Giving Compass' Take:

• Writing for EdSurge, one Montana teacher discusses the shift from memorization to audio and visual stimulation when it comes to learning languages.

• It's worth looking at how personalized learning works in different classroom contexts, told by people on the ground. In this case, it seems that more engagement leads to better results.

• Here's the best way to prepare teachers for personalized learning practices.

Modern world language classes are undergoing a massive shift. Traditionally, these classes focused on memorization, grammar study and forced output, where students were expected to perform, usually by speaking or reading in front of the class. For many, this caused deep anxiety and made them want to drop their language of choice forever.

Thanks to the research of Dr. Stephen Krashen, we’re moving away from memorization and toward more engaging audio or visual input. Dr. Krashen notes that all that is required for stress-free language acquisition is compelling, comprehensible input (listening and/or reading).

Each class appears completely distinct from the next, yet there is a method to the madness. If I have students that love being informed, we spend more time listening to “stories” from current events. If I have students that want to speak more about themselves and others, I use activities that allow them to accomplish this, using nuggets of Spanish output. Every period is unique because I get to tap into an individual’s interests and curiosities.

In reality, I have very little way of predicting what my students will retain 5-10 years after taking my classes. But I hope that if I provide an engaging experience, they will return to language opportunities in the future and may become the next generation of global conflict mediators or diplomats. It seems lofty, but I know in my soul that I can teach peace though language acquisition.

Read the full article about why language class should focus on excitement by Kristen Wolf at EdSurge.