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How do we move from teaching about a language to using it to communicate—authentically, meaningfully, and joyfully?

In this special live episode of Growing With Proficiency: The Podcast, I sit down with two powerhouses in the world of language acquisition—Dr. Karen Lichtman and Jason Fritze—to answer a BIG question:

👉 What does it actually mean to teach for acquisition?

We explore what the research says, what this looks like in real classrooms, and the three core teaching skills that every language educator needs to make acquisition-driven instruction work.

Whether you’re brand new to CI or have been doing this for years, this episode is packed with insights, encouragement, and strategies you can try mañana in your own classroom.

What We Talk About:

• What teaching for acquisition really means (and what it doesn’t)
• The difference between communication and display questions
• Why teacher use of the target language—not student output—is what matters most for acquisition
• 3 core teaching skills for every CI-based classroom:
  • Comprehensible Input – speak in the TL in a way students can understand
  • Purposeful Questioning – real, meaningful questions that spark conversation
  • Adapting Content – tailor topics, resources, and stories to your students
• How to start small (even if you’re still required to follow a textbook)

Mentioned in the Episode:

• Dr. Florencia Henshaw on authentic materials
• Donato & Glisan's Enacting the Work of Language Instruction
• Dr. Karen Lichtman research

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