What Does Latin 2 Look Like?

Not too long ago, I was speaking with a Latin teacher about novellas, and he asked, "So what does a Latin 2 novella look like?" While a simple question, it is actually MUCH bigger than a simple answer for a number of reasons - the bigger question is what does Latin 2 look like?:

• There is what textbooks say. Textbooks are not written with second language acquisition theory in mind, because namely, they further the misinformed concept that language learning is linear in nature. Textbooks will introduce a chapter on a particular grammar concept, with the "introduced on Monday and mastered by Friday, and ready to move on to the next concept" model. Because of this, there are particular grammar concepts which we tend to think of as "higher level," because textbook have "told us" that they are, e.g., subjunctives, gerunds, gerundive, sequence of tenses, etc. Big picture, however, novice learners can use these concepts quite early - we just tend to think that they cannot and are not ready for them!
• There is what the National Latin Exam syllabus says a Latin 2 class should cover (which is basically a rehash of what grammar-translation textbooks say).
• There is what traditional grammar-translation Latin expectations say, namely that by the end of Latin 2, students should be able to translate Caesar. As a result, teachers should have covered ALL necessary grammatical concepts

HOWEVER, regardless of what textbooks and tradition may say, language levels are NOT determined by grammatical constructions, vocabulary, or cultural topics. ACTFL defines language levels by proficiency, where the primary difference between profiency levels lies in the complexity of tasks and the amount of language in which an individual can perform them. 

Most CI/ADI teachers who use ACTFL standards-based grading define the anticipated target proficiency levels for language levels as follows - ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines - 2024 :

• Level 1 - Novice Mid
• Level 2 - Novice High
• Level 3 - Intermediate Low
• Level 4 - Intermediate Low (note that level 4 is still considered Intermediate Low, since the Intermediate level is considered a much wider range of proficiency compared to the Novice levels)

Nowhere in the ACTFL proficiency descriptions is grammatical acuracy mentioned as an exemplar of a Novice or Intermediate learner. In fact, the expectation is that these learners will make LOTS of grammatical errors when communicating! ACTFL guidelines state that communicators at these levels can be understood by sympathetic receptors who are accustomed to non-native communicators.

So to return to the original question of "What does a Latin 2 novella look like?", here is what ACTFL says regarding reading proficiency at the Novice High level:

At the Novice High sublevel, readers can understand, fully and with relative ease, key words and cognates, as well as formulaic phrases across a range of highly contextualized texts. Where vocabulary has been rehearsed, they can understand predictable language and messages...

Based on this, a Latin 2 novella would continue to employ formulaic sentences and predictable language and messages (as found in previous Novice Mid readings), but the assumption is that now there is a greater foundation of vocabulary and of grammatical constructions from which to draw. Again, let me say: TOO MANY LATIN NOVELLAS ARE WRITTEN WITH A TEXTBOOK MODEL IN MIND! Latin textbook readings are not written based on ACTFL proficiency guidelines and are overly complex in terms of sentence length and too much vocabulary for the specific levels. Keep in mind that "complex" grammar structures can indeed be introduced in the novice levels - just be sure to use them over and over again so that they are formulaic and predictable in nature! This is not "dumbing down" or removing "rigor" from reading Latin - rather, this is aligning L2 reading with realistic expectations and second langauge acquisition! I love introducing "cum clauses + pluperfect subjunctive" very early in Latin 2 readings and using them over and over again so that students become very familiar with them. 

Shared Thoughts on In-person Conferences - Another Collaborative Post with Eric Richards

This is another collaborative post with Eric Richards - this one was unplanned! However, both Eric and I independently had planned to release a post about in-person conferences on our individual blogs unbeknownst to each other. When we realized that we touched on many of the same points about the importance of in-person conferences, we decided to combine them as one blog post.

My post surrounds reasons why I am going to ACTFL this week, and Eric's post encompasses his reflections on in-person conferences upon attending a FLAM regional conference. Hope you enjoy this!

Keith Toda - Why I am Going to ACTFL

This weekend in Philadelphia is the ACTFL Convention, the national conference for World Language teachers, and I will be attending. It has been YEARS since I last attended one (it was in 2017 in Nashville). I had been on the fence about attending this year's convention, because one of the downsides for me is the sheer size of it - THOUSANDS attend the ACTFL Convention, and it is easy to feel overwhelmed by that. However, this past summer's CI Summit's headquarter hotel was in the downtown Philadelphia area right across from City Hall and not too far from the convention center where ACTFL will be located. Since I was already kind of familiar with that area after this summer, that was a major factor in my decision to attend.

