Using Diffit - Creating Differentiated, Tiered Readings

Earlier, I wrote up a blog post about learning about AI and how it can be used in the classroom, especially for creating readings in the target language. Here is another web app resource which Stefanie Gigante demonstrated: Diffit.

According to its website: What does Diffit Do?

• Adapt any reading, excerpt, article or video for any reading level - to help all students access the content you’re teaching. 
• Generate short informational or narrative texts on any topic, for any reading level.
• Cherry on top? Diffit creates an automatically generated summary, comprehension checks, vocabulary words, and more to go with whatever text you’re working with! 

Then export to our ready to use Google Slide, Google Doc, and Google Form Templates.

Essentially, Diffit can take any text and create a differentiated reading of it based on the level parameters which you set.

In her presentation, Stefanie gave an example of creating a differentiated text using a Cambridge Latin Course reading. I decided to do the same with a stage 27 reading, where Modestus and Strythio hide out beneath the granary. I entered the text with the following parameters to create the following readings (the unique word count is my own):

Original (202 words/152 unique words)

Modestus et Strythio, e carcere egressī, ad horreum fugerunt. per aditum angustum repserunt et sub horreō celati manebant. centurio Valerius, cum portās cellārum apertās carcerem desertam vidisset, iratissimuserat.

imperavit militibus ut Modestum Strythionemque caperent. militēs tamen, quamquam per tota castra quaerebant, eōs invenīre non poterant.

illī duōs dies manebant celati. tertiō die Modestus erat tam miser ut rem diutius ferre non posset.

Modestus: “quam infelix sum! malim in illō carcere esse potius quam sub hoc horreō latēre! qualis est haec vita? Adest Strythio, comes exiliī, sed me non adiuvat. nam Strythio est vir maximī silentiī, minimī ioci! eheu! me taedet huius vitae!”

Strythio: “mi Modeste, difficile est nobīs hic diutius manēre. Nunc advesperascit. visne me, ex horreō egressum, cibum quaerere?

Modestus: id est consilium optimum! i primum ad coquum! eum iube cenam splendidam coquere et huc portāre! deinde quaere Aulum et Publicum, amicōs nostrōs! invitā eōs ad cenam! iube Aulum amphoram vinī ferre, Publicum lucernam. tum curre ad vicum; quaere Nigrinam! optima est saltatrix! saltatricēs mihi solacium afferunt.”

Strythio, ut mandata efficeret, invitus discessit. persuasit coquō ut cenam splendidam parāret. persuasit Aulō et Publicō ut vinum et lucernam et aleas ferrent; oravit Nigrinam ut ad horreum venīret, sed ei persuadēre non poterat.

4th grade  (144 words/105 unique words)

Modestus et Strythio, duo homines qui ex carcere evaserunt, ad horreum fugerunt. Ibi se celaverunt. Valerius, qui erat centurio, erat iratus cum vidit portas cellae apertas et carcerem desertum. Ille imperavit militibus ut Modestum et Strythionem caperent, sed milites eos non poterant invenire per tota castra.

Illis duobus diebus, Modestus et Strythio manebant celati sub horreo. Sed Modestus erat tristis et miser. Vita sub horreo non erat bona. Strythio, amicus Modesti, non iuvabat eum. Modestus dixit, "Vita haec qualis est? Me taedet huius vitae!" Strythio respondit, "Difficile est nobis manere hic diutius. Nunc sol occidit. Visne me ex horreo egredi et cibum quaerere?"

Modestus acceptavit consilium Strythionis. Strythio discessit ut mandata efficeret. Ille rogavit coquum ut pararet cenam splendidam. Ille rogavit Aulum et Publicum ut ferrent vinum, lucernam, et aleas. Ille quaesivit Nigrinam, saltatricem optima, ut veniret ad horreum, sed ei persuadere non potuit.

