2026 Encuentro de profesorado de español de Alberta

What happens when classroom design prioritizes thinking before answers? Inspired by Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics, this session explores how the conditions that deepen mathematical thinking can also meaningfully inform Spanish Language Arts. By using random grouping, vertical non-permanent surfaces, and low-floor, high-ceiling tasks, teachers create spaces where students collaborate, take intellectual risks, and make their thinking and language visible. These environments offer rich opportunities for formative assessment through observation and conversation, allowing teachers to assess reasoning, language use, and understanding beyond final products. Participants will leave with classroom-ready tasks and strategies to add directly to their instructional toolbox.