Title: Every Student Can: A Comprehension-Based Approach to Language Acquisition

Description: The transition away from designing language courses based on a traditional grammar syllabus requires a shift in thinking as well as a shift in instruction for all students to acquire and finesse their communication skills. In this workshop, attendees will consider both the theoretical basis for Proficiency Oriented, Comprehension Based™ teaching and its practical applications across each mode. Attendees will explore these concepts through varied interactive demonstrations.

​Content:

• Introduction to language acquisition theory and how it relates to comprehension based instruction.
• Demonstrations of input focused strategies at a variety of language levels, experienced as a student.
• Debriefing to unpack what teacher skills are necessary for a comprehension-based class.
• Examining how to scaffold activities into a unit plan and set reasonable expectations for student learning.

Martina Bex is the Founder of The Comprehensible Classroom, whose curricula and training materials have been helping language teachers implement proficiency oriented, comprehension based language programs with confidence since 2010. Martina is internationally recognized for her leadership and expertise in the world language teaching profession as a teacher trainer and curriculum developer. A Spanish teacher by trade with experience in public and private schools and at the university level, Martina balances her work for The Comprehensible Classroom with homeschooling her five children. Martina has been published in The Language Educator and presents regularly at state, regional and national conferences in addition to consulting with individual districts and organizations. Her stand out project for supporting teachers is the Garbanzo App, an interactive library of stories in Spanish designed specifically with language classes in mind with a DI focus.