2^nd grade  (106 words/77 unique words)

Modestus et Strythio erant duo amici qui evaserunt ex carcere. Ibi erat periculosum, itaque fugerunt ad horreum. Sub horreo se celaverunt et ibi manebant. Centurio Valerius, miles iratus, eos non poterat invenire. Modestus tamen erat tristis et misellus. Strythio dicit, "Nobis hic diu manere difficile est." Modestus respondet, "Vade ad coquum et iube eum cenam splendidam parare. Postea quaere Aulum et Publicum, amicos nostrum, et invita eos ad cenam. Iube Aulum amphoram vini ferre et Publicum lucernam. Tum curre ad vicum et quaere Nigrinam, saltatricem." Strythio discessit ut mandata efficeret. Coquo persuasit ut cenam splendidam pararet. Aulo et Publico persuasit ut vinum, lucernam, et aleas ferrent.

Observations

1. While it did create differentiated readings of the original passage, the various versions were still very vocabulary driven. I do wish there were a way to explain to AI how to create a reading which "sheltered vocabulary, not grammar." In other words, while the length of the passage was shortened, for a differentiated reading, being an "easier" read for some students is debatable.
2. I am still impressed at the grammatically-correct Latin (for the most part) which AI can produce!
3. Diffit can also produce assessment questions - this is a tool which I wish to explore further!

What is Behind the Door?

Here is a great 5-10 minute activity to use in class to reinforce vocabulary and structures (and even to preview vocabulary). It is a simple but very engaging prediction activity. I have seen Haiyun Lu demo this many times as part of her live online Mandarin session for ABC Camp, and then I saw Elicia Cardenas do this in-person at this summer/s Acquisition Academy in Dallas. Last week at the Fluency Matters Conference in Denver, I saw Haiyun demo this live again in one of her presentations. Although I had never done this activity before as a teacher in my own classroom, I decided to implement it in the adult participant Beginning Latin language class which I was teaching there, and it went really well! When I told Haiyun that I was using her activity, she told me that she had gotten it from Laurie Clarcq!

The activity is called "What is Behind the Door?" 

1. It does involve creating a slide presentation with images of vocabulary and animation, of which one of the images must be a door. There is an image "behind" the door. You need to layer it so that the vocabulary image is set as "back" behind the door.
   
2. Ask students to predict one of two choices behind the door by holding up a number using their fingers- either #1 or #2.
3. Using the slide animation to make the door disappear, you reveal what is "behind" the door.
4. Proceed to the next slide, and repeat.

   

Observations

1. Oh my gosh, adults can do this activity forever, so I can only imagine how much students would enjoy this! Janet Holzer told me, "People like it, because it is like betting!"
2. Although "What is Behind the Door?" is highly engaging, I would only do it for around 10 minutes at most to preserve the novelty and to keep students wanting to do it in the future.
3. I like that I can use it with single vocabulary words, phrases, and full sentences depending on what I want to target.
4. Extension activities - You can easily extend this into becoming a more communicative activity. In her demo, Haiyun says that it is a good way to get in exposure of numbers, because she can count aloud in Mandarin how many students say "#1" vs "#2. You can also use the images then as a springboard for a Picture Talk.

"Research Talks: Motivating Acquisition-Centered Classrooms" by Eric Herman - Book Review

While I was at CI Iowa, I attended two sessions presented by Eric Herman regarding academic SLA research. I had never met Eric previous to CI Iowa, but I was very familiar with his name due to his reputation for being the "research guy" in the CI/ADI community. In meeting him, I can tell you that although Eric is the "research guy" (a title to which Eric probably does not want to be referred lol), he is so much more than that, is incredibly down to earth, and presents it all in a very relatable, understandable manner. During one of Eric's sessions, Jim Tripp promoted a book written by Eric called "Research Talks: Motivating Acquisition-Centered Classrooms," and I am currently reading it now.

