World Language Classroom

#99 Do you find it time-consuming to create effective communicative activities? We can all feel that way at times.  In this episode, we are talking about how to do this more efficiently.  Hope Anderson, a Spanish instructor in Arizona, joins me to offer suggestions for going about our communicative practices a little more efficiently, while also being quite effective. Something for all of us to le...

#98 How do you find a text, or any kind of reading that you use with your students?  Does it have to be a long piece of text to make sure that students really get something out of it or that you can use as a way for students to engage with the language? Today, Sarah Barrientos Svatos, a Spanish teacher in Spain, joins me to discuss how we can take a short text and turn it into a full lesson that t...

#97 Please take this 3-5 minute feedback survey (mostly multiple choice).  This will provide incredibly valuable information as I move on to the next 100 episodes. This episode is all about you, the World Language Classroom Podcast listener.  As I say at the start of every episode, thank you for taking the time out of your week to listen to me and other teachers discuss topics of language teaching...

#96 Do you have heritage speakers in your language class or perhaps you have full classes of heritage speakers? In this episode, we are talking about how to design and implement curriculum and daily class activities that meet the specific needs of heritage speakers. Courtney Nygaard, who has full classes of heritage speakers in Minnesota, joins me to talk about how she designs her classes and offe...

#95 What is a highlight or takeaway from the first 100 episodes of the World Language Classroom Podcast?  Leave a 20-20 second audio recording HERE .  I hope to include you in episode 100.  If recording your voice isn't your thing, please send me your highlight to include through a DM on Twitter or Instagram . What does curriculum look like in a classroom that puts comprehensible input at the...

#94 What is a highlight or takeaway from the first 100 episodes of the World Language Classroom Podcast?  Leave a 20-20 second audio recording HERE .  I hope to include you in episode 100. How do we choose the input that we use when engaging students in comprehensible input activities?  In this episode, we are talking about the idea of targeted comprehensible input.  Angie Torre, a Spanish teacher...

#93 What is a highlight or takeaway from the first 100 episodes of the World Language Classroom Podcast?  Leave a 20-20 second audio recording HERE .  I hope to include you in episode 100. How do you approach assessment in your language classroom?  Is it about quizzes and tests on particular vocabulary and language structures, or do you focus on students demonstrating what they can do with the Tar...

#92 What is a highlight or takeaway from the first 100 episodes of the World Language Classroom Podcast?  Leave a 20-20 second audio recording HERE .  I hope to include you in episode 100. What classes do you think of when you hear about Critical Thinking Skills? Is this for science, social studies and literature, or is there a place for it in our World Language Classes.  My guest today, Lisa Shep...

#91 Have you heard about, or maybe even used, Story-Listening in your classroom?  I wanted to learn more about this interpretive listening procedure and how it can be used along with interpretive reading.  Margarita Perez Garcia, a Spanish and French teacher and author in Australia, joins me to talk through all the details of Story-Listening. Maybe you have the flexibility and autonomy to go all i...

#90 Have you used a parallel text in your language classroom? Maybe this is a new concept to you, like it was for me, or maybe you could use some new ways of going about it.  Either way, stick around because in this episode, we are talking about using parallel texts. I’m joined by Kaitin Leppert, a Spanish teacher in Wisconsin, who has lots of experience to share around this effective teaching pro...

#89 Have you heard about Stephen Krashen’s Comprehensible Input Hypothesis?  If you’ve heard about CI, or use it in your classroom, then you know exactly what it is. Today, I want to take this a step further and look at making that input compelling or of particular interest to students.  Not only that, but what about making the output, or how students use the language, equally compelling or of spe...

#88 How do we bring the diversity of cultures of the target language into our classrooms?  In this episode, we are talking about how to do just that.  Kia D. London, a Spanish teacher in Chicago, speaks with me about how she brings the afro-latino diaspora to her students in the classroom. Kia has lots to share from how she came to understand and appreciate the diversity of cultures to how she pro...

