MAPAS’ 21st-Century Resources Boost Skills and Engagement
INTRODUCTION
This case study focuses on Magnolia Inmon, a teacher from Fairfax County (VA) and highlights how MAPAS’ innovative approach transformed her teaching, improved student engagement, and enhanced language learning outcomes.
Instructor Profile
Magnolia Inmon was born and raised in Madrid, Spain, where she completed her undergraduate studies before moving to the United States. She received her first Spanish teaching certification from the Atlanta Department of Education and taught all levels of Spanish in private and public schools. After moving to Virginia she obtained a MLA Certification in Spanish from George Mason University and a Spanish Teaching Certification from ACTFL. In addition she holds a Masters in Accounting and Finances by CEREM, Madrid. She is also a member of ACTFL, AATSP, AAUSC, and Instituto Cervantes.
Magnolia has been using MAPAS daily in her classroom for over a year.
Institution Profile
Ideaventions Academy, located in Fairfax County, Virginia, is an independent school educating students from grades 1st through 12th. The academy fosters a vibrant community of students led by a team of dedicated and passionate teachers. Ideaventions Academy provides an engaging and active learning environment that encourages students to delve deep into their areas of interest. By combining rigorous academics with hands-on experiences, the academy nurtures the exceptional talents of its students while fostering a sense of community and friendship.
The Challenge
Magnolia faced several new challenges brought on by the rapid changes in society overall and in modern education spurred on post-COVID-19:
• Integrating technology into the content and delivery of lessons, in order to meet the diverse needs of her students and to equip them for real-world communication in the 21st century
• Incorporating more examples of authentic, multicultural resources, to provide her students with opportunities to enhance their cultural competence while simultaneously supporting their language proficiency journeys.
• In addition, Magnolia sought a resource that would address these issues while also improving student engagement and performance in language proficiency assessments.
After careful consideration, Magnolia decided to try MAPAS as a solution to overcome this multifaceted challenge.
“A
challenge I faced while teaching our students was the need to incorporate technology and updated materials in our lessons.”
MAGNOLIA INMON
The Solution
MAPAS opened doors to a wealth of relevant, recent resources, authentic videos, interactive exercises, online discussions, and multimedia materials. Magnolia’s teaching approach using MAPAS prioritized integrating grammar and vocabulary in context to promote effective communication from the beginning Each chapter commenced with a review of learning objectives, followed by practice activities that introduced new vocabulary and grammar in relevant contexts.
“All students actively participated and spoke from day one,” Magnolia said.
She supplemented these activities with engaging grammar tutorials provided by MAPAS, which served to simplify complex concepts.
After a year of implementing MAPAS, Magnolia noted how the program positively impacted student learning outcomes
“Students excelled in the AAPPL from ACTFL this school year with significantly higher scores. I successfully incorporated most of MAPAS themes into my AP Spanish curriculum, leading to improved language skills and better performance on the assessment.”
In addition to a notable improvement in learning outcomes, the primary authentic resources woven into the lessons also enhanced Magnolia’s students’ cultural competence. The chapters conclude with a project that consolidates and integrates everything learned throughout the chapter, providing students with a comprehensive understanding of the language and its cultural nuances. MAPAS improved student engagement and participation in Magnolia’s classroom.
“My students enjoyed using MAPAS in our classroom, significantly increasing their participation and engagement. They particularly loved the videos and the projects at the end of each unit, which allowed them to apply their creativity.”
Through the integration of MAPAS into her Spanish curriculum, Magnolia overcame the challenge of incorporating technology and updated materials while preparing her students for real-world communication in the 21st century.
“MAPAS opened doors to 21st-century resources, authentic videos, interactive exercises, online discussions, and multimedia materials that help with diverse learning styles and interests. Also allowed students to explore various accents, cultural differences, and authentic language use, preparing students for real-world communication.”
MAGNOLIA INMON
From Disrupted Curriculum to Language Proficiency with REPORTEROS
INTRODUCTION
In this case study, we delve into how Tatiana Alarcón effectively utilized the REPORTEROS book series to address the challenges posed by the post-pandemic situation and varying proficiency levels.
Instructor Profile
Tatiana Alarcón is an experienced World Language (Spanish) Teacher. With 15 years of teaching Spanish at the K-12 and college levels, Tatiana brings a wealth of expertise to her role. Her passion lies in fostering a love for the Spanish language and culture among her students, empowering them to succeed in language learning through interactive and communicative teaching methods.
Tatiana has been using REPORTEROS for two years.
Institution Profile
Salem Academy, an all-girls boarding and day school for grades 9-12, is situated in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, within the Forsyth County school district. It shares its campus with Salem College, located near historic Old Salem.
Salem Academy offers a rigorous college preparatory curriculum and individualized support to its students, equipping them with the skills, knowledge, and character to excel in their future endeavors.
