What I did

Because I couldn't get into my UCC files from home, I logged onto a free Spanish learning site --don't recall the exact site. My goal was to do some grammar review, and I focused on the topic of the difference between ser and estar. I first read the explanation and then did an exercise that required simply choosing the correct verb. Although this was very basic, I found it both challenging and frustrating. The explanation was in English, which I had told myself I would avoid, and was not particularly helpful--something about the difference between "what" and "how". Then the exercise seemed even more confusing, as the sentences were all without any context. Nevertheless, I was surprised that I didn't find this a total waste of time. In fact, I repeated the same exercise three times. I was reminded that what I consider mechanical and boring in English can become quite different in a foreign language.
This reminder led me to reflect on and change something I was doing in a recent ESL054 class. After listening to an interview, students were to write a summary of what they heard. We discussed possible introductions, and I wrote a sample on the board. Ordinarily I would have given them the option of copying what was written on the board or writing their own, but I
decided to require them to use the model introduction.