Having a thematic mindset helps students see the big picture so they can make sense of why learning a new language is beneficial to them. Thematic units help teachers to connect the curriculum in their subject matter to students’ lives. This in turn makes the curriculum a lot more interesting and fun because they are seeing how it can be taken with them to be used outside of the classroom. An added plus about thematic units is all students can be involved since the themes are universal human topics. In addition, depending on each student’s level of proficiency, activities in a thematic unit can be differentiated and adapted to aid students that need it to be.
According to the TechTrekers website, there are 10 Key Reason to use Thematic Units. They are listed as follows:
Ten Key Reasons to Use Thematic Units

1. Encourages the effective use of technology and, in particular, computers.
2. Makes the curriculum compact.
3. Demonstrates the interdisciplinary nature of learning.
4. Encourages student interest in learning and increases time engaged.
5. Expands your assessment strategies (as a teacher).
6. Makes use of collaborative and cooperative learning.
7. Makes the learner focus on the mastery of objectives.
8. Integrates computer skills (for example, word processing) into creative activities.
9. Models for students the resources used in research.
10. Moderates the safe access of the internet for students.

Going forward, I don't see how and why educators wouldn't always design instruction without a thematic mindset guiding them. 

​Every teacher’s lesson plans should reflect 21st Century World Languages Curriculum. What is 21st Century World Curriculum? According to ACTFL’s 21st Century Skills Map, in order for students to become college and career ready, they need to be proficient in other languages, regardless of whether they enroll into a college or go straight into the workforce. Language and communication are at the heart of the human experience, which is why 21st Century Skills in learning a new language, are centered around five goals known as the 5 Cs. The 5 Cs consist of, communication, cultures, connections, comparisons, and communities. Today, learning a new language in school is extremely different to how it was over two decades ago. Back then students learned about the language, but never really had the chance to put it into practice outside of the classroom. Mostly because it was not an expectation teachers had of their students. In today’s language learning classroom, however, a teacher’s goal is to have students learn a new language so that they can ultimately communicate in the target language with native speakers of the language.

In today’s language learning classroom, teachers do not want students to simply learn about the language, such as grammar, but instead to actually be able to use it on their own and outside of the classroom. Grammar is important, however, it should not be the main focus. We want our students to learn a new language in a similar way to how they learned their native language…by hearing people use it, model it, and then be able to start communicating on their own in it.
The way that I structure my lesson plans, is to first start with the learning goal(s) of the unit, and what I want my students to be able to do by the end of the unit. Then I create a roadmap full of pit-stops (smaller goals) that will ultimately lead to the ending goal. This way of lesson/unit planning is called “Backwards Design”; it’s designing with the end in mind.      

An example of a lesson assignment I created for my Spanish 1 students is below. The purpose of this assignment is to get students to use the Spanish they have been learning (put it into practice and make it meaningful), and for me to be able to browse the room and assess students comprehension. The goal is for students to communicate with their classmates in ONLY Spanish by asking each other questions that are on the worksheet I gave them. It is one thing for students to be assessed by their teacher, but it is always great to have students assess themselves. That is why at the bottom of the worksheet there is a section where students are asked to assess themselves on how they completed the activity. It is always helpful to the teacher to know where their students “think or feel” they are academically in the class. 

Backwards design? What on earth is that? Well, it’s a three-stage lesson design process that targets desired results, evidence, and learning plan. In a sense it helps educators create a roadmap starting with the end in mind and asking yourself, “what do my students have to know by the end of this unit?” Once the “final destination” is set, then educators can plan for lessons that will get their students closer to that target every day, and how they will assess their students to check that they are on the same page with them. Backwards design is extremely helpful in identifying the desired results for the unit, and determining acceptable evidence of conquering the desired results. In addition, it is helpful in preparing activities, materials, and other sorts of resources that will be used to help the student learn and reach the desired results.  

Additional resources about Backwards Design:
*The University of Tennessee Knoxville
*Backwards Planning
​
Click on the video to learn a little more about what Backwards Design is.

​Can learning a new language ever harm or take away from your life? Nope! Learning a new language will only enrich your life and open up doors you never even knew were there. Learning a new language helps to prepare students to be college and career ready. In addition, learning a new language helps students to be aware of the importance of living a purposeful life in a global society.
A wonderful thing about our country (in my opinion) is its diversity… and our students learning needs match that same sentiment of diversity. Today our students have a great need to be ready for life after high school. Many students leave high school thinking that the rest of the world is going to operate in the same way, which is a great disillusion to students when they discover the opposite. Learning a new language addresses the needs of diverse learners in the 21st century by teaching students to communicate effectively in more than one language in to be able to function in a number of situations and for numerous purposes. In addition, it may help students to see the world from the perspective of those of a different culture than theirs. For sure it gives students a taste of how students that come from another country may feel with learning English and how challenging it could be to not be able to express yourself right away in a new language. It may give them empathy with the English Learners in their school, and hopefully want to help. Learning a new language also helps students to break down barriers, stereotypes, and misconceptions that may have had about cultures different from their own.