Stand & Deliver: Teaching in the Target Language
SILL 2009Melissa Ruder
Bellevue Middle SchoolMemphis, Tennessee
Presentation Outline•Action Research Topic
•My Students & School
•Action Research Plan
•Results of my Project
•Personal Reflection
•If I had to do it again
Action Research Topic:
Study effects of immersion Style Teaching
What is immersion style teaching?
Honors Spanish Period 3Meet my students…
Honors Spanish Period 4
Honors Spanish Period 7
Action Research Data Analysis Tools
• Surveys
• Performance Based Assessments
• Personal journal of reflections
• Student Interviews
• Memphis City Schools End of Course Test
• STAMP Test
QuickTime™ and a decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Obstacles
• Lack of technology
• New school
• Short class periods with large class sizes
• My comfort level
• Extra school responsibilities
Overcoming the Obstacles
Results of my Action Research
I discovered that teaching in the target language will increase the oral proficiency level and the comfort level of the student in the target language.
Student Opinions
• “I like the challenge of trying to figure out everything you say in class”
• “I felt nervous at first when you spoke in Spanish the entire class period but after a while I felt excited because I could understand”
• “It helps me use my Spanish in Memphis”• “I zone out and stop paying attention when I
don’t understand what you are saying”
Reading Comprehension
STAMP Test Reading Results
1% 10%
19%
70%
Intermediate-Low
Novice-High
Novice-Mid
Novice-Low
Writing Proficiency
STAMP Test Writing Results
1%
72%
24%
3%
Intermediate-Low
Novice-High
Novice-Mid
Novice-Low
Speaking Proficiency
STAMP Test Speaking Results
2%
46%
47%
5%
Intermediate-Low
Novice-High
Novice-Mid
Novice-Low
Personal Reflection…..• Total Immersion• Classroom Management• Future goals