Send us a text El lenguaje inclusivo y su importancia en nuestras clases con Abelardo Almazán-Vázquez ¿Qué es el lenguaje inclusivo? ¿Por qué es importante entenderlo? ¿Cómo podemos incorporarlo en clase a pesar de restricciones que tengamos? En este episodio, mi amigo y colega, Abelardo Almazán-Vázques, no sólo nos ayuda a entender más el concepto del lenguaje inclusivo y su importancia, sino que comparte de manera vulnerable su propio testimonio. Este testimono que comparte Abelardo es auténti...
Feb 04, 2024•50 min
Send us a text Seeking ways to encourage student talking and boost engagement in the target language, without forcing output? If you're wondering, 'How can I get my students talking more in class in a natural and engaging way?' then this episode is a must-listen for you. Join me for a powerful conversation with Erica Peplinski-Burge and Justin Slocum Bailey. In this episode, we delve into the delicate balance of nurturing student communication in the target language. We're not talking about forc...
Feb 01, 2024•55 min
Send us a text Welcome to the final episode of our special 3-part series on the 3 Pillars of a Successful Language Classroom! In this episode, we wrap up with a topic that's close to my heart - communication. We've chatted about building connections and making target language comprehensible in previous episodes. Now, we're diving into communication, the trickiest but most rewarding part of language teaching. We'll chat about why communication is so central in our language classes and what it rea...
Jan 25, 2024•35 min
Send us a text Can you relate to the challenge of making your language classes comprehensible and engaging? I get it. Balancing the importance of facilitating target language comprehensibility with the reality of students at different levels of proficiency and varying levels of motivation is hard. That’s why you’re going to love this episode. In this week’s episode, I dive deep into the nuances of using target language in class and making it comprehensible. I will go beyond the theory. I'll expl...
Jan 18, 2024•34 min
Send us a text En este episodio exploramos los fundamentos la enseñanza de la lengua de manera comprensible y comunicative (Comprehensible and Communicative Language Teaching -CCLT) y su impacto en nuestras aulas. Descubre cómo los principios de comprensión y comunicación pueden empoderarnos para tomar decisiones en cuanto a nuestras prácticas y nos ayudan a defenderlas. En este episodio también me enfocaré en cómo podemos proporcionar input comprensible, el rol esencial de estudiante, y la impo...
Jan 15, 2024•25 min
Send us a text Welcome to a special episode of our podcast! Today, I'm thrilled to chat with Leandra Rodríguez and Angelica Ruiz, two exceptional Spanish teachers and members of GWP, the Spanish Teacher Academy. We'll dive into our most significant takeaways from the ACTFL 2023 conference. In This Session, We'll Cover: The Magic of Reading: We'll explore specific strategies for reading, including the co-creation of texts, level-appropriate readings, and engaging with tic-tac-toe reading question...
Jan 11, 2024•42 min
Send us a text Welcome to the first part of our exciting three-part series, where we're diving deep into the foundational pillars of a world language classroom success! In this episode, we focus on the first pillar: Building Stronger Connections. As language educators, we know the start of a new year is a golden opportunity to foster deeper engagement and cultivate a positive and caring classroom culture. If you're looking for ideas on how to nurture meaningful relationships with your students, ...
Jan 04, 2024•30 min
Send us a text Have you ever wondered if there's a way to be effective inside the classroom without taking work home or feeling guilty or stressed because you’re not taking work home? In this episode of "Doing Less For More in the World Language Class," we delve into four transformative ideas that can help reduce your workload in class without sacrificing effectiveness or impact on your students. Join me as we discuss homework, assessments, class and unit design, and classroom responsibilities. ...
Dec 28, 2023•43 min
Send us a text In today's episode of "Growing With Proficiency The Podcast," we're excited to have Kia London with us. We chat about making assessments sustainable and effective in world language classes. We start by discussing the basics: How often should we assess our students? What should we focus on when grading? And, how long should these assessments be? Kia and I share our thoughts on these important questions. Next, Kia talks about some of her favorite assessments in world language teachi...
Dec 21, 2023•55 min
Send us a text Ever felt stuck on how to start your curriculum theme, or noticed your students could use a bit more help before jumping into a new unit? If that sounds familiar, this episode of Growing With Proficiency The Podcast is just for you. In one of our recent hot seat sessions inside GWP The Spanish Teacher Academy, a member asked us this question: "My students need to talk about their 'plan de vida', but they're short on the right language skills and they're not too excited about talki...
