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Have you ever felt like getting your students to really use the target language with each other is the hardest thing? You want them to share ideas, agree or disagree, and ask questions. But when the moment comes, silence takes over—or worse, they switch to English.

In this episode, I sit down with my friend and incredible Spanish teacher, Chelsea Lawrence, to talk about a game-changing strategy: Silent Discussions.

✨ What you’ll learn in this episode:

• What Silent Discussions are and how to set them up step by step.
• Why this strategy works so well to lower stress and build success in interpersonal communication.
• Real classroom examples—from connecting the Panama Canal to a local tunnel, to jigsaw activities with biographies and even telescopes.
• Practical scaffolds to support your students: graphic organizers, sentence starters, question stems, and even a “How do you say…?” board.
• What to do after the Silent Discussion to extend the learning with gallery walks, reflections, or presentational tasks.

👉 If you’re a Spanish teacher and are looking for resources to create great jigsaw activities plus Silent Discussions, check out the Biographies to Celebrate Hispanic Women or explore the Panoramas Culturales, where you can assign one article to each group.

Listen now and discover how one big sheet of paper can transform into a powerful tool for authentic student interaction in your classroom.

📌 Resources 

• Join the waitlist for Growing With Proficiency: The Spanish Teacher Academy → growingwithproficiency.com/academy
• Follow me on Instagram @claudiamelliott 
• ​​📑 Discover culturally rich, month-specific resources for Spanish classes in myTPT Store: Growing With Proficiency. 

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As teachers, we’ve all been there—you’ve planned the lesson, you’ve given directions, and then… your students just don’t meet the expectations. Blank stares, missing homework, silence after a question. 😩

But here’s the thing: maybe unmet expectations aren’t really the problem. In this episode, I sit down with Becca Silver, founder of The Whole Educator, to explore how shifting our mindset can transform frustration into curiosity—and how that shift can change the way we connect with our students.

This conversation will challenge the way you see those tough classroom moments and give you strategies you can start using tomorrow.

✨ Takeaways

• Why unmet expectations feel so heavy for teachers—and what’s actually underneath them.
• The difference between a “shoulds mindset” and a curiosity mindset in the classroom.
• Simple sentence starters to reframe your response when students don’t do the reading, homework, or show up prepared.
• How a mindset shift can help you maintain joy and keep communication flowing, even on hard days.

📚 Resources & Links

Find all the resources and entire blog post here.

🎧 Related Episodes:

Episode 88 with Dr. Bill VanPatten: Why Input Still Matters

Episode 84 with Dr. Stephen Krashen: The Power of Reading

📌 Resources + Links Mentioned in This Episode:

• Join the waitlist for Growing With Proficiency: The Spanish Teacher Academy → growingwithproficiency.com/academy
• Follow me on Instagram @claudiamelliott 
• ​​📑 Discover culturally rich, month-specific resources for Spanish classes in myTPT Store: Growing With Proficiency. 
• September Calendar Talk

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Seguro te ha pasado: das tu clase en español con toda la energía, pero hay un silencio total.  Esa desconexión cansa y desmotiva, porque lo que más deseamos como profes es escuchar a nuestros estudiantes usar el español de manera auténtica.

En este episodio hablamos de cómo crear momentos auténticos en clase: oportunidades naturales y significativas para que los estudiantes reaccionen, escuchen y se comuniquen en español sin sentir tanta presión.

Te comparto tres pasos claros para:
 ✅ Identificar esos momentos espontáneos que surgen en clase.
 ✅ Hacer visibles las expresiones necesarias para que tus estudiantes las usen.
 ✅ Celebrar cada intento para que poco a poco las interacciones se vuelvan espontáneas.

Al final, verás cómo estos momentos, aunque breves, sientan las bases para conversaciones más largas, más auténticas y más motivadoras tanto para ti como para tus estudiantes. 🌟

Si necesitas más recursos, haz un clic acá y encontrarás mi blog. 

Y si lo que buscas son recursos, te invito a que visites mi página de TPT acá. 

Pero si lo que te interesa es todo, recursos, ideas, apoyo y comunidad, hazte parte de Growing With Proficiency: The Spanish Teacher Academy, donde encontrarás plantillas, entrenamientos y el acompañamiento que necesitas para enseñar con claridad y confianza.

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Save time, reduce stress, and maximize target language use—because that’s how you create a sustainable school year, profe. 🌟

In this episode, we’re diving into routines: those small but powerful structures that keep your class running smoothly. I’ll walk you through why they matter, the key mindset shifts to make them stick, and practical examples you can start using right away.