The Challenge
Teaching Spanish language classes during the COVID-19 pandemic presented several challenges for Tatiana:
• Disruptions in the curriculum: The disruptions caused by the transition to online classes resulted in a lack of continuity in the curriculum, making it difficult for students to maintain consistent progress in their language learning.
• Varying proficiency levels: Like many teachers, Tatiana faced the challenge of mixed proficiency levels within her classroom. Some students had a strong foundation in the language, while others were just beginning their language learning journey. This required tailored instruction to ensure that all students could effectively learn and make progress.
In seeking a solution to overcome these challenges, Tatiana recognized the need for a comprehensive approach and aimed to find a valuable resource that would address the gaps in student understanding and provide a structured framework for her Spanish language classes.
“Due to the pandemic and online classes, there was no continuity in the curriculum, and the student’s proficiency suffered deeply. There were different levels of proficiency mixed in each class. REPORTEROS was the best ally to level them up and bring them up to speed.”
TATIANA ALARCÓN
The Solution
Tatiana found a solution through the implementation of REPORTEROS. This resource offers a communicative framework that integrates grammar concepts and vocabulary through various engaging texts, videos, and audios. This approach proved highly effective in Tatiana’s classroom, promoting active participation, improving listening comprehension, and fostering a holistic language learning experience for her students.
REPORTEROS not only facilitated language acquisition but also addressed concerns in class preparation The abundance of activities and differentiated instruction resources provided a seamless flow to the class, allowing flexibility to meet different learning needs and eliminating the need for overthinking different scenarios.
“There is no need to think over the “what if’s.” What if students finish early? What if the students don’t connect with the topic? What if there’s an extra explanation needed? Many activities in [REPORTEROS] help in any of these cases and help the class flow, and students can have a palpable sense of moving forward with their skills.”
For Tatiana’s Level 2 and 3 classes, REPORTEROS 2 played this crucial role in improving language proficiency and bridging the gaps caused by COVID-19 curriculum disruptions. As a result, students gained confidence in their skills and maintained motivation throughout the academic year. The success of both classes was evident in the 100% pass rate. Furthermore, 89% of students achieved A’s and B’s
Additionally, through REPORTEROS, Tatiana’s students are able to engage with content that resonates with their own reality:
“When students open their books, they look at familiar faces, kids their age: with the same fashion sense, talking about and using social media. Although they may have come from different cultures, they face similar emotional difficulties and a social need for belonging.”
“I’ve been very pleased with the content and the teaching approach the book has to offer. I’m confident that the book and Klett World Languages are bringing a fresh and modern approach to language learning.”
TATIANA ALARCÓN
Anecdotes shared by students also highlight the impact of REPORTEROS’s fresh take on authentic content and updated learning methodologies:
‘I didn’t know that pronunciation varies from country to country; it’s like in America, people from the north and the south,’.
‘I love this book because it has audio transcripts. I read it once, and it trained my ear, and I could understand it much better.’
‘I thought homework was going to be long and difficult, but I went back and checked the models they have, and it made more sense. It didn’t take that long’.”
Tatiana’s Spanish 3 class concluded the year with increased self-confidence and a strong foundation for further language learning. Her Spanish 1 and 2 classes also showed promising progress.
“All of them have hopes of visiting a Spanishspeaking country in the future, communicating with the people, and learning from the culture. They want to visit every place the book shows and do every activity each country has to offer. They are not afraid to make mistakes. They are ready to learn from them.”
Enhancing Meaningful Communication with REPORTEROS
INTRODUCTION
This case study delves into the challenges faced by Diego Fernández, an experienced Spanish teacher, as he sought to create a learning environment that fostered active participation, meaningful interactions, and a personal connection with the content.
Instructor Profile
Diego Fernández is an experienced and fully licensed language teacher. He has taught Mandarin-Chinese and Spanish languages at the secondary level for the past 6 years, and he is trained in both AP and IB Language B. He is also experienced in building, implementing, and expanding language programs to enhance opportunities for students and schools.
For over two years now, Diego has incorporated REPORTEROS into his classroom instruction, utilizing it consistently two to four times a week.
Institution Profile
The American International School of Vilnius is a coeducational school offering pre-K through grade 12 in Vilnius, Lithuania. It hosts a community of students of over 33 different nationalities, who learn together in English and Lithuanian while simultaneously studying an additional world language. Through its classroom curriculum and greater community efforts, it works to instill in its students the values of empathy, openmindedness, curiosity, accountability, and perseverance.
The Challenges
Diego had explored various Spanish textbooks throughout his teaching career, but the materials he encountered often fell short in facilitating meaningful communication. The disconnect between the students and the subject matter hindered their engagement and limited their understanding of the content.
The main challenges he encountered were:
• Lack of interest: The texts and examples used in the textbooks failed to capture students’ attention, leading to disengagement and reduced enthusiasm for learning.
