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Give Them What They Want: A Guide to Increasing Enrollment in World Language Class

Give Them What They Want: A Guide to Increasing Enrollment in World Language Class

Bryan Kandel

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In most schools, World Language classes are elective. Students decide which ones to take and how long to stick with them. Thus, many World Language teachers must serve as instructors and recruiters. For years, teachers, school counselors, and parents have leaned on promises of future professional advantages to persuade students to continue studying languages. Unfortunately, many World Language programs are losing the battle. Students are electing to take the minimum number of required classes and nothing more. What if there were a better way? What if students wanted to take as many World Language classes as possible? In this book, Bryan Kandel argues that language teachers need to stop trying to persuade and instead focus on providing strong classroom culture, a sense of community, opportunities for authentic communication, and dynamic class experiences.

This book explores how, by focusing on these essential elements, teachers can create undeniable momentum in their classes, give students what they really want, and grow their World Language programs.

SKU: 8B30240
ISBN: 978-0-7560-6903-2

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Bryan Kandel

About the Author
Bryan Kandel has been teaching languages for over 19 years and currently teaches high school Spanish in Canton, Ohio. He presents professional development workshops on Comprehensible Input techniques, the importance of strong classroom culture, successful world language AP® courses, reading strategies, and many other topics. He has seen the power of reading as a tool to improve proficiency, and constantly aims to increase reading engagement with his students. Click here to visit Bryan's website.

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Toda
Definite worth reading!

I just recently bought this book, and it is a very good, refreshing, and yet necessary read. Bryan’s premise is that if we wish to see an increase in our world language classes, then we as teachers need to make some serious changes. Our current model of motivating students to take our classes by telling them that language will lead to future benefits is faulty. As Brian rightly states, the truth is that this actually sends the message of "Suffer now, and you might benefit later." In other words, we need to “give students what they want” so that they will actually want to continue on in our classes.

Yet, “giving students what they want” does not mean a watering down of expectations and standards, but it does require a change in how we conduct our classes and curriculum. Contrary to what we may think, students actually have very high standards. Bryan argues that students truly desire a healthy classroom culture, a community to which they can contribute, a place to communicate in the target language, and effective, engaging classroom activities. For each of these, he details and lists numerous ways in which we can begin to effect the changes needed to “give students what they want.”

Whether you are new to teaching or a veteran, I highly recommend this book!