Conversations about Language Teaching

Conversations about Language Teaching

By Diane Neubauer, PhD & Reed Riggs, PhDScienceSocial SciencesEducationLanguage Learning
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Conversations about Language Teaching episodes

  • Episode 24: Pronunciation Development

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    Episode 24 - Pronunciation development


    Reed’s grad school classmate's study:

    https://www.hawaii.edu/sls/phd-student-wenyi-ling-2018-research-award/ 

    The full dissertation:

    Ling, W. (2021). The Perception, Processing and Learning of Mandarin Lexical Tone by Second Language Speakers. University of Hawai'i at Manoa. https://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/4e749171-1747-4236-b40e-5430a912d442/content  


    Here's Schmidt info, including a mention of shadowing:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noticing_hypothesis


    Diane recommended a book with several chapters about pronunciation development: 

    Piske, T., & Young-Scholten, M. (Eds.). (2008). Input matters in SLA (Vol. 35). Multilingual Matters.

    https://www.multilingualmatters.com/page/detail/input-matters-in-sla/?SF1=work_id&ST1=CVIEW-489 


    Diane also mentioned a meta-analysis of pronunciation studies. This is that meta-analysis: 

    Lee, J., Jang, J., & Plonsky, L. (2015). The effectiveness of second language pronunciation instruction: A meta-analysis. Applied Linguistics, 36(3), 345-366. https://academic.oup.com/applij/article/36/3/345/2422438 

    It seems to be available without a paywall! 

    Intro & outro music selected from "23 Light Years" by CavalloPazzo

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    Conversations about Language Teaching
    Diane Neubauer, PhD & Reed Riggs, PhD

    "Conversations about Language Teaching" is a podcast of unscripted discussions of language teaching, drawing on both research and classroom & online language teaching. If you like thinking deeply about issues of classroom language teaching and how those relate to research and theory, this podcast might be for you.

    Reed & Diane, the hosts, base our knowledge of language teaching on research we've read & done, theoretical views of language acquisition, our experiences as language teachers and learners, and our observations of language teaching in the US and elsewhere. We like to help build bridges among teachers and researchers and view ourselves as part of both communities. We collaborate on projects & like talking about language teaching & learning, and decided to have some of those conversations in a podcast format. Here it is!

    More about Diane: https://sites.google.com/view/dianen/home
    More about Reed: http://www.reedriggs.com

    Watch on YouTube where episodes are captioned:
    https://www.youtube.com/@ConversationsaboutLanguage

    We welcome support for the podcasting costs. See "Support" here: https://conversationsaboutlanguage.buzzsprout.com/2325378/supporters/new

    34 min
  • Episode 23: AI Chatbots

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    Episode 23: AI Chatbots 

    Show Notes

    Dr. Rachel Mamiya Hernandez-relevant link about using AI chatbots for language learning: https://clt.manoa.hawaii.edu/blog/event/ai-chatbots-2/


    Billie Eilish AI interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0c94ghBS4A


    Magic School AI tool, where Reed & Diane have both prompted chatbots to work with Chinese language learners: https://www.magicschool.ai/ There are many other AI-generated options within the app.


    Diane’s recently tested chatbot for Chinese language learners, meant to focus on the Cultural Revolution, using Magic School AI: https://app.magicschool.ai/tools/custom-chatbot?share=96e25283-28a8-47a8-a357-20e9db17bf42 


    Intro & outro music selected from "23 Light Years" by CavalloPazzo

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    Conversations about Language Teaching
    Diane Neubauer, PhD & Reed Riggs, PhD

    "Conversations about Language Teaching" is a podcast of unscripted discussions of language teaching, drawing on both research and classroom & online language teaching. If you like thinking deeply about issues of classroom language teaching and how those relate to research and theory, this podcast might be for you.

    Reed & Diane, the hosts, base our knowledge of language teaching on research we've read & done, theoretical views of language acquisition, our experiences as language teachers and learners, and our observations of language teaching in the US and elsewhere. We like to help build bridges among teachers and researchers and view ourselves as part of both communities. We collaborate on projects & like talking about language teaching & learning, and decided to have some of those conversations in a podcast format. Here it is!

