SLAyyy: Second Language Acquisition for Everyone

By Ben Fisher-Rodriguez, Bill Langley-BostickEducation Language Learning

SLAyyy: Second Language Acquisition for Everyone episodes

September 29 Ep. 45: SLAyyy Word Chunks
SLAyyy: Second Language Acquisition for Everyone Website
Gaslight
Teaching Words Individually
SLOW
Gatekeep - Wang, S. Y., & Christiansen, M. H. (2024). Chunking in the second language: Implications for language learning and teaching. Language Teaching Research Quarterly, 44, 84-106.
The Processing Bottleneck + Chunk and Pass
L1 + L2 Language Acquisition
Girlboss
ENHANCED CHUNKING SKILLS
Revising the Vocab List
Auditory, then Reading
Chat Mats and Sentence Builders
References
Social Accounts:
Facebook
Bluesky
Instagram
Book Study: Learner Feedback for Language Growth by Nickel, Strauss, and Budke
Episode 18: SLAyyy Multiword Sequences
TextActivities
Sentence Builders
45 min
September 15 Ep. 44: SLAyyy Whole-Class Choral Reading
Notes
SLAyyy: Second Language Acquisition for Everyone Website
Gaslight
It’ll All Work Out in the End! …Right?
How Much Should We Emphasize Any Given Aspect of a Language?
The Need for Massive Aural Input
How to Reread Texts Many Times
Gatekeep - Paige, D. D. (2011). 16 Minutes of “Eyes-on-Text” Can Make a Difference: Whole-Class Choral Reading as an Adolescent Fluency Strategy. Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts, 51 (1).
Repeated Readings Help!
More Efficient Than…
Student and Teacher Perceptions
Girlboss
Control the Game
Interruption
Table Tennis Reading
Embedded Readings, Revisited
Write and Discuss
References
Social Accounts:
Facebook
Bluesky
Instagram
Book Study: Learner Feedback for Language Growth by Nickel, Strauss, and Budke
TPRS with Chinese Characteristics by Terry Waltz
55 min
September 01 Ep. 43: SLAyyy Student Leadership with Nathan Campbell
SLAyyy: Second Language Acquisition for Everyone Website
Gaslight
“Ok, Just Be a Leader Now!”
Failing to Identify Strengths
Lack of Definitions and Models
Walking the Line Between Guidance and Control
Gatekeep - Nathan Campbell, 2026 ACTFL National Language Teacher of the Year
Progressive Leadership System
Building Experience and Perspective
Modeling Qualities of a Strong Leader
Girlboss
When to Guide, When to Let Go
Clear Expectations
The Secret of the Shared Drive
References
Social Accounts:
Facebook
Bluesky
Instagram
Book Study: Learner Feedback for Language Growth by Nickel, Strauss, and Budke
Ben’s German Club Ideas List
53 min
August 18 Ep. 42: SLAyyy Comprehension-Forward Grammar Instruction
SLAyyy: Second Language Acquisition for Everyone Website
Gaslight
Are Students Made to Attend to Meaning?
Treating Language Like Other Subjects
Gatekeep - Gonzalez Bueno, Manuela. “S-PACE for Teaching L2 Grammar: Adding Structure to the PACE Model.” Applied Language Learning, vol. 31, no. 1 & 2, 2021, pp. 29–49.
Girlboss
Use Low Cognitive Load Sentences to Focus Attention
Using Student-Friendly Grammar Language
References
Social Accounts:
Facebook
Bluesky
Instagram
Book Study: Learner Feedback for Language Growth by Nickel, Strauss, and Budke
Bethanie Drew’s Blog
Lightbown: 10 Generalizations
43 min
August 04 Ep. 41: SLAyyy The Role of AI in Language Education
SLAyyy: Second Language Acquisition for Everyone Website
Gaslight
Is AI for Students or for Teachers?
The Humanity in Teaching
You Can’t AI Your Way to Communicative Competence
Gatekeep - Çelik, Ö. (2025). Evolution of foreign language education in the age of AI. ELT Research Journal, 14(1), 61-77.
Teachers as Filters of Knowledge and Designers of Learning Processes
Ben Rants, Extensively
Girlboss
How to Make the Classroom a Safe, Inclusive Learning Environment
Productivity Hacking - with the Teacher’s Competence
References
Social Accounts:
Facebook
Bluesky
Instagram
Book Study: Learner Feedback for Language Growth by Nickel, Strauss, and Budke
48 min
June 22 Ep. 40: Second Semester Wrap-Up
SLAyyy: Second Language Acquisition for Everyone Website
Gaslight
Keeping Up with Grading
Planning Ahead
Class Size!
Don’t Rush
Gatekeep
TPR, Circumlocution, and Synonym Stacking
Brain Breaks - Heads or Tails?
Girlboss
Classroom Management
Having Just a Lil’ Structure
References
Social Accounts:
Facebook
Bluesky
Instagram
CI Reboot - fully online conference for CCLT - use affiliate code SLAYY2026
Next Semester’s Book Study: Learner Feedback for Language Growth by Nickel, Strauss, and Budke
Bill’s Classroom Survivor Template
55 min
May 19 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!
1 hr 7 min
April 21 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
48 min
April 07 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
38 min
March 24 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
52 min