However, what is my main reason for attending ACTFL this year after not having attended since 2017? Quite honestly: I need my CI/ADI cup filled. My cup is low, and believe me, there are only but a few drops in it. In the world of education, the months of late September, October, and November are HARD and can suck the joy out of teaching (I just recently learned that this time period is known as DEVOLSON - the Dark, Evil Vortex of Late September, October, and November - and let me tell you, this is REAL! It finally has a name!). This is the time of the year where I hate being a department head, cannot stand students, and everything related to work feels like such a chore and a burden. I do not feel like I have/am exhibiting any joy in my lessons, and it is so toilsome to teach. In short, I am weary.

I need to be around my CI/ADI people - people who get me; people over whom I still fanboy because they are seasoned, experienced teachers; people who by their sheer example and friendship both motivate and encourage me to be a better CI/ADI practitioner; people whose presentations I attend and walk away feeling refreshed and reinvigorated. And going to an in-person conference like ACTFL where I will see many of these people is my incentive.

Although many conferences are heading towards being digital in nature (and I completely understand the reasons why), there are some aspects which can only be achieved by attending an in-person conference:

• Personal - There is something about sharing a common learning experience together with other people in the same room and being able to interact with the presenter and others who are there. Blogs and digital environments can only go so far in experiencing this.
• Reflection - On a recent blog post, Eric Richards says it best:

I also find that many times when I attend a conference, something “unexpected” sticks. It is usually something that I heard, saw or experienced that I was not necessarily expecting or anticipating. Many times, this “unexpected” really sticks with me, and I find myself deeply thinking about it for a long period of time. 

• Distraction-free - In-person presentations force me to be present in the moment and allow me to take it all in, while during a digital talk, I will multitask (send emails, watch videos, complete a Wordle, check sports scores).
• Connections and Community - All of the CI/ADI people whom I am hoping to see at ACTFL are those whom I met first previously at in-person conferences. As I said, I still fanboy over them and still cannot believe that they know my name! Over the years, we have "talked shop," discussed our lives over coffee or dinner, and have learned from each other during these times. This is not to say that this cannot happen digitally - I think that it would just be different though.

At ACTFL, I am looking forward to just being Keith Toda, attendee, and not Keith Toda, presenter or Keith Toda, trainer/coach. I am looking forward to being able to attend sessions being "present and all there" in the moment and not half-heartedly thinking about my own upcoming presentation during a session. I am looking forward to learning from others either from their sessions or over a meal as we discuss and process what we learned that day.

So if you see me at ACTFL, please say hi! I hope that your cup will be refilled there too!

Eric Richards - Reflections and Insights on In-Person Conferences

I recently attended and presented at the FLAM (Foreign Language Association of Missouri) St. Louis Regional Conference. It was a great experience, not only motivating and inspiring. It was wonderful to see familiar faces and also get to know new educators. It was also rewarding to see my colleagues from right here in the St. Louis area presenting! They were all great presentations, and I took away so much to implement in my own classes. Overall, it was a fantastic experience - and a much needed one! The energy and comradery really helped invigorate me!

It also got me thinking about conferences, specifically in-person conferences. I found myself reflecting on why in-person conferences still matter in a digital world. I mean, in the age of virtual meetings and online networking, why hold in-person conferences at all? It is easy to connect from anywhere via digital platforms. Do we even need in-person conferences anymore?

I understand there are benefits to online conferences, but face-to-face events bring unique benefits that are difficult to replicate online. Let me share why I believe that in-person conferences remain incredibly important in today’s digital world.

Authentic Connections

In-person conferences offer an environment where participants can genuinely connect. The spontaneous conversations that happen in hallways, during lunch foster, and before or after the conference create a sense of comradery and connection that is difficult to achieve over a screen. These moments can lead to lifelong professional connections, mentorships, unexpected insights, and collaborations that often feel more meaningful and lasting.

Focus and Engagement

Attending a conference in person brings a level of focus and engagement that can be hard to maintain in a virtual setting. In-person participants are less likely to be distracted by home or work tasks. They’re more likely to immerse themselves in presentations, workshops, and discussions, gaining a deeper understanding of topics and finding more value in the event.

