TPL Thursdays! Language Landscape: Exploring New Pedagogical Approaches

Today it was an absolute honour to present alongside my past pupil and friend Jonny Nelson of Ballyclare High School, as part of the TPL Thursdays! Language Landscape series. Here is my presentation:

TPL Thursdays! Language Landscapes: Exploring New Pedagogical Approaches from Amanda Salt

Using AI to create resources and exploring Diffit

I have been dabbling with AI for a while, mainly as a means of creating resources and also to model introductions and conclusions for pupils in their literature essays. 

I started with Chat GPT and have learnt that the more precise you are with your prompts, the better the output. This includes the key stage and word count. Here are some of the prompts I have used, as well as the outcomes:

• Make a worksheet about descriptions in Spanish 

  - Create a worksheet where pupils practise physical descriptions in Spanish

• Write 200 words about extreme sports in Spanish 

  - Create a blankfill activity of this text, leaving 10 blanks

• Write an introduction of a maximum of 100 words for the Spanish film El Bola on the topic of Pablo

• Write an introduction of a maximum of 100 words in Spanish on the character of Bernarda in La Casa de Bernarda Alba

Bernarda, la protagonista de "La Casa de Bernarda Alba", es una mujer autoritaria y de carácter fuerte que ejerce un control absoluto sobre su familia y su entorno. La obra de teatro, escrita por Federico García Lorca, se desarrolla en un ambiente opresivo y claustrofóbico en el que Bernarda impone sus normas y su visión del mundo sin importarle las necesidades y deseos de los demás. A lo largo de la obra, la figura de Bernarda se va revelando como un símbolo de la represión y la intolerancia que caracterizaban a la sociedad española de principios del siglo XX.

• Create a text for GCSE Spanish about the environment

  - Create a reading comprehension in English on the above text, 10 questions and provide answers

As an MIEE 2023-24, I learned about Copilot in one of our monthly online meetups and have started to use it. For example, I used the prompt "Write a 100 word introduction in Spanish for an essay on the topic of Represión y simbolismo en La Casa de Bernarda Alba"

La Casa de Bernarda Alba, una obra maestra de Federico García Lorca, nos sumerge en un mundo de represión y simbolismo. Publicada en 1936, la historia gira en torno a Bernarda Alba y sus hijas, confinadas en su hogar tras la muerte del padre. El luto impuesto por la madre las ahoga, convirtiendo la casa en una prisión. El simbolismo es constante: el color negro, el bastón de Bernarda y el caballo cargan significados profundos. En esta atmósfera opresiva, las hijas anhelan libertad y luchan por vivir según sus deseos. Destacando entre ellas, Adela, la más rebelde y luchadora, personifica esa ansia de liberación. 

This will serve as a starting point with my A level pupils to discuss what makes this a good or a weak introduction as we approach exam season and are looking at how to best improve their essays. 

This week, I read Joe Dale's post on LinkedIn with interest about Kathryn Greene's Wakelet collection on Diffit. I signed up for an account and as a teacher, I automatically get a 60 day premium trial. You can immediately start to create resources, setting your parameters including grade and language. 

Here is one of the prompts I used: 300 word essay on "Mi instituto" including facilities, uniform, subjects, teachers and extra-curricular. Immediately a text was created. It is useful to note that you can edit the text which Diffit creates before clicking the button to get student activities. 

Once you are happy, click on 'Get Student Activities' and then select from the wide range of options available, as listed in the tabs across the screenshot below: 

Here are the activities created once I had selected my preferred option, with a variety of download options available: 

 I'm excited to check this out in more detail over the coming weeks and to share with colleagues. 

Welcome to the world of teaching literature

 Today I had the great privilege of talking to the Modern Language PGCE students from Queen's University, Belfast. The first talk was about using technology for assessment, marking and feedback (see previous post)

The second talk was one of my personal favourites in teaching, teaching literature to A level Spanish students 

Using technology for assessment, marking and feedback

GCSE Spanish Leisure Deck Toys - copy for teachers

 

Flippity quiz show on GCSE Spanish Daily Routine and A level ser and estar

Today I used the flippity.net quiz show template to create translation sentences into both Spanish and English on the topic of Daily Routine. We played Blooket as a warmup and then went to the quiz show. This group is very bright but fairly quiet so I had to work quite hard to get them to collaborate and venture answers but we got there in the end. 

Here is the link to the GCSE Sp daily routine game and this one is for Ser and Estar for A level. 

If you can't pay it back, pay it forward

 As those of us in the know, know, so to speak, there is really no better community of educators than the Modern Language teachers, known collectively as the #mfltwitterati amongst others. The sharing of ideas and resources is unbelievable and inspiring. 

Today I asked for help applying the theories of Gianfranco Conti re the correct order of activities and almost immediately I had access to resources  from @SrSpall, @BotonesSalgado,  @Aurelie_LTH and @MrsWardMFL 

I took our existing PPTs, then took inspiration from Aurelie's templates for more Spanish activities on the topic of clothes and combined them into one mega-PowerPoint. You can download it from Slideshare here 

I want to add that my brilliant colleague Julie in the Spanish dept isn't on Twitter but constantly makes resources for our dept, some slides of which are in here. 

KS3 Spanish La ropa MARS EARS from Amanda Salt