The second episode with a direct focus on the core premise of this podcast: language learner motivation . In this episode I look in detail at three case studies shared by the listeners on demotivation and how we can turn this into intrinsic motivation in the language acquisition classroom over the last two years. Thank you to all the podcast patrons and supporters for sharing their scenarios and case studies. I'd love to know what you think of my take on these three cases in particular. Keep in ...
Jan 20, 2023•32 min•Season 1Ep. 98
In this episode we are going back to the roots and core premise of this podcast: language learner motivation . This episode focuses on what we have learned together about raising intrinsic motivation in the language acquisition classroom over the last two years of this podcast. In particular, we look at the research around building motivation and my take on what I'm calling the 'motivation-engagement-acquisition cycle'. I'd love to know your thoughts on it! Keep in touch and share widely! Full p...
Jan 06, 2023•33 min•Season 1Ep. 97
In this episode we are joined by the wonderful and inspiring educator, Abelardo Almazán-Vázquez. Abelardo shares with us his journey and testimony as a cisgender male who is actively trying to interrupt and take apart the toxic masculinity and misogyny we experience in schools. This episode is full of excellent tips, advice and experiences to help us to work towards a more equitable and inclusive educational environment. An absolute must listen for all of us! Keep in touch and share widely! Full...
Dec 16, 2022•44 min•Season 1Ep. 96
This episode features one of the most impactful & inspiring interviews I've ever done, by far! The inspirational educator, Janique Vanderstocken, tells us about how she goes about doing trauma-informed teaching with her groups of illiterate students. Janique gives us a host of concrete tips, techniques and approaches to help students with very low literacy levels as well as those who are totally illiterate. She shares her classroom strategies in particular around working with students who ar...
Dec 02, 2022•45 min•Season 1Ep. 95
Teachers frequently ask about how we can continue to use a compelling, comprehensible inputs, approach with advanced learners . The key is to relinquish some of our own power in the classroom and provide increased autonomy to students, allowing them to plan, design and deliver their own classes. This episode explores one such approach with a group of advanced students of Spanish and how this increased autonomy led to higher rates of intrinsic motivation . Keep in touch and share widely! Full pro...
Nov 25, 2022•25 min•Season 1Ep. 94
Following up on the extended episode 92 on maximising our target language use in class, this episode goes a little deeper and discusses how an over-emphasis on grammar instruction and accuracy is killing natural acquisition . Touching on key issues in our field, the goal of this episode is to open up professional debate about how we continue to emphasise grammar instruction , even in our beginner classes and what effect this is having on our students' natural acquisition. Keep in touch and share...
Nov 11, 2022•34 min•Season 1Ep. 93
A special, extended, episode focusing on the why and how of target language use in the language acquisition classroom with the brilliant Alina Filipescu and Jason Fritze . This episode was first aired as a livestream for the #CIReboot conference in summer 2022. Alina and Jason share lots of fantastic practical examples from their primary and secondary classrooms in order to help us all to use the target language as much as possible in the classroom. They also explain in detail why maximising our...
Oct 28, 2022•56 min•Season 1Ep. 92
Error correction in the language acquisition classroom is one of those topics that always results in divided opinion. So what can the research tell us about it? In this episode we explore the role of error correction in writing, speaking and most importantly on learner motivation. How much is too much? When should we correct students and when should we say nothing? The answers, as always with language acquisition, are not straightforward but are worth looking into. Keep in touch and share widely...
Oct 14, 2022•26 min•Season 1Ep. 91
The second in a two-part series focusing on equity and access to learning for all. Following up on Episode 89 on 'Universal Design for Learning' (UDL) , this episodes looks more at differentiation ; what we can and should be doing inside our language acquisition classrooms in order to support all learners and ensure they all have the tools needed to access the learning. I provide a list of some of the ways I try to differentiate the learning in my own language acquisition classroom and discuss h...
Oct 07, 2022•31 min•Season 1Ep. 90
In this first of a two-part series focusing on differentiation, equity and how to ensure all learners have access to the learning, we look at the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and its applications in the language acquisition classroom. This episode goes over the 3 main priorities of UDL and their 9 principles, using an example from the world languages classroom to show how we can apply some of these principles to ensure all of our learners have access to the learning and not just some of t...
