My generation of polyglots | Site-Wide Activity https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/activity/ Activity feed for the entire site. Sat, 02 May 2026 06:30:39 -0700 https://buddypress.org/?v= en-US 30 hourly 2 994b9b94f006c51c153dd78f65e2f708 mpeto commented on the post, More! More! Sequel to the Big Book of Tiny Daily Readings in Spanish https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/more-more-sequel-to-the-big-book-of-tiny-daily-readings-in-spanish/comment-page-1/#comment-19037 Tue, 21 Apr 2026 20:27:39 -0700 Yes, the texts have the same span of complexity as the first book. I am using them alternating years in my level 2 classes.

]]> 1f546a880bf2dc156200cd53dee9068d Stephanie Collins Jordan commented on the post, More! More! Sequel to the Big Book of Tiny Daily Readings in Spanish https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/more-more-sequel-to-the-big-book-of-tiny-daily-readings-in-spanish/comment-page-1/#comment-19036 Tue, 21 Apr 2026 16:23:14 -0700 Is this 2nd book also for intermediate level?

]]> 5b07f113b84e173de1574ef4c20ebada mpeto wrote a new post https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/?p=31925 Sun, 11 Jan 2026 21:53:23 -0800 More! More! Sequel to the Big Book of Tiny Daily Readings in Spanish My classes need short, daily readings with activities embedded into the texts so that we can turn to them as a learning break when they stop […]

]]> e3f2a7cfda4530e6168bcc35fd28002c Craig West commented on the post, Experiences teaching Tierra Incógnita https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/experiences-teaching-tierra-incognita/comment-page-1/#comment-18756 Fri, 09 Jan 2026 20:37:04 -0800 So your class became more of a community that’s awesome maybe I’ll try this show 😃

]]> 654ae5c3b9e1a7df4b1bddef9761787f mpeto commented on the post, Experiences teaching Tierra Incógnita https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/experiences-teaching-tierra-incognita/comment-page-1/#comment-18755 Fri, 09 Jan 2026 17:07:31 -0800 Yes, we have 90 minutes together every day for one semester. There is an illusion that we have a lot of time together!

]]> d38ca43aef1f8c972bf7b5bfe5cb5079 mpeto commented on the post, Experiences teaching Tierra Incógnita https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/experiences-teaching-tierra-incognita/comment-page-1/#comment-18754 Fri, 09 Jan 2026 17:05:27 -0800 After episode 2 we rarely completed readings about the show. Instead, most of the “tiny” readings came from this book: We finished reading (almost) the entire book, so I wrote a sequel for next semester: While […]

]]> c09de9ecd66f60d1557879e717295ce9 mpeto commented on the post, Experiences teaching Tierra Incógnita https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/experiences-teaching-tierra-incognita/comment-page-1/#comment-18753 Fri, 09 Jan 2026 17:00:54 -0800 In the past I used Spanish audio w Spanish subtitles, discussed in Spanish, but this time that fell apart. I felt bad, wondered if I was failing them, but in the end something good happened. I’m not arguing that […]

]]> 4f35f37354282401927ad9c7a42c57e7 Allison Carroll commented on the post, Experiences teaching Tierra Incógnita https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/experiences-teaching-tierra-incognita/comment-page-1/#comment-18751 Fri, 09 Jan 2026 16:46:45 -0800 This is great! Are the readings about the TV Show? Is there ever some sort of discussion about the show or a write and discuss for it? Thanks!

