Comprehend THIS!

Student feedback, CI teaching, and classroom engagement collide in this brutally honest, funny, and relatable episode for world language teachers featuring Jackie Deming-Plunk and Karla McCann, a French teacher and native Spanish speaker who has cracked the code on language acquisition, high-frequency vocabulary, reading strategies, story-telling, and curriculum design. Take the free CI Proficienc...

CI teacher burnout is real, messy, and wildly relatable, especially when you’re trying to stay comprehensible while running on caffeine and sheer force of will. Before you dive in, take the CI Proficiency Quiz and find out your actual CI level (no judgment, promise) at https://imim.us/ciquiz . In this episode, we’re tackling the emotional chaos of CI burnout with a good dose of humor, some painful...

Piedad Gutiérrez, a veteran Spanish teacher and CI consultant now teaching in Israel, shares her inspiring journey from grammar-heavy lessons to joyful, story-based communication through Comprehensible Input. Want ready-to-use CI lessons, stories, and activities that make language learning effortless? Grab the CI Survival Kit today at https://imim.us/kit and start transforming your classroom with...

Feeling like a fraud in your CI classroom? You’re not alone — welcome to CI Impostor Syndrome. Take the CI Proficiency Quiz and see where you stand on the CI journey: https://imim.us/ciquiz In this hilarious and brutally honest episode, Scott sits down with Monique Francis and Peter Riehl to talk about why even experienced teachers question themselves, how to stop comparing your chaos to others’ p...

Ever tried staying comprehensible while teaching that class — the one fueled by chaos, sarcasm, and an Olympic-level side-eye game? Yeah, this one’s for you. 🎯 Ready to see how your CI skills stack up? Take the CI Proficiency Quiz and find out your level at https://imim.us/ciquiz. You might surprise yourself… or confirm everything you’ve suspected since last Tuesday’s fire drill. In this solo epi...

When it comes to Comprehensible Input teaching , nothing beats real teachers sharing real classroom takeaways — from epic CI wins to wild “this actually works!” moments. 🎒 Ready to level up your CI game? Grab the CI Survival Kit , now with Ask-a-Story Slides in French, German, and Spanish — your monthly lifeline for fresh, ready-to-teach CI lessons and ideas: https://imim.us/kit In this episode o...

Comprehensible Input isn’t just about language—it’s about equity , access, and giving every student a fair shot at success in your classroom. 🎯 Take our free CI Proficiency Quiz and find out your Comprehensible Input teaching level at https://imim.us/ciquiz . In this episode of Comprehend THIS! we’re diving into Equity & CI: Why This Matters with two powerhouse guests — Adriana Ramírez and Ja...

Struggling with CI teacher burnout? Learn how to stay sustainable with Comprehensible Input strategies that actually work. 👉 Grab your free CI Survival Kit here: https://imim.us/survival In this episode of Comprehend THIS! , Scott Benedict sits down with guests Tracey Collazos and David Rice to talk honestly about the not-so-magical side of teaching with CI: burnout. From the early mistakes that...

Discover how Spanish teacher David Rice transformed his classroom with Comprehensible Input (CI) and made proficiency feel achievable for every student. 👉 Want ready-to-use strategies, lesson plans, and tools for YOUR classroom? Grab the CI Survival Kit here: https://imim.us/survival The CI Story Series highlights everyday language teachers who have embraced CI and changed the way their students...

Tired of grading overload? Discover how to make assessment in the world language classroom stress-free, proficiency-based, and actually useful for students with guests Andy Dykema and Pat Rolfes. 🎒 Want more sanity-saving tools? Grab the CI Survival Kit here: https://imim.us/survival In this episode of Comprehend THIS!, we dive into “Assessment Without the Headache” with Andy Dykema and Pat Rolfe...

When your department side-eyes your comprehensible input teaching, it can feel isolating—this episode shares real strategies, survival tips, and encouragement for CI teachers. 🎁 Grab your free CI Survival Kit here: https://imim.us/survival — your go-to resource for staying confident and effective with comprehensible input in the classroom. In this episode of Comprehend THIS! , we sit down with Ja...

Ever wonder what to do when your students just won’t talk in your world language classroom? 👉 Take our free CI Proficiency Quiz and assess your CI Proficiency Level here: https://imim.us/ciquiz In this episode of Comprehend THIS! , we dive into the universal teacher struggle: student silence. You’ll learn why forcing output usually backfires, how to build student confidence through comprehensible...

Discover how veteran ELL teacher Vicki Schrader transformed her classroom from grammar-heavy to fully Comprehensible Input (CI) and published four CI novels along the way. Get your monthly lifeline of ready-to-use CI lessons, activities, and assessments with the CI Survival Kit: https://imim.us/survival In this inspiring CI Story episode, Vicki Schrader shares her journey from textbook-driven teac...