Dec 14, 2023•31 min
Send us a text If you have a love-hate relationship with technology, this is your episode. In this episode. Meredith White, an expert in integrating technology in language teaching, shares with us how to navigate the endless amount of tech tools without succumbing to burnout or FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). Meredith gives us practical strategies and discusses essential tech tools that every world language teacher should consider incorporating into their practice. Plus, Meredith shares her top 'nic...
Dec 07, 2023•47 min
Send us a text Tres Claves Esenciales para Clases de Idiomas Dinámicas y Sostenibles: En este episodio estoy compartiendo tres claves esenciales que te ayudarán a hacer tus clases espacios más dinamicos pero de una manera sostenible. Clave 1: Actividades Repetibles en Todos los Niveles Aprende cómo implementar actividades que funcionen en todos los niveles y que puedas usar cada semana. Estas actividades te ayudarán a disminuir el tiempo de planeación y a reducir la fatiga de crear y tomar decis...
Dec 04, 2023•34 min
Send us a text In this episode, Carrie Toth, an author and Spanish educator with over 30 years of experience, shares so many low-prep post-reading activities and games designed to engage students with more reading. This episode is perfect for our series theme, "Making Comprehensible and Communicative Language Teaching Easy," since Carrie shares with us strategies that enrich language comprehension and communication but don´t require a ton of time to prepare. Discover or re-discover tools like Gi...
Nov 30, 2023•28 min
Send us a text Are you spending a ton of time trying to find new ways to read a text with your class, check for comprehension, or ask open-ended questions? Do you have great resources but find that many of the activities could use more movement and engagement? You don't have to create a new activity every day. You don't need to be in front of the class, constantly trying to get your students' attention. Great strategies and content can be repurposed and used in different ways, with slight tweaks...
Nov 23, 2023•1 hr 1 min
Send us a text In this episode of Growing With Proficiency: The Podcast, we have a special guest, John Bracey, a Latin teacher who has been using Comprehensible Input methodology for several years. In this episode, John Bracey emphasizes the importance of finding strategies that can be consistently implemented without overwhelming teachers' work-life balance. John discusses the importance of emphasizing reading in the classroom as a powerful tool for language acquisition, as well as the signific...
Nov 16, 2023•47 min
Send us a text In this first episode of our series "Comprehensible and Communicative Language Teaching Made Easy," we're tackling the cornerstone of any thriving world language class: motivation. Discover how simple daily actions can build the trust and rapport that fuel student engagement. Join us as we explore three specific strategies to build connections in the class from social-emotional learning to co-created content, and learn how to foster an environment where students are heard, seen, a...
Nov 09, 2023•28 min
Send us a text En este episodio, exploramos como a través de la cocreación de historias podemos potencializar el uso de la lectura en nuestras clases para facilitar la adquisición de la lengua. Este episodio fue inspirado por las ideas brillantes que surgieron en la conferencia para profesores de lengua en la Florida FFLA, especialmente en la presentación del Dr. Stephen Krashen sobre la importancia de la lectura en el proceso de adquisición de lenguaje. En este episodio descubrirás cómo superar...
Nov 06, 2023•31 min
Send us a text In this episode, join me as I reflect on the incredible experience of FFLA23 (Foreign Language Association of Florida) and share my top takeaways from the event. In Episode 58, I discuss practical strategies and activities that can be implemented in your language classes, the power of reading, and innovative tools for language education. Discover how small group, music, and reading can transform your teaching. Additionally, I delve into the importance of providing context-rich rea...
Nov 02, 2023•42 min
Send us a text Get ready for part two of "All About Output" with Dr. Florencia Henshaw. In this episode, Florencia discusses the importance of the process versus the product in writing, which can also apply to oral presentations. She also shares practical ideas on how we can use this process to help students become better communicators. We also delve into assessments, clarifying the goal of the output: is it about conveying a message or practicing language? Florencia guides us in understanding w...
Oct 26, 2023•58 min
Send us a text Get ready for the first part of a two-episode series all about the fascinating world of output! In these two episodes, Dr. Florencia Henshaw is joining us to shed light on what output truly is and how it plays an important role in developing your students' presentational and interpersonal proficiency. Remember when Dr. Henshaw shared with us about comprehensible input a few months ago? Well, today, it's all about transitioning from that input to output, understanding why it's esse...