Here on this blog, I have stated numerous times that I absolutely hate reading academic research. Reading academic articles makes me feel stupid, because I have such a difficult time wrapping my head around everything being stated. Latinists will understand this reference: For me, reading academic research is like translating Cicero - while I can translate it into English, I still have NO IDEA what he is trying to communicate due to his complex sentences and structures.

This book is SO different though. For some reason, I want to call this book "Research Bites," much like the mid 90's film "Reality Bites" (sidenote : that is such a Gen X movie. I saw it a month before I was to graduate from UCLA, and I was so depressed for a few weeks after that - much like Winona Ryder and her friends in the movie, I had NO idea what I was going to do with my life post-college outside of graduate school, and that was just delaying the inevitable for a few years!). However, in some ways "Research Bites" could be an apt title, because Eric presents this research in bite-sized chunks. Published in 2019, this book is organized into 30-week chapters, with each chapter divided into 5 "days," with a single SLA research quote and citation for each day related to a theme: input, development, textbook grammar, communication, and beliefs. I believe that this book is based on his Acquisition Memos, which were daily "memos' sent out to his subscribers? In his introduction, Eric writes:

This book can be read straight through or spaced out over time. My recommendation is to read and reflect on your quote per school day, providing you with daily inspiration to align language teaching with language science. The quotes have been organized for this purposes (page vi).

I like the ability to reflect on and to interact with a single academic quote. And while it is only a single citation, that citation packs a punch in what it conveys about SLA research! While I do possess a great deal of second-hand academic knowledge related to CI/ADI which I have learned from others, what I like about Eric's book is that it is both providing and exposing me to the actual academic research sources from where this is coming, thus helping to fill in some gaps. Already, some of my own personal annotated notes for quotes include:

• Even in 1977, researchers were wary of trendy educational reforms!
• Wow, this research predates Krashen!
• This!
• Latinists were questioning this (grammar translation method) back in 1657??!! Preach it, Comenius!
• There were "ADI" advocates in 1973??

Even more so, although for me Eric is preaching to the choir, I do appreciate his attitude towards those who may read his book and experience some objection to some of the quotes and ideas presented. He writes:

There is a significant gap between SLA and mainstream language teaching, so some readers will undoubtedly experience some dissonance...I hope that this book will motivate future learning, including exposure to alternative ways of teaching (page vi).  

That quote typifies Eric so much! He will not try to hit you over the head with academic research, but if you ask Eric (or even disagree with him) about something related to SLA research, he will enter in a friendly dialogue with you but will back it up a wealth of knowledge. I highly recommend this book - it is a definite must-read!

P.S. Remember how I hate reading academic research? Due to the compelling nature of many of these quotes, I have actually gone to Google Scholar/JSTOR to find the original articles to learn more, and I have read a number of them! I will admit that many still feel like a "forced march through Gaul" due to their high-level academic nature, but I am actually enjoying reading that which I am able to understand. Progress!

Playing Around with ChatGPT - Creating a Story

This past weekend, I attended the American Classical League Summer Institute in Tucson at the University of Arizona. It had been 5 years since I had attended a Summer Institute fully in-person since the pandemic, and at first, I was not sure what to expect. I am so glad that I attended, because 1) there were a lot of very good presentations there and 2) I had forgotten how much I missed my Latin teacher community. (I was also there as one of the recipients of this year's Merens Award).

One of the presentations which I attended was "Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Latin Teachers" by Stefanie Gigante. I have had little to no training on AI in the classroom, and quite honestly, I have been very leery of how it can be used properly. Stefanie gave an example of how ChatGPT can be used to create a lesson plan, and the key is to be as specific as possible with your parameters in terms of what you want. She gave us a bit of time to play around with it during the presentation, so I ended up asking ChatGPT to write me a little story in Latin using some specific vocabulary and grammar forms. It produced a very short paragraph in Latin for me, and I was amazed! 

