Want to Innovate? Create a CSLE

Creating an environment where students have a need to learn rather than an environment where students simply receive an education is the type of environment I have been trying to implement in my classroom. A good example of how I’m doing this is by adding DuoLingo to my classroom. Students really want to learn in order to compete with other students and to earn XPs. This is such a great example of students needing to learn and therefore are learning how to learn. This is one component of my classroom that has taken off like wildfire. It has gotten to the point where students are waking up early just to log on and learn. Thankfully, I teach at a school that has been very receptive to my ideas and has been flexible in how I run the language program. I am also a flexible person and I think that is needed especially at a private school where events sometimes intrude on lesson plans. I always say that I’m great at pivoting. When I joined my current school, I told my Principal that I wanted to use technology in the classroom. The school made every effort to make sure I had Chromebooks for my students. They weren’t the newest in fact they were the oldest and left overs that no one wanted. I’ve made it work and my students are now comfortable with doing all of their work online. I am in a department of 1 person. I teach all grades from preK to 8th grade so I don’t have any colleagues to consult about joining me in using technology to teach world languages. I think that I have been able to provide a COVA environment for my students through the use of DuoLingo. They have a choice of when to study, how often, and at what level. I’m impressed by their desire to participate and learn using this application.