]]> 658af580fcd462360ab2250f5ecb4c3c mpeto wrote a new post https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/?p=31909 Fri, 09 Jan 2026 16:21:35 -0800 Experiences teaching Tierra Incógnita We spent the first semester watching a few minutes of Tierra Incógnita each day in my level 1 classes, available on Disney+. During the […]

]]> 23af858b0634d16fc8760f73a002c4e7 mpeto wrote a new post https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/?p=31504 Mon, 10 Nov 2025 16:09:27 -0800 Reading is my superpower My colleagues are reporting that kids just don’t read like they used to. Normally I would shrug off those complaints that I have heard t […]

]]> 48a8838cf20c2869a22b096b416094d4 mpeto wrote a new post https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/?p=31347 Sun, 26 Oct 2025 22:39:48 -0700 Presenting Wonderful People I really enjoy presenting stories of Latin Americans who have imagined creative solutions to the problems facing their communities. My […]

]]> 7fb589d3bde078572fcd952f25321ed8 Gabriela Garza commented on the post, Emotional investment https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/emotional-investment/comment-page-1/#comment-18604 Tue, 14 Oct 2025 02:24:16 -0700 The video will go great with my lesson! I am teaching “tiene miedo de” “mira hacia” and “le pega”. Thanks for sharing.

]]> bbd25dc20c5e64985bf0b040b8790e12 mpeto wrote a new post https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/?p=31237 Mon, 13 Oct 2025 22:17:34 -0700 Emotional investment I was reading another teacher’s account about how important it is to get her students emotionally invested in the story being told in class. […]

]]> 881fe2bbcc95e5157408ea8c614e5b98 mpeto wrote a new post https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/?p=31202 Sun, 12 Oct 2025 15:09:53 -0700 French Big Book of Tiny Daily Readings My classes needed short, daily readings with activities embedded into the texts. These texts are short. They take no more than 10 minutes to […]

]]> c43362c4b73772d32f3a8dbc0c501a76 mpeto wrote a new post https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/?p=31076 Sat, 04 Oct 2025 19:40:34 -0700 Eight scenes, endless stories Last week I filled my classes with lessons inspired by the Story Listening movement. I told my novice classes the story The Kingdom of […]

]]> 7947501e102370890e63b7360ac9380a mpeto wrote a new post https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/?p=30915 Sat, 20 Sep 2025 22:28:41 -0700 What happens next Today I want to write about how I plan the creative writing sessions we do in class for maximum enjoyment… my enjoyment, of course.I d […]

]]> 04d70d58ffb743b810f4e1688b383a82 Sonya Morley commented on the post, The Cheshire Cat (first days of school) https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/the-cheshire-cat/comment-page-1/#comment-18535 Mon, 08 Sep 2025 00:25:08 -0700 Thanks, Mike. As I enter my 3rd year of return to the ELD (ESL) classroom, after teaching Spanish for over 15 years, this is exactly what I needed to say☺️

]]> 49464962cdba2e0c6aec1354e1e74245 mpeto wrote a new post https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/?p=30773 Sat, 06 Sep 2025 17:05:42 -0700 The Cheshire Cat (first days of school) Oh, what a fool I was with those songs of the day! In my last post, I thought I had cleverly found a way to give painless repetitions of […]

]]> b6560b2bc697a57f47337de1ea42ac64 mpeto wrote a new post https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/?p=30652 Sun, 31 Aug 2025 21:16:46 -0700 Rebuilding a Spanish Program from the Ground Up Last semester I stepped into a new role: the only Spanish teacher in a small coastal town in North Carolina. After 25 years in urban and […]

]]> 69ce0613927c111462b24f1a6c8f89ac mpeto wrote a new post https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/?p=30576 Mon, 25 Aug 2025 00:47:27 -0700 First Day Student Questionnaire Central to a student-centered classroom are activities that draw real information from students. The student questionnaire that I give on the […]

]]> 10a1f1df90a065f09d1ff02721137620 mpeto wrote a new post https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/?p=30583 Mon, 25 Aug 2025 00:33:33 -0700 The Power of the Weird Little Drawing A Low-Prep, High-Impact Strategy to reclaim the class story For years Ben Slavic has told me that his very best lessons emerge from […]

]]> 9e52bed2934f1f06eb0ab1d5602387da mpeto wrote a new post https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/?p=30573 Sun, 24 Aug 2025 23:08:09 -0700 Tiny Daily Readings Throughout last semester my classes needed short, daily readings with activities embedded into the texts. We tried many formats to develop […]

