Category Archives: Podcast Episodes

177: 2024, The Year of Language Functions and Grammar

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The most popular episode of 2024 was the one where I talked about moving from grammar to language functions.  I begin this last episode of 2024 with some podcast stats from 2024 and then you have the replay of episode #141: Shifting the Focus from Grammar to Function.

2024 World Language Classroom Podcast Stats :

  • top 10% of all podcast downloads
  • 52 episodes
  • Most popular cities with listeners: Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Sydney
  • Most popular countries with listeners: United States, Canada, Australia, United Kingdom
  • Most downloaded episode: #141: Shifting the Focus from Grammar to Function.
  • Total 2024 downloads: 65,000
  • Total minutes of audio published: 1,200

Replay of episode #141: Shifting the Focus from Grammar to Function.

What have you heard about language functions? I see this as the idea of using the target language to communicate or convey a message rather than only being able to describe the grammatical structures, patterns and vocabulary. In this episode we are going to take a look at this shift in focus, and sometimes mindset, from a primary focus on grammatical forms to language functions with examples and practical strategies.

Topics In This Episode:

  • 3 aspects of communicative language teaching:
    • 1. goal is on communicating and doing something with the language
    • 2. student-centered
    • 3. focused on understanding the message being conveyed by students despite inaccuracy in language form.
  • language functions
    • focus is on communicating, student-centered, understanding the message being conveyed by students despite inaccuracy in language form
  • practical strategies and examples to support our focus on language functions
    • Novice Levels: Making Language Practical
    • Intermediate Levels: Expanding Communication
  • Embrace the Shift
    • not an either/or when it comes to grammar
    • it’s essential that we embrace this paradigm shift from a focus on grammar and accuracy to a broader emphasis on language functions and authentic communication.
    • ensures that language learning is not just a theoretical exercise, but one that builds proficiency and communicative competence.
  • Blog post on Shifting the Focus from Grammar to Function

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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175: Getting the Most out of a Comprehensible Novel with Jennifer Degenhardt and Theresa Marrama

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Do students read in your classroom? What do they do with the reading? In this episode I speak with Jennifer Degenhardt and Theresa Marrama. They are both authors of CI Novels that I have personally used in my French and Spanish classrooms. I thought I’d go right to the source when thinking about the many ways that we can engage our students in target language reading. Jennifer and Theresa share their writing process, inspiration for their stories, and  ideas for getting the most out of comprehensible novels.

Topics in this Episode:

  •  what comprehensible novels are and why they are valuable tools in world language classrooms
  • What inspired Jennifer Degenhardt and Theresa Marrama to write comprehensible novels, and how thet decide on the themes and content for their books
  • how teachers can effectively integrate comprehensible novels into their curriculum to maximize student engagement and language acquisition
  • examples where using comprehensible novels made a significant impact on students’ language learning
  • practical strategies implementing comprehensible novels 

Connect with Jennifer Degenhardt and Theresa Marrama:

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174: Cohesive Lessons and Flow in Class Routines

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How cohesive are your lessons?  Do you feel that activities flow and connect to each other in meaningful ways, or do they sometimes seem disconnected? Today’s episode is a Leveling Up episode, where I coach Cyndi, a German teacher in Idaho. Planning more cohesive lessons that flow more naturally and are connected to each other is the area where she wants to level up her teaching practice.

Suggestions:

  • Use a Consistent Daily Lesson Framework Across All Levels. A consistent framework gives you a structure to plug in content without feeling like you’re reinventing the wheel every day. It also provides students with a predictable routine, which enhances engagement and learning.
  • Focus on Key Learning Targets and Prioritize. By narrowing your focus, you avoid overloading yourself and the students. Lessons will feel more cohesive because everything revolves around a central goal, which helps bring that “flow” you’re looking for. Go deep on compelling topics.
  • Chunk Your Time for Efficient Planning. By batching similar tasks, you minimize switching costs and make the process more efficient. This also helps ensure consistency across all your classes and lessens the cognitive load.
  • Leverage Spiral Review. Students will see the connections between lessons, and it reduces the pressure on you to cover everything perfectly in one class. By spiraling content, lessons will feel more connected and purposeful, and you’ll also create natural review opportunities for students. Perhaps use that additional block each week during the extended period.

 Action Plan:

This Week:

  • Create a flexible lesson template for your 50-minute and 90-minute classes; figure out how the time will be chunked and determine 2-3 activities for this period of time.
  • Focus on one learning target per lesson to maintain clarity and coherence.

The Coming Weeks:

  • Incorporate spiral review activities into extended lesson blocks to maintain flow and reinforce learning over time.

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.

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

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173: ACTFL 2024: Connect for the Love of Languages!

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This is an exciting episode that I recorded live at the 2024 ACTFL Convention and Language Expo in Philadelphia! This year’s ACTFL theme, “Connect for the Love of Languages!”, highlights the importance of building meaningful connections in every aspect of language teaching. In this episode, you’ll hear from inspiring educators and leaders who share strategies for connecting with students, fostering cultural understanding, and growing professional networks. These conversations, that we had at the Klett World Languages booth in the exhibit hall, capture the energy and passion of language educators united by their love of teaching and learning.

Teachers and leaders who join me for this conversation:

  • Caroline Schlegel, Spanish teacher at Frederick County Public Schools (MD)
  • Aubrey Swisher, Spanish teacher at Washington County Public Schools (MD)
  • Sara Stefanich, Professional Development Coordinator at Klett World Languages
  • Maria Carreira, Executive Director of AATSP
  • Patrick Wallace, Program Specialist for World Languages and Global Workforce Initiatives (GA); Strategic Relationship Specialist at Klett World Languages

Topics in this Episode:

  • The Importance of Connection in Language Learning
  • Strategies for Connecting with Students
  • Building Cultural Connections
  • Professional Connections and Teacher Community
  • The Love of Language Teaching

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.

