World Language Classroom

#74
Are you a member of your state language association?  Do you know what might be available to language teachers in your state? In this episode, Jenny-Lynn Delfini and Mike Mitchell highlight the wo…

#73
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 o…

#72
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…

#71
In this episode I’m taking on the question of leveling up.  We often talk about proficiency levels and the output that goes along with each level.  We’ll take a look at some concrete examples of l…

#70
In this episode, we are talking about how we can create a supportive classroom environment so that learners, particularly those new to language learning, feel comfortable speaking the target langu…

#69
This is the third 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 …

#68
In this episode, we are talking about skill building and how we can help guide students in moving beyond content mastery and using all that vocabulary and those language structures to communicate.…

#67
In this episode I’m taking the idea of input a little further.  Most of us are on board and understand the importance of making input comprehensible for students.  But, how can we check that the l…

#66
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. We had so much to cover that I had…

#65
These are the episodes that we have been waiting for. The  first of a 2-part conversion with Florencia Henshaw and Maris Hawkins, the authors of Common Ground: Second Language Acquisition Theory G…

#64
In this episode, we’re talking about inspiring and sparking enthusiasm in our students.  Katie Acosta and Amy Haney, Spanish teachers in Ohio,  join me today to explore this topic.  Their blog, sp…

#63
In this episode we look at input and output. These two simple words can appear simple, but there is a lot to explore when it comes to what they actually look like in the classroom. This is the fou…

#62
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…

#61
In this episode we look at goals, and assessment of those goals, in teaching and learning language.  This is the third of 5 episodes dedicated to the book Common Ground: Second Language Acquisitio…

#60
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 experi…

#59
In this episode we look at the guiding principles and fundamentals of language acquisition and how they should influence our teaching.  This is the second episode dedicated to the book Common Grou…

#58
This episode was recored live during the National Foreign Language Center's Virtual Summit.  Ben Tinsley, a French teacher in Pennsylvania, joins me to talk about equitable feedback in the languag…

#57
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 …

#56
In this episode we look at planning in the language classroom.  Whether it is for an entire year, a particular unit or even an individual lesson, backwards design and planning is quite effective. …

#55
After an exciting and productive summer I am back with new episodes of the World Language Classroom podcast.  In this episode We will talk about setting the tone for the school year along with som…