Author Archives: jos76

205: Revisit Confidence in Speaking and Making Language Comprehensible

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This is episode 1 in my 2025 summer headspace series. This is a chance to revisit episodes from the previous school year during the summer months when you may have a little extra time. Beginning August 26th, you will see new episodes with exciting new topics every Monday. For today we take a look back at 2 of the high leverage teaching practices. Episode 160 about creating a classroom where students use the target language confidently and 162 about making language comprehensible.

Episodes:

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204: Get into Your 2025 Summer Headspace

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Now that the school year is over hopefully you have a little less on your mind and have a little extra time. This is the perfect time to get into your summer headspace.  What do I mean by that?  You’ll soon understand.  

  • What do I mean by “Summer Headspace?”
    • Time to reflect without other pressing priorities and issues.
    • Clear head.
    • Opportunity to revisit themes and episodes with a fresh lens.  
    • Maybe something has come up since you first listened?
    • You catch something new.
    • Finish an episode that you started.
    • Listen to an episode for the first time.
    • Group episodes by theme so that you can listen to them together.
  • How will the episodes work?
    • 5 minute recap and revisit, pull the themes together
    • links to episodes will be in the show notes
  • 6 Summer Headspace Episodes.  New episode on August 25, 2025. 
  • The first SHS episode will be out next Monday, July 14th.

Work with Joshua either in person or remotely.

Teachers want to hear from you and what you are proud of in your classroom.
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203: Black History & Hispanic Heritage in Language Curriculum with Jenniffer Whyte

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What do we mean when we talk about representation in the classroom? More specifically representation in our language classrooms?  How can we make sure that our students understand the variety of cultures and experiences that are part of the target language culture?  In this episode, Jenniffer Whyte joins me to talk about bringing the Afro-Latinx and Black heritage into our classroom curriculum. You will walk away with concrete ways to go about this and might even be ready to put together an all-school event or assembly at no cost.  Jenniffer tells us all about how she does it.

Topics in this Episode:

  •  resources or materials that teachers can use to ensure Black and Afro-Latinx voices are authentically included in their curriculum
  • how teachers can introduce these topics in ways that foster curiosity and meaningful discussions
  • effective strategies for introducing Black history and culture to younger students in an engaging and age-appropriate way
  • details about Jenniffer’s whole-school Black History and Hispanic Heritage programs with no budget, including creative ways teachers can do the same in their own schools
  • moving beyond only celebrating Black History and Hispanic Heritage during designated month with concrete ways teachers can weave these histories and contributions into their world language curriculum year-round

Connect with Jenniffer Whyte:

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Posted in Cultural Exploration, Podcast Episodes

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202: Planning and Teaching for Proficiency

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I want to make sure that you start your new school in the fall with a clear framework for planning and teaching for proficiency. I created a free reflection and planning tool that will guide you as you create a classroom that prioritizes what students can do with language. In this episode I will tell you all about it and point you to where you can get yours today.

Planning & Teaching for Proficiency: A Guide for Language Teachers

Topics in this Episode:

  • By focusing on performance, proficiency, communication, and authentic language use, you can support students on this journey to using the target language authentically and communicatively. 
  • I created a guide to support your planning and teaching that focuses on performance in the classroom and eventually increased target language proficiency when they are using the language in authentic, real-world situations.
  • Each section highlights essential components that support confidence and proficiency growth. You’ll also see actionable steps that you can take right away:
    • Purposeful Planning
    • Comprehensible Input & Student Output
    •  Meaningful Tasks & Relevant Practice
    • Assessment & Feedback
    • Professional Reflection & Collaboration
    • Common Challenges in Proficiency-Focused Classrooms
    • Next Steps and Your Action Plan

Work with Joshua either in person or remotely.

Teachers want to hear from you and what you are proud of in your classroom.
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Posted in Podcast Episodes, Teaching Methodology and Research

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201: Ideas to Get Students Speaking More with Sherry Sebesta

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Do you have some go-to activities to motivate your students to speak and engage with the target language in your classroom?  Are you always on the lookout for activities and routines to add to your list of possibilities? In this episode, I speak with Sherry Sebesta, a French and Spanish teacher in New York. Sherry shares suggestions for getting your students speaking the target language more regularly and confidently. You’ll go away with several new things to try out right away.

Topics in this Episode:

  •  Sherry’s goals for language students and how speaking activities work into this
  • how teachers can create a classroom environment that reduces students’ fear of making mistakes and promotes more speaking
  • activities to encourage students to speak more in the target language
  • examples where Sherry’s strategies have increased student speaking confidence and participation in class
  • practical steps to implement Sherry’s speaking activities and ideas in the classroom

Connect with Sherry Sebesta

Work with Joshua either in person or remotely.

Teachers want to hear from you and what you are proud of in your classroom.
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200: Tips for Common Challenges in Proficiency-Based Classrooms

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How do you feel about the CI strategies, proficiency-based procedures or communicative language teaching that you do in your classroom?  You hear a lot about it, either on this podcast, from colleagues or on social media.  Lots of good stuff. But, do you sometimes feel like it seems like it’s always smooth sailing with no challenges in other classrooms while you definitely have them in your own classroom?  Well, me too.  We all have them.  In this episode I will address some of these common challenges with practical solutions to help navigate them.

