Hey there, Joyful Journey Makers! Ever had one of those lessons where the energy in the room is sky-high, and you need to channel it into something productive? That’s where movement-based activities come in—specifically, activities that involve students moving around and interviewing each other. Today, we’ll talk about how to set up these activities for success, why giving students clear choices matters, and how my FREE La Entrevista – ¿Cuántos hay? makes learning interactive and fun.
But first, a question for you: Have you ever had a classroom activity go off the rails because students weren’t on task? Yep, we’ve all been there. Let’s talk about how to set expectations and give students the tools to succeed in a moving and interviewing activity—because when done right, it’s a game-changer!
Why Movement and Interviewing Boost Engagement
Getting students out of their seats and moving around has been shown to increase engagement and focus. It taps into kinesthetic learning, where students retain information better by doing, not just listening. In activities like interviews, students also practice real-world conversations, asking and answering questions while interacting with their peers. It’s hands-on, social, and effective.
But to get the most out of these activities, setting clear expectations is key. So how do we keep students on task while letting them enjoy the freedom to move around?
Setting Expectations: Choices, Choices!
Here’s the thing: students need to know that their choices have consequences, and not in a scary way! It’s about creating an environment where students understand that they can either make positive choices (engaging with the activity, practicing the language) and enjoy the fun of the game, or they can make poor choices (getting off task or chatting about unrelated topics) and face the consequences—like wrapping up the activity early.
Set these expectations upfront, so students know the rules and understand the repercussions—both the good and the bad. For example:
- Positive Choices: Focus on asking and answering questions in Spanish, stay on task, and enjoy the activity.
- Poor Choices: Get distracted, talk about off-topic things, or disrupt others. If that happens, the activity ends early. Simple as that.
Clear Rules = Clear Success
To make sure your classroom interview activity runs smoothly, it’s essential to lay out clear rules from the start:
- Set Boundaries for Movement: Let students know where they’re allowed to move in the room. Having a defined space prevents chaos and keeps things organized.
- Explain the Task: Make sure students understand what’s expected of them. For example, in the FREE La Entrevista – ¿Cuántos hay?, students should be moving around the room, asking their classmates how many objects there are and responding in full Spanish sentences. The task is straightforward, but expectations must be crystal clear.
- Reiterate the Consequences: It’s all about choices! Remind students that their behavior will determine whether the activity continues or gets cut short. And yes, be prepared to follow through if necessary (but here’s hoping they stay on track!).
Why Guided Freedom Helps Language Learning
Giving students guided freedom—the freedom to move and interact but with clear structure and rules—helps them feel empowered while also staying focused on the task. When students understand that they have the power to make positive choices and be rewarded with a fun activity, they’re more likely to engage fully.
- Real Conversations: Activities like interviewing provide opportunities for authentic language practice. In the “¿Cuántos hay?” activity, students are practicing counting and vocabulary, but they’re doing it by engaging with one another, which is a much more natural way to use the language.
- Engagement with Purpose: Movement and social interaction aren’t just fun for the sake of fun—they keep students actively engaged in their learning. The more students move and speak, the more likely they are to retain the vocabulary and build confidence in using it.
How to Walk the Room Like a Pro
While students are interviewing each other, it’s important to walk around the classroom and keep an eye on things. No, not like a hawk—more like a friendly guide. Here’s how to do it right:
- Stay Active, But Hands-Off: You’re there to make sure things are running smoothly, but let students figure things out on their own as much as possible. Give them the space to self-correct and work through their conversations.
- Provide Gentle Guidance: If you see students getting off track or struggling, step in with a quick redirect or gentle reminder. “Are we staying on task?” is often enough to get them refocused without disrupting the flow of the activity.
- Celebrate Their Wins: When students are doing well, celebrate it! Walk by and give them a thumbs-up, or call out some positive feedback like, “Great sentence, Juan! I love how you used the word lápices (pencils) correctly!”
- Real Conversations: Activities like interviewing provide opportunities for authentic language practice. In the “¿Cuántos hay?” activity, students are practicing counting and vocabulary, but they’re doing it by engaging with one another, which is a much more natural way to use the language.
- Engagement with Purpose: Movement and social interaction aren’t just fun for the sake of fun—they keep students actively engaged in their learning. The more students move and speak, the more likely they are to retain the vocabulary and build confidence in using it.
Get Your Free Resource: "¿Cuántos hay?" Answer the Questions Activity
Now, let’s talk about how to make this happen in your classroom. My FREE La Entrevista – ¿Cuántos hay? is the perfect way to get your students moving, talking, and learning all at once. It’s designed to help students practice counting objects in Spanish and forming complete sentences, but in a fun, interactive way!
What’s Included:
- Engaging Visuals: Students use visual cues to count objects like pencils, books, and erasers and then write full sentences in Spanish to describe how many there are.
- Structured Interaction: The activity is built for pair or group work, encouraging students to ask and answer questions like “¿Cuántos lápices hay?” (How many pencils are there?) and respond with sentences like “Hay tres lápices” (There are three pencils).
- Fun, Low-Stress Learning: This is all about having fun while practicing Spanish in a way that feels natural and low-pressure. No one’s getting graded here—it’s about using the language in real conversations.
5 Ways to Use This Activity in Your Classroom
- Classroom Icebreaker: Use the “¿Cuántos hay?” activity as a fun way to start the day. It’s a great icebreaker that gets students talking and moving from the moment they walk into class.
- Vocabulary Review: After introducing a new set of classroom object vocabulary, use this activity to reinforce what students have learned in a dynamic, interactive review session.
- Warm-Up Routine: Make this activity part of your weekly warm-up. It’s an easy, low-prep way to get students speaking Spanish while reviewing numbers and vocabulary.
- Post-Lesson Check-In: Want to see how much your students retained from the lesson? Use this activity as a post-lesson check-in to review vocabulary in a fun, non-threatening way.
- End-of-Week Fun: Turn it into an end-of-week celebration! After a week of hard work, let students blow off some steam while still practicing their Spanish. It’s a win-win.
The Gist of it All
When done right, movement-based activities like the FREE La Entrevista – ¿Cuántos hay? can be incredibly effective tools for building vocabulary, reinforcing numbers, and practicing real conversations in Spanish. With clear expectations and the power of choices, you can ensure that students are having fun while staying on task and making progress.
Resources
Gordon, G. (2017). The power of play: A pediatric role in enhancing development in young children. Pediatrics, 140(3), e20170503. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2017-0503
Krashen, S. (1982). Principles and practice in second language acquisition. Pergamon Press.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.