Growing With Proficiency The Podcast

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Episode 208: When a Student Says “I Hate This Class”: A Framework for Responding Without Reacting

2026-09-2130:46

Send us Fan Mail A student threw her backpack on the floor and said loudly, “I hate this class. I hate everything about this class.” More than once. Everything inside of me wanted to react. I wanted to defend myself, my class, and all the work I put into creating a space where students feel successful. But I didn’t. In this episode, I’m taking you inside what happened next, the framework that helped me respond without escalating the situation, and the private conversation that followed. We’ll...

Episode 207: Write & Discuss: A Powerful, Low-Prep Strategy for World Language Classes

2026-09-1447:18

Send us Fan Mail What if one strategy could give your students more comprehensible input, more repetition, more writing, AND more opportunities to think and contribute? In this episode, we're talking about teacher-led collaborative writing, also known as Write & Discuss, shared writing, or joint construction. It's one of those strategies that can do a LOT without requiring a lot of prep. I break down how I use it before, during, and after writing—and some small changes I'm making this yea...

Episodio 206: De la investigación al aula: lo que las familias nos enseñan sobre cómo apoyar a estudiantes de herencia

2026-09-0701:00:00

Send us Fan Mail Una conversación con la Dra. Bertha Delgadillo En este episodio en español, converso con mi amiga, la Dra. Bertha Delgadillo, sobre su investigación doctoral, en la que entrevistó a familias de estudiantes hisanohablantes para conocer sus experiencias, expectativas y relación con la escuela y la clase de español. Sus respuestas revelan oportunidades importantes para nosotros como profes: conocer mejor la experiencia lingüística de cada estudiante, escuchar lo que quiere logra...

Episode 205: New AP Spanish Language Exam Changes: What to Keep, Add, and Drop with Bethanie Carlson Drew

2026-08-3148:56

Send us Fan Mail The AP Spanish Language and Culture exam is changing—and if you teach AP, you may feel like you need to change everything in your course too. But take a breath. You do not have to start from zero. In this episode, I’m joined by my friend and incredible educator Bethanie Carlson Drew, who is beginning her 33rd year in the classroom. Bethanie helps us look at the new AP Spanish Language exam format with clarity and intention. As Bethanie reminds us, approximately 80% of what we...

Episode 204: Choral Translation and Pop-Up Grammar Without Losing Communication with Ben Fisher-Rodriguez

2026-08-2449:11

Send us Fan Mail What if one simple routine could help students see, understand, and feel more confident with the language they have already experienced? In this episode, I sit down with Ben Fisher-Rodriguez to explore how Write and Discuss, choral translation, and pop-up grammar can help students make sense of the language they are hearing and reading while keeping meaningful communication at the center. Ben walks us through the process step by step: beginning with a highly comprehensible or...

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