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171: Focusing on Cultural Products, Practices, and Perspectives

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How do your students engage with culture in your classroom? One way to approach cultural topics is to look specifically at Cultural Products, Practices and Perspectives. Focusing on these cultural aspects helps students develop intercultural competence, which will then make language learning more meaningful and relevant to them. It also allows students to see beyond language and understand the people who speak it. In this episode I share practical strategies to engage students in understanding Cultural Products Practices and Perspectives.

Topics in this Episode:

**Be sure to download the The CI Toolbox. 15 Comprehensible Input (CI) activities for your language classroom to support comprehension and authentic engagement. These suggestions are a compilation of ideas shared on the World Language Classroom Podcast by me and many guests. 

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.

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170: Calendar Talk is More Than Just Calendars with John Sifert

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What do you know about calendar talks? Maybe you have tried them yourself and maybe you’re hearing about them for the first time. In today’s episode I speak with John Sifert, a Spanish teacher in Iowa.  John, aka Padre de Cinco, walks us through the many benefits of using calendar talk activities, along with actionable suggestions for engaging students in speaking about a variety of topics that go beyond simply saying the date.  Whether calendar talks are new to you, or if you’re looking for some ways to enhance how you are already doing it , you will walk from this episode with actionable tips and suggestions.

Topics in this Episode:

  • what Calendar Talk is and how it goes beyond just discussing the calendar
  • how Calendar Talk can be adapted to suit different proficiency levels and keep all students engaged
  • specific topics and activities that teachers can incorporate into Calendar Talk to make it more interactive and meaningful for students
  • examples where Calendar Talk has significantly enhanced students’ language learning and classroom interaction in John classroom
  • practical steps and strategies that can teachers take to implement Calendar Talk in their classrooms to maximize its effectiveness and student participation

Connect with John Sifert:

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.

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169: Student Choice in the Language Classroom

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What role does student choice have in your classroom? We know that when students have some ownership over their learning that they are more intrinsically motivated and this leads to real agency in their learning. Today’s episode is a Leveling Up episode, where I coach Jen, a Spanish teacher in Missouri. Providing students with regular and authentic choices in her classroom  is the area where wants to level up her teaching practice. So let’s start the conversation. 

Suggestions:

  • Create choice boards that offer a variety of activities aligned with the same learning objectives. Students can select activities based on their interests and preferred learning styles.
  • Allow students to choose from a list of project topics or propose their own, giving them the autonomy to explore areas of interest while still meeting curriculum standards.
  • For certain activities, allow students to pick their groups based on interest or comfort. You can also mix it up by having students form groups around different themes or tasks they want to work on.
  • Offer multiple assessment options that cater to different learning styles and strengths.
  • Make the input and output compelling for students

 Action Plan:

This Week:

  • Create a simple choice board with nine activities related to the current unit.Observe and take notes on student engagement and preferences.

The Coming Weeks:

  • Plan a project-based unit, providing a list of potential topics and formats for final products. Encourage students to present their projects in various formats (e.g., presentation, report, digital creation).
  • Design multiple assessment options for an upcoming unit. Ensure each assessment option aligns with the learning objectives and create a consistent rubric.

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.

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

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168: How to Deal with Resistance to Change with Tim Eagan and Mike Travers

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How well do you navigate change? Are you open to it?  What do you need to reduce any resistance that you might have? How do you support colleagues through the process?  In our ever-evolving world of language teaching and learning there are opportunities for change in our practice. But, is it easy? In this episode, I speak with Tim Eagan and Mike Travers, who are teachers and administrators in Massachusetts. They share some actionable insights and suggestions for approaching, understanding and eventually embracing change.

Topics in this Episode:

Connect with Tim Eagan and Mike Travers:

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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167: Guiding Learners to Interpret and Discuss Authentic Texts

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Do you use authentic texts in your language classroom? To make sure that we are all on the same page with the concept, the simple definition is materials created by and for native speakers not for the purpose of language learning. These materials reflect real-life language use and cultural contexts. They expose students to natural language and cultural nuances. In this episode I share practical strategies to help students interpret and engage in meaningful ways with these materials. Are the benefits linguistic, cultural, maybe both?

Topics in this Episode:

**Be sure to download the The CI Toolbox. 15 Comprehensible Input (CI) activities for your language classroom to support comprehension and authentic engagement. These suggestions are a compilation of ideas shared on the World Language Classroom Podcast by me and many guests. 

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.

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166: Building Community Through Comprehensible Input (CI)

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Community. Is this a word that you would use to describe your classroom?  Do you and your students feel like you are a part of a supporting and encouraging community each time you and they walk in your classroom? How do you create this type of learning environment?  Today, Elodie Channa, a French teacher in British Columbia, Canada, joins me to bring us into her classroom community. We discuss how she uses CI (Comprehensible Input) techniques and methodology to support the classroom community and assure that her students feel valued, seen and understood.

Topics in this Episode:

  • what CI is and why it’s important for language learning
  • how CI can be used to build community in the language classroom
  • examples from Elodie’s experience where CI significantly enhanced community and engagement in her classroom
  • strategies and activities that you can use to ensure your students are receiving CI while also fostering collaboration and connection among them
  • adapting CI approaches for different proficiency levels and diverse classroom settings

Connect with Elodie Channa:

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.

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