Instructional Moves: Making Classroom

Discussions More Inclusive and Effective

MAKE YOUR MOVE!

The purpose of this final assignment is to focus on one instructional move introduced in this course and methodically think through its implementation in
your classroom. Fill in your responses in the table below. Shortened model responses and suggested word counts are provided.

Subject/Course Title: Number of Students: Featured Instructional Move: Which

Spanish as Foreign Language 10-15 instructional move do you plan on
implementing?
Using Pre-Work to Structure the
Discussion

1. Context & Rationale: Why this move in this course? How might the course benefit from the move? Why is this move important for both
you and your students at this time? (200 words)

When you are communicating using a foreign language, it's useful to prepare the topic in advance. As Juan Riesco mentions in the video,
"it is super useful to know what you have to say and when you have to say to articulate and to be sure to communicate in the best way you
can."
Most of my students are Chinese, and in general, they are less participative but very responsible for homework. So, I think that a well-
planned homework policy used as the starting spot of the discussion could be incredibly productive "for bringing in people who usually would
not speak" (Luo, Wei).
For my students, this strategy probably will help them to earn some extra confidence before the class. Be able to prepare and know the
vocabulary and topics beforehand means for them a huge difference. For me, this strategy could help to have a smoother beginning of the
discussion, making the introduction of it something chared with the students. Also, could offer me the chance to receive more fluent and
well-thought feedback, due that the students will have more chances to reflect on their own learning.

2. Strategy: Where/when during the class do you plan on executing the move? What is your strategy for introducing the move? (100 words)
 Instructional Moves: Making Classroom
Discussions More Inclusive and Effective

My classes usually follow the classic structure of introduction, development, and ending.
The introduction includes an explanation of the planned tasks, expected learning outcomes, and warm-up activity. The development in a
speaking class hopefully is based mostly on activities focused on the student's interactions through discussions. The ending invites the
students to a short metacognition exercise and gives the word to the students to share comments, reflections, or doubts.
After the warm-up exercise that should bring back the students into the Spanish Language is the best moment to execute this strategy. The
idea is that what the students prepared will be complementary with each other's and if it's successful, will be the starting point into a
conversation led by the students.

3. Challenges: What are 2-3 challenges you anticipate facing when implementing this move? How will you account for these challenges?
(250 words)

I’m anticipating 2 challenges that I would like to share:

1. Challenge: Probably, some of my students will appeal to recite their previously memorized answers instead of truly participate in the
discussion.
Possible Solution: Use the pre-structured part as the starting-kick of the discussion. It should be just a good spot from where the
student can prepare the topic, vocabulary, and generate some ideas about it. According to this, the evolution of the discussion should
be easier than from zero. The teacher should help the students to produce this evolution, using simple questions, and only if it's
necessary, offer some corrections or clarifications.

2. Challenge: This strategy implies a considerable workload for the teacher. In the case of having too many classes and students, pre-
structure the discussion student by student could consume too much time and work reading, thinking and sending feedbacks one by
one.
 Instructional Moves: Making Classroom
Discussions More Inclusive and Effective

Possible Solution: Honestly, I feel that this is one of the most difficult challenges to face. In my context should be ok, due that I should
have only 3 groups per term. But, due to the COVID-19 situation, half of the Spanish teachers are not able to come back to China
from their hometown, so I'm having 6 groups instead of 3. And for the next term, the condition doesn't look that is going to improve.
During the next term, I think to execute this technique progressively, not with all the groups, giving preference to the higher levels. So,
when the situation gets normalized, I'll have the experience to execute it with all my groups.

4. Questions: What is a lingering question you have that a course colleague might be able to address?

Although I also have the ambition to facilitate the participation of all the students in the classroom discussion, exist some cases of
students that they reject to join. The reasons could be many, either a lack of preparation or psychological problems.
How to identify what it's a valid reason to remain outside? All the causes should be respected? Where's the line when the teacher should
stop pushing and just let the student be or seek psychological support?