Recently, I have loved reading on social media about how people have organized their classrooms. I enjoy seeing how teachers have decorated their boards and what they are doing in their rooms. I noticed in these threads that there are a lot of discussions about lower level instruction and a lot of frustration about what to do in higher level courses. A while back, I wrote about using traditions around the world in the classroom. In that post, I created and shared an ASL lesson to use with students. Since then I have been thinking about why ASL lessons have to be so dry, dull and uninspiring in the upper-level classes. Read on to find a free lesson.
Our focus as World Langauge teachers should be to give our students an opportunity to learn a language in a meaningful way. Why are we stuck in a dull textbook when we can give our students the ability to communicate in real-world situations and current events? After all, if you ask students what they want from the class, most will say better communication skills.
I have spent many hours over the last few years thinking about topics that are missing from our curriculum. I began creating thematic units of study specifically for upper-level learners that focus completely on communication. Some topics I have been researching include Poetry and Literature, Charitable Organizations, Hearing Privilege, and Holidays and Celebrations. You can also create units for current events and things that happen in our students’ world. Try focusing on what is hot in the news, observation days like MLK, or special events like the Olympics. So far my students have been receptive to the lessons and I am ecstatic to share my ideas with you.
Thematic ASL Lessons
- Increases student interests
- Helps students understand connections
- Expands assessment strategies
- Keeps students engaged
- Uses authentic sources
- Draws on connections from the real world and life experiences
When creating thematic ASL lessons, there are some components to keep in mind. Here are some guidelines.
- Theme: Select the theme of the unit based on the standards used in your state and proficiency level appropriateness that holds student interests and connects to student experiences.
- Objectives: Identify the objectives and student-learner outcomes (SLOs) that you would like students to master during the course of the unit.
- Authentic Materials: Determine the materials you will use throughout the unit and check to see if there are authentic sources available on the theme you choose.
- Discussion Questions: Create a variety of discussion questions to help students think about the theme of the unit. Allow them to share their thoughts, ideas, and opinions about the theme.
- Activities: Develop the activities that you will use for your thematic unit. You can include stations, games, and videos. Then create an Integrated Performance Assessment that can show what students can do.
Here is one FREE lesson from a unit on holidays and celebrations I have created. Take a look, see if you like it and get the entire unit here if you are interested in expanding the lesson.
How about you? Will you try creating a thematic unit?
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