[nobe-l] Teaching College Spanish

Tue May 21 20:18:18 UTC 2013

In my experience, asking students to state their names before 
speaking has worked quite well.  You might also try implementing 
assigned seating, though in some instances getting students to 
remember may be more trouble than it's worth.  Speaking of 
seating, I tend to like to have students sit in a circle, as I 
find this configuration easier to navigate while moving among 
students working in pairs or small groups.

Another technique I've heard about for calling on students is to 
have them call on each other, asking each speaker to choose the 
next respondent.  This is more of a general pedagogical strategy 
than a specifically blindness-related technique, as it encourages 
students to engage in conversation with each other rather than 
just with the teacher.  I haven't had occasion to try this 
approach myself, but it might work well in certain situations.

Grading exams is not something I have firsthand experience with 
yet either, but assuming the exams are taken in class and 
handwritten, I would plan to either scan them or hire someone to 
type or record them for me.  Comments could be returned 
electronically.

Please don't hesitate to let me or the list know if you have 
further questions!

Lucy
----- Original Message -----
From: Robert Spangler <spangler.robert at gmail.com
To: National Organization of Blind Educators Mailing List 
<nobe-l at nfbnet.org
Date sent: Tue, 21 May 2013 15:43:55 -0400
Subject: Re: [nobe-l] Teaching College Spanish

Hello Ashley,

Thanks for your response.  I do recall seeing your posts in the 
past on
the NABS list.  My main concerns are the blindness-related ones, 
such as
being able to call on people and grading students' tests.  I have
thought of the idea that you mentioned - just letting students 
shout out
their names.  This may be a bit challenging with younger students 
but
would probably work very well in a college classroom.  I'll have 
a look
at the archives when I get a chance.

Thanks,
Robert Spangler, B.A.  in Urban Studies and Spanish
spangler.robert at gmail.com

On 5/21/2013 12:46 PM, Ashley Bramlett wrote:
 Robert,
 That is great you got into grad school and have the challenge of
 teaching a subject you've studied a long time.
 Because you are teaching college, classroom management should be 
easier.
 By college, they should know how to act and if they don't and 
continue
 acting out, you can ask them to leave the class.

 BTW, I'm not a teacher, but thought about going into teaching 
blind or
 other special ed kids someday; so I'm on this list.  You may 
know me from
 the nabs list; now I have a general BA degree in liberal studies 
and a
 certificate in writing that I just finished.

 I can speak to what I saw work in college as well as reiterate 
other
 tips.  This subject has been discussed lots in the past so you 
may want
 to check the archives too.
 Classroom management is a lot about establishing an open 
collaborative
 environment where people share ideas and you show respect and 
interest
 to your students.  First, set expectations down the first day.  
State them
 in your syllabus.  I'm sure you've seen rules from other 
professors;
 model that wording.  Announce the rules and attendance policy 
the first
 day.  For instance, my business professor said something like
 "I expect you all to come to class every day; we will cover 
material not
 in the textbook that you need for exams.  If you cannot come to 
class
 every day, then take the class online."
 Then  she said, "I'd like to ask that all cell phones be turned 
off and
 if you come in late, please walk that way, not across the room 
by my
 overhead."

 I assume
 Second, establish rapport with students.  Getting to know names 
will be
 important to you.  Besides, students prefer that over teachers 
meerly
 pointing to them.
 You probably should do a ice breaker activity the first day so 
students
 get to know each other and you.  After all, I suppose in a 
spanish class,
 you will do group activities a lot to practice conversation 
skills.  I
 know when I took spanish in high school
 that we did a lot of conversation practice with a partner.

 Specific to being blind, here is what I've heard from teachers.
 1.  While they are doing activities, walk around the room to 
listen to
 groups.  You can see who is on task this way.  You can also 
interject
 ideas for groups having problems or questions.

 2.  You'll need a way to get the class's attention.  Someone 
else can
 comment on that better.  But what might work is a hand signal 
you use.
 3.  You cannot call on people by them raising hands.  So 
establish another
 way to do this the first day.  They could simply call out their 
names to
 talk is one idea.
 4.  A challenge will be monitoring tests so people don't cheat.  
Its
 difficult to do this as this is a silent behavior.
 But if I were a teacher, I'd give two versions of the test.  I 
mean the
 same questions but in a different order.  I'd also listen for 
clues such
 as people getting out a phone or tablet.

 I hope this helps some.  You might see if you have specific 
questions and
 I'm sure there will be some answers.  I believe we have one 
foreign
 language teacher on list.

 Good luck.
 Ashley
 -----Original Message----- From: Robert Spangler
 Sent: Tuesday, May 21, 2013 10:06 AM
 To: nobe-l at nfbnet.org
 Subject: [nobe-l] Teaching College Spanish

 Hello everyone,

 I will be starting to work on my Spanish Masters degree in the 
fall.  In
 January, I will start my teaching assistantship.  I will be 
teaching one
 class.  Although I have given it some thought, I am not very 
familiar
 with how someone who is blind manages a classroom.  So, I am 
looking for
 any tips or suggestions that anyone may be able to provide.

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