]]> 1bade6a44f60c00039994e449d09fcc7 mpeto wrote a new post https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/?p=28197 Mon, 24 Mar 2025 00:24:19 -0700 Future Tense Language teachers often ask me how to effectively introduce advanced tenses—for example, something like the future tense—without ove […]

]]> bea66015992cf7d60ca9955a37a6a826 mpeto wrote a new post https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/?p=27504 Sat, 01 Feb 2025 20:37:03 -0800 120 hours I am back in the classroom. Last Monday I started a new job; after eight years of giving workshops and developing CI Master Class resources, […]

]]> eb14fdd2e2a1e937f4fa7ed5f68b540f Allison Adams posted an update: Oi tudo bem, senhor? In regards to cultural discussions, I […] https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/activity/p/113/ Fri, 26 Jul 2024 15:46:39 -0700 Oi tudo bem, senhor?
In regards to cultural discussions, I often experience students reacting in a “despectativa” way, due to the US’ tendency to be ethnocentric. I also work in a small city that is exposed to less diversity than a bigger city. For example, if I show a video of someone serving street food, comments I’ve heard are “that’s…Read more

]]> 0 58c1c867892e5295fd7b030b71d6769b Janet Welsh Crossley posted an update: Hi, Mike. As the month progresses, I'm appreciating in a […] https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/activity/p/102/ Fri, 19 Jul 2024 21:10:22 -0700 Hi, Mike.
As the month progresses, I’m appreciating in a new way how your approach/techniques lead to better language acquisition than what I’ve been doing. However, as it’s a big shift for me, I am having a hard time visualizing how I would be able to elicit the conversation for write & discuss/student interviews/etc. with students face-to-class…Read more

]]> 3 c58424ecb7f8f1eb0ae249af55b73869 Karin Trouyet posted an update: Hi Mike, I am also the department chair and how do you […] https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/activity/p/100/ Wed, 17 Jul 2024 15:19:10 -0700 Hi Mike,
I am also the department chair and how do you prepare your students in the 4th year for the AP to write the essays with the advanced language requirements? I know the fast-processing students will do it naturally after 3 years of free writing and only need minor explicit instruction, but what about the others needing more guidance?

]]> 0 ee21fc3a0ec3794c0acc1d4ea03d6c2c mpeto wrote a new post https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/?p=24455 Sat, 13 Jul 2024 19:12:09 -0700 Graphic Novel prequel to Superburguesas released! Hamburguesas normales (paperback) $14.99 FRENCH EDITION PUBLISHED!! Follow this link!!37% discount on class sets of 25 or more copies. Follow […]

]]> 21187b52693b1e7cafc1c67ae334710c Allison Adams posted an update: Hi all! I was inspired by the AI images to actually try some […] https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/activity/p/83/ Fri, 12 Jul 2024 19:05:26 -0700 Hi all! I was inspired by the AI images to actually try some on my own. I’ve been hearing about doing this for so long. And why did I wait so long since it is so easy! Did you know that educators can get a free Canva Pro account? You can create AI images with Canva pro! I did one with Ricky Martin LOL! but I cannot paste my screen pic into here.…Read more

]]> 1 0d82cda244337399f67f4b49cd3a5b60 Michelle Jolley posted an update: My computer is not showing the text in the songs. Just blank […] https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/activity/p/79/ Thu, 11 Jul 2024 15:25:22 -0700 My computer is not showing the text in the songs. Just blank squares. Is there a setting I can change?

