TPRS

I will be teaching Spanish I to one section of 8th graders this year.  Most of these 8th graders had Spanish in 6th and 7th grades as a required class that met every other day for the entire year.  These kids also are electing to take Spanish (it's not a required class in 8th grade).  Spanish I at the middle school is basically the same Spanish I class that is offered at the high school.   We have common assessments, share flipcharts (for the Promethean board), worksheets, games and activities.

I am backing up about 4 years ago -so bear with me.  In 2008, I was able to attend different 2 workshops that presented a method for teaching second languages called "Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling" or TPRS.  The lessons use a mixture of reading and storytelling to teach the language.  The focus is fluency rather than grammatical accuracy and error correction.  The method is similar to the way we acquire our first languages.  

Back to 2012.  After attending the two workshops, I continued teaching Spanish the way I always have with an emphasis on grammar accuracy and correcting errors.  I finally have had enough and I am going to pilot TPRS with my Spanish I students.  I am nervous.  It's hard to break a teaching habit.  I am meeting with a local, experienced TPRS guru this week and hoping that she will have some insight for me.  I have my administration's approval, and she wants to see evidence that this is a better method.  My middle school students' exam scores will be compared to the students' scores from the high school.  I don't doubt that my students will be more fluent, but I am afraid that the exam is too grammar based and doesn't focus enough on fluency.

I am open to any suggestions and advice!  Thanks.