• Lack of meaningful communication: The previous resources used in the classroom did not prioritize meaningful communication, which limited students’ ability to effectively express themselves and engage in authentic language interactions.
• Relevance issues: The content presented in the materials did not align with the students’ individual realities and daily lives, making it difficult for them to establish meaningful connections and see the practical applications of the knowledge.
Diego’s primary objective was to introduce a more communicative approach in the classroom that would bridge the gap between students and the curriculum.
The Solution
Diego discovered REPORTEROS through a fellow teacher. He integrated the program into his teaching methodology, leveraging its engaging texts and examples that resonated with his students’ interests and experiences. The materials allowed students to draw connections between the subject matter and their own lives, fostering meaningful understanding and increased engagement.
“One of my goals in the classroom is to establish connections with what we have around us. REPORTEROS allows me to do so very easily given that the materials have a real-world context.
For example, after studying REPORTEROS 2, Unit 1, students were given a map of their own city and were asked to describe it orally using the vocabulary and grammar structures learned in class. They also wrote similar texts to the ones they read in REPORTEROS, and were able to talk about their neighbors, their neighborhood, and their favorite places in the city.”
The implementation of the program resulted in notable changes in Diego’s classroom. Students became more active participants, displaying increased enthusiasm, and contributing their unique perspectives during tasks and projects. Furthermore, the program offered numerous tools to promote effective communication skills, facilitating the development of critical thinking skills and enhanced students’ ability to express themselves confidently.
“The main issue with the other textbooks I used before was the lack of connections between the students and the topics. Most of the texts and ‘examples’ were not interesting, not relevant, and certainly not very authentic. It was not easy to establish those meaningful connections between the students and their daily lives.”
DIEGO FERNÁNDEZ
“We recently traveled to Tarragona (Spain) with our students, and before the trip we finished REPORTEROS 2, Unit 1, which explained terms and grammar structures to describe the city, to talk about plans, and discuss what to do in the city. While in Tarragona, students were asked to come up with five questions and to interview at least five locals. Most of them were quite scared about approaching people and having to converse in Spanish, but once they realized that they were equipped with everything they needed in order to ask, understand, and follow up during the interview, they felt more at ease and were able to complete their task.”
Through the implementation of the program, Diego successfully addressed the challenges he was facing.
“I’ve found REPORTEROS to be an effective and practical textbook for my teaching. It brings real-world context into the exercises, ensuring that students stay engaged and connected to the practical applications of language learning. The focus is on fostering communication while incorporating grammar and vocabulary.”
DIEGO FERNÁNDEZ
Effective Elementary Spanish Education with ALBA Y GAEL
INTRODUCTION
Discover how Mary Nieves Ruiz, an experienced K-12 Spanish teacher, improved elementary Spanish education through her experience with ALBA Y GAEL , addressing challenges and creating engaging language learning experiences.
The Challenge
Instructor Profile
Mary Nieves Ruiz holds degrees in Spanish Philology and English Philology from the University of Leon. With over 15 years of teaching experience, Mary is dedicated to instilling a passion for the Spanish language and culture in her students. Her journey in education began in 2006, and she has been a valuable member of the Meridian community for the past decade.
Mary has been using ALBA Y GAEL as a core resource in her teaching since 2023.
Institution Profile
Meridian Public School, located just one mile west of Daykin, Nebraska, stands as a consolidated educational institution, offering kindergarten through twelfth grade programs. It serves the neighboring Nebraskan communities of Daykin, Tobias, Western, Fairbury, and Alexandria.
Mary Nieves’ primary challenges in her role as a Spanish teacher for elementary-age students were limitations on instruction time with her students and limited resources for teaching materials.
• Limited instruction time: At Meridian Public School, elementary students had Spanish classes only once a week. This led Mary Nieves to look for a resource that would maximize learning and engagement within very limited hours.
• Limited resources: Mary Nieves also sought teaching materials that met the relevant educational standards and requirements, while also being accessible with limited resources. At the time Mary Nieves was creating her own teaching materials from scratch for her diverse groups of students. This demanded significant time and effort, especially when catering to the specific needs of younger learners.
These challenges compelled Mary Nieves to seek an effective and comprehensive solution to provide consistent, engaging, and age-appropriate Spanish language education to her elementary students.
“Before, I had the responsibility of creating materials customized to the needs of my students, going from pre-K to 12th grade. It was a demanding task, especially for elementary students.”
MARY NIEVES RUIZ
The Solution
ALBA Y GAEL was the solution that best responded to the needs of Mary Nieves’ curriculum, maximizing student engagement within the co nstraints of time, and providing stability to her elementary curriculum:
“Introducing ALBA Y GAEL brought structure and consistency to my classes, making teaching elementary students more effective.”
