SLAyyy: Second Language Acquisition for Everyone

By Ben Fisher-Rodriguez, Bill Langley-Bostick

Join Ben (he/him), and Bill (he/him) as they Gaslight (reflect), Gatekeep (read research), and Girlboss (share successes) language teaching!

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5

33 ratings

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FAQs about SLAyyy: Second Language Acquisition for Everyone:

How many episodes does SLAyyy: Second Language Acquisition for Everyone have?

The podcast currently has 40 episodes available.

SLAyyy: Second Language Acquisition for Everyone episodes:

May 19, 2026 Ep. 39: CI Reboot Livestream with "Conversations About Language Teaching"
Please enjoy this minimally edited crossover episode with one of our favorite podcasts, Conversations About Language Teaching! Listen in as we discuss how best to help others understand fundamental SLA findings, and what those might be...!
We recorded this as a livestream as part of the CI Reboot 2026 online conference. Interested in learning more? Register now with the discount code SLAYY2026 !!! And go forth and SLAY!
...more
1h 7min
April 21, 2026 Ep. 38: SLAyyy Program Growth and Retention
SLAyyy: Second Language Acquisition for Everyone Website
Gaslight
Please Don’t Burn Yourself Out!
Know Your Context
Gatekeep - Wadas, M., Goetze, J., & Jackson, C. (2024). Going above and beyond: Motivations of L2 German learners to (dis)continue language study. Die Unterrichtspraxis/Teaching German, 57, 87–102.
Girlboss
Meditating on the Ideal Self
Don’t Waste Your Own Time!
Love Culture, and Develop a Growth Mindset
References
Social Accounts:
Facebook
Bluesky
Instagram
CI Reboot - fully online conference for CCLT - use affiliate code SLAYY2026
Ben’s Blog Post About Program Growth
Mike Peto - Las maravillas
The German Club Ideas List
...more
48min
April 07, 2026 Ep. 37: SLAyyy Teaching Learning-Strategies to Students
Artists:
Ben Fisher-Rodriguez, Bill Langley
Main Points
SLAyyy: Second Language Acquisition for Everyone Website
Gaslight
Strategies Are Not Top of Mind
How to Balance Test Prep and Real World Use
Target Language Usage vs. L1 Talk About Metacognition
Gatekeep - Sarafianou, Anna & Gavriilidou, Zoe. (2015). The effect of strategy-based instruction on strategy use by upper-secondary Greek students of EFL. Electronic Journal of Foreign Language Teaching. 12. 21-34.
Types of Strategies
Teaching Strategies → Knowing Strategies!
But What Do the Strategies…Do?
Girlboss
Teaching the Use of Logical Connectors (and Complete Sentences)
Breaking Words Down
Use Up Those Commercial Breaks!
References
Social Accounts:
Facebook
Bluesky
Instagram
CI Reboot - fully online conference for CCLT - use affiliate code SLAYY2026
AnneMarie Chase - 20 Questions
Bryce Hedstrom - Reading Bookmark
...more
38min
March 24, 2026 Ep. 36: SLAyyy Pair and Group Work with Timothy Chávez
Gaslight
Lack of Communicative Purpose
Bad Input! Bad!
Need for Scaffolding
We Teach Much More Than Language
Gatekeep - Sadri, E. & Tahririan, M.H.. (2018). Teacher-assisted vs. peer-assisted performances and L2 development: A mixed methods approach. Journal of Research in Applied Linguistics. 9. 3-27.
When Do Students Get the Most Gains from Peer Assistance?
Feedback Amount and Quality
What This Feedback Accomplished
Girlboss
Bill’s Framework That Slays
The Question of Proportion
Interactive Tasks That Are Secretly Input
Real Tasks, Really Supported
References
Social Accounts:
Facebook
Bluesky
Instagram
Timothy Chávez on Instagram and His Website!
Examples of Tasks shared by Timothy
Arcoíris from The Comprehensible Classroom
Huellas from Somewhere to Share
AnneMarie Chase - AP Strategies
...more
52min
March 10, 2026 Ep. 35: SLAyyy The New Can-Do Statements
SLAyyy: Second Language Acquisition for Everyone Website
Overview of Can Do Statements
Proficiency, Performance, Can Do!
What is Intercultural Communication?
Function, Context, Text Type
Changes from 2017
Cultural Self-Knowledge
Minor Semantic Changes
Girlboss
Use Them For Planning!
References
Social Accounts:
Facebook
Bluesky
Instagram
Avant ADVANCE - Proficiency Level Training
Language Functions List from The Keys to Planning for Learning
