Interesting Ways to Use a Boring Foreign Language Textbook Reading

Public school foreign language textbooks are notoriously outdated and boring. Unless your school has had recent textbook adoptions, you are probably using a book that is old and dryer than dry! I found myself creating virtually all of my own materials to use in the classroom. Required to "use the book" sometimes, I found a few ways to spice up the ultra-boring readings for my students!

1. Photocopy the reading and divide into two equal parts. Create an A handout and a B handout. Students work in pairs, each reading their own part of the text. Afterward, they come together to complete a common task about the entire reading. Each person is responsible for the information in their portion of the text.

2. Fill-in-the-blank dictation works well for lower level students. Photocopy the reading and white out key vocabulary. Make copies of this for your students. Read the text, having students fill in the blanks. I also like to do this in pairs. Have one student be the reader and one the writer. Afterward, have the pairs complete a fun task about the information in the reading.

3. Photocopy the reading and white out key grammatical forms (verbs in the imperfect or whatever you might be studying). Make a list of the infinitive needed to complete the text. In pairs, have students figure out which verb goes in which blank and fill in the appropriate form of the verb.

4. Divide up a longer text (for more advanced students) into logical sections and create learning centers in the four corners of the room. In small groups, students read their portion of the text and complete certain activities - perhaps vocabulary flashcards, a crossword puzzle, an simulation based on the text (filling out a form based on information in the text, making reservations based on the text, writing a letter to the main character in the text, etc.). After 10-15 minutes, have your groups rotate until they have completed all stations. Students tend to like stations as it breaks up the monotony of a class and keeps them remarkably focused since there are time constraints.

There are many ways to liven up a boring book. Add to the curriculum in creative ways and supplement with authentic materials whenever possible. If you have a chapter about the environment, find some interesting articles in real foreign language magazines about ecotourism in Costa Rica or volcanoes in Lanzarote. It takes a little work, but your class will be captivating!