Her students readily connected with the program’s characters, their backgrounds, and even their pets. She followed the program’s guidelines, including the use of music, which enhanced engagement during lessons. The impact on student engagement was notable, with over 95% of Mary Nieves’ elementary students highly engaged when using ALBA Y GAEL.
Reflecting on her approach, Mary Nieves said,
“ALBA Y GAEL became a world my students could relate to, creating an engaging language learning experience.”
The program also eliminated the need for manual material creation, offering a comprehensive, intuitive solution tailored to her young learners. ALBA Y GAEL includes a range of supplementary materials such as videos, karaoke songs, downloadable cut-outs, engaging board games for grammar and vocabulary revision, as well as resources like ‘Gramática Visual’ and ‘Minidiccionario’ that summarize grammatical and lexical content in an easily accessible manner.
“With ALBA Y GAEL, I didn’t have to spend as much time creating teaching materials myself. It had everything I needed.”
ALBA Y GAEL has significantly contributed to the success of elementary Spanish education at Meridian Public School, as experienced and shared by Mary Nieves. It has successfully addressed the specific teaching challenges brought on by time constraints and created an engaging and effective learning environment for the school’s youngest learners.
“ALBA Y GAEL’s engaging characters captivated my elementary students, making language learning fun and memorable.”
MARY
NIEVES RUIZ
Modernizing Spanish Language Education with PROYECTOS
INTRODUCTION
Davidson College’s Department of Hispanic Studies modernized their Spanish language curriculum by adopting PROYECTOS , significantly boosting student engagement and practical communication skills. Instructor Mili Paredes reports notable improvements in student confidence and real-life language use through the program’s authentic, contextualized materials and interactive learning methods.
Instructor Profile
Mili Paredes boasts over 25 years of experience teaching Spanish across various countries, including Spain, Germany, Hungary, and the USA. She spent 15 years in Germany, where she taught Spanish at prestigious institutions like the Esslingen University of Applied Sciences and the Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg. Since 2022, Mili has been an instructor at Davidson College, where she teaches both elementary and advanced Spanish courses. She has been using PROYECTOS for over two years.
Institution Profile
Davidson College is a private liberal arts college situated in Davidson, North Carolina. As a four-year undergraduate institution, it serves 1,973 students hailing from all 50 US states and 46 countries. The college provides a broad range of academic offerings, including 37 majors and 39 minors, spanning various liberal arts disciplines and interdisciplinary programs. The Hispanic Studies Department focuses on teaching the language, literature, and cultures of the Hispanic world. Its beginning, intermediate and advanced-level courses emphasize linguistic proficiency, critical thinking, and cultural and textual analysis.
The Challenge
The textbooks used in the Spanish language courses at Davidson College’s Department of Hispanic Studies were outdated and failed to adequately prepare students for real-world communication. According to Mili Paredes,
“These books, although containing grammatical information and vocabulary, lacked a communicative focus and did not meet real-world needs for practical language skills.”
These textbooks emphasized traditional grammar teaching and vocabulary memorization without providing enough opportunities for effective oral and written communication practice. She noted,
“Many students negatively perceived grammar and vocabulary learning due to repetitive fill-in-the-blank exercises, which lacked authenticity and communicative relevance. They found themselves limited in expressing themselves in everyday situations and lacking the confidence to engage in Spanish conversations. Additionally, the content of the books was outdated and did not reflect the linguistic and cultural diversity of the contemporary Spanish-speaking world.”
The main challenge was realigning the teaching approach with the instructional materials used in the Spanish courses. The faculty recognized the crucial need to adopt a more communicative approach that would allow students to develop practical and applicable language skills in real situations
“Our previous books, although containing grammatical information and vocabulary, lacked a communicative focus and did not meet real-world needs for practical language skills.“
MILI PAREDES
The Solution
To effectively align the instructional materials with the communicative teaching goals at Davidson College’s Department of Hispanic Studies, the faculty adopted the PROYECTOS program, guided by Mili Paredes’ expertise with communicative programs. The decision was underpinned by several key features of the PROYECTOS curriculum, which promised a comprehensive educational experience tailored to the modern language learner.
Program Implementation and Features
Mili Paredes highlighted the critical aspects of PROYECTOS that led to its selection:
“The integration of diverse linguistic content in PROYECTOS, including texts in multiple versions —both written and oral— that cater to different Hispanic variants, has significantly enhanced the learning experience and broadened students’ perspectives on the Spanish-speaking world.”
This feature is critical for developing a nuanced understanding of cultural and linguistic diversity within the Spanish language.
Additionally, PROYECTOS employs innovative color-coded text mapping techniques that assist students in effectively identifying and utilizing essential lexical-grammatical units. This method integrates grammar and vocabulary into communicative teaching from a pragmatic and intercultural perspective, making learning more applicable to real-world interactions.
