Growing With Proficiency The Podcast

Re-released Episode 22: Making Interpersonal Communication Work: 5 Repeatable Activities That Build Real Conversation with Bethanie Drew

Send us a textInterpersonal communication is what our students want most… and what many of us struggle to make happen without it turning into their common language in 10 seconds 😅In this re-released episode, I’m joined by a friend and outstanding educator and curriculum designer Bethanie Drew to break down five repeatable, low-prep interpersonal activities that build community and keep students supported enough to stay in the target language.We talk about:Fast Five interviews (quick, structured, high-yield)Roster interviews that push students beyond their usual partnersA small-group discussion format that actually works—even in big classesA write-first → speak-later scaffold (especially powerful for AP/IB tasks)20-/45-second talk cards to build confidence and fluency over timeThis conversation is all about finding the balance between structure and spontaneity, so students can connect, communicate, and grow—sin estrés.If you want conversations that feel more real, more doable, and more sustainable… hit play 🎧Resources Mentioned in This EpisodeBethanie Drew’s blog – Aventuras NuevasIdeas, lesson reflections, and interpersonal strategies for world language teachers👉 https://aventurasnuevas.wordpress.com/Growing With Proficiency: The Spanish Teacher AcademyOngoing support, units, training, and planning for acquisition-driven instruction👉 https://growingwithproficiency.com/academy

Episode 178: Adjusting & Personalizing Instruction: The Core Skill That Makes It Possible

Send us a text(Why one-size-fits-all lessons don’t work—and what to do instead)In this episode, I focus on what I consider the heart of acquisition-driven instruction: adjusting and personalizing what we do in class so all students can stay engaged, successful, and confident—without creating multiple lesson plans. If your classes include a wide range of proficiency levels, literacy skills, heritage learners, or students who “should know this already”… this conversation is for you.Building on insights from my conversations with Karen Lichtman and Jason Fritze, and grounded in research by Bill VanPatten and Stephen Krashen, this episode breaks down why acquisition is slow, piecemeal, and unpredictable—and how that reality should shape the way we plan input, reading, and output. I also share practical routines you can use mañana to make your classroom more inclusive, more human, and more effective. Sí, se puede. 💛Key TakeawaysComprehensible input needs support.Pair oral language with writing, visuals, gestures, pauses, and slower pacing to help all brains process language.Reading requires intentional scaffolds.Output improves when students have options.Allow multiple ways to respond—yes/no, either/or, gestures, drawings, sentence frames—so more voices are heard.Personalization is what builds community.Using names, asking real questions, co-creating texts, story asking, listen & draw, and Star Student interviews turns class into a shared experience, not a performance.Episodes on the Three Basic Skills for Acquisition– Conversation with Karen Lichtman and Jason Fritze– Episode 177 on asking better questions– Episode 176 on staying comprehensible in the target languageResearch & Frameworks– Bill VanPatten on acquisition as piecemeal and stage-like– Stephen Krashen on comprehensible input and the affective filter– Nancy Young’s Ladder of Reading & Writing– ACTFL Proficiency & Performance Descriptors (via ACTFL)Related Podcast Episodes– Episode 170 with Wesley Wood on supporting neurodivergent learners– Episode on Story Listening with Margarita Pérez-García– Episode on Embedded Reading with Michele Whaley and Laurie Clarcq– Episode on Star Student InterviewsIf you’re a Spanish teacher who wants ongoing guidance, practical PD, ready-to-use resources, and a community that truly gets the realities of our classrooms, I’d love to invite you to join Growing With Proficiency – The Spanish Teacher Academy. 

Episode 177: How to Ask Better Questions in the World Language Classroom (Using 5-Minute Blocks)

