BACKGROUND READING
OVERVIEW
•A background reading is a short reading, created by the teacher, that is
comprehensible to the students and is used to provide students with background
information on a topic.
SELECTION
•Use for any #authres format: graphic, text, audio, video--anything!
•Use with #authres in which the context is not obvious and/or for which it would help
students to be more successful if
they understood background
information on the subject.
EXAMPLE
•“Maria Adela Aragon” from
www.immigrantarchiveproject.com
PREPARATION
1. Teacher determines what
background information would help students to better understand the #authres.
2.Teacher writes a short reading that is 100 percent comprehensible to students about
the topic. If the teacher uses words that are new to students and are not cognates,
they should be footnoted. Fewer than 10 percent of the vocabulary should be
footnoted.
3.Teacher prepares the reading to be projected or photocopied and distributed.
ACTIVITY
1. Before viewing the #authres, teacher projects or distributes the reading to the class
2.Teacher reads the reading aloud to the class as students follow along. As the
teacher reads, s/he should clarify, circle, personalize and check for comprehension.
(For more information on these strategies, please visit www.martinabex.com/
teacher-training/ )
Copyright © 2013 Martina Bex ● www.martinabex.com ● The Comprehensible Classroom
Q&A MIX & MATCH
Idea from Sharon Birch (www.elmundodebirch.wordpress.com); shared with permission
http://elmundodebirch.wordpress.com/2013/04/12/q-a-with-song-lyrics/
OVERVIEW
•Q&A Mix & Match is an activity that allows students to respond to questions in the
target language about a resource using answers from a bank.
SELECTION
•ANY source can be used: Audio, Video, Text, Graphic, Photo, Animation....
•Use for sources for which concrete questions with ‘black and white’ answers can be
written (ex: not a piece of art whose meaning is open to interpretation).
EXAMPLE:
• “Maria Adela Aragon” from www.immigrantarchiveproject.com
PREPARATION
1. Teacher writes questions that are comprehensible to students based on the #authres.
2.Teacher writes an answer to each question that is comprehensible to students.
3.Optional: Teacher writes several answers that do not correspond to any question
4.Teacher creates a worksheet with numbered questions and an ‘answer bank’ that
includes all answers (and non-answers).
ACTIVITY
Copyright © 2013 Martina Bex ● www.martinabex.com ● The Comprehensible Classroom
PARALLEL STORY
OVERVIEW
•Students are introduced to the vocabulary, plot, and themes of a story-based
authentic resource by creating a personalized, class version of the story.
SELECTION
•Use for resources of any kind that tell a story.
EXAMPLE:
• “Papa Loved Mama” by Garth Brooks
• El chico del apartamento 512 story script (available on www.martinabex.com)
PREPARATION
1. Teacher write a concise, comprehensible summary of the story told by the authentic
resource.
2.Teacher determines which vocabulary and structures students must learn in order to
understand the summary.
3.Teacher underlines plot details that, if changed, would create a new version of the
same basic story.
ACTIVITY
1. Teacher recruits student actors.
2.Teacher TELLS the students any invariable plot points.
3.Teacher ASKS students for suggestions for the variable details.
4.Teacher CIRCLES the essential vocabulary and structures so that students acquire
them before interacting with the authentic resource.
5.For more information on circling, storyasking, and more, please visit http://
martinabex.com/teacher-training/
Copyright © 2013 Martina Bex ● www.martinabex.com ● The Comprehensible Classroom
MATCHING PARAPHRASES
OVERVIEW
•Students match student-friendly paraphrases of numerous segments from an
authentic text with the section of the text being paraphrased.
SELECTION
•Use for any textual resource (article, song lyrics, blog post, book chapter, poem, script)
EXAMPLE:
• “Papa Loved Mama” by Garth Brooks
• El chico del apartamento 512 by Selena (available on www.martinabex.com)
• A las tres by Enanitos Verdes (available on www.martinabex.com)
• Japanese
example by Miyuki
Imai: 小さな恋の
うた “Small Love
Song”
PREPARATION
1. Teacher divides
the text into
logical sections.
2.Teacher numbers
each section in
order.
