Interview with John Conner

Below is an interview by journalist Matt Villano with series author and editor John Conner about teaching, writing textbooks, and the mission of Breaking the Barrier, Inc. Scroll to the bottom of the page for more interviews from past issues of Breaking News.

Learning Spanish from the Bottom Up, Starting with Grammar

Why did you go into teaching?

I just really liked the magic of being around kids.  Whatever the setting- the Spanish classroom, the tennis court, the chess club - I loved teaching.  It’s been 30 years since my first day.

It’s clear that you love being around kids.  But how do you evaluate your performance as a teacher?

It’s a requirement that students develop certain levels of proficiency in my classroom, and these elements are easily assessed: grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, reading and writing, listening comprehension.  But I always go back to this: Have I gotten my students interested in Spanish?  Do they want to learn more Spanish now or later in life?  Have I gotten them speaking?  During class, those students who make jokes or tease one another in Spanish are demonstrating their enthusiasm.  They’re taking the risk of speaking in front of their classmates and they’re having fun. When this happens, then I know I’ve done my job.  The only way to learn a language is to get out there and speak the best you can.

Any language teacher will tell you that finding a good textbook for the intermediate/advanced level is a challenge.  During my first 17 years of teaching, I probably used 12 different books at that level.  I wanted a book that used the same language I use with my own students in the classroom or in tutoring sessions. I began by writing a few chapters, and then an unexpected conversation with my friend and neighbor Cindy Beams led to the publication of the first edition in 1997.  My first book was the Advanced Spanish which I wrote in three installments, four chapters at a time.

You teach Spanish in a high school classroom.  Is BTB appropriate for people studying under different circumstances, such as homeschooling or independent adult learning?

Although I originally wrote BTB for my own students in grades 8-12, adults, college students, and non-traditional students, many of whom are homeschoolers, love it.  Again and again I hear how much they like the narrative style that grew out of individual tutoring sessions, the clear focus, and the overall organization.  Many of our adult students understand the benefits of grammar because they were steeped in it during their own schooling.  Baby boomers are currently the fastest-growing group of technology users, and many of them realize that there’s no quick fix when it comes to learning a new language, despite the claims made by assorted high-tech “skip the grammar” products.  In fact, many of our customers tell us that BTB couldn’t be a better complement to them!

Why did you decide to have your books focus on grammar?  Isn’t teaching grammar old-fashioned?

I’m making a value judgment that grammar is important for students to learn. No matter where they want to go with Spanish or French, they need grammar.  Is it old-fashioned for jazz musicians to understand music theory?  Is it old-fashioned for an innovative chef to understand basic cooking principles and techniques?  Many educators say, “I want the kids to have fun this year,” and they envision their students sitting in a circle, listening to Guantanamera, eating Doritos, and speaking in infinitives to each other.  “Comer,” one says, and his friend replies, “Sí.”  And that gives everyone a warm, fuzzy feeling about Spanish.  But I think this is a disservice to students, and yet, that’s how a lot of Spanish is taught.

How is Breaking the Barrier’s  approach different?

BTB is so clearly-focused and well-organized that studying is straightforward and easy….and therefore it’s fun.   It doesn’t matter who you are…. a high-school student in Florida, a homeschooler in Alaska, a college student in Iowa, an emergency room nurse in New York City, a retired teacher heading off to Central America to do volunteer work, or an avid traveler of any age…mastering structure and great vocabulary are simply what you need to know.  It’s truly the fastest path to fluency.

What are your guidelines for speaking Spanish in class?  To explain the grammar well, you must have to speak lots of English.

I believe that when you’re in the classroom, everything should be in Spanish. On the first day of class I tell my students that once they have set foot in my classroom, they have entered a portal to the Spanish-speaking world….everything in Spanish! This sets the tone.  My idea was to write books that explained the language so well that classes of all levels actually could be conducted in Spanish only. I use BTB as the foundation for all my courses, I choose appropriate supplements, and I have my students speak to each other only in Spanish.  Short of an immersion experience, if your goal is to get people to learn how to speak a language, I think you need that one book a student can put his or her hands around, take home, and say, “What is this all about?  What is an adverb?  What is the future?”  BTB is that book…the book that enables me to make my classroom an “English-free zone.”

