The Motivated Classroom

This episode focuses on classroom practice and, in particular, how we can use questions in order to both build connections and to maximise language acquisition. I take you through my favourite strategies in the classroom and those from the research about how to employ questions in the language classroom for maximum gain. Please let me know what you think! Keep in touch and share widely! Full progr...

This third and final episode in the mini-series on Second Language Acquisition (SLA) research and theory. This one looks at Chomsky's concept of Universal Grammar; the idea that we all possess an innate mechanism that allows us to decipher and encode language with ease. In this episode I try to look at both sides of the research on this and also at where the common ground lies. There is, always, l...

This second in a special mini-series on Second Language Acquisition (SLA) explores the Critical Period Hypothesis and language learning. Is there a critical age period for natural, easy, and effortless language acquisition or can anyone achieve success regardless of age? We take a look at various research studies and what the evidence has to say about this key question. Of course, this has major i...

This first episode in a special mini-series on Second Language Acquisition (SLA) focuses on what approach we should use with students who are preparing for a high-stakes test such as entry to university. Is CI enough on its own? We take a look at various aspects and theories of SLA research including the output hypothesis, the interaction hypothesis, the noticing hypothesis and the Input-Interacti...

A special Q&A episode this week with some brilliant questions from the patrons of the podcast. We explore how to keep the motivation high when teaching online , making use of AI tools in the language acquisition class, how long a co-created story should take and how to get started with a free voluntary reading programme and library in class. Please let me know what you think! Keep in touch and...

For the third in the 3-part series on "Story Listening" , I am joined by the wonderful and inspirational Cécile Lainé . After Episode 108 with Dr. Beniko Mason and Alice Ayel, followed by a look at the research in Ep. 109, Cécile now provides the much needed perspective on Story Listening through the eyes of a classroom practitioner. Cécile shares her insights and research on using Story Listening...

Following on from the previous episode on Story Listening with Dr. Beniko Mason and Alice Ayel, and as a preview to Episode 110 with Cécile Lainé on applying Story Listening in the classrom, this episode looks at the research around using storytelling and stories as a core pedagogical approach in our classes. This episode provides an overview of some of the important studies that have been conduct...

This special, extended episode of The #MotivatedClassroom was recorded in 2023 as part of the CIReboot online language teaching conference. Dr. Beniko Mason and Alice Ayel take us through the research and classroom techniques behind the 'Story Listening' approach in the language acquisition classroom. This episode is full of a combination of research and practice with many tips and ideas from 'Sto...

After many emails and requests on the topic, this week's #MotivatedClassroom episode looks at the practicalities of how to go about teaching a class novel in the language acquisition classroom. I go through my 11 step process for beginning and ending the reading of a novel as a class. I use these graded novels in almost every unit and they form the backbone of all of my units! How do you go about...

The third and final part in the three part mini series on how I start the year and work towards a motivated classroom: This episode focuses on how we start the first unit and particularly, how to introduce themes or topics that are potentially a little more serious. I also discuss a variety of comprehensible input techniques and how I try to weave these into the core unit, as well as some strategi...

Part two in the three part mini series on starting the year strong and building a motivated classroom: In this episode we look at what happens in week two of the school year, once we have done the admin tasks in week one and set out some basic routines. Specifically I discuss the first picture talk of the year, the first time we push all the chairs back and focus on intent listening , how we build...

How do you start a new school year? What exactly do you do in the first week or so of classes? How do you set up your class and do the boring admin tasks but keep it motivating ? How do you build motivation among new students? These are some of the most commonly asked questions from patrons and listeners of the Motivated Classroom podcast so in this episode I attempt to answer some of them. I take...

A potentially controversial topic for some listeners but an important one nonetheless: Is Comprehensible Input enough on its own? What about output, grammar and practice ? Is there a role in the language acquisition class for these too? In this episode, I discuss my take on this argument and hopefully provide some thought-provoking questions for everyone to consider as we talk to colleagues who ma...

One of the most frequently asked questions in the month of May is "have you any tips for keeping up the motivation at the end of the year... I'm struggling!". I hear you loud and clear. This episode focuses on how to maintain motivation, for both the students and you as the teacher, right until the end of the school year. I give an overview of some of the activities I have found to keep the motiva...

In this episode, we have the pleasure of listening to renowned expert on multilingualism, Dr. Eowyn Crisfield . Dr. Crisfield shares valuable insights from the research on supporting multilingualism and also helps us to dispel some of the myths around bilingual children. This episode is full of vitally important nuggets of important for all educators, not just language acquisition teachers. A core...

In this episode 100, I am delighted and honoured to be joined by esteemed researcher, psychologist and co-founder of Self-Determination Theory , Dr. Richard Ryan . Dr. Ryan's work has been cited over 510,000 times and his work with Edward Deci on intrinsic motivation and Self-Determination Theory has changed the way educators understand raising motivation in the classroom. Dr. Ryan provides us wit...

This episode features the influential and renowned language learner motivation researcher, Dr. Kimberly Noels . Dr. Noels is a full professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Alberta, Canada where she focuses on motivation and second language acquisition. Dr. Noels provides us with insightful perspectives on the current research around raising intrinsic motivation in the langua...

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 c...

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-engagem...

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...

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 total...

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 incre...

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...

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...

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 lang...