Teaching Tips for the Verb Gustar

Today I wanted to fill you in on how I teach the verb GUSTAR but, first, a real life message. ;) 

I feel like I've reached THAT point. You know the point I'm talking about, right? The one where you're just trying to make it until the next break? For me that next break is Christmas (4 weeks and counting!). I'm sure I'm not alone in my feelings because it seems the same thoughts are shared often in the staff room at break and lunch each day. I think this is combined with the fact that this upcoming week is just a normal week. I'll go to work this Thursday (Thanksgiving) and teach on just like an average day. While it has gotten easier since this is our third Thanksgiving in Grand Cayman, it's still tough because, as an American, Thanksgiving is BIG. It's difficult not to be surrounded by lots of family on this day. We have amazing friends though and still put on a big get together with the traditional meal. This year, our friends that are hosting are even DVRing the Macy's parade, so we can all watch as we eat our Thanksgiving dinner after work on Thursday. :)


Another reason I'm longing for a break is that it's just been a jam packed couple of weeks! The week before last was Pirates Week. It's a fun week long event that starts and ends with amazing fireworks and included a landing parade where the pirates officially take over the island. All week long you can see people walking around town sporting their pirate gear. The week ends with the pirates being kicked off the island until the next year. 

You can conveniently see the fireworks from our balcony, so that's a plus to where we live as we get a front row seat without having to fight the crowds. During the parade, people young and old dress up. Watch your children too as you never know when they might be kidnapped by a pirate. ;)

This past week was the annual Reading Week at school. Teachers kicked off the week by dressing up as story book characters.

Activities included: guest authors, reading buddies, an evening "bedtime story night", book exchange and a book fair. At the end of the week, students dressed up as their fav book character.

We are also in the middle of practicing for the upcoming Christmas program that takes place in a couple of weeks. I am "fortunate" to be working with the 9th and 10th graders as they play the roles of King Herod and Roman soldiers, Getting them to take this semi-seriously is an exhilarating challenge...(to be read with sarcasm). :) 

So, what, you ask has been going on in Spanish class with the verb Gustar? Beats me?! I'm struggling to remember what I ate for breakfast 2 hours ago. 

Back to being serious...we just finished up a unit on GUSTAR. Gustar is always a fun topic because students naturally love to talk about what they like and don't like, so I find it's easy to put this grammar point into a contextual situation to which they can relate.

We added some foldables and flip books to our interactive notebooks. 

We used characters cards to play an introduction game where the characters spoke about their pastimes, while students recorded the information. Using the cards, they introduced, gave basic information and said what they liked to do. I, of course, forgot to take more pictures because of everything else that's been going on. 

Students are also writing dialogues where they will speak about what they like and want to do. I tagged on the topic of QUERER + Infinitives with this unit as well, so that students are able to speak and write about what they like/don't like as what they want/don't want to do. 

I found a some good YouTube videos that are engaging and the students enjoy that I incorporate into my Gustar unit. 
Me gusta-mis pasatiempos
Sí, sí me gustan

I have used the "Sí, sí me gustan" one for years, but recently found the other and really like it too. Both of these guys have other fun Spanish videos as well, so I encourage you to check those out too.

Be encouraged! Thrive while you survive! ;)