Evolution of my TPRS teaching: example Alma

Someone recently asked me about how I plan out for the years. I generally do the following:

My first year with a curriculum:

• fly by the seat of my pants
• take notes on what works/doesn't (mental or written/typed out)
• survive

Subsequent years:

• hone different areas (not all at once)
• assessments
• activities 
• stories
• movietalks
• guided discussion prompts
• extras
• games
• classroom management
• usage of novels
• usage of SSR / FVR
• continue to gather more resources to throw in
• adapt resources to level of students that year (readings)
• have more fun because it's way less stressful

For example, you can tell my 2nd or 3rd year of using TPRS, I saw Cynthia Hitz had used something called a MovieTalk about Alma. I was relatively new at this. 

So my first year with Alma (maybe fall 2012), I did the following:

• Spoken story
  
• MovieTalk (talked to kids, paused movie at key points to build interest)
  
• Simple version of a reading 
• I lost this over the years

Then the next year at a new school (spring 2014), I thought it would be fun to make an Embedded Reading. So I was comfortable with the movie and added different versions.

• Spoken story
  
• MovieTalk
  
• Embedded Readings
• versions 1 & 2
• version 3

Then the next year at the same school (spring 2015), I thought it would be fun to make it even more immersive. I made Alma into a little mini-unit with el muñeco viviente as well before. So I was comfortable with the movie and added different versions.

I also added in elements of TPR to help remember some of the new structures.

• "muñeco" mini-unit 
• the hope was  to eventually talk about burning of los muñecos del año viejo as cultural extension. Haven't gotten to it yet.
• Justin Jedlica - muñeco viviente story
  
• Spoken story
  
• Movietalk
  
• Embedded Readings (didn't change)

The following year in Spring 2016, I continued to use Alma. But I tweaked the readings. I wanted to continue pushing their literacy and to really get more bang for my buck. I continued with Justin Jedlica's story because it was a hit the previous year. (Folder)

• TPR
• Justin Jedlica story
• Spoken story
• Movietalk
• Embedded Readings - 5 versions
• version 1 (ppt)
• version 2 (ppt)
• version 3 (ppt)
• version 4 (ppt)

Then this past spring 2017, I was at a new school again. I was no longer in the block schedule so I felt like it could definitely be improved next year. What I did was pretty similar to 2016 because I liked how that turned out. But I added a phrase: "something weird happens" and tried to work on Direct Object pronouns a little bit. I also used it for Spanish 2 because it was a new school and they hadn't seen it. So I adapted the language to fit their needs a little bit.

• see new embedded readings (sp 1)
• see new embedded readings (sp 2)
• for example, I reviewed some of their textbook vocab (daily routines) in an almost pre-story.

So as you can see... my teaching is definitely a process. And I'm continually changing activities and adding to them/taking away from them. 

What I especially love about TPRS and CI is that with TPRS/CI, the same activity/text can be used with students regardless of level with a little bit of tweaking because that's the nature of language!

Hope that gives you some ideas as a fellow educator!