar/sentence formation ___ Spelling ___ Making myself understood in writing ___ Making myself understood out loud ___ Interpreting written text ___ Interpreting conversation ___ Interpreting videos___ Interpreting music ___ Using cognates and context clues to interpret ___ Getting the main idea ___Picking up on details ___ Making connections with previous knowledge ___ Drawing cultural conclusions

Two skills I would like to work on and improve:

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

What would you like to incorporate into your final personal goal?___ Books ___ Magazines ___ Music/singing ___ Dance___ Acting ___ Conversation ___ Visual arts ___ Social media___ Travel ___ Fashion ___ Family/friends ___ Local community___ TV/Movies ___ Sports ___ Science/technology ___ Nature___ History ___ Customs ___ Government ___ Social issues ___ Future goals (career/college) ___ Food--restaurants/shops ___ Food--cooking

OVERALL GOAL (Last step, due ________) Interpret Discuss Present

_________________________________________________________________________

Due ________ Step 1: select text select vocabulary define vocabulary rehearse in sections create script practice speaking revise/reflect summarize (overall/sections)

Due ________ Step 2: select text select vocabulary define vocabulary rehearse in sections create script practice speaking revise/reflect summarize (overall/sections)

Due ________Step 3: select text select vocabulary define vocabulary rehearse in sections create script practice speaking revise/reflect summarize (overall/sections) 4