Growing With Proficiency The Podcast

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Growing With Proficiency: The Podcast , I’m joined by three brilliant educators—Donna Tatum-Johns, Justin Slocum Bailey, and Erika Peplinski-Burge—for a real, honest, and insightful conversation straight from the heart of CI Mitten. Together, we answer 6 of the most common questions world language teachers ask, like:  🎯 How can I get my upper-level students to...

Send us Fan Mail ¿Sientes que el fin de año escolar viene lleno de cansancio y falta de energía? 😮‍💨 En este episodio, te comparto dos estructuras que han transformado mis clases en esta época: las estaciones y las rotaciones . Te explico cómo implementarlas paso a paso, qué tipo de actividades funcionan mejor, cómo organizar el tiempo, y cómo usar tu contenido existente (¡sin tener que crear to...

Send us Fan Mail Last week in Episode 139, I shared the 4 biggest takeaways from SCOLT — and today, I’m showing you how those ideas come to life with 4 powerful classroom strategies grounded in Second Language Acquisition (SLA) research. 💡 In this episode, I’m breaking down 4 engaging, easy-to-implement strategies that are already working right now in my classroom — and they might be just what yo...

Send us Fan Mail Have you ever needed a reminder of why this work matters? In this episode, I’m sharing the powerful moments from SCOLT 2025 that filled my teacher heart — and why what we do in the classroom matters just as much as how we make students feel. From hallway conversations to keynote quotes that made me tear up, this episode goes beyond strategies and into the why behind the work. And...

Send us Fan Mail With new regulations restricting what we can and cannot teach, many of us are left wondering: How can we continue to support ALL of our students while creating a safe and inclusive classroom? That’s exactly why I’m re-releasing this episode on the Star Student Interview —one of the most powerful and adaptable strategies for centering students, fostering engagement, and making lang...

Send us Fan Mail 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 de...

Send us Fan Mail As language teachers, supporting and facilitating student output can be both rewarding and challenging. We know how excited students feel when they see what they can write and say in the target language. At the same time, we often view output as evidence of acquisition—yet that’s not necessarily the case. Many times, students' output does not align with our expectations, lead...

Send us Fan Mail ¿Cómo representamos a la mujer en nuestra clase de español? ¿Qué historias contamos y qué estereotipos perpetuamos sin darnos cuenta? En este episodio especial por el Mes de la Historia de la Mujer , conversamos con Adriana Ramírez y Margarita Pérez García sobre la representación de la mujer en los materiales educativos y cómo podemos construir un currículo más inclusivo y auténti...

Send us Fan Mail Are you on the lookout for effective strategies to enhance engagement in your world language classes? Join us in this episode as we explore the power of incorporating music into language learning with Justin from Spanish Plans. We delve into March Madness, a dynamic approach to using music that has significantly boosted student interest and participation in Spanish classes. March...

Send us Fan Mail Have you ever felt like you’re running low on energy in your classroom? Maybe you’ve been wondering how to bring more movement, engagement, and joy into your lessons. In this special episode, I’m sharing my biggest takeaways from the Growing With Proficiency Winter Conference ! This is Part 1 of a two-part series, and today, we’re diving into Brain Breaks, Map Talk, and Bringing S...

Send us Fan Mail February can be tough. We’re not just physically exhausted—we’re emotionally drained. The weight of our classrooms, our students, and everything happening in our communities can make us lose sight of what truly matters in language teaching. That’s why I’m bringing back this incredible conversation with Dr. Bill VanPatten. When we’re running on empty, it’s easy to forget the founda...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Growing With Proficiency: The Podcast , I’m joined by the incredible Laurie Clarcq and Michele Whaley, the pioneers of Embedded Reading, to explore how this powerful strategy can transform language learning and boost student confidence in reading. Together, we break down the step-by-step process of Embedded Reading and discuss how it helps language learners of a...

