Send us a text Ever come across the 5 E Model? It's a strategy that initially found its roots in science classes. But guess what? In this episode, Chelsea Lawrence shares with us how she's tweaked and fine-tuned it to fit right into her Spanish class. So, what exactly do those E's stand for? Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate – they're like the building blocks of this method. It's all about getting students curious, digging deeper, laying out explanations, expanding on concepts, a...
Aug 17, 2023•40 min
Send us a text Join me for an exciting new episode of Growing With Proficiency The Podcast that will make you want to dance – not just on the dance floor, but in your mind too! Have you ever pondered over the question, “¿Quieres bailar conmigo?” "Do you want to dance with me?" It's more than a simple inquiry; it's a gateway to a world of emotions, experiences, and traditional roles on the dance floor. Tune in as my good friend and colleague, Abelardo Almazán-Vázquez, joins me to talk about this ...
Aug 10, 2023•36 min
Send us a text Welcome to a special episode packed with valuable insights that can make a real difference in your school year. Join us as we dive into an engaging conversation recorded during the CI Reboot 23 online conference in July 2023. In this episode, two fantastic language educators, Adriana Ramírez and Dahiana Castro, share their proven strategies for nurturing trust and confidence in the crucial first weeks of class. Discover how trust and confidence can be game-changers for boosting st...
Aug 03, 2023•51 min
Send us a text Have you ever found yourself wondering how you can bring about meaningful changes in your teaching practice when faced with numerous constraints like textbooks and curriculum limitations? Well, get ready to be inspired as we dive into an episode that will give you the motivation to make a real difference in your classroom! In this episode, we bring you the incredible journey of Angela Johnson, a dedicated Spanish teacher who faced the same challenges as many of us. But, she didn't...
Jul 27, 2023•26 min
Send us a text Welcome back to Part 2 of our Back-to-School Series, where we're excited to share a treasure trove of ideas, activities, and strategies to set the stage for an incredibly successful year. Today, we're diving deep into that all-important first day of class. But you might be wondering, why is the first day so significant? Well, it's because that initial encounter with your students sets the tone for the entire journey ahead. Making a positive impact from the start can pave the way f...
Jul 20, 2023•31 min
Send us a text In this episode of Growing With Proficiency: The Podcast, we dive into 4 key areas to prepare for a successful academic year before your students even step foot into the classroom. Join us as we explore how to optimize your classroom space, strategic classroom arrangement, essential information to communicate to our students and parents, and student surveys. Discover how working on these areas before you start the year will enhance student engagement, and collaboration, and overal...
Jul 13, 2023•30 min
Send us a text In this episode, we continue our conversation with Dr. Florencia Henshaw, diving deeper into the world of language acquisition and the role of input. Join us as Florencia sheds light on the concept of processing instruction, unraveling its significance in helping students establish form-meaning connections. Discover how these principles can be effectively applied to design-structured input activities that enhance language learning outcomes in the classroom. However, the conversati...
Jul 06, 2023•47 min
Send us a text Are you ready for an AMAZING episode? In this first part of a two-part episode, I had the honor to talk to Dr. Florencia Henshaw who shared her insights not only about the role of input for language acquisition but also how our students need to interact with that input and practical strategies for all teachers to compel students to not only listen but make form-meaning connections with the input. You will be blown away by everything Dr. Henshaw had to share. Whether you are a gram...
Jun 29, 2023•37 min
Send us a text Get ready to join us in an incredible conversation with Dr. Diane Neubauer about the use of the target language in language classes! In this episode, we'll explore all your burning questions about using the target language in class like whether the use of target language is equally effective for language acquisition or whether we should let students use their first language in class. Dr. Diane Neubaur is a Mandarin Chinese teacher. She has taught all the levels online and face-to-...
Jun 22, 2023•43 min
Send us a text Get ready for another episode of "Growing With Proficiency: The Podcast"! In today's episode, I'm delighted to be joined by Dr. Karen Lichtman, a renowned expert and researcher in the field of second language acquisition and TPRS. Join us as Dr. Lichtman shares her research findings on language acquisition, specifically focusing on TPRS, and explores their implications for our classrooms. This conversation is bound to be both fascinating and incredibly helpful as we navigate the d...
