Top Takeaways: CI Reboot 2025 Day 1

1. Total Physical Response: Engaging Language Learners Through Movement

Presented by Dahiana Castro

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Dahiana Castro broke down the power of Total Physical Response (TPR), a method developed by Dr. James Asher that links physical movement with verbal input. This technique brilliantly mimics how very young children learn language, creating a direct connection in the brain between the movement and the concept, effectively bypassing the need for constant translation. Dahiana highlighted that TPR is incredibly effective for all content areas and grade levels, not just beginners, because it allows students to demonstrate comprehension without speaking, significantly boosting recall, supporting understanding, and increasing vocabulary by engaging both sides of the brain. She also stressed the importance of explaining why these gestures and movements are beneficial to students, helping them buy into the process rather than seeing it as merely “silly”.

Highlights:

• Links physical movement with verbal input, mimicking early childhood language acquisition to build direct connections.
• Bypasses translation, which is especially helpful for diverse classrooms without a common language of reference.
• Boosts recall, comprehension, and vocabulary by actively engaging students and connecting brain functions.
• Flexible for all levels: Works for any word or phrase that can be gestured, from concrete nouns to advanced verbs.

Takeaways:

• Explain the ‘why’: Explicitly tell students the benefits of TPR to foster buy-in and participation.
• Start small, build gradually: Introduce 2-5 words at a time, using modeling, delaying, and eventually removing your own gestures to encourage student independence.
• Use as a brain break: TPR can be a powerful, go-to “commercial break” in any class period to get bodies moving and minds engaged, not just for vocabulary introduction.

2. Engaging Novice Learners Through Stories

Presented by Valentina Correa (Profe Valentina)

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Profe Valentina, an elementary Spanish teacher, shared her inspiring shift from a traditional, grammar-heavy approach to one centered on Comprehensible Input (CI) and stories. She learned that by creating stories that connect with students’ lives and interests, she could build stronger bonds and foster empathy in the classroom. Profe Valentina presented a clear “roadmap” for story delivery: first, define your goals (what students will do by the end). Next, “preload” high-frequency vocabulary with engaging gestures and games (like “sequences of patterns” or “flashcard misteriosa”) to build confidence and success. During the story, she uses circling and personalized questions (PQA) to ensure comprehension. Finally, fun post-reading activities like yoga poses linked to story events or scrambling story sentences help solidify learning and act as a low-stakes assessment.

Highlights:

• Shifted from rote grammar to stories focused on student connection and empathy.
• Structured “roadmap” for successful story delivery, emphasizing clear goals and pre-loading vocabulary.
• Uses high-frequency words with memorable gestures and interactive games for confident student participation.
• Incorporates circling, PQA, and active post-reading activities (like yoga) to check and deepen comprehension.

Takeaways:

• Personalize your content: Stories that reflect students’ lives and interests foster deeper engagement and relationship-building.
• Build confidence proactively: Pre-teaching key vocabulary with gestures ensures students feel successful and understood from the outset.
• Continuously check for understanding: Use diverse methods like circling, PQA, and movement-based activities during and after the story to reinforce learning.

3. Parallel Mini-Stories: A Pathway to Fluency and Interculturality

Presented by Ben Tinsley

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Ben Tinsley unveiled his clever strategy of “parallel mini-stories,” designed to deliver abundant, contextualized repetition without ever becoming boring. These stories maintain a consistent grammatical structure while varying key details, which naturally leads to the deep internalization of high-frequency vocabulary and patterns. Ben’s approach shines by integrating authentic, real-world materials (such as Instagram posts about diverse athletes) to organically weave in intercultural perspectives and promote joy and positive representation, moving beyond typical narratives. What’s fantastic is how flexible this method is: the same core content can be scaffolded for all proficiency levels, from novice learners giving single-word answers to advanced students producing complex paragraphs. His low-stakes true/false “quizzes” are particularly effective, as students are encouraged to rewrite false statements, leading to more productive language output and enhanced fluency.

Highlights:

• Maximizes repetition through stories that keep a fixed structure but change details, fostering deep acquisition.
• Integrates authentic materials (e.g., social media) to naturally introduce intercultural perspectives and joyful representation.
• Adaptable for all levels, allowing the same content to challenge novices (one-word answers) and advanced learners (paragraph-length responses).
• Uses low-stakes true/false quizzes where students rewrite false statements, encouraging significant language production.

Takeaways:

• Structure for repetition: Embrace parallel stories to provide ample, meaningful exposure to target structures without losing student interest.
• Seek diverse authenticity: Intentionally choose authentic materials that celebrate various cultures and provide joyful, real-world context for language use.
• Promote low-pressure production: Design activities where students can produce language in a supportive environment, like rewriting false statements, to build fluency.

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PART 1 ENGLISH – Sessions 1-3 Day 1 (Versión en español aqui)

4. Language Acquisition Research versus “But that’s the way I learned”

Presented by Dr. Karen Lichtman

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Dr. Karen Lichtman, a language acquisition researcher, delivered a compelling presentation that critically examined the common “but that’s how I learned” approach to language teaching, providing a strong theoretical foundation for Comprehensible Input (CI) teachers. She argued that language is far too intricate to be acquired simply by explicitly teaching grammar rules (what researchers call “declarative knowledge”). Instead, language is primarily “acquired” implicitly through comprehending vast amounts of language—a process known as “procedural knowledge”. Dr. Lichtman presented compelling research demonstrating that explicit grammar instruction can actually hinder fluency, making students slower and less spontaneous in their language use. For novice learners, the single most important predictor of student growth is the teacher’s consistent use of the target language. She metaphorically described explicit grammar teaching as “steroids”—fast but not genuinely healthy for long-term acquisition—advocating for the “training” of comprehensible input to build true fluency.

