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Change #1:
A Total Curricular Overhaul
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After collecting feedback from teachers, we are re-writing over 75% of the activities for each music video. This will result in over 5,000 new activities, all of which will:
- Be more varied
- Contain fewer filler activities
- Engage students in far more reading
- Challenge students more, particularly at higher proficiency levels
- Be more cautious with repetition, so that it still encourages acquisition but without stripping the fun from the videos.
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EXAMPLE 1: In this new matching activity from Encerrada en la escuela, students match screenshots with newspaper headlines.
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EXAMPLE 2: A button activity in which students read sentences and then choose "red light" or "green light".
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Change #2:
Improved Mobile Access
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The activities will now work amazingly well on phones, iPads, Chromebooks, and all other modern devices.
For many of you, the option to have students use their own phones will make the site far more accessible on a regular basis.
NOTE: Unlike the other changes listed in this newsletter, the improved mobile access is live on the site now! Feel free to take advantage of it immediately!
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Since we significantly increased the amount of reading in Version 2, we decided to better meet varying student abilities by including hints!
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If students don't need the hints, they don't have to click on them.
Of course, at higher proficiency levels, hints are used less frequently.
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Change #4:
Getting rid of Skips;
Replacing them with FREEEEDOM!!!
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In version 1, students could skip 3 activities in each story. This feature was divisive, with many teachers citing it as their least favorite part of the system.
In addition, the progression system was punishing. Students couldn't move to the next activity until they had completed (or skipped) the current one. So if they got stuck, it was very difficult to move on.
In the upcoming v2, skips will be a thing of the past.
In their place, however, we will be giving students more freedom, not less. For example, students will now be able to complete any activity from the nugget in any order.
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Next, they won't have to complete all of the activities (or even every single question).
Hold up, hold up, I know what you're thinking. Don't we want them to complete everything? Why would you do this, Sr. Wooly?!
That brings us to our next topic:
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When students successfully answer questions, they receive points.
Every activity is worth a maximum of 100 points. Every nugget has 8 activities.
If students wish to earn all 100 points of an activity, they have to get every single question correct. If they wish to get all 800 points in a nugget, they will have to complete every single activity.
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But do the points have any value? What can students do with the points?
Read on, my friends.
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Students will be able to spend points to unlock new avatars. We have created over 100 completely new avatars for this system (with more on the way).
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Some avatars will be inexpensive, while others will be quite costly. If they want the really expensive avatars, they will have to complete all activities, even the really challenging ones.
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One of the biggest challenges with an acquisition-based learning program is that it's easy for students to lose sight of their own progress.
Therefore, we wanted to make that progress more visible.
In version 2, students will be rewarded with badges as they progress.
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These badges aren't worth money, they can't be traded in for anything of value, and they most certainly won't scratch your back.
However, they are trophies of your students' journey. And as students view all of their badges together, they'll have a sense of pride as they see just how far they have come.
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And there are a lot more upcoming changes, too.
- You'll be able to send messages/notifications to your students.
- Students can navigate back to previous nuggets to improve scores.
- After completing nugget 10 of a story, students can do additional playthroughs for more points and badges!
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BUT ONE THING STAYS THE SAME:
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The website might be changing, but one thing never will:
We will never stop creating the weird, hilarious and demented music videos that put us on the map.
In fact, when we launch version 2 in the fall, we will also release our single most anticipated video in history:
BILLY Y LAS BOTAS 3
Coming Fall 2018
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At almost 10 minutes, Billy y las botas 3 is the single longest music video we've ever created -- which is why it's been in production for almost a year!
I can't tell you much about it, but I do make two promises:
1) You will definitively find out if Billy and Boots ever get back together.
2) There will not be a dry eye in the house.
Look for it this fall, alongside the new version 2.
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THE BAD NEWS:
In late summer, we will raise the price of Sr. Wooly PRO from $75 p/year to $85 p/year.
NOTE: The price of Sr. Wooly BASIC will also increase by $10.
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You read that correctly.
Instead of $85 in the fall, you can pay $60 right now.
For that low price, you get access to:
- All of Sr. Wooly's Spanish music videos
- Thousands of pages of downloadable, printable materials
- La Rocola videogame
- 160 Student Accounts
- The online nuggets
- 10% off most products in the store (including graphic novels)
- ALL OF THE UPCOMING NEW FEATURES LISTED ABOVE
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COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
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Can I buy more than one year?
Yes. By changing the quantity in the cart, you can add as many years as you like at this discounted price.
Are upgrades from BASIC to PRO similarly discounted?
Yes. Not only is the price prorated based on the time left in your subscription, but you'll also receive an additional 20% off.
My account is not expired yet. Can I extend my account with this deal?
Yes. If, for example, your account expires in September 2018, purchasing a year right now would extend your account until September 2019. You do not lose anything you have already paid for.
Can my school pay for this with a purchase order?
Yes. However, the deal is good for one week, so you'll have to move fast. Information on purchase orders are below.
Can other Spanish teachers in my school/district take advantage of this deal even if they have never subscribed before?
Yes. In fact, if you're interested in getting a quote on bulk rates, we can even nudge down the price a little bit lower. Reply to this email if you want more information.
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Here's your chance to get Sr. Wooly PRO at a discount before the price raises:
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Yes, Sr. Wooly accepts purchase orders!
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Perhaps your school or district will purchase a Sr. Wooly subscription for you!
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