Discover why reading is the secret weapon for language teachers using Comprehensible Input, with insights from A.C. Quintero and Pat Rolfes. 📦 Want ready-to-use CI lesson plans, activities, and strategies? Grab the CI Survival Kit here: https://imim.us/survival In this episode of Comprehend THIS! , we’re joined by A.C. Quintero (teacher & author) and Pat Rolfes (teacher & reluctant-reader...

Master zero-prep CI activities and emergency teaching strategies to save your language lessons when you have absolutely no time to plan. 🎯 Take our CI Proficiency Quiz and assess your CI Proficiency Level: https://imim.us/ciquiz In this episode, we share our favorite no-prep CI activities, quick fixes, and teacher survival moves for those inevitable “oops, I need something NOW” moments. You’ll he...

Discover how to teach grammar in a CI classroom without boring drills or endless worksheets in this episode of Comprehend THIS! featuring Spanish teacher Chelsea Woodruff and French teacher Tara Ellsley. 🎯 Take our CI Proficiency Quiz and find out your CI Proficiency Level now: https://imim.us/ciquiz In Episode 3, No Grammar Drills, No Cry , we tackle the age-old question: how do you handle gramm...

Curious about how real teachers survive (and sometimes totally fail at) using Comprehensible Input? This episode delivers hilarious stories, first wins, and must-try strategies for your CI classroom. 🎉 Ready to kick off the year with clarity and confidence? Join our Back-to-School Bootcamp and get practical, CI-friendly tools to start strong: https://imim.us/bootcamp In this episode of Comprehend...

If you’ve ever wondered how language teachers survive the messy switch to comprehensible input, this episode is your new teacher therapy. Ready to level up your teaching this year? Join our Back-to-School Bootcamp for practical CI strategies, fresh ideas, and real talk: https://imim.us/bootcamp In Episode 1, How I Fell Into CI (and Survived) , I’m joined by Jodi Dinsmore and Paulino Brener as we s...

Welcome to Comprehend THIS! , the podcast for language teachers who are tired of the same old textbook chatter and want the real talk instead. Every episode is like pulling up a chair in the copy room or leaning on the hallway wall at your favorite conference — except it’s not awkward, the coffee’s better (yours, not mine), and nobody’s grading you. Host Scott Benedict sits down with 1–2 guests —...

D’Lisa McBride’s CI journey proves that teaching multiple languages—English, German, Italian, and Spanish—can be simple, effective, and engaging with comprehension-based methods! 🚀 Want to level up your CI teaching this summer? Join us at CI Summer Camp for hands-on training, expert insights, and a supportive community of like-minded teachers! Sign up now at https://imim.us/summercamp ! Our CI St...

Meet Tracey Collazos, a dedicated French and Spanish teacher, and discover how she transformed her classroom with Comprehensible Input (CI)—making language learning easier, more engaging, and truly effective! 🔥 Want to level up your CI teaching this summer? Join CI Summer Camp for practical strategies, expert guidance, and a supportive community! Sign up now: https://imim.us/summercamp 🌍 Our CI...

Experience how Gregory Schwab, a passionate Spanish teacher, transformed his classroom using comprehension-based methods and see how you can too! 👉 Ready to revolutionize your teaching? Join us at COMPREHENDED! 2025, the ultimate CI-based conference designed for world language teachers. Explore sessions from top educators and gain tools to elevate your classroom. Register now at https://imim.us/c...

Lynne Hendrick, a dedicated German teacher, shares her incredible journey of transforming her classroom with comprehension-based teaching strategies. 👉 Take your teaching to the next level! Join us at COMPREHENDED! 2025: https://comprehended.co/register . CI Stories is a live interview series that spotlights the real-life journeys of language teachers embracing comprehension-based methods. Each e...

Discover how Greg Gross, a passionate Spanish teacher, revolutionized his classroom with comprehension-based methods in our CI Story Series! 🌟 Ready to level up your teaching? Join us at the COMPREHENDED! 2025 conference! Explore CI-based sessions, gain actionable insights, and transform your classroom. Register now at https://comprehended.co ! Our CI Story Series highlights real-world language e...

Nicole KleinRichter, a dedicated Spanish teacher, shares her inspiring journey of transforming her classroom with comprehension-based teaching strategies. 👉 Ready to revolutionize your teaching? Join us at COMPREHENDED! 2025: https://comprehended.co/register . CI Stories is a live interview series that highlights the real-life experiences of language teachers who have embraced comprehension-based...