Unit Guide
Blending Stories in Performance with Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling
In this unit designed for an upper level high school Spanish class (Level 3 or higher), students will use the elements of dramatic structure to study the Mexican legend of “La Llorona” and the Catalan legend of the “Aloja (Dona d’aguia).” The world language method of Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling (TPRS) focuses on three core skills: establishing meaning in the target language, asking a story, and reading a story. One of the sub skills in asking a story involves student actors to physically perform what is happening. The students will combine the performance elements of drama with TPRS. The unit has the purpose of studying and comparing the Mexican and Spanish cultures while integrating relevant verb structures and vocabulary in Spanish. The American Council on the Teaching standards of connections and communication will be integrated as well as Common Core literacy skills. Students will be exposed to the Spanish language through comprehensible input (CI) which will allow them to acquire the language through listening, reading, and viewing. The dramatic actions allow students to interpret the language and encourage them to bring the stories to life. In addition to acting, the students will participate in reading pairs, artwork, and incorporating the key verb structures into their own speaking and writing.