]]> 1 a6a94154fd8d677a43b1917b7acb1ab2 Colleen Meltz posted an update: Special student interview questions: I haven't had success […] https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/activity/p/69/ Tue, 09 Jul 2024 16:10:37 -0700 Special student interview questions: I haven’t had success yet and see that in the past I used way too many questions per person. How often do you have the interviews? Is the exit test on paper and graded? -Valeu/obrigada

]]> 2 ef3b89ff599c9779ae51bde0bc59d7ad Karin Trouyet posted an update: Hi Mike, This past year I used these two songs in my High […] https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/activity/p/67/ Tue, 09 Jul 2024 16:09:37 -0700 Hi Mike, This past year I used these two songs in my High school classes and the kids loved them. Even students not in my languge classes started popping into my classroom to learn them during transition times. I do not show the video, to my stdudents, we just learned the lyrics and discussed the topics that came up in the lyrics and enjoyed the…Read more

]]> 1 63b71e49a6f080ac76973295d030920a Lake Mathison posted an update: Here's a Textivate question, more logistics than pedagogy, […] https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/activity/p/61/ Mon, 08 Jul 2024 16:45:19 -0700 Here’s a Textivate question, more logistics than pedagogy, for Mike and anyone else who uses it. How do you juggle naming and keeping track of all the texts created for each class? Since there’s no folder system in Textivate, it just saves everything in one clump, it becomes a lot to sort through the more texts you create. And if each class has a…Read more

]]> 7 b4942fb729fb2e453a63c01b6dd91518 Rebecca Reneau posted an update: Re: Textivate Having visited the Textivate website's user […] https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/activity/p/56/ Sat, 06 Jul 2024 17:53:53 -0700 Re: Textivate
Having visited the Textivate website’s user guides page, Textivate looks like it would be a time-consuming process to learn how to use it. Any advice on reducing the overwhelm I’m experiencing about trying it?

]]> 3 4a84e4aba27a8b3c608ca5ffaf027ebe Cathern Tucker posted an update: Just needed to refresh and log in! This is Therese - thanks […] https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/activity/p/55/ Sat, 06 Jul 2024 16:34:14 -0700 Just needed to refresh and log in! This is Therese – thanks for trouble shooting at the end of class! 🙂 Dois coisas / perguntas.
1. I really need some modeling on coming up with questions for an exit quiz at the end of each class. I think it would help to just hearing the different varieties of questions that could be used on the fly and…Read more

]]> 2 9bcb0faf942149395aa49df58787670c Rebecca Reneau changed their profile picture https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/activity/p/53/ Fri, 05 Jul 2024 16:17:26 -0700 0 3d73b945f01a0b3ca9da9597f7464823 Colleen Meltz changed their profile picture https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/activity/p/51/ Fri, 05 Jul 2024 16:11:11 -0700 0 64726780f332f47d910107445d0e654e Karin Trouyet posted an update: Hi Mike, I have a lot of stduents with IEP's in my class […] https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/activity/p/49/ Fri, 05 Jul 2024 15:38:49 -0700 Hi Mike,
I have a lot of stduents with IEP’s in my class that require voice over text for everything. Do you know if textivate has a feature to do this?

]]> 2 9b3a8cbfb34a35b92f1c168e87949dd5 Karin Trouyet posted an update: Hi Mike, Wonderful One word image yesterday, loved it! When […] https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/activity/p/48/ Fri, 05 Jul 2024 13:43:05 -0700 Hi Mike,
Wonderful One word image yesterday, loved it!
When you do this activity with your High School students, is there an illustrator or do they illustrate the story individually / group ?

]]> 1 89108607910fa624fd101f5837c3b8b6 Karin Trouyet posted an update: Hi Mike, On your Vimeo songs, do you add the lyrics yourself? https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/activity/p/36/ Wed, 03 Jul 2024 15:49:38 -0700 Hi Mike,
On your Vimeo songs, do you add the lyrics yourself?

