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Teaching Foreign Languages K-12: A Library of Classroom Practices

View & Analyze Video

As you reflect on these questions, write down your responses or discuss them as a group.

Before You Watch
Respond to the following questions:

  • How do you integrate geography and history into your lessons?
  • What kinds of technology might students learn to use in a foreign language class?
  • How do you design activities that help your students work toward a technology-driven project?
  • What is the value of having your students advocate tourism for a foreign country?

 

 

Watch the Video

As you watch “Promoting Attractions of Japan,” take notes on Mr. Azama’s instructional strategies, particularly how he scaffolds activities and integrates technology into the lesson. Write down what you find interesting, surprising, or especially important about the teaching and learning in this lesson.

Reflect on the Video
Review your notes, and then respond to the following questions:

  • What do you observe about the pace of the class? How does Mr. Azama set and maintain this pace?
  • How does Mr. Azama engage students with props and descriptions when reviewing regions of Japan? What are students learning from this comprehensible input?
  • What language objectives does the Jeopardy-style game promote? What is the advantage of having students write their own questions and answers?
  • How do the different games and activities prepare students for the video project?

Look Closer

Take a second look at Mr. Azama’s class to focus on specific teaching strategies. Use the video images below to locate where to begin viewing.


Video Segment: Providing Comprehensible Input

You’ll find this segment approximately 3 minutes after the video starts. Watch for about 5 minutes.

Mr. Azama uses descriptions and props to review regions of Japan and introduce new vocabulary about landmarks.

  • How does Mr. Azama engage students at the beginning of class? What are students learning through this method of input?
  • How is the next stage of input about tourist sites different?
  • At what point do the students begin to respond in Japanese?
  • How does Mr. Azama’s presentation lead into the pair activity?

Video Segment: Creating Written Presentations

You’ll find this segment approximately 17 minutes after the video starts. Watch for about 1 minute and 30 seconds.

Mr. Azama comments on the first draft of a student pair’s brochure.

  • How do the previous activities serve as the prewriting stage for this activity?
  • What kind of feedback does Mr. Azama provide about the brochure?
  • What kinds of reactions do students have to the feedback process?
  • What technology do the students use to produce the brochure?

Video Segment: Creating Oral Presentations

You’ll find this segment approximately 19 minutes after the video starts. Watch for about 8 minutes.

Mr. Azama explains the final video assignment. Students then perform brief skits about a location in Japan and jot down their ideas on storyboards to prepare for the promotional video.

  • How will the students use technology in their projects? How does Mr. Azama build video production into the lesson?
  • A process approach to writing always includes drafting and revising stages. How are drafting and revising used in the students’ oral exercise?
  • How does the brochure design contribute to the video presentation?
  • Look at the video project guidelines (see Resources). How does Mr. Azama make the task authentic? Which requirements relate to the Standards? Which requirements relate to technology?
  • Look at the rubric for the video project (see Resources). To what degree does the rubric align with the guidelines? Which elements of the rubric might serve many other assignments? Which ones are specific to an oral presentational assignment?

Series Directory

Teaching Foreign Languages K-12: A Library of Classroom Practices

Credits

Produced by WGBH Educational Foundation with the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. 2003. 2016.
  • Closed Captioning
  • ISBN: 1-57680-731-2

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