Send me a text and let me know your thoughts on this episode or the podcast.

#163
We’ve heard this idea of working smarter and not harder. Does that sound like something that is easier said than done? Do you feel that efficiency might sometimes compromise your teaching and how and what students are learning. In this episode I take on this idea with Amy Marshal, Spanish teacher in Massachusetts. Amy offers lots of tips, insights and suggestions for saving yourself time as a language teacher, while not compromising the effectiveness of your teaching and what your students learn.

Topics in this Episode:

• what it means to work smarter, not harder, in the context of teaching world languages
• key strategies that can help language teachers work more efficiently and effectively in their classrooms
• examples of low-preparation activities that provide high value and engagement for students
• balancing the need for thorough lesson planning with the goal of reducing workload and avoiding burnout
• steps teachers take to implement efficiency-focused and low-preparation ideas in their classrooms to enhance their teaching and maintain a healthy work-life balance

Connect with Amy Marshall:

• YouTube: @zonadeprofes
• Instagram: @zonadeprofes
• Twitter: @zonadeprofes
• LinkedIn: @Amy Marshall

Connect with Joshua and the World Language Classroom Community:

• wlclassrom.com
• X (aka Twitter): @wlclassroom
• Threads: @wlclassroom
• Instagram: @wlclassroom
• Facebook: /wlclassroom
• WLClassroom Facebook Group

__________________________
Interested in having Joshua work directly with your department, school or district? Look at options for collaborating in person or remotely.
______________________________
Sign up for Talking Points to get tips, tools and resources for your language teaching.
______________________________
Join Joshua as a guest on the podcast.
______________________________
Join Joshua for a Leveling Up Coaching Episode on the podcast.

Send me a text and let me know your thoughts on this episode or the podcast.

#162
We talk a lot about making language comprehensible in our language classroom. This is essential now that we understand how critical this is to language acquisition. When students understand what they hear and read, they begin the acquisition process. It also boosts their confidence, making them more willing to participate and take risks in using the language. In this episode, we’ll explore practical strategies to help make the target language comprehensible for your students.

Topics in this Episode:

• High Leverage Teaching Practices from Enacting the Work of Language Instruction by Eileen Glisan and Richard Donato
• Comprehensibility is critical because it supports language acquisition. When students understand what they hear and read, they can engage more deeply and retain more information. It also boosts their confidence, making them more willing to participate and take risks in using the language.
• 5 strategies to build a discourse community in your classroom, each with tips and examples
  1. Use of Visuals and Realia
  2. Scaffolding Language
  3. Contextualize Vocabulary
  4. Engage Students with Interactive and Communicative Activities
  5. Provide Comprehensible Input (i+1). Krashen’s hypothesis that language acquisition occurs when learners are exposed to language just above their current level.
• Episode 160: Create a Classroom Where Students Use the Target Language Confidently

**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.

Connect with Joshua and the World Language Classroom Community:

• wlclassrom.com
• X (aka Twitter): @wlclassroom
• Threads: @wlclassroom
• Instagram: @wlclassroom
• Facebook: /wlclassroom
• WLClassroom Facebook Group

__________________________
Interested in having Joshua work directly with your department, school or district? Look at options for collaborating in person or remotely.
______________________________
Sign up for Talking Points to get tips, tools and resources for your language teaching.
______________________________
Join Joshua as a guest on the podcast.
______________________________
Join Joshua for a Leveling Up Coaching Episode on the podcast.

Send me a text and let me know your thoughts on this episode or the podcast.

#161
Is your world language classroom a welcoming space for students? Would you describe it as warm and welcoming? Can it be? Should it be? Is it helpful for learning? My guest today, Allison Perryman, sure believes that it is. Allison joins me to discuss how she makes her Spanish classroom a warm and welcoming community where students feel recognized, valued, understood and ultimately completely supported by their classmates and teacher. This surely makes it a classroom incredibly conducive to language learning.

Topics in this Episode:

• what inspired Allison to focus on creating a warm and welcoming environment in her classroom
• examples of how a welcoming classroom environment has positively impacted student engagement and language learning outcomes
• the role relationships play in creating a warm classroom atmosphere, and how do you foster strong connections between students and between students and the teacher
• specific strategies for making your classroom feel inviting and inclusive for all students
• addressing and supporting the diverse cultural backgrounds of students to ensure everyone feels represented and valued
• Episode 78: Seeing, Hearing & Tasting Culture with Allison Perryman

Connect with Allison Perryman:

• YouTube: @TheCulturalClassroom
• Instagram: @TheCulturalClassrm
• Facebook: @TheCulturalClassroom
• Blog: TheCulturalClassroom.blog
• Email: Hola@theculturalclassroom.blog

__________________________
Interested in having Joshua work directly with your department, school or district? Look at options for collaborating in person or remotely.
______________________________
Sign up for Talking Points to get tips, tools and resources for your language teaching.
______________________________
Join Joshua as a guest on the podcast.
______________________________
Join Joshua for a Leveling Up Coaching Episode on the podcast.