Pictees and Retells

So this year I am trying to improve on my storytelling skills by encouraging more spoken retells to a partner and also writing retells (timed write 10 minutes).  I know that a lot of input precedes output. But unfortunately, my department still wants our kids to "speak" and "write" Spanish.  So I need to get the kids ready for other classes. And this is a pretty great way to build their confidence (hopefully).

Había una chica. La chica estaba en New York.
Tenía un perro feo. Quería un elefate pequeño...

The last retell we did over our first story went fairly well.  Some of the retells kids can do blow my mind.  Others leave a lot to be desired.  I find it fascinating how two kids in the same class can absorb at such staggeringly different rates!

Today I wanted to give my students a bit of reinforcement after working for a few days on our story.

I passed out a half sheet of paper with 6 squares.  Then, I pre-wrote out descriptions from their story in chunks (thanks to their class scribe!).  I heard this called a Pictee (Pictation) instead of Dictee (Dictation) somewhere.

TPRS/CI year 5 - questions with partner

Something I have been trying to get to do with my students more is to practice Spanish with a partner.  I know that this is not meant to be a big part of class since Spanish 1 especially needs to hear correctly modeled input in order to acquire the language correctly.

But with that said, I wonder at times if asking the students to do a low level form of output after going over the information a lot pushes them in a good way to improve and think about how they would say it.  It's meant to be a very low stress way because it's not in front of the class.

I recently watched a Kahn academy video about how getting wrong is part of learning.  When we are wrong and we reflect on why we are wrong, it's more engaging to our brain than just being right.  It's where our brain grows more.

So how can I get my students' brains to grow more in Spanish?  I believe in Comprehensible Input!  I know the best way is loading them with Comprehensible Input.

But maybe I can occasionally guide them into noticing differences by the way I phrase questions or asking them a question really quick in English (to have them tell a partner/their hand/me/etc).

Here are some examples of things I have been practicing last year (a little bit) and this year (way more) to engage the class and give them a break to say something after all of the input:

1. How would s/he answer this question?
2. What does this question mean?
3. Why did they say [yo form of a verb] instead of the [tú form of a verb]?
4. Tell your partner how they would respond to this question, "What do you want?" (Phrase in Spanish)
5. Tell your partner how they would respond to this question, "What don't you have?" (Phrase in Spanish)
6. Tell your partner how they would respond to this question, "Why did you go to Djibouti?" (Phrase in Spanish)
7. Tell your partner how they would respond, "How are you?" / "Are you happy or are you sad?" (Phrase in Spanish)

I think it's helping push some of my kids and also giving me more opportunities to applaud my kids for figuring out Spanish and also challenging themselves and pushing themselves.  Also, I want them to hear that different form (while I point to it) and for their brain to be able to recognize it as a little different from other forms even if they can't reproduce it yet!

*Disclaimer* This is only every once in awhile and only to occasionally give the brain a break from all of the rich Comprehensible Input.  It also requires some higher level thinking since they have to understand the story details at times to know how the character would answer.  I want to use this to encourage more students to be active participants.