Category Archives: Teaching Methodology and Research

95: Curriculum and Structure in the CI Classroom with Adriana Ramirez

What does curriculum look like in a classroom that puts comprehensible input at the center of the language acquisition experience? Is it possible, in fact, to follow a curriculum, in either a traditional or reinvented way? In this episode, we look at this very question with Adriana Ramirez, a Spanish teacher in Canada. Adriana helps us to see what curriculum looks like in her classroom as she implements a CI approach to language teaching and learning.

Topics in this Episode:

  • the key aspects of a CI (Comprehensible Input) classroom that are a departure from some more legacy approaches
  • “curriculum” in a CI classroom and how do we plan for and document the learning
  • the structure of a lesson and the student experience
  • why  CI is ultimately more beneficial than a vocabulary and grammar-focused curriculum
  • some misconceptions and critiques about CI

Connect with Adriana Ramirez:

Work with Joshua either in person or remotely.

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Teachers want to hear from you and what you are proud of in your classroom.
Join me on the podcast.
We record conversations remotely, so you can be anywhere.

Reflecting on Our Language Teaching

How often do we stop to reflect on our language teaching?  Hopefully we take the time and opportunity to do it regularly so that we are teaching our students as effectively as possible.

Reflecting on Our Language Teaching, French, Spanish

Let’s look at how we can think about our work as language teachers using Reflective Practice.  I know, this all sounds way up there in the theory world.  I promise you it’s not and that it’s fairly simple.  Stick with me you’ll be looking at your teaching in ways that help to confirm what you are doing as beneficial and successful, along with some ways to perhaps modify, enhance or improve.

Lesson Reflection

One of the things I appreciate the most about the language teaching community is how much teachers want to be effective with students.  The ethos of the group seems to be an openness and willingness to engage in reflective practice.

Why Reflect?

Reflection can help you to be more creative and try new things. It’s very easy to get stuck in a rut and it can be helpful to think about what you are doing and why you are doing it. This can help to spark new ideas and ways of thinking.

Reflective Practice for language teachers

Here’s a simple way to look closely on how we are teaching and find those opportunities to confirm what you are doing as beneficial and successful, while also finding ways to modify, enhance or improve.

  1. Teach
  2. Assess the effect your teaching has on learning
  3. Consider what can improve the quality of teaching and learning
  4. Try the new ideas
  5. Reflect on effectiveness 
  6. Repeat

Number 3 is where the opportunity to modify, enhance or improve lies.

Success Criteria

Success Criteria helps to make this reflective process possible.  These concepts are from The Success Criteria Playbook by John T. Almarode, Douglas Fisher, Kateri Thunder, Nancy Frey (2021).  I spoke with Tim Eagan on Episode 60 of the podcast if you want to go really deep with Success Criteria. 

Reflecting on Our Language Teaching, French, Spanish

But to put it simply:

  • Success Criteria are essentially statements that specify the evidence to show whether or not you have met the learning intention, such as “I can” statements.
  • “what you want students to know and be able to do by the end of one or more lessons.”
  • Without learning intentions and success criteria, they write, “lessons wander and students become confused and frustrated.

The important and simple questions:

  • What will be learned?
  • Why is it going to be learned?
  • How will I know that it has been learned?
  • What will I do with what I learned?

Use the these Success Criteria questions to inform our Can Do Statements and to reflect on that important #3 in the reflective process above.

  • Consider what can improve the quality of teaching and learning

Put this together with the Success Criteria questions to determine the success or breakdown in what was learned? 

  • What will be learned?
    • Was what students were learning clear or unclear?
  • Why is it going to be learned?
    • Was the reason why students were learning the materia clear or unclear?]
  • How will I know that it has been learned?
    • Were students able to demonstrate mastery?
  • What will I do with what I learned?
    • Were students able to do something with what they learned?

Then, revisit the Can Do’s for next time and modify as needed.  

Reflective Practice for Language Teachers in a nutshell:

  1. Plan and Teach using success criteria
  2. Assess the effect your teaching has on learning
  3. Consider what can improve the quality of teaching and learning (success or breakdown on the success criteria)
  4. Try the new ideas
  5. Reflect on effectiveness
  6. Repeat

You can also listen to episode 77 of the podcast where I break down this reflective process.Reflecting on Our Language Teaching, French, Spanish

Compelling Input and Output in the Language Classroom

It is essential that language be comprehensible so that that students can make form-meaning connections, however it also has to be of interest and compelling to learners. This is what motivates them to engage and make meaning. But, what about how students use the language they are acquiring?  That also needs to be compelling to students.  Let’s look at how to make input compelling along with output activities that are of particular interest to learners as well.

Compelling Input and Compelling Output, Comprehensible Inout, CI, French and Spanish.

