Preparing for Viewing
Explicitly Teach Viewing Strategies: Have students brainstorm what they do when they approach text in the target language that they've never seen before or when they encounter the target language in a new setting. Have students work with a text (like this one or this one that could be adapted) that explains to them how to best approach listening/watching for understanding. Give them the rationale and the tools to be successful.
Pre-Teach: Frontload with important vocabulary or reminders/mini-lessons on grammatical structures or uses for different words (ex. The verb dejar; Using the Ud. form when chastising friends; Being intentional about listening for uses of preterit/imperfect when the characters are recounting events).
Practice: Give students multiple opportunities to work with the vocab/structures before you start watching. Once they have experience using the word in their own contexts, when they hear it spoken by the characters in context, a little light bulb goes off and they can create an anchor for the use of the word/structure.
Know the Characters: Eliminate the confusion of “who is that again?” by preparing students adequately. You want students to focus on the language and the information, not trying to remember who’s dating who and whose families are feuding and who is plotting their revenge on whom. We use "Character Cutouts", presentations, and bulletin boards to ensure that students are familiar with who's who.
Be Honest with Your Students: Be upfront with and express your confidence in your students. Let them know that this may be challenging, but it will improve their language skills like few other things can. They will not understanding every single word and that is totally fine. They may get lost temporarily, but you will not move on without them. Even though it will be challenging, tell them that you are completely confident in them.