Send us a textIn this episode of Growing With Proficiency, we continue the series on how to build foundational skills for language acquisition in intentional 5-minute blocks.This episode focuses on one powerful — and often underestimated — skill: asking better questions.We know questions are essential for staying in the target language, checking comprehension, and personalizing instruction. But when questions feel too complex or unsafe, students shut down. When we stay too long in low-level questions, attention drops.In this episode, I break down how to sequence questions intentionally so students feel successful, engaged, and ready to communicate — without overwhelming you or them.What You’ll Learn in This EpisodeWhy asking questions is a foundational skill for acquisition-driven instructionThe difference between display questions and referential questions — and why we need bothHow to use circling to add repetition and processing timeWhy circling alone is not enough to sustain communicationA step-by-step questioning sequence you can use in just 5 minutesHow to manage cognitive load while increasing student participationHow to move from comprehension to communication intentionallyResources Mentioned in This Episode🎧 Episode 175: How to Maximize Target Language Use in 5-Minute Blocks🎧 Episode 157: Episode with Dr. Karen Leachman and Jason Fritze on the three basic skills for language acquisition🎧 Episode 54: Episode with Paulino Brenner on display vs. referential questions and question complexityFree Webinar InvitationIf you’re thinking, “This makes sense, but how do I put it all together into an actual lesson?” — I’ve got you.I’m hosting a free live webinar where I’ll show you how to plan ONE lesson for different levels. 👉 Register at growingwithproficiency.com/onelesson 📅 January 15 | 7:00 PM ETFive minutes at a time — that’s how we build clarity, confidence, and sustainability in our teaching 💛

Episodio 176: Las tres habilidades básicas para la adquisición de la lengua: Rutinas de 5 minutos para usar la lengua meta, hacer preguntas y personalizar

Send us a textEn este episodio de Growing With Proficiency, hablo de tres habilidades esenciales para la adquisición de la lengua que sostienen nuestras clases comunicativas: maximizar el uso de la lengua meta, hacer preguntas que apoyen la comprensión y muevan la conservación y ajustar y personalizar el contenido.Pero, ¿cómo podemos cultivar estas habilidades sin que creemos una mayor carga de trabajo y mayores niveles de estrés? En bloques de cinco minutos.  Por eso, en este episodio comparto comparto una secuencia práctica de actividades, organizadas en bloques de 5 minutos, que puedes integrar fácilmente en una sola lección y adaptar a diferentes niveles.La secuencia incluye Estudiante Estrella, Escribir y discutir (Write & Discuss) y una actividad de lectura en clase con traducción, acompañada de actividades basadas en el texto y el juego de la desaparición del texto. El enfoque no es planear más, sino planear mejor, usando rutinas repetibles y sostenibles.🎯 Lo que aprenderás en este episodio:Cuáles son las tres habilidades básicas para la adquisición de la lenguaUna secuencia clara de tres actividades que maximiza el input comprensibleCómo ajustar y personalizar sin añadir más carga a tu planificaciónPor qué las rutinas repetibles hacen la enseñanza más sostenible🔗 Recursos mencionados🎧 Episodio 157 – The Three Basic Skills for Language Acquisition Instruction🎧 Episodio 54 – Paulino Brener: El arte de hacer preguntas en clases de lenguas📌 Webinario gratuito en español 🎓Regístrate acá ➡️  Cómo planear UNA lección para diferentes niveles 🗓 15 de enero | ⏰ 7:00 p. m. (hora del Este) 

Episode 175: How to Stay in the Target Language 5 Minutes At A Time (3 Easy Routines)

Send us a textHappy New Year, profe 🎉 If you’re setting classroom goals for 2026—this episode is for you.So many language teachers want the same thing: use more target language, keep students engaged, and support acquisition… but “90% in the TL” can feel overwhelming.In this first episode of a 3-part mini-series, I’m sharing a more realistic approach: think in 5-minute moments. Because five minutes is doable—and when you repeat it, it adds up.Inspired by my conversation in Episode 158 with Dr. Karen Lichtman and Jason Fritze, this episode focuses on the foundation: teacher talk that’s comprehensible. Remember: what matters most isn’t how much students speak—it’s how much they understand.✅ What you’ll learn (takeaways)Why comprehensible teacher talk matters more than pushing student outputHow to stop chasing percentages and start building momentum 5 minutes at a time3 practical 5-minute routines to increase target language use without stress:Classroom instructions you can point to, gesture, and recycleA quick daily check-in / morning meeting that builds connection and inputA low-stress familiar text + audio (cloze) routine that boosts listening confidenceWhat to do when you slip into English (hint: reflect, adjust, keep going)🎯 Try one routine this week and DM me how it goes!Mentioned in this episode:Episode 158 (Dr. Karen Lichtman + Jason Fritze)Episode 160 (Save time, reduce stress, maximize TL with routines)Other links:Find me on Instagram: @claudia.m.elliottJoin the waitlist for Growing With Proficiency: The Spanish Teacher Academy → growingwithproficiency.com/academyDiscover culturally rich, month-specific resources for Spanish classes in my TPT Store: Growing With Proficiency.Nos vemos pronto 💛