Cut now to being home from the Summer Institute, and today I decided to play around a bit more with ChatGPT in asking it to write me a story with some VERY SPECIFIC parameters:

This is the story which ChatGPT produced:

However, I wanted to see if I were to do it again and to give it the same parameters, would ChatGPT produce the same story? The answer is NO!

Observations

1. Wow, ChatGPT actually produced a story in Latin which makes sense, i.e., it did not create a bunch of gibberish using Latin words. In both versions, there is an actual plot with a beginning, middle, end, conflict, and resolution!
2. It took less than 30 seconds for ChatGPT to create a story - I would venture to say around 15-20 seconds!
3. For the most part, the grammar is spot on (with a few minor errors in each version).
4. ChatGPT basically fulfilled all of my parameters except for the imperfect tense, perfect tense, and gerundive of purpose. I may have to be more specific with my parameters next time or better learn how to get ChatGPT to include that in a story.
5. For the purpose of creating a story, ChatGPT did add a lot of words in addition to those which I had requested. 
6. I do not know to what degree ChatGPT will ever understand the concept of "sheltering vocabulary, not grammar," but I did notice some different grammatical uses of the verbs - maybe it needs more input regarding the concept? Maybe I need to say that each vocabulary word which I list has to be used at least X times in the story?
7. I made a spelling mistake in my parameters in asking for "neecsse est" to be used, but ChatGPT "knew" that I was actually asking for "necesse est."

I am absolutely blown away by this tool! Essentially, AI could help write a framework for a story which I can then edit and "CI/ADI" it up! There are tons of other uses which AI can be used in lesson planning, so using some other AI web app resources, I will investigate writing up assessment questions, creating tiered readings for differentiation, and creating images. What success have you had with CI creating a reading in the target language?

The Need for Level-Appropriate Authentic Resources

(The following is my own opinion and does not necessarily reflect the views of the CI/ADI community at large)

Lately one of the major buzzwords in World Language has been authentic resources, i.e., resources which have been written "by native speakers for native speakers," and their importance to the world language classroom. I wholeheartedly agree with this, since I think that it is key for our students to interact with resources which can give them any cultural insights, views, and perspectives which cannot be properly delivered except from a native speaker in that target culture. Authentic resources can demonstrate real-world usage of the target language, as well as infusing a culturally-responsive framework into one's curriculum. HOWEVER, I will add my own qualifier: level-appropriate. These authentic resources need to be level appropriate.

Before I continue, I need to explain the lens through which I view second language teaching: as a CI/ADI facilitator, my first and foremost priority is the delivery of understandable messages to learners and for those messages to be properly comprehended. We acquire that language which we understand. When language is understandable for learners, this lowers their affective filters (stress levels) which allows for the acquisition process to operate. To me, all of these are non-negotiables.

Therefore, when it comes to authentic resources, I need for these resources to be level-appropriate and to be 100% understandable to my students. Our novice-level L2 students are roughly equivalent to native L1 toddlers in their reading proficiency considering how little interaction our own students actually have had with the target language, hence what we truly need are authentic resources which were created by native speakers for those native learners who possess that same proficiency in that target culture as our own students - those native students who are learning to read and speak in their L1! 

However, instead we get caught up in having novice students read authentic menus and bus schedules (much of this has been influenced by a misusage of the ACTFL Can-Do statements) or the authentic resource WAY EXCEEDS students' current L2 reading/listening level, which ends up then (as an experienced CI/ADI teacher said to me) students just scanning for recognizable text/vocabulary and inferring from pictures. In other words, not a true interaction with the authentic resource.

By no means am I saying that we should exclude authentic resources - di immortales! However, it does mean that as a teacher if I wish to use an authentic resource which is above my students' proficiency level, then the burden is on me to scaffold a lesson building up to it via previewing vocabulary and structures (even if it means through a silly story or a reading based on a Movie Talk) so that it is 100% comprehensible to them. But bigger picture - I want level-appropriate authentic resources so that I do not have to jump through the previous mentioned hoops! Personally I am not a fan of me adapting complex authentic resources and texts, because while I may be making the resource more understandable for students, am I unknowingly changing cultural meaning and authors' original intent in my simplifying of it with my own choice of words to use, thereby inserting a bias of which I am unaware?

