Assignments-which is better?

[PATH2019]

Hello! I am setting up a Spanish classroom and was wondering if I could get some input on the different settings of "collect points' or "level up a skill". Could someone give me a little more on their differences and maybe why one would be better than the other? Thank you!

Amy

[MadameSensei]

I do both, Amy. I often assign skills in the beginning levels. That way, students are drilling the basics. This year, I am using Duolingo instead of the workbooks that come with the textbooks, so I may assign more skills.

Then, depending on what I want to teach the students, I may unlock certain skills that are higher on the tree. Like, maybe I want to do "Clothing" next, but the students aren't there at the time. So I assign a skill to unlock it.

Then, later in the year, I will decide that it is more important that they just look at the language for five minutes at night. At that point, I don't care if they do "Basics" or "Introductions" a hundred million times, I just want them to keep the cadence of the language in mind, and I don't mind at all if they get really really good at saying, "Hello. How are you? Nice weather we're having." Other students will enjoy getting ahead -- even way ahead -- of their peers. So just assigning a minimum XP is good for all students. But I am just happy with the consistency of practice. So at some point I will switch to XP entirely.

So the answer for me, like for every other pedagogical technique, is "a little of both!"

Hope this helps, and buena suerte!