    More about Diane: https://sites.google.com/view/dianen/home
    More about Reed: http://www.reedriggs.com

    Watch on YouTube where episodes are captioned:
    https://www.youtube.com/@ConversationsaboutLanguage

    We welcome support for the podcasting costs. See "Support" here: https://conversationsaboutlanguage.buzzsprout.com/2325378/supporters/new

    31 min
  • Episode 22: Issues with Frequency Lists

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    Episode 22 Show Notes

    Michael Long quote is on pp. 6-7 of the following, available freely online at the link: 

    Long, M. H. (2016). In defense of tasks and TBLT: Nonissues and real issues. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 36, 5-33. https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/ED5590DB727AE82E0A98AC05264B83E1/S0267190515000057a.pdf/div-class-title-in-defense-of-tasks-and-tblt-nonissues-and-real-issues-div.pdf 



    Intro & outro music selected from "23 Light Years" by CavalloPazzo

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    Conversations about Language Teaching
    Diane Neubauer, PhD & Reed Riggs, PhD

    "Conversations about Language Teaching" is a podcast of unscripted discussions of language teaching, drawing on both research and classroom & online language teaching. If you like thinking deeply about issues of classroom language teaching and how those relate to research and theory, this podcast might be for you.

    Reed & Diane, the hosts, base our knowledge of language teaching on research we've read & done, theoretical views of language acquisition, our experiences as language teachers and learners, and our observations of language teaching in the US and elsewhere. We like to help build bridges among teachers and researchers and view ourselves as part of both communities. We collaborate on projects & like talking about language teaching & learning, and decided to have some of those conversations in a podcast format. Here it is!

    More about Diane: https://sites.google.com/view/dianen/home
    More about Reed: http://www.reedriggs.com

    Watch on YouTube where episodes are captioned:
    https://www.youtube.com/@ConversationsaboutLanguage

    We welcome support for the podcasting costs. See "Support" here: https://conversationsaboutlanguage.buzzsprout.com/2325378/supporters/new

    40 min
  • Episode 21: Viewers' Questions & Answers

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    Show Notes: 

    Video examples of comprehension-based communicative language teaching:

    Hawai`i Association of Language Teacher (HALT) conference presentation recording: 

    Overview of CCLT (descriptive rather than a demo): https://youtu.be/h0Xd6zVSlxU?si=dIdenoWArOmYlW-q 

    Teachers from Hawai`i developed a website including descriptions of different teaching strategies, including video clips in many language classrooms: https://kawairesources.com/Strategies 

    Reed led a project to collect video data of several languages (we forgot to mention this one!): https://sites.google.com/view/tildatabase/for-language-teachers 

    Diane has videos from her high school Chinese language classroom 2015-2017 (and some adult introductory classes) on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DianeNeubauer 


    Hawai`i Department of Education – World Languages 

    The new Hawai`i World Readiness Standards for Language Learning and supporting webinars and documents are available here:

    https://learningdesign.hawaiipublicschools.org/standards-based-content/world-languages


    Online language classes similar to the kind of teaching Reed & Diane often discuss:

    Fluency Fast: https://fluencyfast.com/ 

    Express Fluency: https://expressfluency.com/ 

    Elevate Educational Consulting: https://www.elevateeducationconsulting.com/ 


    Link to Diane's speaking assessment video & info: 

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpMXkl0jTQc 


    Send questions to: [email protected] 

    Intro & outro music selected from "23 Light Years" by CavalloPazzo

    Support the show

    Conversations about Language Teaching
    Diane Neubauer, PhD & Reed Riggs, PhD

    "Conversations about Language Teaching" is a podcast of unscripted discussions of language teaching, drawing on both research and classroom & online language teaching. If you like thinking deeply about issues of classroom language teaching and how those relate to research and theory, this podcast might be for you.

    Reed & Diane, the hosts, base our knowledge of language teaching on research we've read & done, theoretical views of language acquisition, our experiences as language teachers and learners, and our observations of language teaching in the US and elsewhere. We like to help build bridges among teachers and researchers and view ourselves as part of both communities. We collaborate on projects & like talking about language teaching & learning, and decided to have some of those conversations in a podcast format. Here it is!

