The Motivated Classroom

Almost all SLA researchers agree on one core point: Comprehensible input is necessary for language acquisition... but, there is now widespread agreement that in a school environment, that input must also be compelling, interesting and engaging . Comprehensible alone is not enough to hold our students' short attention spans in the current busy classroom - the input needs a narrative arc to engage o...

In this episode I am joined by the wonderful author and educator, Kodi Rain . We had a great conversation about belonging, representation and identity affirming teaching practices; with a particular focus on gender-inclusive language in the classroom. A perfect listen in this  ⁠#Pride⁠  Month. Full programme notes are available on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.liamprinter.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

For over five years, this podcast has advocated for an approach to language teaching centred around compelling, comprehensible input to unlock natural language acquisition and simultaneously increase student and teacher motivation? But is input alone really enough? I first talked about this back in Episode 103 in 2023. In this episode I unpack and discuss my how view has shifted over the years bas...

Instructional Coaching: A highly effective and impactful method of professional development for teachers where they work 1-on-1 with a coach to focus on tiny tweaks to their practice based on evidence-informed insights. This episode follows up on episode 120 and focuses entirely on 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 from three separate but connected perspectives: Nick Pointer who was training our team of coac...

How do we keep advanced language learners motivated and how do we meaningfully use a CI approach at higher levels ? In this episode, we explore the expert-reversal effect and what it means for sustaining input, autonomy and progress as students become more experienced language users. I unpack how we can adjust our practice so that input remains compelling, challenging and supportive of continued a...

Principle Six of Six for a Motivated Year in the 'Back to School' series: Principle 6: Secure attention and running routines The final episode in our six part series of principles for a motivated language classroom. In this last principle we focus on running routines in class and how we secure attention . I take you through my favourite and most used classroom routines, why they work well in my co...

Principle Five of Six for a Motivated Year in the 'Back to School' series: Principle 5: The CI Class Yearbook This episode builds on the previous principles about effective pairwork and input in 5-minute blocks by taking it further and each student having a notebook where every student in the class gets a page . Students write matching bullet points in pairs , filling in each person's page gradual...

Principle Four of Six for a Motivated Year in the 'Back to School' series: Principle 4: Effective pairs This episode is all about maximising the effectiveness of pair work in class by setting students up for multiple small wins, using scaffolded and psychologically safe output tasks in groups of two. You'll learn about: - Rotating pairs - Changing seating plan - Turn and talk versus pair discussio...

Principle Three of Six for a Motivated Year in the 'Back to School' series: - Principle 3: Five-minute input blocks In this episode you'll learn about how we limiting our listening input to 5-minute blocks relates to:🧠 Cognitive Load Theory 🎯 The Four Types of Engagement 👂 Maximising acquisition with Intent Listening 🌀 The Zeigarnik–Ovsiankina Effect 🧘‍♀️ Brain & Body Breaks 📥 Input ➡️ P...

Principle Two of Six for a Motivated Year in the 'Back to School' series: Principle 2: The Motivation-Acquisition Balance This episode is full of practical, research-informed tips to help you: ✅ Give the right input for acquisition ✅ Use output to boost motivation ✅ Create powerful student interaction ✅ Build learner confidence ✅ Light that language-learning 🔥 ✅ Grow future fluent speakers...

Principle One of Six for a Motivated Year in the 'Back to School' series: 1. Aligning a CI approach to your curriculum In this episode we lay the foundations for a motivated year in your language classroom by ensuring our curriculum aligns with a CI and comprehension-based approach in our practice. It is all well and good having loads of great CI strategies up your sleeve but for those of us who t...

The first in a Seven-part 'Back to School' series where I break down my Keynote speech from the Agen Conference 2025 on: Getting the Acquisition-Motivation balance right. In episode 129 I provide an overview of the six principles for a motivated language classroom this year: Aligning a CI approach to your curriculum The Acquisition-Motivation balance The 5 minute block principle Effective pairs to...

