Eric Richards Instructional Consulting, LLC
In this post, I wanted to follow up with some more functionalities of deepl.com/write. If you didn’t read the original blog post on deepl.com/write, you can find it HERE. (I encourage you to read it before reading this post!) Note: You can decide to use or not use these functions in class. (They work for…
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I recently heard about deepl.com/write. (It is free.) It is a AI-powered writing assistant tool. It helps improve written communication by correcting grammar and offering alternative word and/or sentence choices. It currently supports English (American), English (British), French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Portuguese (Brazilian) and Spanish. (See screenshots below and visit the site.) I was immediately…
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I am about a week removed from the ACTFL conference. During this week I’ve had time to reflect on my time in Philadelphia at the conference. First, let me share a bit of gratitude. I am thankful that I had the opportunity to go. I am also thankful that Voces Digital invited me to be…
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After recently attending and presenting at the FLAM (Foreign Language Association of Missouri) St. Louis Regional Conference, I had a chance to reflect on the experience. It was a great experience, not only motivating and inspiring. It was wonderful to see familiar faces and also get to know new educators. It was also rewarding to…
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Note: This is a longer blog post, but I promise it is worth your time to read it! This is my first of what I hope are many collaborative posts with Keith Toda. I first met Keith at the 2023 CI Summit in Savannah. Both of us were assigned to serve as team members/trainers for…
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I wanted to share a quick update on Soundscapes. I’m hoping this makes your teaching life a bit easier. If you haven’t gotten the chance to read the original post about Soundscapes, you need to read it HERE, before continuing. It will explain the setup and give you links to implement a “soundscape.” Side note…
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What does cybersecurity have to do with a world language educator? Let me explain. When I first graduated from college, I started in computers and networking. There was definitely a learning curve, but I enjoyed computers and technology – and I still do! I enjoy computers and the ever changing landscape of technology – especially,…
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I first came across the idea of “soundscapes” at the Comprehenisble Iowa conference. At the conference, I had the pleasure of seeing Diane Neubauer present on this activity (and other interactive listening strategies.) It was a great presentation and it really resonated with me. (I especially enjoyed that we got to experience a “soundscape” together…
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The following post is courtesy of Keith Toda. You can find the original post by Keith Toda’s here. It is re-posted here with his permission. Note: I also saw Keith give a presentation about this topic at the Comprehensible Iowa Conference (CIIA) in 2024. A Few Thoughts Before you read Keith’s blog, please allow me…
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Recently, Pat Brown and I had a featured article in the Spring 2024 issue of ACTFL’s of ‘The Language Educator’. I know that some do not have access to the article, so I wanted to share a summary of the article and our contribution to language learning and acquisition. The “Explore-Before-Explain” Instructional Sequence The “Explore-Before-Explain”…
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I have recently put out some posts on my X (Twitter) handle – @e_r_richards – about contributions that German-Americans have made to the candy industry in America. Below you will find a more cohesive list of Germans, German-speaking immigrants, and German-Americans, who have added to the fabric of America and “sweetened” American life. These individuals…
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I will once again begin gearing up to take my students abroad this summer to Germany. Although we will only be in Germany this trip abroad, our previous travels have taken us to other German-speaking countries, including: Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. As I begin the countdown to departure, I always reminisce on our past adventures…
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I wanted to run this by German language educators and learners and get your thoughts. (See below.) As I was looking for a Eselsbrücke (donkey bridge), to help German students with present tense, regular verb conjugation. Despite receiving a healthy amount of input, I notice that (some) of my students need – and ask for…
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This an simple, low prep activity that students really enjoy. It is similar to 20 questions, but you can vary it to help keep it feeling new for students. (Find that link below!) Here is the basic set up: 1. Put an object in a bag. (It can be a representation of an object also,…
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Note: Please read the post “What’s in the Bag?” before reading this post: As I wrote in the original “What’s in the Bag?” post, my students really enjoy this activity and they always ask to play it. However, as with any activities, it can get stale if you don’t vary it from time to time.…
