Tag Archives: ACTFL Core Practices

100: Look Back at 100 Episodes & 60+ Guests

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Guess what? This is episode 100 of the world language classroom podcast. I was watching data to see if we would get to 100 episodes first or 100,000 downloads. I’m happy to report that we crossed the 100,000 download mark well before this 100th episode.  So, thank you so much for your continued support of the podcast and the many guests who have joined me over the past 2 years.  In this episode I want to look back at some key takeaways from the collective wisdom of guests and share some listener highlights as well.  Can’t wait, so Let’s jump in!

Episodes Mentioned in this Episode:

  • Florencia Henshaw and Maris Hawkins (65,66)
  • Ben Fisher on Write and Discuss (79)
  • Kaitlin Leppert on Parallel Texts (90)
  • Cécile Lainé on Social Justice Standards (33)
  • Ben Tinsley on Diversity and Equitable Feedback (27, 58)
  • Joseph Parody Brown  LGBTQ+ Inclusive Classrooms (42)
  • Vicky Wang on Courageous Dialogues and Affinity Spaces (28)
  • Allison Perryman on Seeing, Hearing and Tasting Culture (78)
  • Kia D. London on Representation (88) 
  • A.C. Quintero on Equity in the Language Classroom (10)
  • Lisa Sherpard on Critical Thinking Skills (92)
  • Margarita Pérez García on Story-Listening (91)
  • Teacher Toolbox (25, 54, 69, 85)

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99: Planning Communicative Activities Efficiently with Hope Anderson

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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 learn.

Topics in this Episode:

  • breaking down exactly what we mean by communicative teaching
  • how to determine if an activity is truly and authentically communicative
  • the value and benefits of authentic communication in the language classroom.
  • ways to engage students in communicative tasks without taking a ton of time
  • using templates when creating tasks

Connect with Hope Anderson:

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98: From a Short Text to a Full Lesson with Sarah Barrientos Svatos

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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 touches on all of the communication modes. She has lots of tips to share so that you can get started right away.

Topics in this Episode:

  • what we mean by a “short text”
  • the benefits of using a short text
  • are short texts only effective at novice level or also effective at higher proficiency levels?
  • how to set students up for success by preparing them to engage with the text (pre-reading activities)
  • how to support students while they engage with the text (during-reading activities)
  • how to check for understanding of the text and set students up to produce output  (post-reading activities)
  • Download Sarah’s Paella Activity

Connect with Sarah Barrientos Svatos:

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97: Asking the Right Questions

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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 and taking those ideas into your classroom.  This is just one of the many things that make you an incredible educator. We are soon coming up on episode 100. I’ve learned a lot and have changed some things about the podcast based on your feedback. I want to make sure that the next 100 episodes and your listening experience are even better. That’s what we’ll take on in this episode.

Topics in this Episode:

  • the importance of listener feedback and its role in shaping the podcast
  • creating a valuable and tailored experience for the audience
  • survey questions:
    • language taught
    • ideal episode length
    • listening environment
    • solo and guest episode
    • coaching episode
    • desired topics
    • additional content
  • take the 3-5 minute feedback survey 

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96: Teaching Heritage Language Learners with Courtney Nygaard

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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 offers useful tips and suggestions for working with this unique group of students.

Topics in this Episode:

  • who our heritage language learners are and how Courtney came to teaching this population of students
  • the early days, lessons learned and where Courtney is now with her heritage language classes
  • what the curriculum looks like with heritage speakers and how this differs from the “typical” second language curriculum
  • Courtney’s core beliefs behind her heritage learner curriculum
  • the core components of her curriculum and her process for delivering it
  • differentiating what can be a wide ranges in proficiency, particularly with regard to literacy

Connect with Courtney Nygaard:

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

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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:

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94: Targeted Comprehensible Input with Angie Torre

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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 in California, joins me to talk about the pros and cons of using targeted and non-targeted comprehensible input.  There are likely diverse opinions on this out there, so here is our chance to find the common ground.

Topics in this Episode:

  • what “targeted” and “non-targeted” Comprehensible Input are and their objectives
  • the varying opinions on both approaches
  • Angie’s personal reasoning behind using targeted Comprehensible Input
  • the benefits of considering age and developmental levels in the language acquisition process
  • planning of a lesson or unit that using targeted Comprehensible Input
  • sheltered videos, how do you use them, and the effectiveness 

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93: Integrated Performance Assessments (IPAs)

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What is a highlight or takeaway from the first 100 episodes of the World Language Classroom Podcast?  Leave a 20-20 second audio recording. 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 Target Language?  In this episode I am going to focus on Integrated Performance Assessments (or IPA’s).  This type of assessment provides a chance to determine what students are able to do with the target language, rather than just what they know about the language.

Topics in this Episode:

  • Henshaw and Hawkins’ recommendations around assessments in Common Ground
  • aligning instruction with assessment
  • Success Criteria
  • what an Integrated Performance Assessment (IPA) is
  • the 3 sections of an IPA: interpretive, interpersonal, presentational
  • creating and IPA
  • assessing and IPA
  • Pros and cons of IPAs
  • tips for creating and implementing an IPA

Episodes Mentioned in this Episode:

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92: Critical Thinking Skills in the Language Classroom with Lisa Shepard

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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 Shepard, a French teacher in Ohio, is here to show that our language classrooms are the ideal place to highlight and hone critical thinking skills.  Lisa shares her reasoning along with many suggestions for building these skills in the target language at every proficiency level.

Topics in this Episode:

  • what we mean by “critical thinking skills” 
  • why critical thinking skills are essential in our classrooms and as part of our curriculum
  • concern about addressing critical thinking skills in the target language, particularly at the novice level
  • strategies (activities and procedure) that focus on and hone critical thinking skills in the language classroom
    • – Analyze Authentic Resources
    • – Solve Problems Collaboratively
    • – Create informational and persuasive messages for cross-cultural audiences

Connect with Lisa Shepard:

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91: Story-Listening with Margarita Pérez Garcia

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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 in with this methodology in your classroom.  If not, Margarita shares how we can use Story Listening along with other procedures.

Topics in this Episode:

  • what Story-Listening is
  • the benefits of Story-Listening
  • what does Story-Listening looks like
  • what you need to do if I want to use Story-Listening tomorrow
  • what happens after Story-Listening
  • Story-Listening.net
  • Stories First Foundation

Connect with Margarita Pérez Garcia:

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