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I answer a listener’s question about teaching vocabulary consistently by reframing every class as a vocabulary class that moves words through a three-stage continuum: introduce, recognize, produce. I share the science of binding, why stories beat lists, and how to keep scope tight so students actually acquire language.

• binding as the foundation for sticky vocabulary
• stories and visuals as the most effective input
• the three-stage continuum: introduce, recognize, produce
• realistic repetition counts and pacing
• limiting sets to 10–15 terms to avoid overload
• a three-lesson flow from input to gentle output
• avoiding memorization traps and translation-heavy quizzes
• low-prep options with drawing, reusable sheets, and AI drafting
• spiraling old terms while adding new ones

Text the podcast with your question! —info in the show notes

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What if a 10-second ritual at your classroom door could boost target-language use, cut awkward silence, and build community—all at once? We walk through the “student password” routine step-by-step, from the first day you model it to the moment it becomes second nature. You’ll hear why this low-stress habit works for novice learners, how to adapt it for big classes and tight hallways, and the best ways to scaffold with sentence starters, visuals, and posted prompts so every student can succeed.

We also share how to choose the right password for your goals. Want more interpersonal practice? Use simple questions tied to can-do statements like What’s in your backpack? or What’s your name? Meeting only once or twice a week? Lean on short, memorable phrases—song lines, cultural rejoinders, or idioms—that students can echo with confidence. You’ll learn why keeping a password for several days matters, when accuracy should take a back seat to fluency, and how this routine quietly reshapes behavior so students answer in the target language without freezing.

Expect practical tips, realistic workarounds, and honest talk about pitfalls: inconsistency, forgotten prompts, and how to handle late or anxious students without turning the door into a stress point. We credit Bryce Hedstrom for the strategy and point you to resources that expand the approach. By the end, you’ll have a clear plan to launch, reboot, or refine passwords so your class starts strong every day, with students speaking from the moment they arrive. If this helped you, subscribe, share it with a colleague, and leave a quick review—what password will you try first?

Find out more about Bryce Hedstrom here: https://www.brycehedstrom.com/

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Download the free audio training "The Joyful CI Classroom System" here

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We answer Sherry’s two-part question on engaging autistic learners in an ASL classroom and creating a sane, effective plan for frequent absences. We share concrete, low-lift strategies that center detail-focused questioning, visual supports, and input-replacement systems that actually work.

• Detail-first prompts and either-or questions for autistic learners
• Visual status cards and icon-based sentence frames
• Predictable routines for partner work and turn-taking
• Comparison tasks anchored in daily routines
• Input-replacement hours instead of one-off makeup packets
• Duolingo and curated media lists as low-friction tools
• Clear policies and gentle boundaries for chronic absences
• Resources and training recommendations including Linda Hodgdon
• Practical systems to reduce teacher workload

Leave a review if this helped you so that we can reach more educators and let them know that like this is a cool place to hang out on the interwebs

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Download the free audio training "The Joyful CI Classroom System" here

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Love this episode? Get access to over 150+ trainings, instructional coaching, and an amazing peer community of proficiency-oriented teachers in the Practical Proficiency Network

Submit your questions about proficiency, grammar, or creating communicative classroom environments through this link: https://airtable.com/appOp9IY7Ah77oYup/pagpRzuEqAVZgBnrk/form

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Asking students to speak in a new language can feel like asking them to step on stage without a script. We dig into why anxiety hits world language classrooms harder than most, then share nine practical ways to make participation feel safe, predictable, and—dare we say—enjoyable. Drawing on resources from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the International OCD Foundation, we translate research into clear moves you can use tomorrow: stable routines, visible agendas, partner‑first interactions, and quick one‑to‑one check‑ins that remove the burden of self‑advocacy from anxious learners.

We walk through how validation works without lowering expectations, how to slow the pace without losing momentum, and why generous recycling of input is not remedial—it’s the core of acquisition. You’ll learn how to bake stress relief into your class culture with box breathing and short regulation breaks, and how to design predictable, proficiency‑oriented assessments that mirror your daily practice. No pop‑quiz panic, no mystery formats—just small, routine checks that show growth in listening, reading, speaking, and writing. Along the way, we share sample prompts, participation flows that replace cold calling with safer partner talk, and simple benchmarks to gauge when to pause and reinforce.

If you’ve ever wondered whether quiet means apathetic (spoiler: it often means anxious), this conversation offers a humane toolkit to lift the affective filter and raise target language use. Expect tangible ideas you can plug into your syllabus, from weekly agendas to rotation plans for targeted relationship building. Subscribe for more practical strategies, share this with a colleague who needs a calmer class, and leave a quick review so we can reach more teachers who want safer, braver language learning spaces.

RESOURCES FOR UNDERSTANDING STUDENT ANXIETY:

https://www.schoolcounselor.org/newsletters/january-2020/coping-with-student-anxiety

https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/anxiety-factsheet.html

https://anxietyintheclassroom.org/school-system/resources-for-school-personnel/how-to-talk-to-your-students/

https://www.aap.org/en/patient-care/school-health/mental-health-in-schools/supporting-students-with-anxiety-in-school/?srsltid=AfmBOoqj4NYmjRG3yk3rPvShcHugNivWgFkc-1tuwoY_B3dmNh0dn

Submit your question here

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Grammar—the eternal battleground of language education. Is it the foundation of language learning or a distraction from real communication? In this eye-opening exploration, we cut through decades of misinformation to reveal what research actually shows about grammar's role in language acquisition.

Drawing directly from ACTFL's guiding principles, we examine the surprising truth: "explicit teaching of grammar has little effect on people's language acquisition, comprehension or writing abilities." This doesn't mean grammar is irrelevant, but its place in our classrooms demands serious reconsideration.

You'll discover why "linear grammar"—that neat textbook progression from present to past to future tense—completely misaligns with how our brains actually acquire language. Through fascinating examples (like why third-person "-s" in English is mastered so late despite being "basic"), you'll understand why frequency and meaningful context matter more than grammatical simplicity.

For those who love analyzing language (and as teachers, many of us do!), we offer practical guidance on finding balance. Learn when grammar instruction becomes genuinely useful (hint: it's not at the beginning), how to shift from grammar-driven to communication-centered teaching, and why creating "play time" with language might be the most valuable gift you can give your students.

Whether you're struggling to move beyond traditional grammar-focused instruction or seeking validation for a more communicative approach, this episode provides the research-backed perspective needed to make confident instructional decisions. Transform your understanding of what truly drives language acquisition and discover how grammar can support—rather than dominate—the joyful journey toward proficiency.

Join our community of forward-thinking language educators by subscribing to the Practical Proficiency Podcast and accessing additional resources at LaLibreLanguageLearning.com.

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Download the free audio training "The Joyful CI Classroom System" here

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Let's connect:

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Get the Free Roadmap to Proficiency
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Love this episode? Get access to over 150+ trainings, instructional coaching, and an amazing peer community of proficiency-oriented teachers in the Practical Proficiency Network

Submit your questions about proficiency, grammar, or creating communicative classroom environments through this link: https://airtable.com/appOp9IY7Ah77oYup/pagpRzuEqAVZgBnrk/form

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The proper role of grammar in proficiency-oriented instruction requires a mindset shift from traditional approaches to one that aligns with what research tells us about language acquisition.

Watch the episode on youtube here: https://youtu.be/zo1ys4aCh5A

• Grammar isn't driving your language program—it has the snacks while you decide the direction based on student proficiency levels and goals
• Understanding grammar does not lead to acquisition, but helps make existing language more accurate
• Pop-up grammar offers quick, contextual explanations when students notice patterns without extensive practice or assessment
• Inductive grammar engages students in discovering patterns themselves, which improves retention and understanding
• A three-week grammar bootcamp provides a transition strategy for teachers in grammar-heavy departments
• Treating grammar as functional chunks (like teaching "je voudrais" instead of the entire conditional tense) works well until intermediate levels
• Accuracy becomes more important in years 3-4 when students have enough language to refine
• Canadian research shows input-only programs still need some accuracy focus at the right time

Submit your questions about proficiency, grammar, or creating communicative classroom environments through this link: https://airtable.com/appOp9IY7Ah77oYup/pagpRzuEqAVZgBnrk/form

and I'll answer them on the show!

Check out the ACTFL Levels Series episodes here:

Novice Low: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2318898/episodes/15045273

Novice Mid: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2318898/episodes/15045294

Novice High: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2318898/episodes/15152805

Intermediate Low: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2318898/episodes/15827515

Submit your question here

Download the free audio training "The Joyful CI Classroom System" here

Find out more and join the Practical Proficiency Network here

Let's connect:

Get the Free World Language Teacher Toolkit
Get the Free Roadmap to Proficiency
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TPT
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Love this episode? Get access to over 150+ trainings, instructional coaching, and an amazing peer community of proficiency-oriented teachers in the Practical Proficiency Network

Submit your questions about proficiency, grammar, or creating communicative classroom environments through this link: https://airtable.com/appOp9IY7Ah77oYup/pagpRzuEqAVZgBnrk/form

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Send us a text

This is a special insider episode where you get to see what it's like to be a part of the Practical Proficiency Network! Join us for this amazing insider look and masterclass workshop on target language.

Find out more about the Practical Proficiency Network here: https://lalibrelanguagelearning.mykajabi.com/join-practical-proficiency-network

This workshop reveals 15 common mistakes language teachers make when using target language and provides practical solutions to create a more immersive, interactive classroom experience.

• Avoid making interaction a memory test by focusing on successful communication rather than vocabulary recall
• Interrupt yourself every 30-60 seconds to check for understanding through questions, visuals, or activities
• Shift from content obsession to student-focused interactions by being a "party host" instead of just covering material
• Create a "pool party" environment with appropriate scaffolding instead of throwing students into an overwhelming "ocean" of language
• Celebrate language attempts instead of constantly correcting errors, especially with beginning learners
• Focus on making everyday classroom moments happen in the target language rather than worrying about exceptional circumstances
• Slow down curriculum pacing to allow students to play with and internalize language before moving to new content
• Make cultural lessons more accessible through comprehensible resources rather than defaulting to English
• Keep classroom routines consistent to build confidence in target language use
• Match assessments to classroom practices by evaluating interactive communication rather than just form

If you'd like more support implementing these strategies, join the Practical Proficiency Network for regular workshops, resources, and a community of language teachers committed to effective teaching practices.

Submit your question here

Download the free audio training "The Joyful CI Classroom System" here

Find out more and join the Practical Proficiency Network here

Let's connect:

Get the Free World Language Teacher Toolkit
Get the Free Roadmap to Proficiency
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Love this episode? Get access to over 150+ trainings, instructional coaching, and an amazing peer community of proficiency-oriented teachers in the Practical Proficiency Network

Submit your questions about proficiency, grammar, or creating communicative classroom environments through this link: https://airtable.com/appOp9IY7Ah77oYup/pagpRzuEqAVZgBnrk/form

and I'll answer them on the show!

Send us a text

Ever wondered why teaching Spanish to middle schoolers requires such a unique approach? In this episode, we dive deep with Brooks from Sonrisas Spanish into the fascinating developmental sweet spot of middle school language learning.

Brooks from Sonrisas Spanish is here today to chat all things middle school Spanish curriculum and classroom techniques like TPR Storytelling to promote acquisition in a way that works for younger learners, from Pre-K, Elementary, and middle school Spanish.

Sonrisas Spanish has gained this experience through providing unique Spanish curriculum tools designed especially for elementary and middle school Spanish.

Get a free sample Spanish curriculum unit from Sonrisas Spanish: https://www.sonrisasspanishschool.com/request-free-sample/

WATCH THE EPISODE VIDEO HERE ON YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/ujRAGr7M6LY

Find out more about Sonrisas Spanish:
Sonrisas Spanish empowers you to improve student outcomes, increase student engagement, and have fun teaching Spanish—while you save time planning.

The journey begins with Brooks sharing how he and his wife transformed their bilingual education background into a Spanish curriculum that has evolved over decades of classroom experience. What started as after-school programs blossomed into a comprehensive K-8 curriculum built on sound pedagogical principles and real-world efficacy.

Middle school students exist in that remarkable transition space—no longer responding to elementary methods but not yet ready for high school approaches. Brooks reveals the "acquire, develop, learn" methodology that guides the Sonrisas curriculum, explaining how younger students naturally acquire language through play-based activities before middle schoolers are developmentally ready to learn the "how and why" behind grammar concepts they've already internalized.

The magic of their middle school approach lies in thoughtful structure combined with engaging teaching methods. Each thematic unit follows a consistent 10-lesson sequence incorporating culture, grammar instruction, and TPR storyt

Submit your question here

Download the free audio training "The Joyful CI Classroom System" here

Find out more and join the Practical Proficiency Network here

Let's connect:

Get the Free World Language Teacher Toolkit
Get the Free Roadmap to Proficiency
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TPT
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Love this episode? Get access to over 150+ trainings, instructional coaching, and an amazing peer community of proficiency-oriented teachers in the Practical Proficiency Network

Submit your questions about proficiency, grammar, or creating communicative classroom environments through this link: https://airtable.com/appOp9IY7Ah77oYup/pagpRzuEqAVZgBnrk/form

and I'll answer them on the show!