Personal TPack Challenge

Problem:

Gender agreement in French. In both written and spoken French students in HS levels 3 and above are not producing the language consistently using the appropriate gender and number agreements for the different types of adjectives, (possessive, demonstrative, interrogative), as well as prepositions followed by a definite article, (i.e. au, du, aux, des). This issue is to be expected at the beginning levels of French however, after 2 years of working with this concept, I am always surprised at the large number of upper level students who consistently do not heed the gender and number agreement.

Solution:

Using Google Docs, have the students work with 1-2 partners to write a made up story or exaggerate a real experience in French. While writing the first draft, each adjective in the story and the noun it is modifying must be colored coded, i.e. mas singular = light blue, mas plural = dark blue; fem singular = light pink, fem plural = dark pink. After feedback from the teacher and peers, while writing the second draft, students must do the same color coding for the prepositions à + definite article and de + definite article and the noun that follows. Groups will peer edit each other's 2nd draft and the teacher will also give feedback on each group’s 2nd draft. Images to accompany the story will be added to the third and final draft of this particular document. The final draft of the story will be posted on the class blog for others to read and enjoy. Students will also read each other's stories and give positive feedback and constructive criticism on the writing and choice of images.

TP knowledge: What is the TP knowledge for the solution? (i.e., how does the technology you have chosen support the teaching strategies and methods you have chosen?)

This student centered strategy of collaboratively authoring a story which will ultimately be posted to the class blog, is a blended face to face and an online experience. This teaching experience will allow students to take ownership of their own writing while collaborating both face to face as well as on line. Prior to commencing the writing process, students will brainstorm possible story scenarios and storyboard, face to face. During the online collaborative writing process students will discuss, explain, negotiate, justify, apply critical thinking strategies and creatively problem solve in order to determine the gender of nouns, (especially for irregular adjectives or exceptions to the rule). Students will also explain, negotiate and justify their choices of images which will accompany their story. The use of images has not only the potential to nurture and enhance a student’s creativity, but also help him/her to broaden their understanding of this grammatical concept, (gender and number agreement).

TC knowlege: What is the TC knowledge for the solution? (i.e., how specifically does this technology make the content in your problem more intellectually accessible? Be sure to think about representation.)

Students will need to know how to use Google Docs, (or Google Wave for the real tech savy students); how to locate applicable and appropriate vocabulary on the website, www.wordreference.com; how to use appropriate online research tools to locate non-copyrighted images on the Internet on sites such as Creative Commons; how to download the images from the Internet; how to post their stories and images on the class blog; how to adjust images sizes on their blog post and how to post a comment on a peer’s blog post.

PC knowledge: What is the PC knowledge for the solution? (i.e., how specifically do your pedagogical choices make the content in your problem more intellectually accessible? Be sure to think about how the student will experience the content given these instructional strategies).

In order to write a story in French students need to have knowledge of appropriate vocabulary and know where and how to locate vocabulary unknown to the student. Students also need to know how to construct a basic sentence in French, have an understanding of the parts of speech, noun and adjective; have an understanding that each noun in French is classified as either masculine or feminine, and that any adjective describing the noun must agree in gender and number, (singular, plural). Students need to have an understanding of adjective placement in French and exceptions to the general rule. Students must have an understanding of the possessive adjectifs, mon, ma, mes, ton, ta, tes, son, sa, ses, notre, nos, votre, vos, leur, leurs; demonstrative adjectifs, ce, cet, cette, ces; and interrogative adjectives, quel, quelle, quels and quelles. Students must have an understanding of the definite articles in French, le, la and les and the grammar rule: prepositions de and à + definite article.

With this knowledge students will be actively involved in writing a made up story, or an exaggeration of a real experience in French, by collaborating with 1-2 partners. Students must use their knowledge of the French language and grammar rules to discuss, negotiate, justify, problem solve and creatively think about the vocabulary, adjectives and prepositional articles to be used in the story.

I invited you to have a look at a screen cast of my TPack challenge. However, be patient, as it takes a few seconds for the screen cast to load.