“If you’ve heard this story before, don’t stop me, because I’d like to hear it again.”–Groucho Marx

There are a lot of wonderful resources out there about Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling (TPRS), and there are many fantastic teachers who share their knowledge, their tips and tricks for creating an engaging classroom. The mainstream method for TPRS is to incorporate students and their responses into the ongoing “story” practice of  vocabulary, verbs and structures. It works beautifully as an extension of comprehensible input.

“Teacher Stories” are a variation of TPRS that I have incorporated as part of my personal style. These require more planning and therefore more structure. I create a Google Slideshow for each story that includes visuals to associate with new vocabulary, as well as highlighting major plot points to move the story along.

The stories usually include student actors for the principal parts. Sometimes I will give the students dialogue written out on index cards; at other times I will have them read the dialogue from a slide. It depends upon the level of the class. Currently I teach two year-long Spanish 1 classes and two introductory sixth grade classes that rotate every three months.

And, of course, there are costumes! I consider Frank Miller’s Batman to be my first true love, and I have long participated in every comic convention within a hundred mile radius. Needless to say, I have plenty of wonderful things that I can bring to share with my classes.

(Halfway through this year, it also occurred to me that Teacher Stories are a fabulous excuse to spend even more money on costumes…all in the name of education. It’s for the children, right?!)

After storytelling, it’s important to do an overall check for comprehension. I like this:

Although I am new to teaching Spanish and TPRS, I actually have over a decade of experience in education overall. I absolutely love what I do, and I hope that in sharing some of my ideas, others might find their creative passion as well, in whatever they might do.

And, that’s a wrap!