Are you the kind of teacher who still feels uncomfortable as the center of attention? Do you doubt your ability to use enough of your target language in class? Do you feel like an impostor instead of a language teacher? Have no fear, help is here!
If you focus on high frequency vocabulary, you can take the pressure off of yourself. Ask your students some questions and let them fill in the story gaps. After the class story has been written, give them a "fill-in-your-own" story. (Whip up a simple document to copy for your students and---using known vocabulary---have them choose their own story details. I usually give at least three options for each detail.)
While the students are making their own adventures, you can have a brain break for yourself while you circulate to handle any questions that might come up as they work. Think of it as mad libs with choices in place for them. Of course, for students who know more, always give the option of filling in a different answer if it fits. Then they can share their adventures in pairs. Brave students can share with the class or ask you to read their stories. (That alone can sneak in a lot more repetitions of vocabulary!) As you read each story, students can break out the colored pencils and illustrate it as you go. Save those drawings to use another day for any of your classes. They can take a drawing and talk about it the target language or you can hold up two similar drawings and describe one of them. Students could decide which drawing is being described.
Language teachers, I know the struggle. Let's spend more time sharing ideas and making ourselves comfortable in our classrooms---and in our target languages.
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