Because here’s the truth—routines only work if you keep them clear, model them step by step, and stick with them consistently. And when you do? You’ll spend less time managing your class and more time communicating in Spanish.

✨ What you’ll hear in this episode:

• Why routines matter and how they save time + reduce stress
• The three key mindset shifts every teacher needs: Clarity + Modeling + Consistency
• The exact questions to ask before introducing a new routine
• Examples of powerful routines (and the expectations that make them work!)—like Brain Breaks, Calendar Talk, Free Voluntary Reading, Free Writes, Exit Tickets, and more
• Tips for launching routines so they actually stick and don’t fizzle out by October

📌 Resources + Links Mentioned in This Episode:

• Join the waitlist for Growing With Proficiency: The Spanish Teacher Academy → growingwithproficiency.com/academy
• Follow me on Instagram @claudiamelliott for behind-the-scenes on how I set up my routines
• ​​📑 Discover culturally rich, month-specific resources for Spanish classes in my TPT Store: Growing With Proficiency. 
• September Calendar Talk
• Read the Blog

Related episodes you might enjoy:

• Episode 23 https://growingwithproficiency.com/beyond-the-date-and-weather-using-calendar-talk-to-connect-with-students-and-provide-comprehensible-input/
• Episode 86 https://growingwithproficiency.com/make-free-voluntary-reading-work-with-ac-quintero/

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Open House isn’t just about sharing rules—it’s your chance to build trust with parents, spark curiosity, and show them how their students can thrive in your class. 

In this episode, Claudia walks you through her 7–8 minute Open House plan, including what she skips, what she highlights, and how a simple Spanish “mini-lab” makes parents leave confident and excited about language learning.

✨ Takeaways:

• Why you should skip the long rule list and focus on what makes your class unique.
• How a short demo in the target language builds trust and shows parents their kids can succeed.
• Why attention is the #1 key to success in a proficiency-based class.
• How Open House can set the tone for fewer parent conferences and stronger partnerships all year.

🎙️ Related Episodes:

• Why Teaching About Second Language Acquisition Matters
• Conference in the Cloud Takeaways with Annabelle Williamson and Elisa McLean
• How to Boost Target Language Use with Routines, Play, and Student Connections

📚 Resources & Mentions

• Conference in the Cloud — use code CLAUDIA to register
• TPT Store 
• Growing With Proficiency Blog
• Growing With Proficiency The Spanish Teacher Academy Waitlist

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In this episode of Growing With Proficiency, I’m joined by my friends and fellow educators Annabelle Williamson (La Maestra Loca) and Elissa McLean to share our biggest takeaways from Conference in the Cloud.

We talk about simple, high-impact strategies to help you use more target language in your classroom without adding stress:

• Routines that make Spanish (or any language) the default from day one
• Playful moments that spark joy and engagement—like the Platos game from Will Adams’s Chinese class and Martha Ruiz Yedinak’s What’s in Your Pocket? student job
• Star Student Interviews with tips to keep them fresh, personal, and comprehensible all year long
• Why slowing down, adding repetitions, and remembering what it’s like to be a beginner matters

📚 Resources & Mentions

• Conference in the Cloud — use code CLAUDIA to register
• More about routines here
• Class Jobs with Annabelle Williamson and John Seifer
• Star Student Interview 
• TPT Store with Star Student Interview questions for each month
• Growing With Proficiency Blog
• Growing With Proficiency The Spanish Teacher Academy Waitlist
  
  

🎧 Listen now to hear the full conversation, plus practical tips you can try tomorrow to increase target language time, build community, and keep your classes joyful and connected.

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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

🔗 Want more support?

Check out my blog

Check out my TPT Store 👉 Explore all the resources here

Check out my FB Group Growing With CI 📘 Facebook: Growing With CI Community

Sign up for the wait list of GWP The Spanish Teacher Academy

 https://growingwithproficiency.com/academy

💌 Loved this episode? Leave a review and tag me on Instagram @growingwithproficiency—I’d love to hear your biggest takeaway!

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Planning for acquisition isn’t about perfection—it’s about intention. In this powerful episode, I sit down with Dr. Diane Neubauer and Dr. Reed Riggs for one of the most meaningful conversations I’ve ever had about lesson planning in the world language classroom.

We explore what it means to plan with purpose—centering curiosity, communication, and student connection instead of rigid structures or vocabulary lists.

✨ Key takeaways:

• Why essential questions can guide your unit better than word banks
• How to stay flexible with language goals (because students don’t always know what we think they know)
• The power of interpretive communication—why listening and reading matter just as much (or more!) than speaking
• How routines and student responses can lead the way
• Why language is the vehicle, not the destination

Whether you’re new to acquisition-driven instruction or looking to refine your approach, this episode will inspire and ground your planning process.

