Language Sensei

A Language Teacher's Journey

January 26, 2018
by leesensei
2 Comments

Implementing a “Gradebook à la Mode”…..Lessons Learned In The Change

Note: This post is a cross-posted on the Path2Proficiency site. I took a look at my gradebook at the end of last year. My tasks were all jumbled together and still classified in the traditional  4 language skills: reading, writing, … Continue reading

January 5, 2018
by leesensei
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Top Posts of 2017 and What They Tell Me….

Ah the best of intentions – I had them. Two weeks of holidays at Christmas and I’d finally get those 4 posts done that have been sitting there – sitting there waiting for a break in the action. It has … Continue reading

December 11, 2016
by leesensei
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My “Oral” Failure: Assuming They ‘Get It’…And Learning They Don’t…

We don’t do a ‘novel’ through the course of Year 4. Instead we do a story unit – one in which we read a story as a group (it’s a graded reader story in Japanese) and follow this with a … Continue reading

September 30, 2016
by leesensei
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Fine Tuning Writing = Fine Tuning Language

Last year one of my ‘could have been betters‘ was my work with students to improve their written output. Yes I have a rubric/feedback form I like. Yes I use descriptors and not numbers to evaluate their writing. Yes I … Continue reading

June 21, 2016
by leesensei
12 Comments

Setting Them Up For the Real World: What Should An “Oral Final” Be?

What should an oral final look/sound like? I’ve been thinking about this as I continue to try to take away the ‘unnecessary’ – and get to the necessary – in my classroom.  And I’ve thought a lot about what the … Continue reading

May 26, 2016
by leesensei
0 comments

“Three Days In …..” – An Exploratory, Target Language Online Field Trip….

We are exploring travel in Yr4 – travel to our Target Language (TL) area of Japan. I have taken what was a one-day experience of street view (that I used to use to revise ‘directions’ – no, don’t do that … Continue reading

March 9, 2016
by leesensei
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The New Feedback Rubrics – Part 2: The Interpersonal Oral Rubric

As I mentioned in my previous post, my rubric journey has been a long and winding one. In the previous post I talked about how I have developed (and continue to) my presentational writing rubric – with the goal of … Continue reading

January 25, 2016
by leesensei
4 Comments

Proficiency Descriptors Not Numbers – Students React To The Change

This is the year that I began the switch and took a new path. As I’ve written previously I am now ‘talking ability/proficiency’ and not numbers with my students. It has meant changes in how I provide feedback and also … Continue reading

September 10, 2015
by leesensei
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A “Refreshing” Day 1- Reminding Them How We Work in Class

I made a vow this year that I would not spend my first day of class doing the ‘outline/student info’ massive amount of teacher talk this year. No – my new attitude is to treat the first few days not … Continue reading

January 24, 2015
by leesensei
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“It Was Cool!” Their First Group Interpersonal Oral…

I am so proud of my Year 1’s. In one (strike-shortened) semester they have mastered one new orthography and are well on their way to a second. They are learning how to feel confident and communicate in a second language … Continue reading

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