UPDATE! October 2021

Here is an updated version of the video with improved sound quality and a native speaker narrator!

Welcome to the first post of my personal TRPS challenge! I am teaching SPAN 1002 at the university level this semester, and it is my goal to make at least one story for each chapter of an appropriate length that incorporates as much of the target vocabulary and grammar for the chapter as possible. (We begin with chapter 7 of the Unidos textbook by Pearson.) Where’s the challenge? To create one coherent story that includes all (or most) of the target elements for the chapter. As you will see, in order to include everything my first story turned out pretty strange, but I don’t think that’s a bad thing. (I hope not! What do you think?) I’m hoping that the unusual elements will help the story «stick.» My classes always go better when the students get a chance to laugh.

I also plan to make a Youtube video reading each story so students can read along at home if they’d like. I hope this might be a fun way to review for the final at the end of the semester.

In class, first we read the story together. I teach a hybrid course, so students have already seen the vocabulary and practiced verb conjugations in their assigned online activities. Next, students got in groups of 2-3 (in which at least one person had a laptop to view the powerpoint) and read the story together at their own pace. Finally, for the comprehension and written output component I gave them a handout of questions to be answered in complete sentences. They could choose to continue to collaborate with their small group (most did) or to work individually.

Here are all of the materials:

Cuento: «Los tres campeones» (Powerpoint)

Preguntas/ Questions Worksheet (PDF)

Preguntas/ Questions ANSWER KEY (PDF)

Video: