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!

... more

5

33 ratings

Download on the App Store

Download on the App Store

Get it on Google Play

FAQs about SLAyyy: Second Language Acquisition for Everyone:

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

The podcast currently has 44 episodes available.

SLAyyy: Second Language Acquisition for Everyone episodes:

September 01, 2026 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
...more
53min
August 18, 2026 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
...more
43min
August 04, 2026 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
...more
48min
June 22, 2026 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
...more
55min
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

FAQs about SLAyyy: Second Language Acquisition for Everyone:

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

The podcast currently has 44 episodes available.

More shows like SLAyyy: Second Language Acquisition for Everyone

Radiolab by WNYC Studios

Radiolab

43,919 Listeners

Happier with Gretchen Rubin by Gretchen Rubin / The Onward Project

Happier with Gretchen Rubin

12,897 Listeners

Alt.Latino by NPR

Alt.Latino

690 Listeners

Angela Watson's Truth for Teachers by Angela Watson

Angela Watson's Truth for Teachers

1,259 Listeners

The Daily by The New York Times

The Daily

111,845 Listeners

El hilo by My Cultura and iHeartPodcasts

El hilo

846 Listeners

SmartLess by Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, Will Arnett

SmartLess

58,013 Listeners

The Motivated Classroom by Dr. Liam Printer

The Motivated Classroom

109 Listeners

World Language Classroom | Teaching Ideas, Activities and Strategies by Joshua Cabral, French and Spanish Language Teacher, Coach and Program Consultant

World Language Classroom | Teaching Ideas, Activities and Strategies

104 Listeners

Teaching La Vida Loca by Annabelle

Teaching La Vida Loca

66 Listeners

Growing With Proficiency The Podcast by Claudia Elliott, World Language educator

Growing With Proficiency The Podcast

81 Listeners