Engaging students is often about leveraging their knowledge and youth culture in subtle ways.  Think small. For example, here is a worksheet that worked great with my students. It includes social media posts (an element of youth culture) by Lionel Messi (an athlete many students love).  The activity is short and sweet.  Oh, and I played Messi highlights on my smart board while students edited. Yes, the highlights were a tad distracting, but they added […]

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Engagement. I am constantly looking for ways to engage students and limit “fake reading.” Here is a short text about the video game FORTNITE. These are the steps I follow: Step 1: Play the video and have students watch. Step 2: Play the video and have students follow along on their worksheet. Step 3: Have students answer the comprehension question on the worksheet provided. Step 4 (Optional): Have students choose a vocabulary word they want […]

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This time of the school year I am focused on balancing productivity and play. Students are tired. It’s testing season. The fatigue in students is palpable. To bring levity and laughter to the classroom, I use trivia, riddles, and random competitions. Here is my latest “chill” activity: Can You Guess the Language. I hope your students enjoy it! More Trivia and “Chill” Activities Here: Donate to Tolentino Teaching Here:

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Engagement. I am constantly looking for ways to engage students and limit “fake reading.” Here is a short text about Taylor Swift. These are the steps I follow: Step 1: Play the video and have students watch. Step 2: Play the video and have students follow along on their worksheet. Step 3: Have students answer the comprehension question on the worksheet provided. Step 4 (Optional): Have students choose a vocabulary word they want to learn […]

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