🛠️ Mentioned in the episode:

Neubauer, D. (2022). Chinese Language Instruction with Novice Learners: Target Language Topic Development, Engagement, and Comprehension in Online and Hybrid Classrooms: The University of Iowa. 

Jacknick, C. M. (2021). Multimodal participation and engagement: Social interaction in the classroom. Edinburgh University Press. 

Hiver, P., Al-Hoorie, A. H., & Mercer, S. (2020). Student engagement in the language classroom. Multilingual Matters.  

Diane’s YouTube channel 

Diane’s Language teaching blog 

New eBook: Comprehension-based Chinese, published by Cheng & Tsui 

Reed’s Blog: http://www.reedriggs.com/#/

Conversations About Language: https://conversationsaboutlanguage.buzzsprout.com/

More Resources:

🌐 Connect with Claudia:

Instagram: @growingwithproficiency

Website: www.growingwithproficiency.com

TpT Back to School Sale! 🗓️ August 5–6 — Use code BTS25
👉 Explore all the resources here

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What happens when students expect grammar charts, parents want vocabulary lists, and administrators walk in asking, “Why are YOU doing all the talking?” If you’ve felt that tension, this episode is for you.

In this final episode of the Back to School Series, I share the exact lesson I use in the first week of school that changed a lot for me—how I shifted from feeling questioned and defensive to confidently leading my students, parents, and administrators through the “why” of how we teach languages today.

You'll hear how teaching students about language acquisition and ACTFL proficiency empowers them to engage with purpose, builds trust in your classroom, and lays the foundation for meaningful grading conversations all year long.

In This Episode:

• Why world language class is not like math or biology—and why that matters
• How I introduce language acquisition
• Why educating parents and administrators is key
• Why teaching our students about proficiency will help our students to ask better questions for assessments.
• Why this one lesson created more buy-in, better behavior, and stronger relationships in my class

🧰 Resources + Links from the Episode:

📝 Mini Lesson: How Do We Acquire Language?
 👉 Available on TpT

🎯 GWP The Spanish Teacher Academy 👉 Join the Spanish Teacher Academy

🎧 Ep. 78 – w/ Pablo Martinez
 👉 Listen now

🎧 Ep. 131 – ACTFL Proficiency Descriptors w/ Maris Hawkins
 👉 Listen now

📚 Ohio State Study: The Power of Reading Daily
 👉 Read the article

🎁 Want to Start the Year Strong with Everything You Need?

If you're a Spanish teacher ready for:

• Tailored PD for proficiency-based instruction
• Monthly planning support and fresh resources
• A full-year curriculum (Creciendo) that’s comprehensible and compelling
• Panoramas culturales with audio recorded by native speakers
• A thriving teacher community that gets it...

Then the Spanish Teacher Academy is for you! 🎉

👉 Join today at growingwithproficiency.com/academy

🎒 School paying? We accept POs!
 📩 Questions? Email: [email protected]

❤️ Let’s Stay Connected:

Instagram → @claudiamelliott
Podcast archive + blog → growingwithproficiency.com

🎧 Thank you for listening! If this episode inspired you, share it with a colleague and leave a review. Here’s to a joyful, sustainable, and meaningful year!

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The first week of school can feel like a whirlwind—there’s excitement, anticipation, and let’s be honest… pressure. What should you do first? What’s most important? And how can you make sure you’re setting up your students (and yourself!) for a successful, sustainable year?

In this episode, I’m opening up about what I actually prioritize during that first week of school in my Spanish classroom. I’m sharing what I focus on (and what I no longer stress about), how I build trust and connection from day one, and the routines that help students feel safe, welcomed, and ready to use Spanish with confidence.

You’ll hear about:

• What students really bring into your classroom on the first day
• How to make that very first impression count
• Why I lead with connection, not curriculum
• The small changes I’ve made that have had a big impact on student engagement
• How I create an experience where Spanish is accessible and meaningful—even on day one

If you’re feeling the back-to-school pressure or just want a plan that feels human and realistic, this episode is for you.

🔗 Resources & Links:

• Join the Spanish Teacher Academy for free: growingwithproficiency.com/trial
• Don’t miss our Live Planning Session on July 22—available to all Academy members!
• Want more back-to-school inspiration? Catch:
  • Ep. 151: The 3 Pillars of a Sustainable Language Class
  • Ep. 153: Planning a Sustainable Year
  • Episodio en Español: 5 claves para comenzar el año escolar