3.Teacher writes a
student-friendly
paraphrase of each section.
4.Teacher scrambles the paraphrases so that they are out of order.
5.Teacher letters the paraphrases.
ACTIVITY
1. Students read the paraphrases.
2.Students match paraphrases and original text.
3.Teacher reads the original text to the class, pausing after each section to review the
correct matching paraphrase.
4.If the resource has an audio or video component, students watch or listen to it now.
Copyright © 2013 Martina Bex ● www.martinabex.com ● The Comprehensible Classroom
VOCABULARY PERSONALIZATION
More commonly referred to as Personalized Questions and Answers (PQA)
OVERVIEW:
•Students relate the themes and vocabulary of an authentic resource to their own lives.
SELECTION
•ANY source can be used: Audio, Video, Text, Graphic, Photo, Animation....
•Particularly useful for sources that contain new vocabulary
EXAMPLE:
• Abou Diaby Injuries http://worldsoccertalk.com/2013/04/03/all-of-abou-diabys-35injuries-for-arsenal-from-2006-2013-infographic/
PREPARATION
1. Teacher lists unfamiliar vocabulary found in the #authres that is essential for students
to know in order to comprehend the source/complete the “Interact” task
2.Teacher writes several questions for each vocabulary term that (1) include the
vocabulary term, (2) would be interesting to discuss as a class, (3) are
comprehensible to the students when provided with translations of the new vocab.
ACTIVITY
1. Write one of the new vocabulary words on the board in two colors (ex: black for the
target language, blue for the English translation)
2.Optional: Teach a gesture for the term and give students a sample sentence that
contains it
3.Ask one of the prepared, open-ended questions to the class and elicit responses
4.When a student responds, re-state their answer, circle the target structure, fish for
more details from the student, and compare with responses from classmates. For
more information on these strategies, visit www.martinabex.com/teacher-training/
5.Repeat with each vocabulary term
Copyright © 2013 Martina Bex ● www.martinabex.com ● The Comprehensible Classroom
FIND THE INTRUDER
Idea shared by Elizabeth Dentlinger (http://sradentlinger.wordpress.com/2013/08/10/listening-strategies/); shared with permission
OVERVIEW:
•Students read several statements about an authentic resource and determine which
one is false.
SELECTION
•ANY source can be used: Audio, Video, Text, Graphic, Photo, Animation....
•Use for sources for which concrete questions with ‘black and white’ answers can be
written (ex: not a piece of art whose meaning is open to interpretation).
EXAMPLE:
•Example from presentation: Abou Diaby Injuries http://worldsoccertalk.com/
2013/04/03/all-of-abou-diabys-35-injuries-for-arsenal-from-2006-2013-infographic/
•French example from Cara O’Brien-Holen: http://www.lanouvellerepublique.fr/Vienne/
Actualite/Dossiers-actualite/n/Contenus/Dossiers/Actualite/Presidentielleamericaine-2012/De-plus-en-plus-de-pauvres-aux-Etats-Unis
PREPARATION
1. Teacher writes multiple true statements
and one false statement about the
#authres.
2.Teacher lists all statements, true and false,
on a print-out for students or on the
board.
ACTIVITY
1. Teacher distributes worksheets to
students.
2.Students view the #authres.
3.Students cross out the FALSE statements
either during or after viewing the
#authres.
4.Students correct the FALSE statements to
make them true.
Copyright © 2013 Martina Bex ● www.martinabex.com ● The Comprehensible Classroom
EMBEDDED READING
Idea from Laurie Clarcq and Michele Whaley www.embeddedreading.com Used with permission.
OVERVIEW:
•Students read several increasingly-detailed and complex versions of a text.
SELECTION
•Use for any textual resource (article, song lyrics, blog post, book chapter, poem, script)
EXAMPLE:
•Example: Fox and Bullhead: This was a story told to me by Esther Ilustik. It was
originally told by Sassa Andrews who is an Aleknagik elder: From Andrews et al. “Red
Fox and Bullhead” The Aleknagik Way: Alaskan Style. 2004
•Russian Example by Michele Whaley: Я без тебя
PREPARATION
1.Teacher reduces the authentic resource by
1/2 to create a simplified version.
