Category Archives: Podcast Episodes

135: Pacing Your Lessons with Fadi Aboughoush

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In this episode, we talk about pacing in our language classrooms.  How do we determine the amount of time that students should spend on particular activities? Part of this involves when and how to use Brain Breaks.  Fadi Aboughoush, an Arabic teacher in Chicago, has a wealth of information and ideas on this topic.

Topics include:

  • class structure and pacing and why it is important to plan in advance, rather than just seeing where things go
  • how long we should spend on activities in the various modes and signs of it being time to move on or take a break
  • the purpose of brain breaks
  • do we need to change activities after a Brain Break, or can we return to the previous activity?
  • what makes a brain break effective
  • useful brain breaks that we can try right away.
  • Wheel Decide

Connect with Fadi Aboughoush:

Work with Joshua either in person or remotely.

Teachers want to hear from you and what you are proud of in your classroom.
Join me as a guest on the podcast.

You  can also be a part of Leveling Up coaching episode if there is an area of your teaching that you like to improve or enhance.  Join me on the podcast for a Leveling Up Coaching Episode.  

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134: Engaging Speaking Activities for Language Growth

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Are your speaking activities as communicative as they could be? Are students creating language spontaneously? Today’s episode is a Leveling Up episode, where I coach Stephanie, a Spanish teacher in New Hampshire. Creating speaking activities that allow students to create language on their own is the area where wants to level up her teaching practice. So let’s start the conversation. 

Suggestions:

  • Make sure that not only the input is compelling, but the output as well. How Interested are students in how they use the language?
  • Make topics and themes compelling with cultural exploration, differentiated tasks, role-plays, simulations, think/pair/share, quiz/quiz/trade 
  • Use Chat Mats as a Scaffolding Tool with vocabulary support, sentence starters, and visual prompts

Action Plan:

This Week:

  • Develop chat mats with vocabulary support, sentence starters, and visual prompts for a specific speaking activity on a cultural topic. 

The Coming Weeks:

  • Discover new ways of making the output compelling (how students are using the language)
  • Plan a group discussion session centered around a cultural aspect of the target language.

Helpful Podcast Episodes on This Topic:

Helpful Blog Posts on This Topic:

Additional Tools: 

You  can also be a part of Leveling Up coaching episode if there is an area of your teaching that you like to improve or enhance.  Join me on the podcast for a Leveling Up Coaching Episode.  

Work with Joshua either in person or remotely.

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Posted in Classroom Procedures, Podcast Episodes, Speaking

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133: The Deep Connection of Language and Culture with Rabbi Daniel Atwood

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How much do you connect the language that you teach with the culture where that language is used? Today, Rabbi Daniel Atwood, a Hebrew teacher in Chicago, joins me to explore this idea in depth.  We look at how he teaches a language that is deeply connected to a faith tradition and how he brings this to life in his classroom.…So let’s jump in. 

Topics in this Episode:

  • how Danial introduce Hebrew script to learners and helps them overcome any apprehensions they might have about learning a new writing system
  •  incorporating elements of culture, history, and religious traditions into language lessons
  • creating an immersive environment in your classroom, virtually or physically, that allows students to explore and appreciate culture
  • navigating the potential religious sensitivities of certain topics or materials while still fostering an inclusive and diverse learning environment

Connect with Rabbi Daniel Atwood :

Work with Joshua either in person or remotely.

Teachers want to hear from you and what you are proud of in your classroom.
Join me as a guest on the podcast.

You  can also be a part of Leveling Up coaching episode if there is an area of your teaching that you like to improve or enhance.  Join me on the podcast for a Leveling Up Coaching Episode.  

Follow wherever you listen to podcasts.

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Posted in Cultural Exploration, Podcast Episodes

132: Teacher Toolbox Episode (Vol 6)

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This is the 6th 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 lots to share with you, so let’s jump in.

Topics in this Episode:

  • Be like a museum curator
  • A framework for bringing together activities and procedures in a meaningful way
  • Combining 4 activities previously discussed on the podcast in an interconnected way that creates an engaging lesson or unit
    • Write and Discuss
    • Parellel Texts
    • PACE
    • Guided Conversations
  • Concrete examples of this process using a CI reader
  • Links to these previous episodes if you want to dive deeper:

Work with Joshua either in person or remotely.

Teachers want to hear from you and what you are proud of in your classroom.
Join me as a guest on the podcast.

You  can also be a part of Leveling Up coaching episode if there is an area of your teaching that you like to improve or enhance.  Join me on the podcast for a Leveling Up Coaching Episode.  

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Posted in Activities and Games, Classroom Procedures, Podcast Episodes

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131: Spiral Review in the Language Classroom with Ashley Duff

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Do you have a routine or process for regularly recycling material, content, vocabulary or language structures in your classroom? How do you make sure that students keep it all fresh and readily accessible as they move to new topics and themes? In this episode, we are talking about spiral review. Ashley Duff, a French teacher in Missouri, joins me to talk us through the benefits of this type of review and provides lots of tips and insights for how we can incorporate spiral review into our classes.

Topics in this Episode:

  • what exactly spiral review is in the context of language teaching
  • how spiral review differs from other methods of review, and why it is so effective in language learning
  • practical tips and methods for teachers to organize and manage their spiral review plan efficiently
  • engaging activities for doing spiral review effectively
  • utilizing technology to enhance the spiral review process
  • Ashley’s personal success and experience that highlights the impact of spiral review on her students’ language proficiency and confidence

Connect with  :

Work with Joshua either in person or remotely.

