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In a season when we just can't do it all, having clarity about what truly impacts our students’ proficiency journey is key. And this episode? It's the one you’ll want to replay over and over again.

This conversation with Dr. Stephen Krashen is one of the most downloaded episodes of the podcast—and for good reason. Dr. Krashen, the architect of the comprehensible input hypothesis, shares the powerful role of reading for pleasure in language acquisition and how simple, self-selected books can create big results.

This episode is a reminder of what really moves the needle in our classes—and what we can let go of.

☕ Grab your cafecito and press play. This one is a must-listen (again).

💡 Big Takeaways:

• Reading is the most powerful tool for acquisition—it builds vocabulary, grammar, writing, and even empathy.
• Easy and self-selected reading works—comic books, picture books, and leveled readers count (and they stick).
• Grammar doesn’t create accuracy—input does—and output naturally emerges from rich, repeated input.
• Students gain more from reading than formal study—it boosts knowledge in history, science, and beyond.
• Heritage learners thrive through pleasure reading—it’s how they stay connected to and expand their language.
• Good input doesn’t need to be perfect—even “bad” or imperfect input helps learners grow.

Resources: 

Dr. Stephen Krashen’s Website

Article: The Power of Reading (PDF)

More Resources:

How to Teacher Guide: How to Shift to A Comprehensible and Communicative Teaching Approach
Growing With Proficiency The Blog
Growing With Proficiency The Spanish Teacher Academy Waitlist
Growing With Proficiency TPT Store
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