Tell us about your education and background in teaching.
This is now my second year teaching at Ho-Ho-Kus school. I attended Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania where I was a French major. I also studied abroad at the American University of Provence in France for a semester during my junior year. I enjoyed studying the French language as well as being involved in the classroom, therefore being a French teacher was my ideal setting! I love especially being able to work with so many different age levels.
What learner-active structures are you currently using in your classroom?
Some learner-active structures that I have been using in my classroom this year have been involving my 8th grade students on two PBL tasks. During the first task, the students were asked to create a shopper's guide in French to discuss articles of clothing as well as incorporate information about the French and American cultures. The students were asked to implement the following:
- scheduling their tasks for the week independently
Click here to see a copy of the Schedule Katie uses in class.
- mini-lessons and benchmarks
- peer-tutoring
- peer-editing
- technology infusion: Internet research, Microsoft Publisher
- work folders in the classroom as a resource center of project information
Click here to see a copy of the task and rubric for the "Shopper's Guide" task.
The next task that the 8th grade students began was to create a comprehensive foreign language portfolio in order to apply to a study abroad program in France or a French-speaking country. The students must give background information about themselves, family, friends, academics, extracurricular activities, etc. as well as extensive research on a study abroad program and the goals they would like to complete while there. Students are asked to describe events in the past, present and future. This task involves the use of:
- technology: Microsoft word, placing work on the Internet, Internet research, scanning photos and information
Click here for the Internet "Hotlinks" Katie compiled for her task.
- scheduling of time and tasks for the week
- peer-tutoring
- peer-editing
- mini-lessons and benchmarks
- students must choose one piece of the portfolio to work on each week and all that the specific prompt entails
- class "experts" are being asked to aid students in the class on specific subjects
- how-to sheets
- PBL folders
Click here to see a copy of the task, rubric and supporting materials for Katie's "Study Abroad" Task.
What are the benefits you have noticed in using these structures in your classroom?
So far, I have noticed several benefits from the learner-active classroom. As mentioned before, I have many students who are coming to understand the idea of "felt need." Many irregular verbs that we have not covered yet are involved in the aforementioned tasks. Thus, I had several students say "Can you please teach us this verb so that we can apply it to the project?" The students also wanted to learn more about French currency and the Euro in order to provide the French students with accurate information.
Also, all students are able to achieve a level of success in the classroom. Having the students working on different tasks while in the room keeps everyone focused and on-task. Students are able to work at their own pace without feeling rushed by those around them.
The students also have an understanding that in order to complete the tasks for the week, one must work to his/her full potential throughout that week or he/she will fall behind.
Being presented with a task allows the students to understand the meaning of the project at hand. For example, we mailed copies of our shopper's brochures to a school in France in order for the 
French students to use them as a guide in order to compare American stores with French stores. The students wanted to put forth their best effort in order to provide the students with a great resource.
Katie's students also commented on the learner-active structures in her class:
I really like French class. We're always doing an interesting project like this PBL task where we can choose what we work on.
Nina
French with Mlle. Gwynne is fun to come to. Especially because we have a smaller class, it almost feels as if she gives us private tutoring. Her lessons are very straight forward. She makes many things seem very easy.
Hye
I also like working on this project because we get to choose what part of the project we want to do and when we want to finish it.
Caitlyn
French class with Ms. Gwynne is very informative. I feel like I'm learning so many new things each day.
Melissa
What advice do you have for world language teachers who are beginning to implement learner-active structures?
It is hard to believe at first that this idea of student independence in the classroom can work with a foreign language curriculum. There is much grammar to be taught and many important skills and concepts to build upon. However, this is a great way for students to get involved in the learning process. It really forces them to make connections between different grammar points as well as cultural aspects.
Another important piece of advice would be to "let go." The students become extremely responsible when it comes to the learner-active classroom. Having peer-tutors and peer-editors in the room absolutely makes every student a success story. I have some students who tutor their peers on the present tense, past tense, and future tense which are difficult topics. But there are also tutors in the room who aid with vocabulary and adjective agreement, or even are responsible for one particular verb. Therefore, we are all helping each other at all times!