    More about Diane: https://sites.google.com/view/dianen/home
    More about Reed: http://www.reedriggs.com

    Watch on YouTube where episodes are captioned:
    https://www.youtube.com/@ConversationsaboutLanguage

    We welcome support for the podcasting costs. See "Support" here: https://conversationsaboutlanguage.buzzsprout.com/2325378/supporters/new

    1 hr 1 min
  • Episode 20: The Silent Period

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    Conversations about Language Teaching 
    Episode 20: The Silent Period 
    Show Notes


    Search results on Google Scholar for “silent period second language acquisition” 

    https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C15&q=silent+period+second+language+acquisition&oq=%22silent+period%22+


    Diane quoted from this document: 

    Krashen, S. (1981). Second language acquisition. Second Language Learning, 3(7), 19-39. https://www.academia.edu/download/35238869/second_languge_acquisition_and_learning.pdf


    This presentation was used by Diane as reference for a 6-stages view of SLA, with "preproduction" or the Silent Period listed first. I’ve seen this sequence for SLA referenced in several other ESL webpages and documents by ESL teachers (but not in research on SLA to my recollection): 

    Mays, M. (n.d.). Part II: Second Language Acquisition and Introduction to WIDA. http://wpsesl.weebly.com/uploads/1/0/8/7/10871095/part_ii_sla_and_wida_lite.pdf  


    The ESL Nexus blog post about the Silent Period: 

    Susan. (2017, October 17). What is the silent period and why is it important?. theeslnexus.com. https://theeslnexus.com/what-is-the-silent-period-and-why-is-it-important/ Accessed 2024, November 27. 

    Intro & outro music selected from "23 Light Years" by CavalloPazzo

    Support the show

    Conversations about Language Teaching
    Diane Neubauer, PhD & Reed Riggs, PhD

    "Conversations about Language Teaching" is a podcast of unscripted discussions of language teaching, drawing on both research and classroom & online language teaching. If you like thinking deeply about issues of classroom language teaching and how those relate to research and theory, this podcast might be for you.

    Reed & Diane, the hosts, base our knowledge of language teaching on research we've read & done, theoretical views of language acquisition, our experiences as language teachers and learners, and our observations of language teaching in the US and elsewhere. We like to help build bridges among teachers and researchers and view ourselves as part of both communities. We collaborate on projects & like talking about language teaching & learning, and decided to have some of those conversations in a podcast format. Here it is!

    More about Diane: https://sites.google.com/view/dianen/home
    More about Reed: http://www.reedriggs.com

    Watch on YouTube where episodes are captioned:
    https://www.youtube.com/@ConversationsaboutLanguage

    We welcome support for the podcasting costs. See "Support" here: https://conversationsaboutlanguage.buzzsprout.com/2325378/supporters/new

    30 min
  • Episode 19: Listening comprehension as a goal

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    Conversations about Language Teaching
    Episode 19: Listening comprehension as a goal

    Show Notes

    We welcome questions and topics to address! We're aiming for episode 21 to be responding to questions. Write to us at [email protected].


    Lichtman, K. (2019). Research on TPR Storytelling (TPRS). Fluency through TPR storytelling, 299-323. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Karen-Lichtman/publication/335240603_Research_on_TPR_Storytelling_2019/links/5d5aa3fb92851c37636aac88/Research-on-TPR-Storytelling-2019.pdf 


    Dr. Florencia Henshaw: https://spanport.illinois.edu/directory/profile/henshaw2 

    Her keynote at the Kentucky World Language Association (Sept. 2024) isn’t online, but she’s been interviewed on Claudia Elliott’s podcast, Growing with Proficiency, in episodes about comprehensible input and about output. For example: https://growingwithproficiency.com/all-about-output-with-dr-florencia-henshaw-part-1/ 


    Dubois, J. (2015, October 29). Very narrow listening. IJFLT. https://ijflt.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/IJFLT_Oct_2015_10-29-2015_TtT_Very_Narrow_Listening.pdf 

    https://theagenworkshop.com/about-very-narrow-listening-stephen-krashen-michael-jordan-and-jackie-chan/


    Slocum Bailey, J. (2016, October 4). Use can-do statements-just not like this. Indwelling Language. https://indwellinglanguage.com/use-can-do-statements-not-like-this/ 

    Intro & outro music selected from "23 Light Years" by CavalloPazzo

    Support the show

    Conversations about Language Teaching
    Diane Neubauer, PhD & Reed Riggs, PhD

    "Conversations about Language Teaching" is a podcast of unscripted discussions of language teaching, drawing on both research and classroom & online language teaching. If you like thinking deeply about issues of classroom language teaching and how those relate to research and theory, this podcast might be for you.

