41. Building IPAs with Alexis Buschert

In this episode of the Language Lounge, Alexis Buschert talks with host Michelle Olah about how to make IPA's more manageable. Alexis has great tips and tricks for saving you time, energy and your mental health. Did you know you don't have to grade everything?   Visit the Language Lounge on Twitter - https://twitter.com/langloungepod Connect with Michelle - https://twitter.com/michelleolah Have a comment or question? Leave a voicemail at (207) 888-9819 or email [email protected] Produced by Wayside Publishing - https://waysidepublishing.com Watch this episode on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/wayside   Bio:  Alexis Buschert taught high school Spanish for 10 years in Oregon public schools. She has also taught in France as an English teaching assistant and participated in a Fulbright-Hays Summer Seminar in Ecuador. Alexis spent her time in the classroom transitioning to proficiency-based teaching and trying everything from an immersion-style deskless classroom, to teaching fully online during the pandemic.  Alexis still takes Spanish classes at home and abroad whenever possible.  https://mobile.twitter.com/srtabuschert Show Notes:   Group making document   Interpersonal Boot Camp: Using the TALK rubric https://mmeblouwolff.weebly.com/revolutionized-teaching/interpersonal-boot-camp-using-the-talk-rubric  One page flyer (Strategies for Interpersonal Speaking   https://docs.google.com/document/d/0B-ZAzkNQrDrsTnhhejlmT0x6aW8/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=102214238169992691410&resourcekey=0-n5j45OWkA-zVkZJ0n4tI5w&rtpof=true&sd=true  IPAs  ACTFL presentation  Leave it at school! Effectively manage IPAs and reclaim your life!    Building IPA's is super hard -   IPAs are hard for teachers and students too - but once students get the hang of it they can show so much more language.     Teachers- open ended tasks that don't have "correct" answers  Look at the IPA as a demonstration or celebration of what they can do   How can teachers lighten their load  Limit the amount of tasks that you grade - but you don't need to grade all the tasks-   What do I need to assess the most?   Cut it down to 1 or 2 modes per assessment   Look at different tasks for each class  What does your district require?  You're not going to get paid more for grading more…  Cheating is a huge issue -   Our assessments are not the end of the world- it's okay not to put everything in gradebook    At the end of the unit it is summative - so there's not as much feedback    Taking away the reason to cheat - don't grade the interpretive task     Quick way to provide rubric - not error correction-   Focus on proficiency driven comment - one thing they did well- and something to work on      You don't have to grade everything  A good rubric  Committing to actually grading things - create an environment that allows you to focus and get it done - then it's not hanging over your head anymore.     Attitude adjustment - stopped talking about tests- stopped talking about anticipating  tests-   Don't build it up into a big thing - started offering and encouraging retakes -  This is you demonstrating your learning today-  why can't everyone get a good grade - especially    Be intentional about your goal - what it is you need to see