Comprehensible Input Hypothesis:

  • Language acquisition occurs when learners are exposed to messages that are slightly beyond their current level of language competence
  • Learners acquire language subconsciously, through their own natural processing abilities, rather than through direct instruction or explicit grammar rules.

Compelling Input Hypothesis:

  • Learners are more likely to acquire language when they are exposed to messages that are interesting, engaging, and personally relevant to them.
  • Compelling input captures learners’ attention and motivates them to engage with the language, which can lead to more effective language acquisition.

Making Input Compelling:

  • Incorporate authentic materials, such as news articles, podcasts, videos, and TV shows, that are interesting and relevant to your students’ interests and cultural background. The format can be as compelling as the topic.
  • What movies, TV shows, books, games, sports events or local events are happening? School related activities?
  • Use exit tickets to figure out what the interests are?  Use Card Talk Drawings.
  • Focus on meaningful communication instead of grammar rules. Research has shown that language acquisition is more effective when students are focused on meaning rather than form.
  • at their age and proficiency level

Compelling Input and Compelling Output, Comprehensible Inout, CI, French and Spanish.

Compelling Input and Compelling Output, Comprehensible Inout, CI, French and Spanish.

 Making Output Compelling:

  • Provide students with opportunities to use the language in authentic situations, such as role-playing scenarios, mock interviews, and real-life simulations. 
  • Give students choice and autonomy in their learning by allowing them to select their own topics and projects. 
  • Provide feedback that is specific, actionable, and focuses on both form and meaning. 
  • Use the same formats for making input compelling to provide opportunities for compelling output.

Compelling Input and Compelling Output, Comprehensible Inout, CI, French and Spanish.

Compelling Input and Compelling Output, Comprehensible Inout, CI, French and Spanish.

Podcast episode on this topic:

References:

  • Krashen, S. D. (1985). The Input Hypothesis: Issues and Implication. 
  • Krashen, S. D. (2011). The Compelling (not just interesting) Input Hypothesis  

83: Supporting Students with Learning Disabilities with Danja Mahoney


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 about her doctoral research with actionable tips and advice for all of us.

Topics in this episode:

  • Can every student succeed in a language class?
  • Are there students whose disability prevents them from learning a language?
  • The research on the success of students with disabilities learning a language.
  • What teachers can do to build the type of engagement necessary for students with learning disabilities to learn language.
  • Examples of accommodations and modifications that teachers can implement to support all students in their language classes.

Connect withe Danja Mahoney:

Work with Joshua either in person or remotely.

Follow wherever you listen to podcasts.

Teachers want to hear from you and what you are proud of in your classroom.
Join me on the podcast.
We record conversations remotely, so you can be anywhere.

73: Common Ground Redux and a Reminder


Have you read Common Ground yet?  This book by Florencia Henshaw and Maris Hawkins has been widely used by many educators in the language teacher community.  This week’s episode is a rebroadcast of my first episode in the series that I devoted to the book in October. I’m sharing it again with the reminder that you have a few weeks left (end of December 2022) to get your own copy of Common Ground with a 25% discount through the link to Hackett Publishing in the show notes.  Listen for the first time, or listen again for inspiration form this incredibly useful publication from Florencia Henshaw and Maris Hawkins.

Topics in the episode:

  • Why this book? Why now? 
  • Why I’m a fan of Florencia Henshaw and Maris Hawkins.  
  • How the book is set up.
  • What to look for in the upcoming episodes devoted to Common Ground.
  • Making the discussion interactive on Twitter with Joshua (@wlcalssoom), Florencia Henshaw (@Prof_F_Henshaw) and Maris Hawkins (@Marishawkins).

Get your own copy of Common Ground.  Hackett Publishing has generously offered a 25% discount when you use the code WLC2022. [Available through December 31, 2022].

**The 25% off discount code can be used for any book through the end of December, 2022.  Hackett publishes several intermediate language-learning textbooks in Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Latin, and Classical Greek. New releases include Cinema for French Conversation, Cinema for Spanish Conversation, and Les Français.

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Work with Joshua either in person or remotely.

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Teachers want to hear from you and what you are proud of in your classroom. Join me on the podcast.  We record conversations remotely, so you can be anywhere.

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Follow wherever you listen to podcasts.

72: What Does it Mean to “Teach” a Language?


What does it mean to “teach” a language? In this episode I look at this question, particularly considering the shifts in language teaching and learning over the past 10 years or so. My approach to this question is grounded in a quote from Larson-Freeman and Long that a professor shared with me in graduate school. It continues to guide my approach to teaching.

“[It is not] because some plants will grow in a desert, [that] watering the ones in your garden is a waste of time. In fact, of course, while the desert may provide the minimum conditions for a plant to grow, watering it may help it grow faster, bigger, and stronger, that is to realize its full potential.”    [Diane Larsen-Freeman, Michael H. Long; An Introduction to Second Language Acquisition Research (1990)]

Links mentioned in this episode

Work with Joshua either in person or remotely.