Send us Fan Mail En este episodio de Growing With Proficiency, The Podcast , nos acompaña Kodi Rain, docente de español y coautor de Los viernes de películas , para conversar sobre cómo podemos crear un entorno de aprendizaje seguro para nuestro alumnado. Hablamos sobre estrategias para fomentar la inclusión en nuestras clases, asegurándonos de que el contenido y las interacciones reflejen la dive...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Growing With Proficiency: The Podcast , I’m joined by the amazing Cécile Lainé to explore how to build cultural and intercultural competence in language classrooms —especially at the novice level. Together, we discuss practical strategies to move beyond surface-level cultural facts and create meaningful, authentic opportunities for students to connect with the w...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Growing With Proficiency The Podcast , I sit down with the incredible Maris Hawkins to unpack the 2024 ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines. These updated guidelines offer teachers a clearer and more actionable framework to understand and support students’ language development.  From the introduction of the FACT framework to the inclusion of sociocultural awareness and...

Send us Fan Mail Have you ever felt disengaged or disconnected from your passion for teaching? In this episode of Growing With Proficiency: The Podcast , Claudia Elliott invites outstanding Spanish teacher Mirna Deakle to share her journey of finding her authentic voice in the classroom.  Mirna opens up about how she overcame burnout by centering her curriculum on culturally rich content and indig...

Send us Fan Mail How can we ensure that students not only talk but also listen to each other in group and pair activities, fostering a vibrant classroom discourse community? In this episode, we talk about a crucial aspect of building a classroom discourse community — not just encouraging students to speak but also to listen attentively to one another during group and pair work. While our last epis...

Send us Fan Mail ¿Sientes que el compromiso de tus estudiantes no es el que esperabas? ¿Notas fatiga tanto en ellos como en ti cuando utilizas las mismas estrategias una y otra vez? En este episodio, te comparto cómo usar tres diferentes estructuras de instrucción para mantener a los estudiantes más comprometidos y participativos. Descubre cómo alternar entre instrucción colectiva, en grupos peque...

Send us Fan Mail Start the year grounded in what truly matters. In this episode, I’m sharing my first-day-back lesson plan that focuses on my three pillars: staying comprehensible, building connections, and fostering communication. These pillars keep us centered on our ultimate goal: facilitating meaningful language acquisition while creating a classroom where students feel seen and inspired. It’s...

Send us Fan Mail What if we recognized language learners as linguistically gifted individuals , rich in stories, knowledge, and potential? In this powerful conversation, Juliana Urtubey, 2021 U.S. Teacher of the Year, shares her inspiring framework of Joy and Justice in Education. Rooted in her experience as a bilingual special education teacher, Juliana offers practical ways to recognize students...

Send us Fan Mail As the school year wraps up, there’s no better time to reflect—not just on what we think worked, but on how students experienced our class . In this episode of Growing With Proficiency: The Podcast , I’m sharing how I use end-of-year surveys to gather meaningful feedback that helps me adjust my teaching and better meet my students’ needs. I’ll walk you through key survey questions...

Send us Fan Mail Are your students tuning out as the school year winds down? Keeping students focused during the last weeks of school can feel like an impossible task. But what if you could turn this tricky time into a fun, engaging learning experience—without burning yourself out? In this episode, I’m sharing 3 powerful strategies that will keep your students active, learning, and excited to part...

Send us Fan Mail What if you could easily add more reading to your classroom to support language acquisition and cultural competence without overwhelming yourself with extra work? Research shows that reading is one of the most effective ways for students to grow in proficiency. So, how can we make time for it in our busy classes? In today’s episode, we dive deep into Silent Sustained Reading (SSR)...

Send us Fan Mail Este episodio fue lanzado el año pasado y se convirtió en uno de los favoritos de nuestra audiencia. Hoy lo traemos de vuelta porque cada vez es más claro: la sostenibilidad de nuestras estrategias es clave para mantenernos motivados y eficaces en el aula. 🎯 En este episodio, descubrirás tres claves esenciales para transformar tus clases en espacios más dinámicos y sostenibles, s...

Send us Fan Mail Are we reading enough in our classes to truly support language acquisition? Research says reading is the most effective way for students to grow in proficiency and cultural competence. But, how can we add more reading without feeling overwhelmed by extra work?   In this episode, we share five practical and easy-to-implement strategies to make reading a central part of your class....