What is the Spanish “Barrier?”

Many people have a psychological barrier to speaking a new language, and these students need help.  Realizing that you can do something new…and being willing to step out of your comfort zone to try it… I think that’s often the biggest hurdle.  In response, I designed my books and CDs to build self-confidence in small steps all along the way.

For example, by working with the audio CDs, students can practice - in private and on their own terms - listening to native speakers, imitating their pronunciation, and answering their questions.  Whenever a student takes the plunge of speaking out loud to another person, she has already had private practice time with the CDs.  Similarly, every chapter of the text ends with a self-test that is similar to the official chapter test.  I encourage my own students to take the self-test two days before the chapter test.  This practice gives them the chance to become familiar with the testing format, and to identify and focus on the material they have yet to master. I’m always looking for ways to set my students up for success.  My step-by-step approach gives students more control that, in turn, builds their confidence. Students can now walk into an oral or a written test with a better attitude; they know they can break those little, manageable barriers all along the way.

You mention that students in the language classroom are vulnerable.  Does the tone of BTB address their uneasiness?

My first book grew out of tutoring.  If you recorded these sessions, the conversational words you find in BTB are what you’d hear us saying.  This approach seems pretty rare.  Teachers tend to be formal and uptight about grammar.  I approach it differently.

How do you make the connection between the grammar in your books and the other materials you use in your curriculum?

As I said before, BTB is the foundation for all my courses.  There’s no question that you can understand literature (or film, radio, television, etc.) better if you have a good grammar base.  Sure, Breaking the Barrier is important, but developing the tools to read literature is the real reward of grammar study.  It’s an invaluable window into Spanish-speaking culture, and it’s important students read.  I know BTB equips students to feel comfortable tackling literature at the appropriate level. Listening to music is another way to demonstrate good grammar and pronunciation in action.  I’ll have students listen to pop singers whose lyrics are full of great constructions.  We’ll have fun in class first identifying all the commands or future tenses or adjectives, and then we’ll discuss why they have been used.  Students come to realize that grammar isn’t a bunch of dry diagrams designed to confuse them.  Rather it’s the essential structure that makes all those words hang together in coherent form.

Does BTB enable you to use literature that you wouldn’t normally introduce at a certain level?

No question.  I feel I can legitimately use more challenging literature. In Spanish 3 we’re not reading all of Don Quijote, but we’re definitely taking a leap of faith in tackling even some of it.  Now I teach 3 times as much literature as before.  We’re reading 25 short stories, a play, and some poetry this year in Advanced Spanish.  I would never have attempted this earlier in my career, without the grammar and vocabulary help from BTB.

So BTB  frees you up to be more creative?

Definitely.  None of the supplemental materials I use – films, music videos, u-tube clips, telenovelas – would be as effective without the firm foundation BTB provides.

There are so many Spanish and French resources available today on the Internet, do you worry that BTB will become obsolete?

Just the opposite! I think that the multitude of resources on the Internet makes BTB more relevant than ever.   Before the digital era, I felt I could successfully expose my students to the wonders of the printed page, to the great literary traditions of the Spanish-speaking world because BTB had given them the tools they needed to tackle literature. Today I can confidently expose my students to a whole new array of resources: Spanish-language Wikipedia entries, on-line dictionaries, u-tube clips…( I just discovered a conversation between Gabriel-Garcia Marquez and Shakira on u-tube!)…..news broadcasts, sports commentary, podcasts from throughout the Spanish-speaking world. These resources are simply wonderful.  Today’s students have more flexibility than ever to successfully springboard into all kinds of media because of the foundation BTB has given them.

If you were describing BTB to a friend, what would you say?

BTB is focused and it’s clear.  It walks you through the fundamentals of Spanish and French in a voice that is personal, encouraging and humorous.  BTB doesn’t try to be all things to all people.  It uses grammar and vocabulary to build your knowledge of the language.  We’re living in a world where it’s necessary to open doors to different cultures.  My professional life is about promoting interest and understanding of the Spanish-speaking and Francophone worlds.  That’s the mission of Breaking the Barrier.