Teachers want to hear from you and what you are proud of in your classroom.
Join me as a guest on the podcast.

You  can also be a part of Leveling Up coaching episode if there is an area of your teaching that you like to improve or enhance.  Join me on the podcast for a Leveling Up Coaching Episode.  

Follow wherever you listen to podcasts.

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130: Addressing Disruptions Constructively, Effectively and Equitably

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Are you sometimes challenged by students being off task or not transitioning well between activities? Today’s episode is a Leveling Up episode, where I coach Victoria, a Spanish teacher in Virginia. Creating smooth transitions and keeping students on task more consistently is the area where wants to level up her teaching practice. So let’s start the conversation. 

You  can also be a part of Leveling Up coaching episode if there is an area of your teaching that you like to improve or enhance.  Join me on the podcast for a Leveling Up Coaching Episode.  

Work with Joshua either in person or remotely.

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129: Teaching Content in the Target Language with John Narváez

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What do you think of when you year “teaching content in the target language?”  Are you thinking of elements like structures and vocabulary related to the language, or actually teaching content outside of the language, but in the target language. In this episode, John Narváez, a French and Spanish teacher in Montréal, Québec, Canada, joins me to show us how he focuses on teaching content in the target language while also building students’ communication skills and language proficiency.

Topics in this Episode:

  • teaching content in the target language
  • differentiating instruction to ensure all students can access and engage with the content
  • how to balance between facilitating comprehension and learning the content along the way
  • designing activities or projects that encourage students to engage with the content in the target language?
  • how to integrate technology to enhance students’ learning when teaching content in the target language

Connect with John Narváez :

Work with Joshua either in person or remotely.

Teachers want to hear from you and what you are proud of in your classroom.
Join me as a guest on the podcast.

You  can also be a part of Leveling Up coaching episode if there is an area of your teaching that you like to improve or enhance.  Join me on the podcast for a Leveling Up Coaching Episode.  

Follow wherever you listen to podcasts.

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128: Create a Vertical Curriculum in Your Language Department

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How do you ensure your language students have a solid foundation and continue to thrive as they progress through grade levels?  Language teachers often grapple with this question as they strive to provide the best possible language learning experience for their students. We’re going to explore an effective solution – Vertical Curriculum. So, Let’s jump in!

Blog Post on Vertical Curriculum

Topics in this Episode:

Work with Joshua either in person or remotely.

Teachers want to hear from you and what you are proud of in your classroom.
Join me as a guest on the podcast.

You  can also be a part of Leveling Up coaching episode if there is an area of your teaching that you like to improve or enhance.  Join me on the podcast for a Leveling Up Coaching Episode.  

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Posted in Podcast Episodes, Teaching Methodology and Research

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127: Mindfulness and SEL in the Language Classroom with Jennifer Schwester

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Is there a place for mindfulness and SEL (Social Emotional Learning) in the world language classroom?  My guest today, Jennifer Schwester, a French teacher in New Jersey, certainly knows there is.  We discuss why language teachers should consider mindfulness and SEL activities and their many benefits to students. SEL programs are also becoming more prevalent in our schools, and rightfully so. Can’t want to share these ideas with you.

Topics in this Episode:

  • what mindfulness and SEL are 
  • how incorporating mindfulness and social emotional learning activities impact students’ language proficiency and overall language learning experience
  • specific strategies for effectively cultivating a safe space for students to express themselves in the language classroom
  • how  mindfulness and SEL activities help students better understand and respect each other
  • how mindfulness and social emotional learning contribute to students’ abilities to positively engage in our interconnected world, and become compassionate global citizens
  • www.casel.org
  • thefouragreements.com
  • Addicted To The Monkey Mind– J.F. Benoist
  • Journey To The Heart– Melody Beattie

Connect with Jennifer Schwester :

Work with Joshua either in person or remotely.

Teachers want to hear from you and what you are proud of in your classroom.
Join me as a guest on the podcast.

You  can also be a part of Leveling Up coaching episode if there is an area of your teaching that you like to improve or enhance.  Join me on the podcast for a Leveling Up Coaching Episode.  

Follow wherever you listen to podcasts.

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126: Cultural Self-Reflection with Jocelynn Hubbard

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Are your students comfortable reflecting on their own experiences? Are we, as teachers, comfortable doing this?  This is an important first step in asking our students (and ourselves) to understand and appreciate other cultures and experiences. Today I speak with Jocelynn Hubbard, host of The Culture-Centered Classroom, about how we can engage students in their own cultural self-reflection. We will also learn to do it ourselves.

Topics in this Episode:

  • what cultural self-reflection is and its impact on students in the classroom
  • the process of self-reflection with examples of the types of resources that you use to support the process of cultural self-reflection
  • how to introduce this practice to your students, and some possible challenges that might come up
  • how to create a safe and inclusive environment for your students to explore and discuss their cultural identity openly
  • how cultural self-reflection has influenced Jocelynn’s teaching approach and helped her to better meet the individual needs of her students

Connect with Jocelynn Hubbard :

Work with Joshua either in person or remotely.

Teachers want to hear from you and what you are proud of in your classroom.
Join me as a guest on the podcast.

You  can also be a part of Leveling Up coaching episode if there is an area of your teaching that you like to improve or enhance.  Join me on the podcast for a Leveling Up Coaching Episode.  

Follow wherever you listen to podcasts.

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Posted in Cultural Exploration, Podcast Episodes

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