Modern theories of language acquisition advocate that a second language is best acquired as the first language was acquired. While most language educators agree, in theory, that this is the ideal way, we understand that the total reality of the early childhood linguistic experience cannot be reproduced within the limitations of the classroom setting.

• providing the context necessary for comprehension
• allowing students to show comprehension through actions and "safe" utterances
• making language production the logical outcome of the situation

Many communication-based activities are used to practice or apply previously learned lexical and grammatical concepts. In B-A-R activities, however, communication is not merely a follow-up activity but the vehicle by which the initial learning takes place.

Teachers are often frustrated by workshops that present theory but fail to give practical classroom applications. In the B-A-R workshop you will learn to apply successful language theories through active lesson demonstrations.

The lessons demonstrated include, among others, "International Forum," "Places in the City," "Table Settings," "Survey Chart."
(See more detailed descriptions in the catalog.)

This workshop is usually 6 hours, but can be shortened to 3 hours or lengthened to 30.

The SPANISH VERB WALL is a classroom display (8' x 20') used as a reference tool that enables students to acquire verbs randomly through communication rather than sequentially through conjugation.

This overview of the entire Spanish verb system uses colors, symbols, fonts, graphics and locations to empower students to begin communicating in tenses they have not yet "studied" or "mastered." Like a visitor to a city with his map, the student maneuvers his way through the complicated verb system, learning as he goes.

Sample lessons will be demonstrated in which participants will learn how to:

• give meaningful context to verb tenses
• break free of conjugation order
• re-think the teaching of verbs in the traditional sequence of tenses
• strengthen their own understanding of the inner-workings of Spanish verb forms

NOTICE:

If you believe that verbs MUST be learned in conjugation order and you cannot accept any other way, this workshop IS NOT for you.

If you believe using the correct forms of the verb is important, but they can be learned randomly, as long as the student internalizes their meanings, then this workship IS for you!

WORKSHOP #3:

THE ENGLISH VERB WALL

I was commissioned by the San Diego County Schools to adapt my Spanish Verb Wall (©1980/2000) in order to teach English as a Second Language. The result was the English Verb Wall (©1999) I have found that the EVW is also very effective for teaching our own native-speaking children the workings of our English pronoun-verb system.

Without having to speak in boring "grammarese," you are empowered by the English Verb Wall to explain these concepts and more:

• pronoun cases
• subject-verb agreement
• concepts of past, present and future
• progressive tenses
• perfect tenses
• irregular verbs
• helping verbs
• question structure
• contractions (within the pronoun-verb system)
• levels of language: "standard" vs. "slang" (going to=gonna)

Educational research has proven that language acquisition is a "right-brain" function; however, grammar is usually explained in a "left-brain" manner--verbalizing rules that usually make very little sense to the learner. The English Verb Wall uses "right-brain" methods to give students a complete visualization of our pronoun-verb system-a map to guide them through all the forms.

Since the colors, fonts, graphics, symbols and locations allow the learners to visualize rather than verbalize the rules that govern "standard" English usage, the learner internalizes rather than memorizes the rules.

Students who are learning English as a new language and even native-speaker of the language cannot select the standard form based on what sounds right because they are surrounded by native-speakers who are modeling sub-standard English usage. Some of these are their English-speaking classmates, neighbors, parents and, unfortunately, even school personnel.

Sub-standard forms such as these sound fine to them:
I've already ate.
He done it yesterday.
The bell has rang.
They've already came.
I seen him.

With the English Verb Wall, the standard forms will look right until they sound right.

AN UNEXPECTED BENEFIT:

Many teachers have reported that their own knowledge of the English language has increased by teaching with the English Verb Wall. There are many aspects of the language that they had never noticed until becoming familiar with the EVW. In fact, most language arts and ESL teachers have never had to analyze this language and cannot explain how it "works" to students. With the EVW they can!

At a recent workshop one teacher had a strange look on her face. I asked her what was wrong. She said, "I have a Master's Degree in English and NO ONE has ever explained all this to me before!"

THE EVW WORKSHOP
6 hours

The workshop may be presented all in one day or in two separate sessions. If I am presenting a 3-hour workshop or 60-90 minute session for a conference, then we could not go beyond the first part.

PART 1:
The first three hours is spent explaining the Verb Wall itself. The symbols, the colors, and just understanding the structure of English. The EVW is NOT a curriculum or a methodology. It is a support system for anything you are teaching. You will find yourself referring to the EVW frequently throughout the day, but it is usually not the focus of the lesson-once the students understand how to read the map.

PART 2:
In order to save money and be able to pass this savings on to the teachers, whenever I needed two or more colors on one sheet, I did NOT print IN the color because color printing is very expensive. I printed with black ink ON the appropriate color. Consequently, several pages need to be assembled. This part is a "make-it and take-it" session in which I guide the participants and help them assemble all the parts. I supply the file folders and pockets, envelopes, labels, scissors, glue, etc. to put everything together so that when the teachers leave the workshop, they have it ready to laminate and put up in their classrooms. Supplemental materials are all in files and ready to access as needed. "Some Assembly Required"

"SCHOLARSHIPS"

For helping to host a workshop, you will receive your registration free plus $200 worth of materials from the Color Connection catalog. If you and a friend can register 40 or more, your friend will receive an equal scholarship. (50 is the maximum number.)