Almost a year after our first conversation for episode 127, Jonathan is back in the studio for Part Two of his 2-part series focusing on what he learned from six weeks of observing teachers in three countries using a CI and acquisition approach. In this episode, Jonny hones in how he translated all the things he learned about CI into his classroom practice in his school in Scotland. Another absolu...

In this episode I am joined by the wonderful, Jonathan McBride, for Part one of a two-part special series. Jonny and I met at The Agen Workshop in 2023. He teaches German and French in a state school in Scotland and he secured funding to go and spend six weeks watching three different CI teachers in three different countries in 2024: Me (Liam Printer) in Switzerland, Adriana Ramirez in Canada and...

Episode 126 is all about Turn and Talk: A classic activity we all do in our classrooms to encourage student discussion, participation and idea generation... but, it can sometimes fall flat, or kids end up speaking about something else entirely or we don't get that engagement we are looking for. In this episode I take youe through a few tiny tweaks and ideas for this strategy to make it more motiva...

I had the pleasure of being joined on this episode by esteemed Åsta Haukås, a professor of language education at the University of Bergen, Norway. Her research focuses on improving students' ability to learn multiple languages and supporting language teachers' motivation and professional development. It was great to learn from Prof. Haukås about language teacher motivation and how we can support i...

In this special, extended, episode I am joined by the wonderful Tina Abour and Grant Boulanger to discuss how a CI approach can boost motivation, acquisition and inclusion in our classrooms. Tina and Grant provide us with their perspective on teaching with a CI approach in the US and Europe whilst also sharing lots of excellent practical strategies you can use in your classroom right away. A truly...

This episode on behaviour comes with a big caveat. I realise completely that behaviour and classroom management looks very different in each of our different contexts. This episode centres around the educational psychology of behaviour, motivation and social norms. I am fortunate to work in a fantastic school with great students and in this episode I share some of the strategies that have worked b...

In this special podcast collaboration episode, Claudia Elliott and I discuss the importance of community and connections for communication in the language acquisition classroom. Claudia hosts the excellent ⁠ Growing with Proficiency ⁠ podcast and she had some wonderful insights to share including lots of easy-to-implement stategies to boost engagement and motivation in the languages classroom. Ple...

It is August, so that must mean The Motivated Classroom is back with it's start of the school year special. In this episode I give my Top Nine low-prep ideas and strategies for a motivated year. It could easily have been 29 and not nine, but these are the absolute essentials in order to allow both motivation and acquisition to flourish in your languages classroom this year! As always, this is just...

Much of professional development is useful, thought-provoking, interesting and even impactful.. but does it actually result in any changes in our practice or indeed on student's learning ? Research suggests that most of it, sadly, does not. In this episode we explore an alternative type of practice-focused professional development called Instructional Coaching. As I start my role as an instruction...

After many questions about what the dreaded oral exams look like in my classroom and in my context, I've decided to do an entire episode on just that topic! Most of us work in systems where they are a mandatory part of student assessment. So how can we make them more motivating and less scary whilst also ensuring they take the least amount of learning time possible. As always, this is just my take...

Leading on from recent episodes on raising positive emotions in the languages classroom, I am delighted to be joined by the inspirational educator, La Maestra Loca , in this episode. Annabelle talks to us about how to use a CI approach in order to build a sense of belonging, joy and happiness in the languages classroom. She also provides us with some brilliant, easy to implement, brain breaks that...

Part Two of the series focusing on my recent research on how using co-created stories in the language acquisition class can foster happiness, joy and other positive emotions in the classroom. In this second part of the study, we look in detail at the methodology and findings. Please let me know what you think! Keep in touch and share widely! Full programme notes are available on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ww...

This first in a mini-series on the importance of positive emotions in the language acquisition classroom. This episode introduces my recent research study on how using co-created stories in the class can help to foster happiness, joy and interest in the language classroom. Next week's episode looks more at the methodology and findings of the study. Please let me know what you think! Keep in touch...