#87 How can we bring authentic cultural experiences to our students? In this episode, I’m joined by teacher and podcast host Jenniffer Whyte, who speaks with me about her experience as a self-described “Afro-Latina teacher in the Rural South.” She also has a podcast aptly titled Afro-Latina teacher in the Rural South. Jenniffer Whyte tells us about her teaching journey through Florida, Georgia and...

#86 Do you use reading as a source of comprehensible input in your language classroom? In this episode, we dive into the topic of reading with Ashley Mikkelsen, a Spanish teacher in North Dakota, who shares suggestions and ideas for engaging reading activities that you can do right away in your classroom. Ashley has a true passion for making reading fun and interactive for students. So, grab your...

#85 This is the fourth teacher toolbox episode.  I hear from listeners all the time that they like the actionable tips and suggestions for activities that they can use with students next week, or even tomorrow. That usually means effective and beneficial, but somewhat minimal prep.  That’s what I bring you on these Teacher Toolbox episodes.  I have another 4 activities to share with you...plus a b...

#84 Do you use movie or film clips in your classroom?  Allison Wienhold, a Spanish teacher in Iowa, joined me back on episode 30 to talk about using music in the classroom. She left us with so many useful and actionable tips for music that I had to have her back on to share ideas and suggestions for using movies, film clips and other types of visual media. Topics in this Episode: the essential ben...

#83 How do you, your department or school support and integrate students with learning disabilities into your language program? In this episode, we are talking about teaching all students, with a particular focus on students with learning disabilities.  I’m joined by Danja Mahoney, a Latin and Spanish teacher in Massachusetts, who has done extensive research on this topic.  She is here to speak ab...

#82 Could you use a few new ideas to reinvigorate the energy and productivity in your classroom? In this episode, you will get lots of new ideas and suggestions for authentically engaging your students in their language learning.  I’m joined by 2 teachers in New York. Spanish teacher Wendy Mercado and French teacher Valérie Greer. Topics in this Episode: the essential benefits of authentic engagem...

#81 What’s the first thing students do when they enter your classroom and the last thing they do before they leave? In this episode we look at Do Nows and Exit Tickets and how they can be very effective ways of setting up the class for the day and providing quick formative assessments and recaps of the class objectives.  Yes, you’ll hear some reasons that support both, but you’ll also get some qui...

#80 Where would you say that you are on the path toward teaching for proficiency?  In this episode, we look at the Roadmap to Proficiency framework. This is the framework that Devon Gunning (from La Libre Language Learning ) uses as she mentors teachers working toward the goal of teaching with a proficiency objective. Devon joins me today to help us all see where we are on the roadmap with guidanc...

#79 Have you tried a Write and Discuss in your classroom?  Are you hearing about this procedure for the first time?  No worries if it is, because in this episode, Ben Fisher-Rodrigues, a German teacher in Washington, joins me to talk about the benefits and logistics involved in implementing Write and Discuss as part of Comprehension-Based Communicative Language Teaching. Topics in this Episode: Co...

#78 What is culture and how do you engage your students in cultural topics?  In this episode, we are looking at culture, but with a lens of seeing, hearing and tasting so that culture comes alive for students in the classroom.  Allison Perryman, a Spanish teacher in Virginia, joins me to talk us through how she uses the senses to engage students in the diversity of target language cultures. We als...

#77 How often do we stop to reflect on our teaching?  Hopefully we take the time and opportunity to do it regularly so that we are teaching our students as effectively as possible.  In this episode I’m going to talk about reflective practice and how we can use this as language teachers.  I’ll also include a discussion of success criteria and how this can work into our reflective practice.  I know,...

#76 Are you getting the most out of the interpersonal activities that you use in your classroom?   In this episode, THE Meredith White, a Spanish teacher in Georgia, joins me with lots of ideas for interpersonal activities that you can use right away in your classroom.  So many of my guests have mentioned Meredith White and the activities that she shares. I had to get right to the source …So let&a...

#75 In this episode I want to give you a preview of what is coming up this winter and spring on the World Language Classroom Podcast.  The themes I will personally cover as well as the guests and topics that I have lined up to share with all of you.  I am incredibly honored and appreciate each and every guest’s willingness to share with me and the World Language Classroom Podcast community.  Can&a...