The structured design of PROYECTOS aligns perfectly with Davidson College’s newly implemented semester system. Mili explained:
“Each semester consists of five chapters, spread over 15 weeks, ensuring a systematic progression through the material. With PROYECTOS 1 and 2 each containing 10 chapters, the entirety of the four-semester curriculum is covered at a consistent and manageable pace.”
This alignment ensures that students engage with content that builds progressively over their entire course of study, reinforcing language skills sequentially.
Enhanced Learning Experience
PROYECTOS also includes various supportive features that significantly enhance the learning experience. The program offers online quizzes at the end of each chapter and interactive quizzes accessible to instructors, fostering an environment of continuous assessment and feedback. Project-based assignments culminate each lesson with both group and individual projects, which Mili notes as a favorite among students:
“These projects encourage the practical application of learned concepts in engaging and meaningful ways, allowing students to apply theoretical knowledge in practical scenarios.”
The program’s digital platform is particularly favored for its user-friendliness and integration capability, making it a valuable tool for both students and faculty. It supports the comprehensive assessment of all four language skills through midterm and final exams, ensuring a thorough evaluation of student progress.
Impact on Students and Learning Outcomes
Reflecting on the program’s impact, Mili shared:
“Since implementing PROYECTOS, there has been a noticeable increase in student engagement and learning outcomes. Students demonstrate increased confidence in communicating in Spanish, both orally and in writing, and they feel more prepared to face real-life situations where they need to use Spanish, whether in academic, professional, or social contexts.”
A student corroborated this sentiment, stating,
“The activities to interact with my peers are excellent for practicing in real-life situations, which makes me feel more confident in communicating in Spanish. Working in groups has allowed me to practice the language in a more authentic and enjoyable way.”
Mili also observed that PROYECTOS has fostered a more dynamic and interactive learning environment in the classroom, where students are more motivated to collaborate and work as a team to achieve common language goals.
“The change to PROYECTOS has been fundamental in improving the quality of Spanish teaching in the department.”
She concluded.
This case study of PROYECTOS at Davidson College illustrates how carefully selected educational tools and methodologies can profoundly influence the efficacy of language teaching, preparing students for successful communication in diverse and dynamic environments.
“Students demonstrate increased confidence in communicating in Spanish, both orally and in writing, and they feel more prepared to face real-life situations where they need to use Spanish.”
MILI PAREDES
Empowering Language Communication with AULA EN ACCIÓN
INTRODUCTION
In this case study, we delve into the impactful teaching methods of Claudia Fernández, who utilizes the innovative Spanish program AULA EN ACCIÓN . This study explores how AULA EN ACCIÓN , with its easy-to-follow and highly effective approach, empowers students to communicate confidently in Spanish.
The Challenge
Claudia Fernández is a Clinical Associate Professor of Spanish & Linguistics at University of Chicago Illinois. A contributor to AULA EN ACCIÓN and a current user, Claudia is well known in the higher ed Spanish community. She regularly trains and mentors current and future language teaching professionals, and regularly participates in conferences and other professional development events both nationally and internationally.
Claudia has been using AULA EN ACCIÓN 1 and 2 for a year and a half now.
Instructor Profile Institution Profile
The University of Illinois-Chicago (UIC) is a leading public research university located in Chicago, Illinois, with a total enrollment of 34,199 students. UIC offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs across various fields of study. The university’s strong emphasis on research, community engagement, and innovation fosters a dynamic learning environment, preparing students for successful careers and impactful contributions to society.
UIC’s Spanish Basic Language Program is a four semester program with classes from novice-low to intermediate-low. One of Claudia’s overarching goals within an introductory program is to have these students complete authentic, real-world tasks in the classroom in Spanish.
Claudia’s experience had shown her that the majority of Spanish textbooks in the United States follow outdated teaching methods when it comes to language acquisition and communicative ability development; most follow a grammar-based curriculum with the intention to have students learn one grammatical point at a time in a linear sequence, mostly with an emphasis on production.
Educators like Claudia that want to offer opportunities for language use often look for other materials to supplement their textbooks or greatly modify the activities that the textbook offers. Instead of the text being a tool that helps, as it should be, it ends up being a hindrance.
“Finding a truly communicative-based, proficiency-based curriculum in a textbook is a challenge. 98% of textbooks in the United States do not meet these needs.“
CLAUDIA FERNÁNDEZ
The Solution
Since Claudia’s curriculum is based on tasks and reaching communicative goals, she wanted a textbook that could help teach within this framework whilst simultaneously facilitating language acquisition and communicative development. AULA EN ACCIÓN lends itself very well to these endeavors.
Through a backwards design, AULA EN ACCIÓN offers purposeful and meaningful activities around the final task, with each chapter including learning opportunities to foster both language and content learning so that students feel confident to do the unit´s task.
