Tag Archives: Tim Eagan

103: Revisit Department Goals and Language Associations


This is episode 2 in my 2023 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 28th, you will see new episodes with exciting new topics every Monday.  For today we take a look back at episodes 60 where Tin Eagan talks about leading a proficiency-based language department and episode 74 where Mike Mitchel and Jenny Delfini discuss state language associations.

Episodes: 

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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

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.

——————————————————————————————-

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.