While I was at CI Iowa, I attended Eric Herman's presentation "A Critical Review of ACTFL´s Pedagogy," where he addressed authentic resources and academic SLA research related to the subject. I leave you with this quote:

This [reading authentic resources] confuses the goal with the way to get there. When one starts to play the piano we do not start with Rachmaninoff’s Third, nor do native children start reading with Shakespeare, nor do we learn to drive in a Formula 1 car. (Nation & Waring, 2020, p. 25)

What are some level-appropriate authentic resources which you have found, i.e., authentic resources created by native speaker for those native speakers who are at the same development of language proficiency as our own students?

Comprehensible Iowa and "Dos Eric"

I have returned from this past weekend's Comprehensible Iowa conference, and wow, what a great experience I had! This local CI conference has been held in Iowa for the past 8 years, and over the years I had heard much about it. Twice in the past year, Eric Richards had mentioned to me that I should consider presenting there (since he had presented there last year, really enjoyed it, and would be presenting again this summer). I was very hesitant to submit a proposal, since I did not want to impose myself into this conference as a "southerner" if it was designed to be a local, Midwest gathering. However, I am so glad that I did (my proposal on Communicating Purposefully was accepted), because I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this conference! Here is what made it so great for me:

• Small in nature - CI Iowa is a grassroots, homegrown conference born from a desire among Iowa teachers to learn more and to grow in their development as CI/ADI facilitators. About 70-80 teachers attended this weekend which led to a very comfortable, welcoming, and relaxed setting - such a different feeling from state and national conferences. CI Iowa did not feel big at all. Everyone was so friendly and hospitable! 
• Time of the year - Because I have just started my summer break, I am still transitioning from a work frame of mind. Having a foot in both summer vacation and school modes allowed me a desire to still learn about how to become a better C/ADI teacher but also with the perspective that I was now on break!
• The people - I could not get over how inviting everyone was! Is it because I was in the Midwest lol? All of the conference organizers were so incredibly warmhearted and absolutely gracious. Speaking of the Midwest, this was my first trip to Iowa. When I stepped out of the Des Moines airport, there was a sudden dust storm. All I could think was, "Ok, this is pretty much confirming my stereotype of Iowa..." lol. 
• Workshops and presentations - There were so many great presentations and workshops offered to participants (I will address these later here)! Although CI Iowa was only 1.5 days, there were so many offerings. I always hate when there are other good presentations going on at the same time as mine, because I want to say to the participants who come to mine, "Hey, we are all going to go to _____________'s presentation right now, because I want to see it. I'll put my presentation in the Google folder for you to look at later." This is a good problem for a conference to have!

One of the promotions this year was "Dos Eric," since both Eric Herman and Eric Richards were the featured Friday workshop presenters.

I can definitely say that Dos Eric did not disappoint at all. Here is my write up about their presentations:

• Eric Herman (3-hour workshop) - Acquisition Research and Implications for Syllabus, Assessment, and Classroom Activities: This was a tremendous workshop about SLA theory! Previous to this conference, I had never before met Eric Herman, but I had heard his name mentioned very often any time the topic of acquisition theory and research came up. Like many CI/ADI facilitators, my knowledge of input language acquisition theory has been solely limited to Krashen, but Eric discussed research related to "CI" which historically predated Krashen. For a newcomer to CI/ADI, this workshop may have felt like drinking from a firehose since so much was presented, but for me who possessed some knowledge of SLA theory (Krashen, theory of ordered development, Bill Van Patten), everything which Eric discussed reinforced what I already knew and greatly filled in the gaps of what I did not. Eric then showed how this ADI theory should be manifested in our syllabi, assessments, and activities (of which he demonstrated many). Eric presented this material in manageable, bite-size chunks, and I felt that 3 hours was just scratching the surface of what he could have discussed. If given another 3 hours, I still would have been attentively listening! On this topic, Eric is such a great presenter, because it would be easy to come across as a know-it-all, but Eric has such a humble and modest demeanor that one feels very comfortable discussing these topics with him in spite of him being the expert.
• Eric Herman (50-minute presentation) - A Critical Review of ACTFL´s Pedagogy: The best way to explain this presentation is Eric's program description: 

