The primary goal of Wendy Maxwell’s Accelerative Integrated Methodology (AIM) is to rapidly increase a student’s ability to communicate in a second or foreign language.
In just 100 hours of classroom instruction, AIM will enable students to develop a working proficiency in the target language.
AIM takes what language teachers do naturally and puts it all into a simple format that creates astounding results, bringing to teachers an engaging and easy-to-use classroom methodology!
In an AIM classroom, students:
- Express themselves in the target language from the first lesson, using
- high-frequency vocabulary
- Learn vocabulary in visual, auditory and kinesthetic ways
- Participate in all activities exclusively in the target language, based on literature and drama
- Learn to think and write creatively, while practicing oral communication
- Are part of a “learning community” that emphasizes cooperative learning
AIM is a literacy-based approach to language learning, rather than a thematic approach and uses gestures, drama, music, dance and storytelling to rapidly accelerate target language acquisition.
Every aspect of the methodology is supported by sound research in best teaching practice. The AIM teacher:
- Meets the needs of all learners and helps all students to reach their full potential through a unique multi-modal approach, supported by Garner’s Multiple Intelligences theory and recent studies in brain-based learning
- Ensures that students feel connected to the curriculum. AIM’s success at accelerating acquisition allows students to ‘own’ the language, making it part of who they are, thus becoming a tool for real communication.
- Provides a co-operative, collaborative, supportive learning environment that promotes cognitive, emotional and social well-being. AIM is designed to ensure success, through steps, techniques such as total and partial questions, repetition and emotional connection to story and gestures.
- Ensures that students express themselves and interact with confidence in the target language – supportive techniques are embedded within the methodology
- Helps students to learn to listen actively for cues to aid them with comprehension – numerous visual aids, including expressive tone of voice, gestures, dramatization, movement to music etc.
- Emphasizes the development of critical and creative thinking skills – paraphrasing/circumlocution, dramatic arts, questions that promote critical discussion, creative story writing skills, the editing and publishing process within the first 100 instructional hours!
Biography
Wendy Maxwell Program Creator
Wendy Maxwell (M.A.), an award-winning teacher and AIM creator, has transformed world language instruction, both in Canada and internationally. Wendy is the lead author of AIM Language Learning’s French and English programs, including Histoires en action !, Jeunesse en action !, Stories in Action! and Life in Action! She has also recently completed the AIM’s first Spanish program ¡Jóvenes en acción!
Wendy is the recipient of the Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence (1999) and the H.H. Stern Award for Innovation in Second Languages (2004). She has made many appearances on CBC, Radio-Canada, Citytv and CTV. Her program has been written up in the National Post, the Ottawa Citizen, the Toronto Star and various international journals. Wendy has been invited to deliver keynote addresses in Paris, Tokyo and The Hague