Jun 15, 2023•45 min
Send us a text Are you ready to elevate your teaching practice to new heights? In this episode of Growing With Proficiency The Podcast, we invite you to explore the powerful STEP Forward protocol designed specifically for language teachers. Now, you might be wondering, is this relevant and practical for my classroom? The answer is a resounding yes! Discover the key elements of STEP Forward: Student Survey, Teacher Reflection, Explore Concepts, and Plan. We'll show you step by step how to gain va...
Jun 08, 2023•16 min
Send us a text What is the #1 thing you're looking forward to in the summer? Is it the freedom from schedules, the ability to use the bathroom whenever you want, the relief from preparing lesson plans, or perhaps all of the above? I feel you. I love every aspect of summer too, but I've also experienced how quickly it can slip away, leaving me without the relaxation and rejuvenation I had hoped for. That's why I'm beyond excited for you to tune in to this extraordinary episode featuring Becca Sil...
Jun 01, 2023•45 min
Send us a text Get ready for an amazing episode with Dahiana Castro, an amazing Spanish and French teacher! Dahiana is sharing with us today three super fun games that will bring back the energy and excitement to your classroom. These games are like hidden treasures that you'll want to keep until the perfect moment. So, grab your popcorn and tune in to discover these awesome activities that your students will be dying to play! What I love most about these games is how easily they can be adapted ...
May 25, 2023•33 min
Send us a text Join us in this inspiring episode for a thought-provoking conversation with Akash Patel, a renowned Spanish teacher, the current president of ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages), and the founder of the Happy World Foundation. Akash takes us on a journey through his personal experiences, sharing how his passion for languages and a tragic event led him to create a nonprofit organization that connects thousands of language students with the world: Happy Worl...
May 18, 2023•36 min
Send us a text How often do you ask your students for their feedback? If I’m honest, this is a practice that I incorporated in my class just a few years ago, but I wish I had done it before because the impact has been tremendous. That’s why in this episode of "Growing With Proficiency, I'll share with you the why and how I ask for my students’ feedback. I know that asking for student feedback can feel scary or intimidating, but it's actually one of the best ways to improve our teaching practices...
May 11, 2023•42 min
Send us a text Are you feeling end-of-the-year burnout? Or maybe you're looking for practical, engaging lessons that can stand independently at any point during the year. Look no further than this must-listen podcast episode! Join me as I share my insights on what to avoid at the end of the school year and how to keep students engaged and motivated until the very last day. Plus, discover three exciting ideas for stand-alone lessons that will keep students learning and having fun, even if attenda...
May 04, 2023•33 min
Send us a text Have you ever hesitated to try something new in your classroom, convinced it would require too much work and too little control? That's exactly how I felt about using stations in my language class - until I tried it, and loved it! In this episode, I’ll share why I decided to try stations, how I set it up, and 10 ideas for different stations. From small-group discussions to gaming and independent reading, the station ideas I'll share are easy to set up, engaging, and adaptable to a...
Apr 27, 2023•33 min
Send us a text Are you a language teacher looking for ways to engage your students? If you’re, you’re not alone. How to engage students is the most common question among teachers today, and that’s why I’m so excited about today's episode of Growing With Proficiency! Let's face it, even the most compelling and relevant unit won't make much of an impact if students aren't engaged with the content. So we're diving into the topic of student engagement and discussing three low-prep activities that yo...
Apr 20, 2023•42 min
Send us a text The AP and IB exams are just around the corner, and you may be feeling like there's still so much to cover or that your students aren't quite ready yet. But don't panic! In this episode, we're chatting with Bertha Delgadillo and Christina Margiore, who will share their practical strategies for setting your learners up for success. Bertha and Christina understand the unique challenges that world language teachers face in preparing students for these rigorous exams. That's why they'...
Apr 13, 2023•50 min
Send us a text Welcome to this special episode of our podcast, where we celebrate National Poetry Month with a conversation that is sure to inspire world language teachers everywhere. In this episode, we have the pleasure of speaking with Diego Ojeda, a renowned world language educator, presenter, trainer, blogger, and author. Diego is passionate about the power of poetry in language learning, and he shares with us his insights on why incorporating poetry in our curriculum is so important. He al...