Highlights:

• Language is implicitly acquired (procedural knowledge) by understanding language, not explicitly learned (declarative knowledge) from rules.
• Explicit grammar instruction can actually decrease fluency by causing students to overthink and slow down their production.
• The teacher’s consistent use of the target language is the top predictor of student progress for basic levels.
• Compares explicit grammar teaching to “steroids” (quick but not sustainable) versus comprehensible input as foundational “training” for real fluency.

Takeaways:

• Immerse students in input: Focus on providing abundant, comprehensible language in the target language, as this is how the brain naturally acquires language.
• Trust the internal process: Students follow their own developmental sequence, and explicit grammar instruction, especially for beginners, may not lead to functional fluency.
• Rethink error correction: For novice learners, extensive error correction is often ineffective and can even have a slight negative impact on accuracy.

5. Counting the Ways to Co-Create Stories with Students

Presented by Paulino Brener

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Paulino Brener opened his session by clarifying that Comprehensible Input (CI) isn’t a single method, but rather a philosophy of creating rich opportunities for communication. He demonstrated that co-creating stories with students makes the learning experience incredibly relevant, engaging, and personal, fostering a deep sense of ownership among learners. Paulino shared a wide array of practical strategies for co-creation: from the well-known “story asking” (a core TPRS technique, either free-form or more structured), to using pre-written “scripts” with fill-in-the-blanks (similar to Mad Libs) for more structured classroom dynamics. He also showcased how modern technology can transform story creation, including Kahoot (where popular answers drive the narrative), custom Google Forms for “automatic stories” (choose-your-own-adventure style), and even AI (ChatGPT) for interactive story generation (with a helpful warning about potential errors). Paulino concluded by illustrating how Google Earth can be used to co-create stories based on real or imagined journeys, adding a visual and geographical dimension to narrative practice.

Highlights:

• Co-creating stories with students significantly boosts engagement, personalization, and a sense of authorship.
• Offers a flexible approach to CI, from spontaneous “story asking” to more structured “scripts” using fill-in-the-blanks.
• Demonstrates innovative use of technology like Kahoot, Google Forms for “automatic stories,” and AI (ChatGPT) for dynamic interaction.
• Presents Google Earth as a unique tool to co-create geographically-rooted stories, whether real or imagined.

Takeaways:

• Empower student voices: Actively involve students in shaping the narrative, as their input makes the stories more meaningful and memorable for them.
• Leverage diverse tools: Explore both traditional techniques like story asking and modern tech like AI and Google Earth to vary your approach and keep students engaged.
• Adapt to your classroom: Recognize that CI is adaptable; find the co-creation methods that best fit your teaching style and your students’ personalities.

6. Reading 52K Words in Spanish 1: Simple Steps for a High-Impact Extensive Reading Program

Presented by Margarita Pérez García

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Margarita Pérez García, a self-described “second language reading specialist,” laid out a powerful and ambitious goal for Spanish 1 students: to read 52,000 words annually. Her program aims to build robust vocabulary acquisition and challenges the assumption that reading skills automatically transfer from the native language. Margarita emphasizes the critical need for explicit decoding skills from day one, integrating sound-symbol mapping, hand gestures, and visual aids to empower students as confident, independent readers. She implements a progressive “text-level” approach, starting with “ultra-beginner” books that offer minimal vocabulary and high support, gradually moving to more complex readers. A cornerstone of her success is prioritizing content that is personally and culturally relevant, including student-generated “PQA booklets” and culturally authentic texts by authors who genuinely represent the culture. Margarita maintains student motivation and accountability through consistent daily reading (10 minutes) and a “reading marathon” with digital tracking, emphasizing frequent re-reading techniques.

Highlights:

• Ambitious target: Aims for Spanish 1 students to read 52,000 words annually for significant vocabulary acquisition.
• Explicit decoding instruction: Teaches sound-symbol mapping and uses gestures from the beginning to build confident readers.
• Layered reading program: Progresses from “ultra-beginner” books (very limited vocabulary, high support) to more complex texts.
• Culturally and personally relevant texts: Utilizes student-created content and authentic literature to enhance motivation and connection.
• Daily reading routine: Incorporates 10 minutes of reading every class and uses a “reading marathon” for motivation and tracking.

Takeaways:

• Teach reading explicitly: Do not assume literacy transfer; dedicate time to teaching decoding skills in the target language from the start.
• Start with accessible texts: Ultra-beginner books provide a low-entry barrier, fostering early success and building confidence before moving to more challenging material.

Motivate with ownership: Engage students by having them read their own co-created stories and texts that resonate with their personal interests and cultural backgrounds.

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PART 2 ENGLISH – Sessions 1-3 Day 1 (Versión en español aqui)

Wow, what a lineup of incredible ideas! It’s clear that fostering engagement through stories, backed by solid acquisition research and practical strategies, is the path to truly impactful language learning. I hope this sneak peek has sparked some new ideas for your own classrooms. Leave a comment. Happy storytelling!