Real World Homework
27Confession: I used to be a “The Real World” junkie. I loved that wild, drama-filled show on MTV! They had all the drama that I never wanted in my own life. So one day a few years back, I was watching the show and lesson planning. I thought about how boring workbook pages are. They just copy someone’s answer during breakfast or before class anyways. What if homework was as cool like this show… So then The Real World Homework was created!
I met with my Frenchie friend Rachel and we brainstormed all the types of “real world” activities that students could do as homework for a given unit. So for the food unit, they can bring in a box with cooking directions in TL (target language), print a recipe in TL, try a TL restaurant, order in TL, bring in a dish, find a TL song with 3 food words, etc. We tried to vary the modes and the multiple intelligences on the tasks. We realized that students were finding the resources that we spent hours finding! Brilliant.
Next we added some student choice. We said that they only had to do 5 of the 10 activities. Also you can put blank boxes so students can add their own ideas after approval. Talk to your Cuban neighbor about the foods he ate? Sure!
Finally we made a system to organize it and add a dash of fun: stamps. I have all kinds of Spanish ones! The homework is formatted where I stamp it after they show it to me. It’s either completed, or not. No “grading” right or wrong! It is due by the end of the unit, or sometimes I’ll say I need a certain one done by a date so I can use them in class the next day. Sneaky, huh? 
I find that this creates a more authentic homework that students end up enjoying. They spend more time doing this than those workbook pages. This is no way perfect yet. I find that each time I reteach the unit, I add more authentic ones to replace a “forced” one.
Rachel and I presented this at the KWLA conference in 2011. Here is a link to the KWLA conference wikispaces. Shout out to KWLA, one of the best WL conferences around!
Megan
rachel573
Kara
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Me encanta esta idea! I currently only teach one Spanish class. Next year I will have 3 with 2 sections of each. I am getting so many ideas from this blog that I plan to put in action! Thanks!
So glad to hear that! It’s great to have new ideas BEFORE starting a new class!
With your real world food assignment…did you make the students present what they found or experienced or did you have have them show you? I’m using the text Avencemos and in level 2 we are doing food right now. I love the idea of making them find something unique in the target language! Just wondering how you made them turn it in! Thanks for all the wonderful ideas!
Shoot! Did we miss answering your question? So sorry! Turning in: I had them show me as they finished one during the unit. They were due the day before our assessment. On that day, they had to have everything printed or written out and stapled together. If they did it earlier, I would take the time to look at phones/cameras and let them talk it out at the end of class. A few of them shared with the whole class because I asked or they wanted to. I did not force them. Some students did extra ones and this was the only extra credit I accepted since it was truly going beyond expectations.
[...] Real World Homework [...]
Hola, I LOVE YOUR SITE! So many amazing ideas that I cannot wait for this school year to be over just so I can start planning for next year!!!!
Do you have more examples of these real world assignment sheets somewhere? I’d love to see your thoughts for different units.
We just uploaded a new Real World for “food”.
We are starting to make these for each unit and are putting them up here: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Creative-Language-Class/
The only reason we are charging is because they take so long to put together. They include directions and a Spanish AND French version. You can modify them too.
Kara, Megan,
Do you have time to load any more Real-World homework for the other units to TPT? I have already downloaded the Basics, Descriptions, and Food.
We’re working on getting more up soon!
Can’t wait!
“Family” and “Entertainment” are coming soon! Maybe next weekend if all goes as planned.
I bought this on teachers pay teachers. Love it! I was looking for the “Cultural Encounter” form on there was well but couldn’t find it. Can you point me in the right direction? Thanks!
? bumping this so I can click for the follow email if someone answers.. thanks!
What do you need?
I have that up now. That was my bad! It is a free PDF on tpt. If you need an editable version, email us. I made it in Pages and I’ll work on reformatting it in Word. Glad you love it! We will add more as the year goes.
Before I passed this out today, I asked the students to discuss in groups the pros and cons of homework. One person from each group presented to the class what they discussed. Then I showed them the Real World. They were excited that I had thought about all of their concerns. I think we are having a country cookie cake tomorrow already!
¡Hola, chicas! I’m implementing Real World homework this year as a way to replace 1) handouts and 2) a cultural enrichment assignment that I didn’t really think enriched much of anything, upon further reflection. I made all new types of tasks, but I loved your ideas (you guys have no idea how much I rave about you both)
So, I have one question that I cannot seem to find a solution for….. I plan to give deadlines for kids to turn in a task. I can easily see how I can collect or check in many of the tasks, but how do you manage electronic tasks like videos, links, etc? Please help!
If they can email it to me, I ask them to do that. Usually they show me these things as the unit progresses. If possible, I lesson plan a stations or independent project day near the end of the unit. Then I’m available if they need to visit me and show me something like that. Sometimes I’ll ask them to just explain it if we can’t get to it. I take their word for it and give them credit.
Where do you get your Spanish stamps – especially the self-inking (red) ones?
I just handed out my 1st “Real World Homework” for this unit. The kids were so excited!!!
I can’t wait to see how well they do.
Dont suppose you have more of these to share? Sadly I don’t have a Frenchie friend to brainstorm with
Would love to adapt some of these challenges for my Indonesian language students!
[...] Real World Homework [...]
I teach honors Spanish 2 and honors Spanish 4. The SP. 2 class I find easier to create real-world assignments, however I’m finding it difficult to create real-world homework assignments when my Spanish 4 class isn’t really divided up into units — well at least this year it isnt. Right now I’m following the book/curriculum map (I know…I know…shame on me…it’s my first year with 4, te prometo!) It’s divided by region…so they are getting a TON of culture…but not real life culture per se. Suggestions?
I just appreciate you guys putting all this information up! This is my first year teaching high school Spanish and I have been struggling SO much finding materials and making class fun. Thank you!!
Love this idea!!! Love ALL of your creative ideas! They are fantastic! Could the “real world homework” task be on anything French (for French class) when studying a novel??