]]> 2 b9adb0e184edc971f3fe1568434f792f mpeto posted an update: Janet question #4: In a Write and Discuss, on a next day […] https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/activity/p/11/ Wed, 03 Jul 2024 00:57:47 -0700 Janet question #4:
In a Write and Discuss, on a next day re-read, would you highlight and annotate it in English, as you did on Day 2 of Portuguese class?
.
I would if it made the text comprehensible. 2nd day of class, definitely. But I would do that in the moment… not preparing before class. I would have taken a picture of our previous days…Read more

]]> 0 e9870fa0e8162f6d416e87925a73f834 mpeto posted an update: Janet question #3: How do you deal with students who miss […] https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/activity/p/10/ Wed, 03 Jul 2024 00:52:29 -0700 Janet question #3:

How do you deal with students who miss class due to school activities/athletics/health? How do they make up the daily quiz/how do they get caught up on the listening and reading practice they missed from the active class?

Honestly, unless the student is missing A LOT of classes, a daily exit quiz generates enough data…Read more

]]> 2 9e867df1f5fa6be9e9dbff035ef13acc mpeto posted an update: Janet question #2: With the daily end-of-class listening […] https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/activity/p/8/ Wed, 03 Jul 2024 00:44:09 -0700 Janet question #2:
With the daily end-of-class listening quiz, do the students write out their answers to turn in? In a large class, how can you ensure that they aren’t just copying their answers off of a friend?

You have to read this essay called “Prevent students from EVER falling between the cracks”:

]]> 1 5c6691d1f9ac02f147d677f3fc0ed511 mpeto posted an update: Janet sent me a few questions via email that I am going to […] https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/activity/p/7/ Wed, 03 Jul 2024 00:39:39 -0700 Janet sent me a few questions via email that I am going to answer here, one at a time:

a) Do you have students open their computers/tablets to do just a short comprehension activity in class, such as the music comprehension? In my class that would be an absolute time-waster; they always have problems with logons and not having brought their…Read more

]]> 4 961ef72b963330057800c28c39a055a5 mpeto posted an update: First comment thread: Teachers always ask about how I create […] https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/activity/p/5/ Wed, 03 Jul 2024 00:11:58 -0700 First comment thread: Teachers always ask about how I create the music activities. Here is a break down to help you problem solve if you want to make your own music activities (but you can always use mine in the CI Master CLass: https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/10837-2/#voices (Scroll down to #11)

1- You’ll need a program to download music v…Read more

]]> 0 a74ec3d7a55b3fd92fcf2d13c86cddc8 mpeto wrote a new post https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/?p=23424 Mon, 15 Apr 2024 20:03:28 -0700 Brazilian Portuguese – Summer 2024 Update: live class full, but you can still see the video recordings inside the CI Master Class I will be teaching a beginning Portuguese […]

]]> f8357747801ac8e5f3d76af258945af2 mpeto wrote a new post https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/?p=22893 Thu, 22 Feb 2024 03:23:24 -0800 Enjoyable new comics in German, French, Spanish and Japanese A Cat Can Be a Hat is a comic that has now been translated into four languages. This book of comics is a text that will enchant beginners […]

]]> 7a9115fe00c75878e05c024bb6da6152 mpeto wrote a new post https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/?p=21654 Tue, 26 Sep 2023 17:25:54 -0700 New graphic novel for BEGINNERS Available in French, German & Spanish, these graphic novels are designed specifically for beginners. Each novel features simplified, core […]

]]> 03a2f9cdd127f469f9c60c7dd993b0c8 mpeto wrote a new post https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/?p=16033 Mon, 14 Feb 2022 19:51:48 -0800 Add 100s of pages of comprehensible comics to your class library Graphic novels draw reluctant readers and pleasure readers into your classroom library. I am releasing a series of six comic books in […]

]]> 4632d46daf5b7a207563a17b5cf9792b mpeto wrote a new post https://mygenerationofpolyglots.com/?p=6411 Mon, 05 Nov 2018 00:59:05 -0800 Complete instructions to making OWIs and the stories they inspire What is an OWI? The creation of a One Word Image (OWI) is a central technique to my approach to language acquisition. Invented by Ben Slavic, […]

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