Have you ever questioned ACTFL’s position on grammar and authentic texts? Ever had second thoughts about the proficiency guidelines and Can-Do statements? If not, then you will after this session. I’ll reveal the sources of these practices and examine how they measure up to what we know about second language acquisition.

This was an EYE-OPENING presentation about ACTFL's pedagogy (proficiency guidelines, Can Do statements, authentic resources), on what "research" (note the quotation marks implying doubt) it is all based, and how it is being packaged/marketed as the authority for us world language teachers to follow. Eric did a wonderful job of documenting and citing the research! I walked away from this presentation with my mind totally blown away and my ACTFL foundation to a degree kicked out from under me - just how truly accurate are the ACTFL proficiency guidelines on which I have based my grading rubrics?? I am definitely going to be reviewing my notes on this presentation. If you ever get the chance to see Eric do this presentation, GO!! 

• Eric Richards (50-minute presentation) - Using the Target Language on Day One: In this presentation, Eric demo'd what Day One of his German 1 class is like - he made it very clear that he does not begin Day One with a discussion of rules, syllabus, expectations, etc. Instead, he dives right into German with his students using TPR gestures, sheltering vocabulary, whiteboards, personalized questions and answers (PQAs) and a short reading in German at the end. At the end of his presentation, I felt very successful with what German I had acquired in those 50 minutes! Even though I had seen Eric do this demo at the CI Summit last summer, I really wanted to see again how he does this, since I will be teaching Latin 1 this upcoming year for the first time in 8 years.  Plus, I always learn so much from observing CI/ADI labs in a language which I do not know. Eric is another master presenter - his incredibly positive, inviting attitude sets a very calm, fun, and comfortable classroom environment. I love how he begins his German 1 class on Day One, and I am going to see how I can model Day One of my Latin 1 class like his!

I got the chance to hang out with Dos Eric both at the conference and outside of it while in Iowa - they are great guys, and I definitely look forward to seeing them again!  

So next summer consider attending CI Iowa! Like I said, I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED it. Although one can learn much at an in-person weeklong CI/ADI conference like the CI Summit or Fluency Matters Conference, there is something to be said for the smaller, more intimate conferences like CI Mitten and CI Iowa in that they offer intangibles which I do not find at the larger ones. I am already looking ahead to attending CI Iowa next summer - I hope to see you there!

Immediate Immersion - Scott Benedict

I have been out for summer break now for a week, but I am still in somewhat of an academic mode as I transition to summer. One of the major changes which I wish to make to my CI/ADI classroom next year surrounds truly grading in a proficiency-based manner, and I was already familiar with this concept through working with Acquisition Boot Camp with Martina Bex and Elicia Cardenas. Since I am still reflecting about how this past school year went, I was wanting to see how others in the CI/ADI community were implementing proficiency-based grading. I came across Scott Benedict's Immediate Immersion channel on YouTube - wow, he has SO many videos here for the CI/ADI classroom on so many different topics and so many types of videos (short, regular length, lengthy live sessions). I have been viewing a number of them, and I am learning so much. Plus, because I am now on summer break, I can view them at my own leisure and not be distracted by a work-mode mindset.

I encourage you to take a look at his playlist - lots of good stuff presented! Also, check out his website and course offerings. If you are unable to attend a CI/ADI conference either online or in-person, this is some really good professional development!