Atmosphere

Attending a conference in person is energizing. The chance to step away from daily routines - and surroundings - and join a community of like-minded individuals can spark new ideas and inspiration. In-person events offer an atmosphere with a tangible energy that can help participants to think creatively, set new goals, walk away with a sense of accomplishments, and bring a renewed energy back to their classrooms.

Hands-On Learning & Immersive Experiences

Finally, in-person conferences allow for hands-on workshops and immersive experiences that online events can’t always match. Whether it’s attending live demonstrations, or participating in interactive sessions, these experiences can enhance learning and make it easier to apply new knowledge. (Plus, I enjoy physically thumbing through a book or reader at the vendor tables!)

In any case, I believe that virtual events have their place. However, I still believe that in-person conferences are still the best way to connect, grow, and get inspired - and re-energized!
(And for the record, I never want to see in-person conferences go away!)

Let me know your thoughts in the comment section below!

Writing from Novice Learners

This semester, I have been doing a number of free writes in my Latin 1 classes. Though I still implement timed writes (which to me is usually attempting to re-tell a story in the target language which we have been going over in class), I have also been giving opportunities for students to write whatever they want in Latin based on input.

As writing is an output activity, it is important that we bathe students in input to such a degree that output is a natural overflow of that input. This is why I like implementing timed writes - after going over a story 6-7 different ways over 3-4 days, all of that input from that story has somewhere to go as output. Free writes, however, are different. To me, free writes are exactly that: students have the chance to create and to write freely whatever they want in the target language and are not spitting back a story. I usually give them a prompt of some kind and then let them write for X amount of time.

Having students do free writes has been a very interesting experience so far, and I am learning SO much about language acquisition theory in the process, especially for novice learners.

Observations

1. As not every student acquires language at the same rate, I have to accept that students "will be all over the spectrum" when it comes to output. There are students whose extent of writing output is being able to re-combine a seen list of vocabulary to create sentences, while others are able to create and to fashion sentences on their own. Guess what? Each of those examples is perfectly fine. The important thing to remember is that every individual student is exactly at the point where he/she is at; I cannot force students to progress at my pace. My sole job is to continue to immerse my students in understandable messages to aid them along their individual output continuum.
2. Output is going to be MESSY!! Messy to me, that is. To the student, however, most likely they are completely unaware of their errors, which is fine, because that is where they are at in their language acquisition. I love the following cartoon:
   
3. I am surprised at the number of students who are writing compound sentences on their own. In many ways, I do not think that they realize that this is actually "complex," because they are constantly hearing and reading compound sentences in the target language. In many ways, they cannot help but write compound sentences due to vast amount of input examples.

Some examples of free-write activities

1. 1-3-10 Free Write
2. 4-Word Picture Story
3. BINGO Free Write

ACTFL '14 Report

I attended the annual ACTFL Convention a few weeks ago, so I thought I would write up a short report of what went on. This time it was in San Antonio, and it was my 2nd ACTFL, after having attended the convention in Orlando in 2013.

The Upsides

• The keynote speaker for the General Assembly was Annie Griffiths, one of the first woman photographers for National Geographic. When I heard that she was going to be the keynote speaker, I was a bit disappointed, as I had never heard of her before, and last year's speaker was the dynamic Tony Wagner, who spoke on the need for innovation and creativity. But wow, was I wrong about Annie Griffiths! She spoke of her travels throughout the world, documenting it through pictures. The entire audience was absolutely captivated by both what she had to say and the messages delivered through her pictures. Although the below video is not Annie's ACTFL speech, much of it contains what she spoke about.

• I was very focused and only attended those sessions which were on Comprehensible Input (thanks to TPRS Publishing for creating a list of CI sessions before the convention), and there were a number of them! Although there were many Latin sessions offered at ACTFL, nothing really caught my eye as something which would further me as a Latin teacher. In fact, because I had not attended any of the Latin sessions at ACTFL, there were many Latin teachers whom I knew that did not even know I was there until the ACL reception on Saturday evening!  
• Getting to interact with many CI teachers whom I follow on Twitter or had met at NTPRS. I will admit that I was rather starstruck seeing them! 
• The American Classical League/National Latin Exam sponsored a reception at the San Antonio Museum of Art on Saturday evening. The museum houses a wonderful collection of ancient/classical art, so a very apt place to hold a classical reception. I had a very enjoyable time, seeing many of my colleagues whom i only see at the ACL Summer Institute!