Journalist Matt Villano concludes his conversation with John Conner about language teaching, writing textbooks, and the mission of Breaking the Barrier, Inc.

What does “understanding” Spanish mean to you, and why?

Understanding comes at all levels. After the first day of beginning Spanish, a student has an understanding of how to meet a person she’s never met before and say, “Hello, my name is Margarita. How are you?” Understanding at an advanced level, of course, entails a lot more, such as a solid mastery of verbs, an ample vocabulary, and a good feel for oral and written expression.

Is grammar the “foundation” upon which you create “understanding?”

I think grammar and rich vocabulary are the foundation upon which language is built. Because my books emphasize grammar and vocabulary, I’m actually able to teach much more literature. Breaking the Barrier provides the basis for being able to teach that literature. Using this approach, I estimate that I’ve cut down by 50% the class time I spend explaining the nuts and bolts of the language. BTB isn’t just a grammar book; it’s the key that opens doors for engagement with Spanish and French that’s potentially rich, multi-faceted and deeply satisfying.

In the first part of our conversation, you discussed the psychological barriers many language students encounter. What prompted you to include the word “barrier” in the title of your books?

The term “barrier” comes, in part, from an examination Groton School students must pass after three years of language study in order to graduate. It’s a two-hour test, and it’s designed to show us that students can read, write, speak, and understand Spanish or French with certain proficiency. It’s a very challenging exam, and when students clear this hurdle, we celebrate by saying that they’ve “broken the Spanish or French barrier!” This gives them a bona fide sense of accomplishment.

Can a student learn Spanish or French without “breaking the barrier?”

Although my initial reason for writing BTB was to help my own students, the ongoing satisfaction I enjoy from having been able to extend my classroom beyond the bounds of the Groton School Circle is tremendous. I’m certainly in no position to define what “breaking the barrier” means to anybody other than Groton students currently enrolled in our Modern Language Program. “Breaking the language barrier” has many legitimate definitions, but as I’ve said before, my overall goal has always been to get people excited about language learning and to contribute to the essential dialogue that must take place among people from different cultures.

Today there is lots of discussion about “learning style” and different approaches to language teaching, such as the “visual, auditory, kinesthetic and communicative methods.” How do your materials speak to varied learning styles and approaches to teaching language?

My workshop for teachers, “The Ideal Lesson Plan: Ten Step to Making your Students Fluent” addresses your question in depth. But briefly I’ll say that the best teaching materials include exposure and practice for all the senses. Naturally students will gravitate toward modes of learning that are more natural for them, but it’s important they be exposed to a broad array of learning modalities. A student who is asked to memorize a poem and write it down on a test will internalize the poem at a certain level. If he is asked to recite that poem in front of his classmates, he internalizes it further. If she performs the poem as a song-and-dance routine it goes deeper.

Some people are good with vocabulary or adept with verbs, but not as strong with listening comprehension or speaking. Others excel in some past tenses, but can’t get a handle on the imperfect. I think that to learn a language, you have to have a psychological commitment to it. You have to feel that Spanish, French, or any target language, is something you need in your life. At BTB we go to great lengths to make learning fun and relevant. We want students to feel positive about language learning, as much as we want them to realize the pertinence of language learning in day’s world. We’re firmly focused on creating materials that are accessible, up-to-date, and user-friendly.

How do you convey the message to your students that you’re there to challenge as well as support them…that you’re focused on making the complexities of learning a new language an experience that’s fun and rewarding?

In trying to support students we say things like, “Don’t worry…this may seem tricky, but you’ll get it,” and students realize we’re acknowledging that things like the subjunctive aren’t easy. We try to put ourselves in their shoes and walk them through the language in ways that encourage learning. Listen to this (reading from the text): “This section will discuss the subjunctive, something that drives most students crazy.” Right there, students think, “You’re right!” They immediately know that we’re on their side. Throughout BTB, there is a sympathetic, narrative voice. Here’s another example: “The imperfect tense is a favorite of Spanish students because there are only three irregular verbs!” Students love reading this. I’ve tried to capture the tone of my classroom and my tutoring sessions in my books. It’s important to acknowledge and help students manage the confusion and vulnerability they inevitably face when studying a new language.