Oct 19, 2023•51 min
Send us a text Get ready for an exciting episode of "Growing With Proficiency The Podcast," where we're talking about games and AI in the language classroom. These five games I'm sharing today are just plain awesome because they'll keep your students hooked while they get to hear tons of understandable and interesting stuff. Now, why are these games so cool? It's simple – they make sure every student has a fair shot at winning. Yep, that's the magic ingredient that keeps them engaged and excited...
Oct 12, 2023•34 min
Send us a text Today, we're talking about asking questions. We all know that asking questions plays a significant role in our classes. But let's get real, when you've got a big class filled with students who are just starting out in the language or perhaps have only grasped the basics, asking questions can feel like an art form, right? In this episode, we're sharing many strategies and ideas about the important art of questioning in our language class. Our guest, Paulino Brener, a Spanish teache...
Oct 05, 2023•48 min
Send us a text ¿Qué papel juega la cultura en tu clase? ¿Te has preguntado como podrías darle un papel más protagónico? En este episodio, exploraremos cómo podemos centrar nuestras clases de lengua, específicamente nuestras clases de español, en la cultura. Muchas veces tenemos buenas intenciones pero nos sentimos maniatados a un currículo que no le da a la cultura el lugar que le corresponde. Por eso, en este episodio descubriremos cómo superar estos desafíos tradicionales y cómo darle a la cul...
Oct 02, 2023•37 min
Send us a text Welcome to the second part of our series, where we delve deeper into the concept of reimagining language textbooks to enhance the effectiveness of language teaching and make it more engaging. In our previous episode, we explored this exciting approach, and our audience didn't hold back, posing a wide array of questions across four major themes: vocabulary, grammar, structuring lesson plans, and the challenges that educators face beyond the classroom. Let's begin with the theme of ...
Sep 28, 2023•34 min
Send us a text Are you frustrated with language textbooks that seem to prioritize vocabulary lists and grammar drills? If you are, this is the episode for you. In this episode, we'll talk about some of the shortcomings of traditional language textbooks and explore four practical ideas to better align them with the principles of second language acquisition (SLA). Discover how to shift the focus from mere language production to providing ample input for your students. Learn to personalize textbook...
Sep 21, 2023•19 min
Send us a text Are you looking for new ideas to help your students comprehend texts beyond words? If you are, this episode is for you! In this episode, I'll share my biggest takeaways from the AATSP Fall Conference, featuring Dr. Florencia Henshaw, where she shares all about Interpretive Communication and its vital role in language acquisition. Get ready to discover or rediscover highly effective strategies for pre-, during, and post-reading or listening activities. From inferring meaning to usi...
Sep 14, 2023•33 min
Send us a text Welcome back to Growing With Proficiency The Podcast. We've got something special lined up for Episode 50!!! In this episode, we've got Bertha Delgadillo, Spanish teacher and 2022 TOY for the state of Georgia. Today Bertha is sharing with us all about Hexagonal Thinking in the World Language class. But, what is Hexagonal Thinking? It´s a great strategy borrowed from the business world and often seen in English Language Arts classes where students get to make different connections ...
Sep 07, 2023•34 min
Send us a text ¿Alguna vez te has preguntado cómo pequeños cambios en la forma en que enseñamos pueden tener un impacto profundo en la experiencia de aprendizaje? En este episodio especial, te invito a explorar mi aula de español, donde transformé tres prácticas fundamentales: nombres, lenguaje y cultura. ¿Qué ocurrió cuando me di cuenta de que era hora de cambiar? En este episodio compartiré cómo la adaptación y la reflexión me llevaron a eliminar estas prácticas, y cómo esto ha revolucionado c...
Sep 04, 2023•27 min
Send us a text Today, we're delving into one of my favorite activities that not only enables me to use a wealth of target language in context but also cultivates connections with my students – the incredible Star Student Interviews! In this episode, I'll be sharing what exactly this activity entails, how to smoothly introduce it to your class, the types of questions to pose, strategies to keep your students engaged, and what steps to take afterward. But that's not all. I'll also be addressing sp...
Aug 31, 2023•50 min
Send us a text Have you ever wondered how to ignite true engagement and create meaningful connections with your students while using the target language? In this episode, I share with you the secrets behind the magic of Personalized Questions and Answers (PQAs) and how they can be used in your class as part of your daily routine but also to elevate your curriculum. Tune in to learn my 3-question test to write effective PQAs, a step-by-step guide on how to seamlessly integrate PQAs into your teac...
Aug 24, 2023•34 min