    Reed & Diane, the hosts, base our knowledge of language teaching on research we've read & done, theoretical views of language acquisition, our experiences as language teachers and learners, and our observations of language teaching in the US and elsewhere. We like to help build bridges among teachers and researchers and view ourselves as part of both communities. We collaborate on projects & like talking about language teaching & learning, and decided to have some of those conversations in a podcast format. Here it is!

    More about Diane: https://sites.google.com/view/dianen/home
    More about Reed: http://www.reedriggs.com

    Watch on YouTube where episodes are captioned:
    https://www.youtube.com/@ConversationsaboutLanguage

    We welcome support for the podcasting costs. See "Support" here: https://conversationsaboutlanguage.buzzsprout.com/2325378/supporters/new

    38 min
  • Episode 18: Complexity in Instructional Activities

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    Episode 18: Instructional Activities

    Seedhouse, P. (2010). Locusts, snowflakes and recasts: complexity theory and spoken interaction. Classroom Discourse, 1(1), 4–24. https://doi.org/10.1080/19463011003750624 


    Neubauer, D. (2022). Chinese Language Instruction with Novice Learners: Target Language Topic Development, Engagement, and Comprehension in Online and Hybrid Classrooms. In: The University of Iowa. https://search.proquest.com/openview/4404f8257451ba7a5d4999aa1718c590/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y 

    Did you know you can also ask authors privately and directly for a copy of their publication? You can. Did you know the podcast email address is [email protected]? It is!


    VanPatten, B. (2017). While we're on the topic: BVP on language, acquisition, and classroom practice. Alexandria, VA: ACTFL. 

    Seedhouse, P. (2004). The interactional architecture of the language classroom: A conversation analysis perspective: Language Learning. 

    Intro & outro music selected from "23 Light Years" by CavalloPazzo

    Support the show

    Conversations about Language Teaching
    Diane Neubauer, PhD & Reed Riggs, PhD

    "Conversations about Language Teaching" is a podcast of unscripted discussions of language teaching, drawing on both research and classroom & online language teaching. If you like thinking deeply about issues of classroom language teaching and how those relate to research and theory, this podcast might be for you.

    Reed & Diane, the hosts, base our knowledge of language teaching on research we've read & done, theoretical views of language acquisition, our experiences as language teachers and learners, and our observations of language teaching in the US and elsewhere. We like to help build bridges among teachers and researchers and view ourselves as part of both communities. We collaborate on projects & like talking about language teaching & learning, and decided to have some of those conversations in a podcast format. Here it is!

    More about Diane: https://sites.google.com/view/dianen/home
    More about Reed: http://www.reedriggs.com

    Watch on YouTube where episodes are captioned:
    https://www.youtube.com/@ConversationsaboutLanguage

    We welcome support for the podcasting costs. See "Support" here: https://conversationsaboutlanguage.buzzsprout.com/2325378/supporters/new

    48 min
  • Episode 17: Comparing language teaching settings

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    Episode 17 Show notes

    Lichtman, K., & VanPatten, B. (2021). Was Krashen right? Forty years later. Foreign Language Annals, 54(2), 283-305. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/flan.12552   

    Note: ACTFL members have access to that full article through your membership after logging in. There are also several response articles, and a final response from Lichtman & VanPatten, in the same issue.


    Diane mentioned the English language test from the US called ACCESS:
    https://wida.wisc.edu/assess/access


    Intro & outro music selected from "23 Light Years" by CavalloPazzo

    Support the show

    Conversations about Language Teaching
    Diane Neubauer, PhD & Reed Riggs, PhD

    "Conversations about Language Teaching" is a podcast of unscripted discussions of language teaching, drawing on both research and classroom & online language teaching. If you like thinking deeply about issues of classroom language teaching and how those relate to research and theory, this podcast might be for you.