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Note: Please read the following blog posts before this one: Keywords (and Pictures) This activity is a simple variation to “Keywords (and Pictures) & Read, Draw, and Discuss / Listen, Draw, and Discuss” . However, instead of using drawings during the activity, students use emojis. I know that this seems like a rather minute (and even perhaps inconsequential)…
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This activity is similar to “Picture Talk”. If you are are not familiar with Picture Talk, you find out more here: How do I do a Picture Talk Picture Talk 101 This is most likely not the newest, most groundbreaking activity that you will come across, but nonetheless, I enjoy doing this activity with my…
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Note: Please read the following two blog posts before this one: This activity is a simple variation to “Read, Draw, and Discuss” and “Listen, Draw, and Discuss“. The short of it is, instead of using drawings during the activity, students use keywords (in the target language). A small variation is to have them use both…
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This activity is an excellent way to personalize a text/story and give students ownership of it. In this activity, students are not only supported in their engagement with the language, but they also get the benefits of repetition of the vocabulary and structures. What is more, they even get the benefits of drawing, including memory…
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This activity is similar to Read, Draw and Discuss, however it has a twist. You’ll notice that it is “Listen” and not “Read” in the title. It is an excellent way to scaffold support for listening comprehension with students. In this activity, students are not only supported in their engagement with listening and comprehending the…
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The following post is courtesy of Keith Toda. He teaches Latin at Parkview High School, a public school in Lilburn, GA. He teaches with four other Latin teachers in one of the largest Latin programs in the nation (USA). I highly recommend that you bookmark his blog and come back to it. There is truly…
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A recently posted on an activity called “Read, Draw, and Discuss“. After incorporating this activity, I started incorporating whiteboards and drawing more often in my classes at all levels. (I will post more on how I incorporated them later. So, check back!) I originally did it, because my students enjoy it and are more engaged…
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As language educators, we know that reading in the target language is crucial for language development (both in the L1 and L2). We also know that we have choices about what we choose to read in the classroom. This includes, level-appropriate readers, authentic texts, graphic novels, etc. With these choices also comes the discussion about…
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Exciting news! My new Level 1 / A1 reader is now available at Voces Digital – both in Spanish and German! Check it out here: “El documento” / “Das Dokument” About The Document:Enrique’s encounter with his cousin Karla at a café takes an unexpected turn when he discovers a mysterious flash drive under the table. Believing it…
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I recently had the honor of reviewing Lynne Breen’s latest book – Freedom at Niagara – before it was published. It is truly a fascinating book and you’ll undoubtedly walk away from this book having learned something new. Here is the review: “Lynne Breen delivers an important work that details the often overlooked role that…
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The following post is courtesy of Keith Toda. He teaches Latin at Parkview High School, a public school in Lilburn, GA. He teaches with four other Latin teachers in one of the largest Latin programs in the nation (USA). I highly recommend that you bookmark his blog and come back to it. There is truly…
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Pat Brown and I recently had our article “Exploring Before Explaining in World Languages” published in Edutopia – George Lucas Educational Foundation. https://www.edutopia.org/article/using-patterns-teach-world-languages Our article introduces the concept of “explore-before-explain” teaching in world language classrooms, aiming to redefine the roles of teachers and students, enhance student agency, and address the complex standards set by the…
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We will wrap up our series on “SLA-Speak” by looking at “Comprehensible Input”. Note: This is the fifth and (possibly) final post in the series. What is “Comprehensible Input”? Comprehensible Input (CI) is a concept in language learning that refers to language input. The language input received by the language learner is just challenging enough…
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Continuing our series on “SLA-Speak”, we’ll now look at the “Affective Filter”. Note: This is the fourth post in the series. What is the “Affective filter”? The Affective Filter is a concept in language learning. It is like a mental gate that can either open or close while you’re learning a language. In other words,…
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Continuing our series on “SLA-Speak”, we’ll now look at “Fluency” vs. “Accuracy”. Note: This is the third post in the series. Fluency and accuracy are two important aspects of language proficiency. Let’s take a look at the difference between them: Fluency: Accuracy: Key Differences: Briefly stated, both fluency and accuracy are essential for effective communication…
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