“[AULA EN ACCIÓN] has an explicit intent by the writers to really help students to communicate. The program really focuses on true, genuine, authentic communication and it gives the students the confidence to do so,” Fernández says
After using AULA EN ACCIÓN, Fernández and her colleagues noticed how much students are able to use Spanish to do real-world tasks. Students apply both linguistic and non-linguistic resources to interpret, interact, and express themselves more effectively. Fernández noticed an increase in students’ engagement and confidence, specifically in speaking, because this program focuses on true communication, not grammar accuracy.
“I was lucky to have this textbook that helped me to achieve my proficiency goals [for my students]. AULA EN ACCIÓN does not follow the old model. It has an explicit intent by the writers to really help students to communicate.”
CLAUDIA FERNÁNDEZ
Practical communicative applications with AULA EN ACCIÓN
INTRODUCTION
Professor Irena Čajková shares how her first-year Spanish students demonstrated rapid improvement in skills and confidence to communicate through AULA EN ACCIÓN .
Instructor Profile
Irena Čajková has been an Instructional Professor in Spanish and Czech for over twenty years. At the University of Chicago since 2005, she has served as the First-Year Spanish Coordinator and as a member of the textbook committee that selected AULA EN ACCIÓN. She is involved in a number of different academic and outreach endeavors within the Spanish-speaking and Czech-speaking communities in the Chicago area and beyond.
The Challenge
The textbooks being used in the University of Chicago’s introductory Spanish courses were dense with an excessive focus on grammatical elements and often incorporated topics and themes students found to be unrelatable and unmotivating. While Irena believes that the previous course books offered some effective communicative exercises, on the whole the books lacked practical applications and authentic resources, and failed to meet the concerns and interests of the students’ reality.
Institution Profile
The University of Chicago is a private research university located in the heart of Chicago with a total enrollment of 14,500 students across its undergraduate and graduate programs. The university is well-known for its academic rigor, contributions to local and global communities, and dedication to free expression. As part of the university’s Core Curriculum, all undergraduate students must demonstrate at least a beginning-level competency in a language other than English.
To remedy waning student engagement with the course materials, Irena and the textbook committee sought new materials that would meet the practical, communicative objectives of the program curriculum and the students themselves. The materials would also need to connect with the students’ day-to-day life and future professional realities. The University of Chicago’s Department of Romance Languages and Literatures selected AULA EN ACCIÓN as the solution to their varied needs.
“Our previous first-year textbook packed in too much grammar and focused too much on topics that did not motivate students to have a spontaneous and interesting conversation.“
IRENA ČAJKOVÁ
The Solution
AULA EN ACCIÓN’s emphasis on communication for practical applications proved to be the perfect remedy to the difficulties faced by Irena and her students. Irena affirms that through its task-based approach rooted in topics relevant to a modern university student’s daily reality, AULA EN ACCIÓN
“[has] successfully bridged the gap between classroom learning and practical application. This approach has not only made the topics covered more engaging and relevant to the students’ lives, but it has also enabled them to connect with the content on a personal level.“
Through its truly communicative methodology and backward design, AULA EN ACCIÓN engages students to explore the language beyond the traditional constraints of their classroom. As a result, students are empowered to communicate and gain confidence in their own abilities at a faster pace than other methods. Irena has witnessed this firsthand through the experiences of her Beginning Elementary Spanish 1 students.
“The moment that truly highlighted the progress made by my Spanish 10100 students occurred approximately five or six weeks into the course. During a class discussion, a student shared an anecdote about being able to engage in an actual conversation with his Spanish-speaking Uber driver. This interaction stood out because in previous instances at this stage of their studies, the student would have been limited to discussing their college schedule and family information… This incident exemplified the student’s enhanced language skills and their ability to engage in meaningful conversations beyond basic topics.”
She also notes how the authentic resources incorporated throughout AULA EN ACCIÓN play an important role in her students’ communicative journeys:
“The exposure to a wide range of geographical locations and important personalities from different countries has greatly contributed to expanding their vocabulary and cultural competence.”
“By incorporating real-life tasks into the learning process, such as shopping at a market or describing a neighborhood or apartment where students live or would like to live in the future, [AULA EN ACCIÓN] has successfully bridged the gap between classroom learning and practical application.”
IRENA ČAJKOVÁ
Revitalizing Language Learning with DÉFI FRANCOPHONE
INTRODUCTION
Max Leconte, an educator committed to practical language skills, faced a challenge while searching for updated French resources. Seeking an engaging approach to teach grammar and vocabulary, Leconte discovered a solution in our textbook DÉFI FRANCOPHONE
The Challenge
Instructor Profile
Max Leconte is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Modern Languages and Literatures at Trinity University. With a passion for research and teaching, Leconte firmly believes in “sharing the importance of understanding languages and multiculturalism from an interdisciplinary perspective to acquire a better sense of what connects us as individuals.”