Follow wherever you listen to podcasts.

Teachers want to hear from you and what you are proud of in your classroom.
Join me on the podcast.
We record conversations remotely, so you can be anywhere.

 

66: (2) Finding a Common Ground with Florencia Henshaw and Maris Hawkins


This is part 2 of my conversion with Florencia Henshaw and Maris Hawkins, the authors of Common Ground: Second Language Acquisition Theory Goes to the Classroom by. We had so much to cover that I had to break it down into 2 episodes. Today, Florencia, Maris and I discuss engaging the communication modes at different developmental levels, moving from input to output, particularly when working with learners progressing from novice to intermediate, collaborating with colleagues and understanding what “progress” looks like in a proficiency-based classroom.  We also have a rather amusing “this or that” conversation.

Connect with Florencia Henshaw:

Connect with Maris Hawkins Henshaw:

Get your own copy of Common Ground.  Hackett Publishing is generously offering a 25% discount when you use the code WLC2022.  [Available through December 31, 2022].

**The 25% off discount code can be used for any book through the end of December, 2022.  Hackett publishes several intermediate language-learning textbooks in Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Latin, and Classical Greek. New releases include Cinema for French Conversation, Cinema for Spanish Conversation, and Les Français.

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Work with Joshua either in person or remotely.

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Teachers want to hear from you and what you are proud of in your classroom. Join me on the podcast.  We record conversations remotely, so you can be anywhere.

——————————————————————————————-

Follow wherever you listen to podcasts.

Path to Proficiency Wall for Language Classroom

I’m a big proponent of students taking an active role in their language learning journey.  This means that they need to have a solid understanding of the ACTFL Proficiency Levels or Performance Descriptors.  They can then track their progress and set concrete goals.

Path to Proficiency Wall for Language Classroom (French, Spanish)

The Proficiency Levels can be little challenging to understand, but when broken down they are quite accessible for students.  I created a Path to Proficiency Wall that lays out the text type (language input and output) at each each level and sub-level from Novice Low to Intermediate High.

Students can easily understand the level and use the Proficiency Wall as a reference along their language learning journey.  The text types for each level are displayed along with the specific language functions associated with each individual proficiency level. It has also been helpful in conversations with colleagues and it helps families to grasp the concept of proficiency and  acquisition-focused language instruction.

Path to Proficiency Wall for Language Classroom (French, Spanish)

I put this picture on social media to inspire teachers.  I received many requests for the documents so that teachers could create something similar to use with their students. I put all of the documents together in one PDF that you can download, print and post in your classroom.

Path to Proficiency Wall for Language Classroom (French, Spanish)

60: Building & Leading a Proficiency-Based Department with Tim Eagan


In this episode we discuss building and leading a proficiency-based language department.  Tim Eagan, the 6-12 Department Head of World Languages in Wellesley, MA, joins me to talk about his experience leading his department through the process of embracing proficiency.

Topics in the episode:

  • contemporary and emerging research and the shift in approach and expectations.
  • what collaboration looks like in a proficiency-based department and how this supports consistency, particularly with assessments.
  • the objectives and benefits of using success criteria in a language department.
  • the essential role of feedback in a proficiency-based program.
  • how we get our department members on board.
  • www.visiblelearningmetax.com
  • Blog Post in Reflective Practice and Success Criteria

Connect with Tim Eagan

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Work with Joshua either in person or remotely.

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Teachers want to hear from you and what you are proud of in your classroom. Join me on the podcast.  We record conversations remotely, so you can be anywhere.

——————————————————————————————-

Follow wherever you listen to podcasts.

57: Why “Common Ground?” Why now?


In this episode I’m beginning my series on exploring Common Ground: Second Language Acquisition Theory Goes to the Classroom by Florencia Henshaw and Maris Hawkins. There will be 5 episodes total between now and the end of October.  Today we take a general look at why this book, why now, why I am such a fan. 

Topics in the episode:

  • Why this book? Why now? 
  • Why I’m a fan of Florencia Henshaw and Maris Hawkins.  
  • How the book is set up.
  • What to look for in the upcoming episodes devoted to Common Ground.
  • Making the discussion interactive on Twitter with Joshua (@wlcalssoom), Florencia Henshaw (@Prof_F_Henshaw) and Maris Hawkins (@Marishawkins).

Get your own copy of Common Ground.  Hackett Publishing has generously offered a 25% discount when you use the code WLC2022. [Available through December 31, 2022].

**The 25% off discount code can be used for any book through the end of December, 2022.  Hackett publishes several intermediate language-learning textbooks in Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Latin, and Classical Greek. New releases include Cinema for French Conversation, Cinema for Spanish Conversation, and Les Français.

——————————————————————————————-

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 on the podcast.  We record conversations remotely, so you can be anywhere.

——————————————————————————————-

Follow wherever you listen to podcasts.