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Fluency in a second language is a goal that requires a deeper look at the roots of language acquisition and the heart of attention-grabbing teaching.  Meeting kids where they are at and finding ways to tap into their intrinsic motivation can set the fluency ship sailing with the wind at its back.

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One method that has skyrocketed in popularity among language teachers in recent years is “MovieTalk.”  Teachers have roundly reported tremendous results from an audio/visual integrated curriculum using the MovieTalk strategy.

The concept is essentially the same as TPRS Storytelling, but with the story already done!  A limited vocab set is written large on the board and reviewed with physical movement response activity.

Then, a short online movie, often animated and rarely over 3 minutes in length, is played.  The movie is muted, and the teacher pauses frequently to use very comprehensible 95% Spanish description of the action.

The vocab terms are repeated frequently, almost absurdly frequently, as the video’s actions and scenes loop back on themselves as they inevitably do.  A well-curated MovieTalk movie can pay dividends in comprehensible repetitions.

​PNA Spanish students are no strangers to the MovieTalk process – it is a fun and cherished activity for kids, and an incredible opportunity to conduct a class in 95% target language and maintain high engagement.

After seeing a movie the kids will often then read a version of the events, then read and fill in blanks, take a low-stress quiz on, and listen to an audio-only version of the story.  After hearing and seeing the new Spanish words so often during the MovieTalk itself, these follow-up activities provide a great opportunity for kids to be successful with Spanish in multiple formats, improving their confidence and ultimately their fluency.

​At the end of the first semester, PNA students in fourth grade and above were challenged to create their own MovieTalk lessons.  They curated their own video selections using a set of criteria for success.  They selected their important key terms and practiced the delivery of their talks to maximize comprehensible repetitions on their key phrases.

In this way, students used courage in front of their peers and by assuming the role of class leader.  These opportunities for leadership and personal growth are what make a PNA education so well-rounded and recognized as a springboard for student success in life.

​Here are some PNA students in the middle of dazzling their peers with hilarious and comprehensible Spanish.

Movie choices ranged from compilations of guinea pigs eating and dogs falling down to Lego stop-motion animation and silly dancing baby commercials.

A lot of laughs were had, a lot of courage was shown, and a LOT of Spanish was spoken and heard.