Leconte has been using DÉFI FRANCOPHONE 1 and 2 for a year and a half now.
Institution Profile
Trinity University, located in San Antonio, Texas, is a prestigious private liberal arts institution renowned for its rigorous academic programs and close-knit community. With a focus on personalized education, Trinity offers a wide range of undergraduate majors and interdisciplinary programs that foster critical thinking, creativity, and global awareness. The university has a total undergraduate enrollment of 2,526 students.
During his own graduate school experience, Max came to understand the importance of teaching students skills for the real world, especially interpersonal skills. When he began researching for new teaching resources, he focused on two main challenges:
• Making grammar and vocabulary learning more palatable
• Bridging the gap between the reality of the language and its culture
“There’s always a little bit of skepticism while adopting a new textbook. You want to make sure that students are going to respond to it well, but it’s also going to meet all the criteria that you’re looking for in a textbook. [Défi Francophone] is the best of both worlds,”
MAX LECONTE
The Solution
While looking for updated French materials and methodologies, Max connected with a colleague to learn more about different teaching resources available. He was recommended to try KWL’s DÉFI FRANCOPHONE and found it to be a good fit for his curriculum objectives. One of the ways in which Max’s students have benefited from DÉFI FRANCOPHONE is via the authentic and diverse listening activities, as they allow his students to discover and familiarize themselves with different speakers:
“One of the most challenging things for beginners studying in French is to really get used to different ways of speaking the language. Having audio materials with speakers from all over the Francophone world has been very valuable for them… They learn what Quebec French speakers sound like, or people in Belgium sound like, and this is an incredibly valuable experience for them.”
After implementing the program, Max has also noted differences in student engagement in both his beginner students and intermediate students.
“[My beginner students] are very pleased with the structure of the book, the way the homework is easily accessible online, giving them a chance to rework at their own pace, and having the chance to learn from their own mistakes… [My intermediate students] are ecstatic to have something that is a lot more culturally oriented, with culture embedded in every page of the book, which is not something that they had a chance to do previously.”
For Max, teaching French is about far more than grammar and vocabulary; it is a language that requires nuance and flexibility. Witnessing his student’s transformation using DÉFI FRANCOPHONE, he feels confident that his students will be able to understand French and communicate with confidence within three semesters.
“[DÉFI FRANCOPHONE] was simply an adequate reflection of the way I wanted to teach languages. It places a lot of emphasis on communication in a natural way to teach the language and to learn the language.”
MAX LECONTE
Adapting to Language Education Challenges with KLASSE!
INTRODUCTION
In this case study, we delve into how the adoption of the KLASSE! textbook series offered practical solutions that transformed German language education at Elder High School.
Instructor Profile
Karin Albrecht is an experienced German and Spanish teacher at Elder High School in Cincinnati, Ohio. With over 9 years of teaching experience at the school, she has been dedicated to providing quality language education to her students. In addition to her role at Elder High School, Karin served as the Treasurer of the German American Citizens League (GACL) for a decade, demonstrating her commitment to promoting German-American heritage and culture.
Karin has been using the KLASSE! textbook series for over two years.
Institution Profile
Elder High School, a college-preparatory institution in Cincinnati’s Price Hill neighborhood, was founded in 1922. The school has a rich history, having graduated over 22,000 students since its inception.
Elder offers a comprehensive curriculum, including an Honors Program with Advanced Placement courses.
It has been recognized as the Best Private High School in the Greater Cincinnati Area by Cincinnati Magazine.
The Challenge
In her role as a German teacher at Elder High School in Karin Albrecht faced a series of challenges that are common in the field of education.
• Evolving Language Education Landscape: The dynamic nature of language education demanded innovative solutions to meet students’ evolving needs and maintain the relevance of German education in a country where enrollment is declining.
• Engaging Digitally-Oriented Students: In an era where students are increasingly digital-focused, keeping them engaged in traditional language learning presented a significant challenge.
• Limited Timeframe: Karin faced the challenge of teaching German effectively within the constraints of a four-year high school curriculum.
These challenges required practical solutions to ensure the success and engagement of her students within the constraints of the educational environment.
“Teaching within a limited high school timeframe while engaging digitally-oriented students demanded innovative solutions.”
KARIN ALBRECHT
The Solution
Karin Albrecht discovered practical solutions with the integration of KLASSE!, the program which best addressed these obstacles as well as revitalized the way German was taught at her school.
One of the first noticeable benefits was the comprehensiveness of KLASSE!. It offered a well-rounded approach to language education, adequately addressing all of the essential skills while engaging students with themes relevant to their personal realities and aligned with Advanced Placement® content. This breadth ensured that students received a comprehensive education in German, even with the limitations of a high school curriculum.