    Reed & Diane, the hosts, base our knowledge of language teaching on research we've read & done, theoretical views of language acquisition, our experiences as language teachers and learners, and our observations of language teaching in the US and elsewhere. We like to help build bridges among teachers and researchers and view ourselves as part of both communities. We collaborate on projects & like talking about language teaching & learning, and decided to have some of those conversations in a podcast format. Here it is!

    More about Diane: https://sites.google.com/view/dianen/home
    More about Reed: http://www.reedriggs.com

    Watch on YouTube where episodes are captioned:
    https://www.youtube.com/@ConversationsaboutLanguage

    We welcome support for the podcasting costs. See "Support" here: https://conversationsaboutlanguage.buzzsprout.com/2325378/supporters/new

    41 min
  • Season 3 Episode 16: Using Authentic Texts

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    Season 3 Episode 16: Using Authentic Texts

    Show Notes: 


    Intro & outro music selected from "23 Light Years" by CavalloPazzo

    Support the show

    Conversations about Language Teaching
    Diane Neubauer, PhD & Reed Riggs, PhD

    "Conversations about Language Teaching" is a podcast of unscripted discussions of language teaching, drawing on both research and classroom & online language teaching. If you like thinking deeply about issues of classroom language teaching and how those relate to research and theory, this podcast might be for you.

    Reed & Diane, the hosts, base our knowledge of language teaching on research we've read & done, theoretical views of language acquisition, our experiences as language teachers and learners, and our observations of language teaching in the US and elsewhere. We like to help build bridges among teachers and researchers and view ourselves as part of both communities. We collaborate on projects & like talking about language teaching & learning, and decided to have some of those conversations in a podcast format. Here it is!

    More about Diane: https://sites.google.com/view/dianen/home
    More about Reed: http://www.reedriggs.com

    Watch on YouTube where episodes are captioned:
    https://www.youtube.com/@ConversationsaboutLanguage

    We welcome support for the podcasting costs. See "Support" here: https://conversationsaboutlanguage.buzzsprout.com/2325378/supporters/new

    42 min
  • Episode 15: Language Learner Strategies

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    Season 2 Episode 15: Language Learner Strategies

    Show Notes

    The chapter is chapter 34 in this book:
    Celce-Murcia, M., Brinton, D., & Snow, M. A., Eds. (2014). Teaching English as a Second Or Foreign Language. National Geographic Learning. 4th edition.

    A free PDF of the 3rd edition (the 2001 edition) is available free here. You can browse parts of the most recent edition (the 2013 4th edition) on Google Books here.

    We discussed points from chapter 34 by James E. Purpura:
    Purpura, J. (2014). Language learner styles and strategies. In M. Celce-Murcia, D. Brinton, & A. Snow (Eds.), Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language (4th ed.) (pp. 532-549). Boston, MA: National Geographic Learning/Cengage Learning.

    Here is James Purpura's webpage: https://www.tc.columbia.edu/faculty/jp248/



    Diane mentioned Sarah Breckley, Spanish teacher: https://sarahbreckley.com/

    Intro & outro music selected from "23 Light Years" by CavalloPazzo

    Support the show

    Conversations about Language Teaching
    Diane Neubauer, PhD & Reed Riggs, PhD

    "Conversations about Language Teaching" is a podcast of unscripted discussions of language teaching, drawing on both research and classroom & online language teaching. If you like thinking deeply about issues of classroom language teaching and how those relate to research and theory, this podcast might be for you.

    Reed & Diane, the hosts, base our knowledge of language teaching on research we've read & done, theoretical views of language acquisition, our experiences as language teachers and learners, and our observations of language teaching in the US and elsewhere. We like to help build bridges among teachers and researchers and view ourselves as part of both communities. We collaborate on projects & like talking about language teaching & learning, and decided to have some of those conversations in a podcast format. Here it is!

    More about Diane: https://sites.google.com/view/dianen/home
    More about Reed: http://www.reedriggs.com

    Watch on YouTube where episodes are captioned:
    https://www.youtube.com/@ConversationsaboutLanguage

    We welcome support for the podcasting costs. See "Support" here: https://conversationsaboutlanguage.buzzsprout.com/2325378/supporters/new

    59 min

About Conversations about Language Teaching

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"Conversations about Language Teaching" is a podcast of unscripted discussions of language teaching, drawing on both research and classroom & online language teaching. If you like thinking…

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