Not everybody learns at the same pace. How does BTB meet the needs of students who “understand” and students who need more time and practice to grasp concepts?

No matter what group of students I’m teaching, I cover four chapters each trimester and finish the book by the end of the year. What’s nice about BTB is that I don’t have to spend two weeks in class explaining a tricky topic like “if clauses” because my voice is right there in those pages, talking the kids through it. Sure, some kids will still need extra help and personalized attention, but the combination of what the teacher does and what the book does makes everything more efficient. Everyone stays interested because the content is interesting. BTB brings history, pop culture, and current events into my classroom, and students love this fact. Just the other day in my Spanish 3 class we discussed the recent election referendum in Venezuela. When students see grammar “in action” through high-interest content, they understand its essential role in language learning.

Do you have to finish each book to use it properly?

Well, I view each book as a complete episode……so yes, why not finish it! To tell you the truth, I’ve always considered it a personal failure if I don’t finish my principal text by the end of the school year! I don’t want to teach core material using one chapter here and another chapter there. The 12-chapter format of the BTB series lends itself equally to trimesters and semesters, and the pace is such that you can comfortably finish it by June. I think students share my sense of accomplishment in completing a text that is realistically and appropriately paced.

Why do you publish your books every year?

Any good textbook should be a work in progress. As I teach from each title, my students let me know, either directly or indirectly, what they like, what works, what needs to be adjusted. We’ve also developed a loyal community of informal editors – people who enjoy the series and have shared their comments and suggestions over the years. We like to be nimble, to incorporate changes annually, rather than sticking to the 7-year schedule of traditional publishers. We want the languages we teach to come alive in our books. If a Spanish author wins the Nobel Prize, we refer to it in the next edition. When there is a population change or a national election in France, we document it immediately in our maps and sentences.

Do students appreciate this fact?

They love it! In many other texts, students will just fill in the blanks on a page of practice exercises without reading the sentences. But our sentences jump off the page! They’re current and they remind students that we’re interested in their world. Sometimes a student will tease me, sparking a lively class discussion with this kind of comment: “Señor Conner, I cannot believe you think the band Steely Dan is still together. Don’t you know they broke up two years ago?!” It’s quite a conversation starter.

How do you use BTB with other language-learning products?

As I mentioned before, BTB is ideal for use in conjunction with all sorts of products that don’t directly address grammar. For example, electronic flashcards that ask you to match words and phrases with corresponding pictures are just great. But I think that when you understand the grammar that informs those words and phrases, your learning is more complete. You now have the tools to take your learning to the next level……when you can build and improvise on what you can identify, repeat and memorize, you’ve progressed to an entirely new playing field. And that’s exciting! There are so many different kinds of language-learning products – in print, online, in digital and audio formats. I like to think BTB complements them all.

Are you planning to create more materials to help students progress to the new playing field you mention?

We’ve just posted additional practice exercises online, we’re completing a travel guide that we’ll call the Spanish/French Oasis, and eventually I’ll publish my teacher workshop, The Ideal Lesson Plan: Ten Steps for Making Your Students Fluent. Along the way, I’ve discovered how much I like exchanging ideas and sharing what I’ve learned from all my years in the classroom with my teaching colleagues. The classroom can be a lonely place for a teacher, and I continually meet teachers who are eager for input. Many are poorly-trained, underresourced and starving for fresh ideas. Helping teachers become more effective in the classroom can impact a multitude of students.

Before we finish, is there anything else you would like to add?

One of my favorite five-sentence Guión Series skits, one I love acting out in front of my students ends with my looking in the mirror and telling myself, “Wow, you’re goodlooking!” In truth, all teachers should be able to look in a mirror and say:

“You have the fun, as well as the privilege, of working with students.

You have been able to extend the bounds of your own classroom far beyond its four walls.

You are helping prepare teachers and students to meet the challenges of today’s world.

You are contributing to the conversations that must take place across cultures in a global society.

You are truly blessed.”