2.Teacher reduces the simplified version by
1/2 to create an even more simple version.
3.(This could continue forever, depending on
how many versions you want to use. 3 or 4
layered readings works well.
ACTIVITY
1.Teacher distributes the most simple reading
to students and they read it.
2.Students complete reading activities
(optional)
3.Teacher distributes the second most simple
reading to students and they read it.
4.Students complete reading activities
(optional)
5.Repeat as many times as needed.
Copyright © 2013 Martina Bex ● www.martinabex.com ● The Comprehensible Classroom
CONTEXT CLUES
OVERVIEW:
•Students determine the meaning of new vocabulary terms contained in a text based
on context.
SELECTION
•Use for any textual resource (article, song lyrics, blog post, book chapter, poem, script)
EXAMPLE:
•Example: Fox and Bullhead: This was a story told to me by Esther Ilustik. It was
originally told by Sassa Andrews who is an Aleknagik elder: From Andrews et al. “Red
Fox and Bullhead” The Aleknagik Way: Alaskan Style. 2004
•Example: La leyenda del espantapájaros (available on www.martinabex.com)
PREPARATION
1. Teacher highlights or underlines vocabulary in a text that is new to students but in a
comprehensible context.
2.Teacher numbers the underlined vocabulary.
3.Teacher writes a student-friendly synonym, close synonym, or definition for the word
in the target language.
4.Teacher writes a student-friendly antonym or non-definition of the word in the target
language.
ACTIVITY
1. Students
read the
text.
2.Students
choose the
best
meaning for
the word
from the
examples
given.
Copyright © 2013 Martina Bex ● www.martinabex.com ● The Comprehensible Classroom
MOVIETALK
Developed by Dr. Ashley Hastings www.focalskills.info as an ELL strategy; brought to the
WL community by Michele Whaley www.mjtprs.wordpress.com. For more information and
to see a demo, visit http://martinabex.com/teacher-training/movietalk/
OVERVIEW:
•Teacher plays a video clip for students and pauses every few seconds to describe
and narrate the video and still frames in the target language.
SELECTION
•Use for any video resource
(commercial, short film, film
clip, music video, etc.)
EXAMPLE:
•The Tale of the Three
Brothers from Harry Potter
(available on
www.youtube.com)
•http://martinabex.com/
category/movietalk/
PREPARATION
1. Teacher previews the video clip
2.Teacher determines what is visible on the screen (scene and action) and what s/he
wants to focus on.
3.Teacher forms a ‘script’ (mental or written) to work from.
ACTIVITY
1. Teacher begins to play the video clip, typically with the volume muted.
2.Teacher pauses the clip as soon as a notable screen appears.
3.In the target language, teacher describes everything that is visible (or everything
that the teacher wants to focus on) on the screen. While narrating, the teacher asks
CIRCLING questions, checks for comprehension, and could even personalize the
content. For more on these strategies, please visit http://martinabex.com/teachertraining/.
Copyright © 2013 Martina Bex ● www.martinabex.com ● The Comprehensible Classroom
CLOZE & COMPLETE
OVERVIEW:
•Students read an incomplete transcript of an audio or video text while listening, and
they fill in the missing structures (with or without use of a word bank).
SELECTION
•Use for any resource that contains audio (video, song, interview, film segment, etc.)
EXAMPLE:
•The Tale of the Three Brothers from Harry Potter (available on www.youtube.com)
PREPARATION
1. Teacher prepares a transcript of the audio text.
2.While listening to the text, the teacher selects vocabulary that are (1) comprehensible
to students, (2) sufficiently easy for students to identify while listening to the audio
text (ie: not muddled or rushed), and (3) spaced throughout the text.
3.OPTIONAL: Teacher creates a word bank with the missing words.
ACTIVITY
1. Teacher distributes the transcript (and word bank, if applicable) to students.
2.Students listen to the audio text and fill in the missing words.
3.Students listen to the text again as needed.
Copyright © 2013 Martina Bex ● www.martinabex.com ● The Comprehensible Classroom