When it comes to inspiring Spanish students to learn the language, interactive resources are becoming increasingly popular. By giving pupils regular breaks from workbooks and grammar exercises, teachers can make their lessons more engaging than ever before. Here are just a few ideas for potential resources.
Often, one of the most effective ways for students to strengthen their understanding of a language is to put their skills into practice through communication with others.
However, while school trips to foreign destinations are invaluable in aiding students’ learning, regular interactions with native Spanish speakers via online resources such as Skype can be beneficial too.
Skype in the Classroom allows students to put their knowledge into practice by connecting them to other countries. Students can play games with pupils in Spain, ask experts questions, and meet influential speakers from across the world without even leaving the classroom.
Students can practice their Spanish-speaking skills by playing Spanish Revision Jenga. The game involves numbering each Jenga brick and piling them as if playing the game in the more traditional way. Each time a student takes a turn, they must answer a question in Spanish that corresponds with the number on the chosen brick. If necessary, you may wish to alter the questions to better suit your students’ abilities.
Watching a Spanish film without the subtitles could help engage those who learn visually, while listening to music and writing down recognisable words and phrases could be helpful for those who respond well to auditory resources. Kinaesthetic learners are also likely to benefit from such resources, providing they are also able to take part in hands-on activities that enable them to move around and work with others.
By taking the three different learning styles into account, teachers can make it easier for their pupils to consume and remember everything they are taught.
One of the best ways to assist modern foreign language students in honing their skills involves school trips abroad. Students of all abilities and learning styles are likely to benefit from visiting Spain itself.
They’ll be able to experience the country’s culture first-hand, improve their knowledge of Spanish history and architecture and, of course, put their language skills into practice by talking to local people.
To learn more about Spanish MFL trips, please get in touch with WST. If you know of any other great resources for language teachers, or you have any tips for encouraging students to interact, we’d love to hear from you on Twitter.