Apr 06, 2023•38 min
Send us a text Are you feeling bored and uninspired in your own language classroom? I'm not talking about your students, I'm talking about you. The truth is, we all need new ideas and fresh perspectives to keep us engaged and motivated in our teaching practice. That's why I love attending conferences like SCOLT. In this episode of Growing With Proficiency The Podcast, I'll be sharing 5 of my favorite strategies and activities that I learned at SCOLT 23. All of the 5 strategies and activities hav...
Mar 30, 2023•40 min
Send us a text Join us for an exciting podcast episode where Joe Dale, a UK Independent modern foreign languages & technology consultant, shares how to use ChatGPT in language classes. You'll learn how to use this tool to generate customized text, vocabulary lists, activities, and assessments to lighten the load of language teachers. Joe will also provide tips on integrating ChatGPT effectively into your lessons, including scaffolding and differentiation. However, Joe will also caution liste...
Mar 23, 2023•48 min
Send us a text In this episode of "Growing with Proficiency," I’m exploring the use of a rubric for developing interpersonal skills in the world language classroom, with a special focus on listening skills. As World Langauge teachers, we know that providing comprehensible input is essential for acquisition-driven language classes. However, listening is a crucial skill that requires a ton of practice and development. By using this rubric, we can create a space for self-reflection and communicatio...
Mar 16, 2023•29 min
Send us a text In this episode, I’m so thrilled to have Karen Rowan, an expert in language acquisition, sharing with us the fascinating science behind the power of storytelling in our classrooms. Karen will walk us through great findings about how our brain reacts to stories and insights into how stories can engage our students' brains and make language acquisition more effective. But we won't stop there! Karen will also give us practical tips and strategies on how we can take advantage of this ...
Mar 09, 2023•43 min
Send us a text Are you looking for a way to build stronger connections with your students while also promoting language acquisition? Look no further than calendar talk! Join us on this episode as we dive into the world of calendar talk and discover how it can be a powerful tool for building community in your classroom. From setting up a successful routine to incorporating engaging topics to going beyond the basics and exploring cultural celebrations and events, we've got you covered. Discover ho...
Mar 02, 2023•26 min
Send us a text What would any of our learners love to do with the language? To have a conversation! But as teachers, we know the challenge of fostering meaningful conversations entirely in the target language. So, what can we do to support our students in building community and making real connections through conversation? On this episode, I have the privilege of speaking with language expert and educator Bethanie Drew about interpersonal activities. Bethanie is not only an incredible Spanish te...
Feb 23, 2023•47 min
Send us a text As a world language teacher, we understand the importance of fostering communication, listening, and interpersonal skills in our learners. But sometimes, traditional classroom activities can fall short in providing the level of engagement and excitement you desire for them. That's why this is a very exciting episode for you! In this episode, we'll dive into the world of gallery walks and explore how to use this strategy to bring movement, collaboration, and engagement into our lan...
Feb 16, 2023•26 min
Send us a text Hey there language lovers! Get ready for a fun and powerful episode all about class jobs. We've got two amazing World Language teachers joining us to share their wisdom and experience. Annabelle and John will share with us why class jobs are so important, what the best ones are, and how to make them a staple in your class. Trust us, this is a can't-miss episode! Whether you're an experienced teacher or just starting out, you'll pick up some fantastic tips and ideas to help bring y...
Feb 09, 2023•47 min
Send us a text In this episode of our podcast, we're tackling the oh-so-important topic of vocabulary acquisition. As language teachers, you understand the importance of vocabulary in language acquisition, but do you know why focusing on vocabulary is so crucial, what words to concentrate on, and how to introduce them in a memorable way? I’ll share my answers to those questions, and I will take it a step further with two bonus activities to help make those words stick. Hit play now and join me a...
Feb 02, 2023•39 min
Send us a text How can we transform our World Language teacher classes and find more joy? Join me in this conversation with Esther Galo, a Spanish teacher, who is as passionate as you are to help her students to grow in their proficiency. Esther became a Spanish teacher because she wanted to impact more students with the gift of a language but soon she found that her passion was not enough. Esther struggled for a few years with lack of engagement and, as she said, “seeing her students not learni...
Jan 26, 2023•29 min