“KLASSE! is a solid base. It covers all aspects needed in learning a language by providing excellent listening as well as reading opportunities. It is [also] nice to see the AP correlations on the six themes, which you start incorporating in your teaching from very early stages of KLASSE A1 throughout KLASSE B1!”
One of the most significant transformations was the change in student engagement through KLASSE!’s modern content and its digital learning resources. It introduced contemporary topics, cultural insights, and real-world comparisons, making German more relatable and engaging for students.
“Students enjoy reading about contemporary topics like YouTubers… that are mentioned in the book. After Unit 3, KLASSE! B1, they wanted to organize a cooking show, which we ended up doing. Students filmed themselves while they were cooking and sharing the instructions on the preparation of food in German.”
Suddenly, learning German wasn’t just a traditional, academic exercise; it became a bridge to understanding life in German-speaking countries and beyond. The series’ blend of traditional and digital learning methods also allowed for flexibility that meant students could engage with the material in the way that suited them best.
“Teaching within a limited high school timeframe while engaging digitally-oriented students demanded innovative solutions.”
KARIN
ALBRECHT
KLASSE! also streamlined curriculum preparation, allowing Karin to dedicate more time to instruction and less to creating her own materials. The structured curriculum could be adapted to the specific needs of students and the school, simplifying lesson planning.
“Teachers spend way too much time preparing every single lesson. When you teach all levels of a language you need a solid foundation to base your lessons on. KLASSE! gives you this. You can go page by page or selecting which exercises you want to do, but you know that these will provide you with a balanced teaching experience and practice all skills needed in the learning of a language. The research and work behind these books is excellent and provides teachers with the necessary tools for every day teaching!”
In summary, KLASSE! proved to be a pragmatic solution to real challenges by simultaneously revitalizing the wavering student engagement, adapting to 21st century learning needs, and mitigating limitations of time.
NETZWERK NEU, The Best Choice for German Language Students
INTRODUCTION
This case study explores the successful integration of NETZWERK NEU into Rice University’s German language program. It showcases Professor Baig’s satisfaction with NETZWERK NEU, highlighting its relevance in addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion topics, as well as its effectiveness in promoting immersive language learning experiences.
Instructor Profile Institution Profile
The Challenge
Fatima Baig, Ph.D. is a German Lecturer at Rice University. Being German herself, Baig is very familiar with Klett World Languages. She’s worked with Klett resources since beginning at Rice seven years ago. Fatima also regularly participates in conferences and professional development events for world language educators across the nation. Her main goal is to instill students’ love of language learning with cross-cultural appreciation and understanding. She has been using KWL materials for 7 years.
At Rice University there is no mandatory language requirement for undergraduate students. Among the 10 languages offered by the university, German is selected by fewer students compared to Spanish and Asian languages. However, the world language instructors at Rice University’s Center for Languages and Intercultural Communication are passionate about their work and want the best curriculum for their students.
The Center for Languages and Intercultural Communication seeks to:
• provide an educational experience that promotes multilingualism
• helps students become culturally competent
• interact successfully, appropriately, and respectfully with people of different backgrounds.
Rice University is a prestigious private research university located in Houston, Texas, with enrollment over 8,500 across undergraduate and graduate level programs. The university fosters an integral sense of community on-campus and with the greater Houston area. Within the university, the Center for Languages and Intercultural Communication at the School of Humanities offers ten different languages with a curriculum focus on the development of interactional competence.
With no mandatory language requirement, the students who choose German courses do so out of pure interest. Because of this, students need to see themselves in the texts to be able to make relevant connections between the material and their own identities and daily lives. They also need materials that motivate them to attend and actively participate in the limited class time they have.
The Solution
Fatima Baig and her colleague are passionate about the use of NETZWERK NEU‘s monolingual textbook because it provides an immersive, meaningful language learning experience within the classroom. With the support of NETZWERK NEU Fatima and her fellow instructors can also focus on contributing to their students’ sustainable language acquisition via the text’s modern contents, meaningful activities, and interconnected vocabulary and grammar.
Traditional textbooks often pose a barrier to keeping students engaged inside and outside of the classroom, whereas the updated images, high-quality videos, and learner-friendly presentations of NETZWERK NEU help make a textbook that modern college students enjoy.
Additionally, Fatima believes that there is
“a great need for the incorporation of diversity, equity, and inclusion topics in the Higher Education world,”
and that students need to see themselves in their texts in order to stay engaged with their language learning journeys. Through NETZWERK NEU, German students at Rice University see their realities reflected in the text, connect with the materials and develop an understanding that goes beyond the language alone.
“We are at an institution where languages are not a requirement…We like to focus on an immersion experience because [our German students] come to us out of pure interest.”
FATIMA BAIG
“We love the fact that there is no English in NETZWERK NEU. Students were unsettled about that [but] the lack of English makes coming to class necessary. They need to be in class so that they can be taught, but it also has support for students at home.”
FATIMA BAIG