Topics in this Episode:

  • Implementing comprehensible input (CI) strategies in a proficiency-based language classroom comes with its challenges at times.  
  • With proactive planning we can create an engaging and effective learning environment for all students.
  • Common obstacles and practical solutions to help you navigate them.
    • Different Proficiency Levels
    • Large Class Sizes
    • Student Resistance
    • Time Constraints
    • Assessment and Accountability
    • Classroom Management
  • Blog post on Common Challenges in Proficiency-Based Classrooms

Work with Joshua either in person or remotely.

Teachers want to hear from you and what you are proud of in your classroom.
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199: Celebrating Identity and Dialects in Heritage Classes with Courtney Nygaard

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How can celebrating identity and dialects transform the experience of language learners? In this episode I’m joined by Courtney Nygaard, a teacher of heritage Spanish speakers in Minnesota.  Courtney shares how she honors and values her students’ identities as a way to build confidence, connection, and community in the classroom. We talk about practical strategies for embracing dialectal differences, navigating varied proficiency levels, and fostering a space where all students feel seen and valued. Whether you teach a heritage class or not, this conversation will inspire you to make your classroom a place where every student and experience is valued.

Topics in this Episode:

  •  importance of celebrating identity and dialects in language classes
  • strategies or activities you can use to acknowledge and honor the diverse identities and dialects of your students
  • challenges that might arise when students speak different dialects or have varying levels of proficiency in the heritage language
  • Courtney’s success stories and examples where celebrating identity and dialects positively impacted her students’ learning and engagement?
  • for teachers who don’t have heritage classes, how you can create an inclusive and supportive environment that respects and celebrates the linguistic diversity of your students
  • Episode 96: Teaching Heritage Language Learners with Courtney Nygaard

Connect with Courtney Nygaard:

Work with Joshua either in person or remotely.

Teachers want to hear from you and what you are proud of in your classroom.
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Posted in Classroom Procedures, Cultural Exploration, Podcast Episodes

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Planning & Teaching for Proficiency: A Guide for Language Teachers

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This reflection and planning tool will guide you as you create a classroom that prioritizes what students can do with language. By focusing on performance, proficiency, communication, and authentic language use, you can support students as they develop into confident communicators, not just language learners.

Each section highlights essential components that support confidence and proficiency growth. You’ll also see actionable steps that you can take right away.

Topics include:

  • Purposeful Planning
  • Comprehensible Input & Student Output
  • Meaningful Tasks & Relevant Practice
  • Assessment & Feedback
  • Professional Reflection & Collaboration
  • Common Challenges in Proficiency-Focused Classrooms

GET YOUR FREE GUIDE HERE.

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198: Engaging Routines in the Language Classroom with Tia Parnell

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How can simple, consistent routines create a classroom where students communicate confidently in the target language every day?  In this episode we look at how effective routines lead to successful classrooms. I’m joined by Tia Parnell, a French teacher in Ontario, Canada. Tia shares practical insight into how routines can create structure, boost engagement, and support meaningful language use. Everything from warm-ups and transitions to handling interruptions.

Topics in this Episode:

  • routines as the backbone of the classroom the key elements that make a classroom routine both simple and effective
  • morning routines that work particularly well in a world language classroom to set the tone for meaningful language use
  • transitions how do you help students smoothly shift between activities while keeping them engaged in language learning?
  • how to maintain structure when unexpected events disrupt routines, and strategies to help students reset and refocus
  • advice for establishing consistent routines to support teachers starting strong and maintaining

Connect with Tia Parnell

Work with Joshua either in person or remotely.

Teachers want to hear from you and what you are proud of in your classroom.
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197: Why & How to Do a Write and Discuss

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Have you heard of a Write and Discuss or have you tried it in your classroom. If you’ve done it, you know how useful and beneficial it is for students and yourself as the teacher. If this is new to you, in this episode you’ll hear about an incredibly useful collaborative writing activity that you can do with your students right away. No preparation needed. If this is not new to you, stick around. You’ll also hear some tips and new ways that will help to make your Write and Discuss even more effective in your classroom

Topics in this Episode:

  • Write and Discuss is a guided writing activity after a shared class experience (like a story, picture talk, reading, or discussion).
  • The teacher writes a summary or retelling of the event on the board or screen with student input.
  • Why the Write and Discuss is so useful.
  • How to do a Write and Discuss with specific steps.
  • Examples of a Write and Discuss at novice and intermediate proficiency levels.
  • Follow-up activities once you have the co-created text.
  • Using the Write and Discuss text to teach grammar using the PACE model.
  • Tips and what to avoid when doing a Write and Discuss.
  • Blog post on Write and Discuss

Work with Joshua either in person or remotely.

Teachers want to hear from you and what you are proud of in your classroom.
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