The Downsides: 

• Now if you have never attended an ACTFL Convention, let me say this: it is absolutely MAMMOTH! There are over 4,500 language teachers in attendance - I am more accustomed to the 250 Latin teachers at an ACL Summer Institute or even 500 language teachers at a FLAG conference, so it is very easy to feel lost at ACTFL. The exhibition hall of materials itself is HUGE!
• There are around 50 sessions going on every hour, so trying to narrow down choices can be overwhelming (thanks to the ACTFL app which helped filter out sessions by language, keywords, etc).
• Because the sessions were 50-60 minutes long, I felt like presenters were trying to cover WAY too much in that amount of time, so I was bombarded with a lot of information all at once. Luckily, many of the presenters posted their materials online, so I can sift through them at my own pace. I wish that ACTFL would offer 90-minute sessions, because many of the sessions which I attended would make great longer sessions.
• Three sessions on Comprehensible Input were scheduled at the same time on late Friday afternoon.
• Earlier in the week, I had gotten a cold, and flying on a plane to San Antonio did not help out. Throw in a kind of balmy, humid weather and a full day of the convention, so by Friday night, I was not feeling well at all. I had to cancel out on a Cena Latina (to which I was really looking forward since I have not done any real conversational Latin since Rusticatio this summer), and ended up going to bed really early that evening.

Next year's ACTFL will be held in San Diego, CA, so consider attending!

The Power of Sharing Ideas

I'm currently at ACTFL in San Antonio as I write this. I have been attending some really good Comprehensible Input sessions so far. I have found myself starstruck at times, as I see so many of these CI presenters whom I greatly admire/respect (and follow on Twitter and read their blogs - gosh, I feel like a stalker!), but yet they present with such humility and are SO willing to share their ideas with others.

At my school, in my department there are many teachers who are wanting to use CI but still are unsure about it or are experimenting with it; the others are still stuck in the grammar-translation way because that is all they know, or they are holding tightly to the textbook. This is much better than a year ago, however, where I was the SOLE one using CI in the classroom and whenever I would mention anything about CI/TPRS, my department would look at me like I was from Mars

A couple months ago, on Cynthia Hitz's blog "Teaching Spanish with Comprehensible Input" (which by the way, if you do not follow it, please do - LOTS of good stuff there), she posted "15 Ways to Increase Awareness of Your Language Program and Share Your Students' Success."

At the top of the list: Willingly share materials and activitives with other language teachers at your school.

I accepted the challenge and the day after I read that post, I emailed a CI technique/strategy to my department. I did not know what to expect in terms of response - would folks appreciate it? would they think it another attempt by me to convert my department to CI? would they even read it? The response was ovewhelmingly positive, with many asking for more! I now send out something every two weeks or so to them, and I have found my department to be incredibly appreciative, especially those whom I have viewed as anti-CI teachers.

Sharing ideas is powerful. I think we forget how much of a lone-ranger mentality we can get as teachers. Sharing ideas develops community, especially in a world language department where we tend to group (and to isolate) ourselves according to language. Who would have ever thought that modern language teachers in my department would be asking me, a LATIN teacher, for CI ideas?

This confirms my view that we CI teachers cannot beat CI into folks who do not want it to use it. All I can do is use CI in my classroom, share ideas with folks (whether they accept it or not), let my results speak for me and simply leave it at that. Now that does not mean that I should not be prepared to defend my usage of CI if people ask - much like the apostle Paul says, "(i need to) be prepared in season and out of season" (I am VERY CERTAIN that Paul was not referring to CI when he wrote that!) - but I need to give permission for my non-CI colleagues to be the teachers they are at this moment. I need to follow the words of St. Francis of Assisi, "Preach [CI], and if necessary, use words.' (Again, I know that he was NOT referring to CI), and to let them come to the decision on their own, if they choose.

So much like Cynthia, I challenge you to share with your department a CI idea which has worked for you, even if they are not open to the idea of CI. Become the CI expert in your department; even if you do not feel like one or know much about Ci, at least you know of some resources where to look. You'll be surprised at the reaction. I have a Latin teacher friend in Baltimore who, after I posted Lauren Watson's Scrambled Eggs activity, immediately shared the idea with her department, and many of them used it with much success! 

Thanks to all here at ACTFL who have shared their CI knowledge with me this weekend. I plan to "pay it forward"!