Talia Block
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Blog
  • Presentations
  • Teaching Resources
  • Contact Me

Top Tips for Sharpening Language Skills This Summer

6/24/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
Once the school year has ended and students are no longer in class every day, it can be difficult for them to maintain the language skills they learned throughout the year. But practicing and working with the language can be easier than you think. The more students interact with the language, the better they are able to get back into the swing of things come September. Here are some quick tips to help students maintain and sharpen their language skills:

  • Use technology. Tablets and smart phones offer a wide range of applications (apps) in many languages. Even if the apps do not concentrate on vocabulary learned in the classroom, they offer the chance to continue interacting with the language in a fun way. Duolingo is one free choice.
  • Listen to music. An important part of maintaining language skills is to continue interacting with the language. Listening to music is a great way to pick up new vocabulary and to get to know the culture of the language as well. If local radio stations do not provide international music stations, there are various Internet radio stations that do. From Top 40 hits to more cultural music, it can all be found online.
  • Read a good book. Reading children’s picture books in the target language, especially one that is familiar, is a great way to continue practicing over the summer. Books, such as “The Hungry Caterpillar” or “The Cat in the Hat,” are available in a wide range of languages. When children read books with which they are familiar, there is more focus on the language and often they can pick up new words easily. Many bookstores and libraries carry picture books in multiple languages, and many books are available through online retailers as well.
  • Watch a favorite movie. Many of today’s movies are available in multiple languages through the movie menu. Watching a movie in the target language provides students with an incredible amount of language. In watching a well-known movie, students can concentrate on the new language and not so much the content of the movie. Animated movies are an especially good choice as they are often available with target language subtitles as well. If you cannot find movies in the language you desire, YouTube offers an incredible wealth of material.
  • Focus on the word of the day. By focusing on one word a day, students can easily add to their vocabulary. Use the word in as many different ways and settings as possible. Another way to use the word of the day method is to find words in the target language in and around the community. More so than with words from a dictionary or website, these vocabulary pieces are meaningful and allow students to connect their language with their surroundings.

As previously published in SmartBlogs for Education.

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    View my profile on LinkedIn

    Archives

    February 2019
    January 2019
    September 2018
    December 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    August 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    March 2015
    October 2014
    August 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013

    Categories

    All
    Animals
    Art
    Authentic Resource
    Brain Break
    Colors
    Communication
    Connections
    Conversation
    Culture
    Curriculum
    Emotions
    First Days
    Foldables
    Food
    Fútbol
    Fútbol
    Games
    Growth Mindset
    Holidays
    Ideas
    Immersion
    Instagram
    Interact
    Interpersonal
    Interpretive
    Language Chunks
    Lesson Plan
    Music
    National Foreign Language Week
    Novice
    Numbers
    Performance
    Presentational
    Professional Development
    Professional Learning Community
    Proficiency Levels
    Project
    Questions
    Reflection
    Resources
    Review
    Shopping
    Social Media
    Student Work
    Target Language
    Technology
    Time Management
    Tips & Tricks
    Vocabulary

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly