The Motivated Classroom

After many emails and requests on the topic, this week's #MotivatedClassroom episode looks at the practicalities of how to go about teaching a class novel in the language acquisition classroom.

I go through my 11 step process for beginning and ending the reading of a novel as a class. I use these graded novels in almost every unit and they form the backbone of all of my units! How do you go about it?

... and stay tuned right to the end of the episode for a big announcement!!

Please let me know what you think!

Keep in touch and share widely!

• Full programme notes are available on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.liamprinter.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
• Follow The Motivated Classroom on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@themotivatedclassroom⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@motclasspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@themotivatedclassroom⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
• I'd love to know what you think, please get in touch! Join the conversation with the hashtag #MotivatedClassroom.
• Enjoying the podcast? Leave a review on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
• Become a Patron of The Motivated Classroom podcast on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com.

The third and final part in the three part mini series on how I start the year and work towards a motivated classroom: This episode focuses on how we start the first unit and particularly, how to introduce themes or topics that are potentially a little more serious.

I also discuss a variety of comprehensible input techniques and how I try to weave these into the core unit, as well as some strategies for using mini whiteboards for retrieval practice and recall.

Please let me know what you think!

Keep in touch and share widely!

• Full programme notes are available on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.liamprinter.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
• Follow The Motivated Classroom on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@themotivatedclassroom⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@motclasspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@themotivatedclassroom⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
• I'd love to know what you think, please get in touch! Join the conversation with the hashtag #MotivatedClassroom.
• Enjoying the podcast? Leave a review on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
• Become a Patron of The Motivated Classroom podcast on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com.

Part two in the three part mini series on starting the year strong and building a motivated classroom: In this episode we look at what happens in week two of the school year, once we have done the admin tasks in week one and set out some basic routines.

Specifically I discuss the first picture talk of the year, the first time we push all the chairs back and focus on intent listening, how we build our free reading library, how we reinforce routines daily and what (if any) tasks are given as home contact with the language.

Please let me know what you think!

Keep in touch and share widely!

• Full programme notes are available on ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.liamprinter.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠.
• Follow The Motivated Classroom on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠@themotivatedclassroom⁠⁠⁠⁠, Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠@motclasspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠@themotivatedclassroom⁠⁠⁠⁠.
• I'd love to know what you think, please get in touch! Join the conversation with the hashtag #MotivatedClassroom.
• Enjoying the podcast? Leave a review on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠.
• Become a Patron of The Motivated Classroom podcast on ⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com.

How do you start a new school year? What exactly do you do in the first week or so of classes? How do you set up your class and do the boring admin tasks but keep it motivating? How do you build motivation among new students?

These are some of the most commonly asked questions from patrons and listeners of the Motivated Classroom podcast so in this episode I attempt to answer some of them. I take you through, step by step, what exactly happens in my language acquisition classes during those critical first few days of lessons both with new and returning students... talking about seating plans, admin tasks, first CI activities, homework and more.

Please let me know what you think!

Keep in touch and share widely!

• Full programme notes are available on ⁠⁠⁠www.liamprinter.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠.
• Follow The Motivated Classroom on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠@themotivatedclassroom⁠⁠⁠, Twitter ⁠⁠⁠@motclasspodcast⁠⁠⁠ and Facebook ⁠⁠⁠@themotivatedclassroom⁠⁠⁠.
• I'd love to know what you think, please get in touch! Join the conversation with the hashtag #MotivatedClassroom.
• Enjoying the podcast? Leave a review on ⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠.
• Become a Patron of The Motivated Classroom podcast on ⁠⁠⁠patreon.com.

A potentially controversial topic for some listeners but an important one nonetheless: Is Comprehensible Input enough on its own? What about output, grammar and practice? Is there a role in the language acquisition class for these too?

In this episode, I discuss my take on this argument and hopefully provide some thought-provoking questions for everyone to consider as we talk to colleagues who may teach in a very different to us. Teaching with a CI approach will only become more mainstream when rather than shouting from the corner, we discuss in the middle. Please let me know what you think!

Keep in touch and share widely!

• Full programme notes are available on ⁠⁠www.liamprinter.com/podcast⁠⁠.
• Follow The Motivated Classroom on Instagram ⁠⁠@themotivatedclassroom⁠⁠, Twitter ⁠⁠@motclasspodcast⁠⁠ and Facebook ⁠⁠@themotivatedclassroom⁠⁠.
• I'd love to know what you think, please get in touch! Join the conversation with the hashtag #MotivatedClassroom.
• Enjoying the podcast? Leave a review on ⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠.
• Become a Patron of The Motivated Classroom podcast on ⁠⁠patreon.com.

One of the most frequently asked questions in the month of May is "have you any tips for keeping up the motivation at the end of the year... I'm struggling!". I hear you loud and clear. This episode focuses on how to maintain motivation, for both the students and you as the teacher, right until the end of the school year. I give an overview of some of the activities I have found to keep the motivation up right into the last few weeks and provide my take on the important underlying principles to ensure an engaged and motivated classroom, even when the holidays are only a few days away.

Keep in touch and share widely!

• Full programme notes are available on ⁠www.liamprinter.com/podcast⁠.
• Follow The Motivated Classroom on Instagram ⁠@themotivatedclassroom⁠, Twitter ⁠@motclasspodcast⁠ and Facebook ⁠@themotivatedclassroom⁠.
• I'd love to know what you think, please get in touch! Join the conversation with the hashtag #MotivatedClassroom.
• Enjoying the podcast? Leave a review on ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ or ⁠Facebook⁠.
• Become a Patron of The Motivated Classroom podcast on ⁠patreon.com.

In this episode, we have the pleasure of listening to renowned expert on multilingualism, Dr. Eowyn Crisfield. Dr. Crisfield shares valuable insights from the research on supporting multilingualism and also helps us to dispel some of the myths around bilingual children. This episode is full of vitally important nuggets of important for all educators, not just language acquisition teachers. A core message is the takeaway that we must all ensure we do everything we can to support and celebrate the entire linguistic repertoire of our learners and not force them to leave those home languages at the door. This is a must listen for all teachers.

Keep in touch and share widely!

• Full programme notes are available on ⁠www.liamprinter.com/podcast⁠.
• Follow The Motivated Classroom on Instagram ⁠@themotivatedclassroom⁠, Twitter ⁠@motclasspodcast⁠ and Facebook ⁠@themotivatedclassroom⁠.
• I'd love to know what you think, please get in touch! Join the conversation with the hashtag #MotivatedClassroom.
• Enjoying the podcast? Leave a review on ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ or ⁠Facebook⁠.
• Become a Patron of The Motivated Classroom podcast on ⁠patreon.com.

In this episode 100, I am delighted and honoured to be joined by esteemed researcher, psychologist and co-founder of Self-Determination Theory, Dr. Richard Ryan. Dr. Ryan's work has been cited over 510,000 times and his work with Edward Deci on intrinsic motivation and Self-Determination Theory has changed the way educators understand raising motivation in the classroom. Dr. Ryan provides us with detailed, insightful perspectives on the current research around raising Self-Determination Theory as well as how it applies in the language acquisition classroom. An absolutely fantastic discussion with a researcher that has changed the world of education. This is a must listen for all teachers.

Keep in touch and share widely!

• Full programme notes are available on www.liamprinter.com/podcast.
• Follow The Motivated Classroom on Instagram @themotivatedclassroom, Twitter @motclasspodcast and Facebook @themotivatedclassroom.
• I'd love to know what you think, please get in touch! Join the conversation with the hashtag #MotivatedClassroom.
• Enjoying the podcast? Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Facebook.
• Become a Patron of The Motivated Classroom podcast on patreon.com.

This episode features the influential and renowned language learner motivation researcher, Dr. Kimberly Noels. Dr. Noels is a full professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Alberta, Canada where she focuses on motivation and second language acquisition. Dr. Noels provides us with insightful perspectives on the current research around raising intrinsic motivation in the language acquisition classroom as well as a host of practical tips for the languages teacher. A fantastic discussion with a researcher we can all learn from. One night to be missed!

Keep in touch and share widely!

• Full programme notes are available on www.liamprinter.com/podcast.
• Follow The Motivated Classroom on Instagram @themotivatedclassroom, Twitter @motclasspodcast and Facebook @themotivatedclassroom.
• I'd love to know what you think, please get in touch! Join the conversation with the hashtag #MotivatedClassroom.
• Enjoying the podcast? Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Facebook.
• Become a Patron of The Motivated Classroom podcast on patreon.com.

The second episode with a direct focus on the core premise of this podcast: language learner motivation. In this episode I look in detail at three case studies shared by the listeners on demotivation and how we can turn this into intrinsic motivation in the language acquisition classroom over the last two years. Thank you to all the podcast patrons and supporters for sharing their scenarios and case studies. I'd love to know what you think of my take on these three cases in particular.

Keep in touch and share widely!

• Full programme notes are available on www.liamprinter.com/podcast.
• Follow The Motivated Classroom on Instagram @themotivatedclassroom, Twitter @motclasspodcast and Facebook @themotivatedclassroom.
• I'd love to know what you think, please get in touch! Join the conversation with the hashtag #MotivatedClassroom.
• Enjoying the podcast? Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Facebook.
• Become a Patron of The Motivated Classroom podcast on patreon.com.