Sep 23, 2022•32 min•Season 1Ep. 89
This question and answer episode features some great questions from listeners about: What we do when new students come into our CI or acquisition focused classes when they're coming from what may be considered a much more 'traditional' learning environment? How do we adapt our lessons for adult learners and what about those 'difficult' classes, what suggestions are there to make them run smoothly? I try to give my take on these great questions in this episode but I'm sure many of you have much b...
Sep 09, 2022•26 min•Season 1Ep. 88
This episode of The Motivated Classroom podcast focuses on going back to school. I go through eight of my top strategies or goals to ensure both we, the teachers, and our students have a motivated year. Most importantly, there is a particular focus in these strategies on teacher and student well-being. Let me know what you think of them and what your goals are for a motivated year in school! Build relationships, not powerpoints More autonomy, less monotony Share passions, not problems Look at st...
Aug 26, 2022•19 min•Season 1Ep. 87
This episode focuses on eight of my favourite activities designed to instil a love of reading among your language acquisition students, including a particular emphasis on the much requested "reading diary". Reading is the central and key element in language acquisition, yet many teachers are unsure about strategies to use in order to motivate our students into eager readers. Hopefully these eight, low-prep, activities will be of help! As always, please keep in touch and share widely! Full progra...
Aug 12, 2022•29 min•Season 1Ep. 86
The wonderfully talent teacher, presenter and author of easy-to-read literature , Margarita Pérez García , joins us in the episode of The Motivated Classroom to talk us through how she uses novels in her classroom to motivate and engage beginner language students . As we know from decades of research, reading is a crucial and central element to language acquisition, yet teachers are often unsure how to use reading with beginners. Margarita goes through her favourite low-prep strategies in detail...
Jul 29, 2022•35 min•Season 1Ep. 85
As a follow-up to the interview with Dr. Stephen Krashen , in this episode we look at a very common question among language teachers: Can we use a Comprehensible Input approach or with 'Acquisition Driven Instruction (ADI)' when it comes to intermediate or more advanced learners ? This episode takes a slightly different angle as I demonstrate what CI would look like in my classroom for both beginners and intermediate or advanced students. I hope you find it useful! As always, please keep in touc...
Jul 15, 2022•32 min•Season 1Ep. 84
Professor Emeritus Dr. Stephen Krashen is one of the most important and influential language acquisition researchers in history. His research over 40 years has completely revolutionised our understanding of how languages are acquired. Dr. Krashen has been cited in over 23,000 peer reviewed research journals and has authored more than 560 publications. The ' Input Hypothesis ', which showed us how languages are acquired naturally through comprehensible inputs has had a huge impact on how language...
Jul 01, 2022•46 min•Season 1Ep. 83
The third episode in the mini-series on " Teaching with Comprehensible Input (CI) " is a Q&A episode with some great questions from you wonderful listeners on CI being more inclusive than grammar teaching, what we talk to parents about when we teach with CI and what do we do when students miss lots of inputs through absence. As always, please keep in touch and share widely! Full programme notes are available on www.liamprinter.com/podcast . Follow The Motivated Classroom on Instagram @themot...
Jun 17, 2022•30 min•Season 1Ep. 82
In this second episode in the mini-series on " Teaching with Comprehensible Input (CI) ", we discuss the big debates around CI teaching: Whether it is inherently more inclusive but often perceived as less authentic? What do we even mean by 'authentic' and 'inclusive' in the language classroom in the first place? Join me to find out my take on all this! As always, please keep in touch and share widely! Full programme notes are available on www.liamprinter.com/podcast . Follow The Motivated Classr...
Jun 10, 2022•28 min•Season 1Ep. 81
The first in a five-part series on " Teaching with Comprehensible Input (CI) ", focuses on the obstacles and resistance many of us face in our journey to become more acquisition centred educators. I discuss six of the obstacles I've had in my practice and those I've seen and heard about from other language teachers. As always, please keep in touch and share widely! Full programme notes are available on www.liamprinter.com/podcast . Follow The Motivated Classroom on Instagram @themotivatedclassro...
Jun 03, 2022•31 min•Season 1Ep. 80
In this episode of The Motivated Classroom podcast, Dr. Gianfranco Conti joins us to discuss acquiring languages through 'Extensive Processing Instruction' (EPI) and how it links to motivation and engagement. Gianfranco shares his expertise, experience and the research around the approach as well as many practical classroom activities. An absolute must-listen for languages teachers! As always, please keep in touch and share widely! Full programme notes are available on www.liamprinter.com/podcas...
