Classroom Activities

Innovative Teaching Grant

Written by Administrator | October 11, 2011

Preparing teachers to understand how they can use technology to improve their teaching is imperative. Many of these teachers, however, do not have the technological skills' required to do so. To help pre-service teachers develop these skills as well as gain a deeper understanding of course content, students in the course Families and Second Language Acquisition (BEEP 4306) were involved in an innovative teaching project in which they self-authored videos on pre-selected, grand topics covered in the course.

Our Service Learning Project

April 22, 2010

This semester students in BEEP 4384, Literacy Methods for ESL & Bilingual Classrooms, took part of a service learning project in two programs part of Arlington Reads. One of these programs, the 'Learning Zone,' gave them opportunities to work with culturally and linguistically diverse children in grades 1-3. In 'Wee Read' students had opportunities to work with children up to age three and their families.

Learning/Assessment Modules

Written by Dr. Amaro-Jiménez | March 16, 2010

This is an example of the Learning/Assessment Module for BEEP 4306. This module deals with Stephen Krashen's Affective Filter. Note that this example does not contain all the information needed for each of the modules; it only has the definition, some research behind the concept and some 'do's and don't's.'

What People Think, What Research Suggests

Written by Dr. Amaro-Jiménez | December 05, 2009

One of my favorite in-class group activities is what I call, "What People Think, What Research Suggests." After discussing some of the most commonly known myths about second language acquisition and bilingual education, my undergraduate students work in small groups to identify what other people's beliefs are regarding these myths and what research actually suggests about them.

Teacher-Created Board Games

Written by Dr. Amaro-Jiménez | December 04, 2009

One of the assignments I have incorporated into my methods courses is to create original board games for children in bilingual and/or dual language settings. Creating these board games allow pre-service teachers to see how easily they can create classroom activities and materials for more than one subject at a time (e.g., science, mathematics, language arts). In the slideshow I share some of the board games that my students in BEEP 4311 (Math & Science in Dual Language Settings) created.