Facilitated Interdependent Language Learning (FILL) - blog by Michele Anciaux Aoki
...more
42min
February 24, 2026 Ep. 34: SLAyyy Switching to CCLT
SLAyyy: Second Language Acquisition for Everyone Website
Gaslight
What is school supposed to look like?
Misalignment of Objectives
Holistic Thinking vs. Right/Wrong Answers
Gatekeep - Kürüm, E. Y. (2025). Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Comprehension-Based Language Teaching: A Large-Scale Pretest-Posttest Study. RumeliDE Dil ve Edebiyat Araştırmaları Dergisi, (47), 140-155.
Want to learn about CEFR and ACTFL comparisons? Click here!
ACTFL’s Inverted Pyramid
Girlboss
Get Connected!
iFLT/TPRS/CI Teaching Facebook Group
ACTFL Special Interest Groups
See below for conferences mentioned!
References
Social Accounts:
Facebook
Bluesky
Instagram
Mitten CI, April 17-18, Saline, Michigan (outside Detroit),
Comprehensible Iowa, June 12-13th, Des Moines, Iowa
The CI Summit, July 15-17, Cincinnati, Ohio
The Agen Workshop, Agen, France, July 20-25
CI Reboot, all online, June 20-27
...more
41min
February 10, 2026 Ep. 33 SLAyyy Micro-Breaks for Student Attention
SLAyyy: Second Language Acquisition for Everyone Website
Gaslight
Talking Yourself Out of Them
Brain Breaks vs. Games
Focus vs. Energize
Perception of Brain Breaks
Gatekeep
Sharpe, B. T., Trotter, M. G., & Hale, B. J. (2025). Sustaining student concentration: The effectiveness of micro-breaks in a classroom setting. Frontiers in Psychology, 16, 1589411.
Do students perform better on quizzes and tests if they get regularly microbreaks during class time?
Girlboss
Meditation and Box Breaths
Games with Patterns
Simpler!
References
Social Accounts:
Facebook
Bluesky
Instagram
Headspace - meditation app, free for educators!
Calm - Breathe Bubble (for quick mindfulness in class)
Say the Word to the Beat Examples - Spanish, German
Heads Up, 7 Up - Spanish, German
Category Clapping from Claudia Elliott
...more
42min
January 28, 2026 Ep. 32: SLAyyy Student Perceptions of Pedagogical Translation
SLAyyy: Second Language Acquisition for Everyone Website
Gaslight
Overreliance on Translation
The Need for TL Usage
No Translation Ever! …Or?
Gatekeep
Does Translation Contribute to SLA?
How Do Students Perceive Translation in SLA?
Choral Translation
Girlboss
Use Judiciously!
Keep Proficiency Level in Mind
References
Social Accounts:
Facebook
Bluesky
Instagram
Bryce Hedstrom - Stuff for Spanish Class
Keith Toda - Stultus (Liar!) Game (Ben’s note: it turns out “stultus” means something more like “stupid”! I use the word for “Lie!”)
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36min
January 13, 2026 Ep. 31 SLAyyy Total Physical Response with Jon Cowart
Artists:
Ben Fisher-Rodriguez, Bill Langley
Main Points
SLAyyy: Second Language Acquisition for Everyone Website
Gaslight
Where’s the consistency?
How to Deal with Reluctant or Resistant Students
Hesitate! Slow Down!
Gatekeep
Principles of TPR: Not Just Commands
Connecting Language to the Body
Lowering Anxiety
Girlboss
TPR, or Gestures?
Model - Hesitate - Stop
Left-Brain “School” Processing Activities
TPR for Upper Levels
References
Social Accounts:
Facebook
Bluesky
Instagram
Jon Cowart’s Website
Berty Segal Cook - Teaching English Through Action
James Asher - Learning Another Language Through Actions
Contee Seely - TPR is More Than Commands
...more
1h
December 02, 2025 Ep. 30: SLAyyy First Semester Wrap-Up
Gaslight
The Class That Just Won’t Talk
Planning and Grading Struggle Bus
Accountable Reading
Explicitly Talking About Why We Do What We Do
Gatekeep
Book Study Takeaways
Synonym Stacking
Pronunciation Fun
Girlboss
Having a Unit Framework Slays!
Kicking Butt and Taking Names
References
Social Accounts:
Facebook
Bluesky
Instagram
The Partner Speaking / Q+A Game
Bill’s Unit Planning Framework
Independent Textivities from the Comprehensible Classroom
Bill’s Post for the Educational Knowledge Network: Podcasts as Tools for Knowledge Brokers: How We’re Working to Make Evidence Accessible, Relevant, and Actionable
...more
51min

FAQs about SLAyyy: Second Language Acquisition for Everyone:

How many episodes does SLAyyy: Second Language Acquisition for Everyone have?

The podcast currently has 40 episodes available.

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