May 27, 2022•36 min•Season 1Ep. 79
Should we separate our learners by ability ? Setting, streaming or separating by ability is common practice in most schools in some way or form. But is it really best practice? Is there an evidence base to support doing this in our school? In this episode we discuss the research behind separating students by ability or setting and streaming as it is known in the UK. Does it work? Should we keep doing it? Keep in touch and share widely! Full programme notes are available on www.liamprinter.com/po...
May 13, 2022•28 min•Season 1Ep. 78
Sadly, more and more language students around the world are dropping their world language courses as soon as they get the chance. Retaining students in our language programmes is proving more and more challenging. So what can we do about it? How can we increase uptake in our language classes. Many aspects are out of the control of the language teacher. However, what is in our control is our classroom and what strategies, approaches and practices we choose to employ. Keep in touch and share widel...
May 06, 2022•30 min•Season 1Ep. 77
Another question and answer episode, and another set of brilliant questions from the listeners. Should we assess writing or just do formative tasks with no corrections? When should grammatical accuracy take a role in assessment? How much English should we use when students don’t understand the target language? How do we ensure we don't overwhelm beginners ? A huge thank you to all the listeners for the wonderful questions! Keep in touch and share widely! Full programme notes are available on www...
Apr 22, 2022•27 min•Season 1Ep. 76
Following up on the social justice focus in episodes 73 and 74, in this episode the wonderful Ben Tinsley joins The Motivated Classroom podcast to discuss how he centres his entire languages curriculum and classroom around Black, Brown and other marginalised identities and voices. A brilliant episode where Ben explains how he uses a technique called 'Map-Talk' to amplify and uphold diverse regions and peoples from around the world in his classroom. An absolute must-listen for all world languages...
Apr 08, 2022•34 min•Season 1Ep. 75
This episode follows up on the previous episode with Françoise Thenoux about bringing a diversity, equity, inclusion and social justic e lens to our languages curriculum and classroom. We begin to unpack the big questions like "What is education for?" and "What is your languages class for?" in this episode and I provide a few practical ideas for how you can bring a more anti-bias and anti-stereotype lens to your languages classroom. As always, please keep in touch and share widely! Full programm...
Apr 01, 2022•28 min•Season 1Ep. 74
In this episode, the brilliant Françoise Thenoux speaks to us about the inextricable links between language, identity and inclusion. Françoise shares how we can make everyone in our language classroom feel included by ensuring everyone's identity and history is represented. She shares tips and advice about how language teachers can get started on the route to a more diverse and inclusive classroom. A must listen! Keep in touch and share widely! Full programme notes are available on www.liamprint...
Mar 25, 2022•43 min•Season 1Ep. 73
The target language: How much should we use as teachers? When should we use it? How should we use it? The debate around target language use, translation and use of the common language is one that many language acquisition teachers continue to grapple with. In this episode we unpack how and when to use the target language in class! Keep in touch and share widely! Full programme notes are available on www.liamprinter.com/podcast . Follow The Motivated Classroom on Instagram @themotivatedclassroom ...
Mar 11, 2022•23 min•Season 1Ep. 72
In this question and answer episode, we discuss the most motivational and effective ways to start class , how often students should take notes in the language classroom and finally what we can do to build upon co-created class stories . A huge thank you to all the listeners for the wonderful questions! Keep in touch and share widely! Full programme notes are available on www.liamprinter.com/podcast . Follow The Motivated Classroom on Instagram @themotivatedclassroom , Twitter @motclasspodcast an...
Mar 04, 2022•29 min•Season 1Ep. 71
Parent-teacher meetings: A part of every teacher's year but often one that causes anxiety, stress and worry. In this episode I present six, easy, date-focused, steps to apply to your parent-teacher meetings to ensure they are effective and focus on student learning . While this episode highlights strategies that will be of particular use for language acquisition teachers, the steps can easily be applied across all subject areas. Keep in touch and share widely! Full programme notes are available ...
Feb 18, 2022•24 min•Season 1Ep. 70
The last in the three part mini series on professional development and the importance of being an evidence-informed teacher . In this episode I am joined by the inspirational, Jade Pearce . Jade shares the journey her school has been on towards becoming an evidence-informed school and gives us all tips to get started on this path in our own contexts. Jade is a fountain of educational and pedagogical knowledge. You don't want to miss this one! Keep in touch and share widely! Full programme notes ...
Feb 04, 2022•37 min•Season 1Ep. 69
