OK, our kids are probably too cool for Facebook now. Moms--and grandmas (and dads and grandpas)--and teachers have taken over.
It's ours!!!
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OK, not totally. But there are so many resources for us there, we should definitely be taking advantage. Of course there are awesome groups for advice and networking. A few of my favorites are
Articles and pictures to tantalize the traveler's spirit
They also have a noticias page that is a little more...elevated? Although still approximately Buzzfeed level elevated.
Authentic resources are everywhere now, and when we find the right pages, we can just watch them flow in. The internet is ours!
It's ours!!!
OK, not totally. But there are so many resources for us there, we should definitely be taking advantage. Of course there are awesome groups for advice and networking. A few of my favorites are
(Hint: you'll probably want to adjust your notifications for these groups, as they are ACTIVE.)
But you know what I am loving more and more every day? The steady flow of authentic resource access just pouring into my feed every day! I mean, isn't it amazing how your monolingual amigos regularly share videos and posts in Portuguese and Hungarian and Korean and your target language regularly? Proof positive we are a global society. So now when my amigos post something in Spanish, I like the page they got it from too, and BAM a whole other floodgate.
(Caution: I have been burned by some otherwise inappropriate pages with posts that also include "language" and...questionable...topics and have had to unfollow. Oh, who am I kidding? I knew what I was getting into with a page called "Mujeres cabronas", and I not-so-secretly love "language." I do consider keeping the...questionable...ones for my own L2 upkeep, but sometimes they just do things to my feed that spoil the experience for me, so they have to go.)
So I thought I would collect and share some of my favorite pages for #authres so you could have access to the multiple goldmines I enjoy daily!
1. Solovino
This is the BEST. Adorable animals + real social issues in context in Mexico. What's not to love? You can't go wrong with animals.
2. Mis Animales
More animals, more videos, more articles, from everywhere. Most of the videos are more for interpretive reading than listening, though.
3. Pictoline
"News and Information in epic images." WEB COMICS AND INFOGRAPHS IN SPANISH. This makes me so happy I could cry.
4. 101 Lugares Increíbles
Articles and pictures to tantalize the traveler's spirit5. Bioguia
All things Earth: more my cup of tea than my students', but ONE DAY I will get them interested.
6. VixPop
Gifs, memes, infopics, article: cute, popular stuff--you name it. Are these translations mostly? Probably. Are translations authentic? Kinda. The question makes for interesting discussion. It's still by the target culture for the target culture, right? Interesting perspectives on what's worth translating too.
7. Cultura Colectiva
EVERYTHING. This site has EVERYTHING. Videos, articles, infographs, on any topic possible--yes, some inappropriate. It's not usually as Big C Culture as this, but when it is, it is glorious.They also have a noticias page that is a little more...elevated? Although still approximately Buzzfeed level elevated.
8. Genial
Speaking of EVERYTHING, this site has it all. All of those popular little how-to tutorials? Random puppy memes, quizzes, and tips about relationships and internet safety and "what your eyes say about your health"? ALL here in Spanish.
9. EsTrending
Super latino news/gossip source
10. AJ+ Español
Super international news source. Also translations? Probably.
11. La mente es maravillosa
How about some psychological health tips in the form of articles and infopics?
12. Hechos A Mano
LOVE the creativity here--plus some of these videos actually have some Spanish listening!
13. Para los curiosos
Fun trivia videos and posts, gifs and memes
14. No Lo Creo
Click. Bait. Central. I mean, if it works in English, why not in Spanish?
15. Retreando Mix
It's like a rite of passage in adolescence to "discover" what your parents were into, right? And who doesn't get a giggle out of 80s or 90s style nowadays? Why not from the target culture?
Using them in class
Never do I recommend setting kiddos loose on a Facebook Page--too much uncertainty (Sra. Hawkins advises picking out the best stuff, and I'm with her). But pick a post and have the kiddos react!- discuss results of the quizzes in small groups or as a class
- they can create--or find--a response meme or infopic
- have them react to information with their own 1-2 minute vlog summaries and opinions
- post a comment screenshot on Seesaw or Classroom and have them post replies
- make a Pinterest board or Google Keep list to collect further resources on a topic
- have them contact the author and ask some questions!
Do you guys remember when we had to hope our kids would go for bilingual picture books or translated documents from the DMV to get authentic resources in our classroom? That or rely on the ads we collected on our last sojourn overseas--possibly from 5 years ago?
Authentic resources are everywhere now, and when we find the right pages, we can just watch them flow in. The internet is ours!