World Language Classroom

Joshua Cabral, French, Spanish and World Language Teaching Ideas
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Tips, Tools and Resources for world language teachers who want their students to rise in proficiency and communicate with confidence.

  1. Sponge Activities for Any Level with Jessica Hall

    6 DAYS AGO

    Sponge Activities for Any Level with Jessica Hall

    #229 What do you do when there is a change in your schedule, like shortened class time because of a delayed opening?  What if several students need to miss class because of a school event or responsibility? This is sometimes the reality of our teaching.  We had a plan, but need to figure out in the moment how to best use the time we have. This is where sponge activities are useful. Jessica Hall, a Spanish teacher in Connecticut, joins me to talk about what we can do when we find ourselves in these situations.  Topics in this Episode: what sponge activities are and why are they such an important tool for language teachershow can sponge activities help teachers make sure that every minute in the classroom is purposeful and engagingstrategies to adjust the same sponge activity so it works for beginners as well as more advanced learnershow do you keep sponge activities fun and interactive while still ensuring that they support language growthsimple low-to-prep sponge activities you can try right awayPDF with all the activities that Jessica mentions in the episodeConnect with Jessica Hall from Miss Señorita: Instagram: @MissSenoritaTptA Few Ways We Can Work Together: Ready For Tomorrow Quick Win PD for Individual TeachersOn-Site or Virtual Workshops for Language DepartmentsSelf-Paced Program for For Language DepartmentsConnect With Me & The World Language Classroom Community: Website: wlclassrom.comInstagram:  @wlclassroomFacebook Group: World Language ClassroomFacebook:  /wlclassroomLinkedIn: Joshua CabralBluesky: /wlclassroom.bsky.sociaX (Twitter):  @wlclassroomThreads: @wlclassroomSend me a text and let me know your thoughts on this episode or the podcast.

    32 min
  2. 3 Engaging Narrative and Storytelling Activities

    22/12/2025

    3 Engaging Narrative and Storytelling Activities

    #228 Do you use stories in your classroom? Do you have some engaging ways for students to, well, engage with those stories? In this third episode of the CI Toolbox series, we look at storytelling and narrative-based activities that hook students through emotion, curiosity, and creativity. You’ll learn how to deliver compelling stories, co-write summaries with students, and use video clips as interactive narratives, all while keeping input comprehensible and student-centered. Topics in this Episode: Stories provide context, emotion, and predictability. The foundation for language acquisition. They build engagement and allow us to recycle high-frequency structures meaningfully.Story Listening: Deliver rich input by telling stories live, with built-in visual and physical support.Write and Discuss: Reinforce and recycle the story language through co-created written text.Clip Chat: Turn short video clips into interactive storytelling experiences.Ep 218: 6 Activities for Interaction and Discussion in the Language ClassroomEp 222: 6 Reading and Writing Activities in the CI ClassroomCI ToolboxA Few Ways We Can Work Together: Ready For Tomorrow Quick Win PD for Individual TeachersOn-Site or Virtual Workshops for Language DepartmentsSelf-Paced Program for For Language DepartmentsConnect With Me & The World Language Classroom Community: Website: wlclassrom.comInstagram:  @wlclassroomFacebook Group: World Language ClassroomFacebook:  /wlclassroomLinkedIn: Joshua CabralBluesky: /wlclassroom.bsky.sociaX (Twitter):  @wlclassroomThreads: @wlclassroomSend me a text and let me know your thoughts on this episode or the podcast.

    35 min
  3. Engaging Reading Activities That Build Proficiency

    15/12/2025

    Engaging Reading Activities That Build Proficiency

    #227 Have you noticed how a well-chosen reading can spark curiosity in your students? Reading can be one of the most engaging, communicative parts of your language class. With the right support, reading is incredibly empowering for students. In this episode, we’ll explore how pre-, during-, and post-reading activities can give your students the confidence and tools to dive into texts with purpose and curiosity. You’ll walk away with a practical framework you can use tomorrow, or even today. Topics in this Episode: Reading is more than a comprehension check—it’s a gateway to vocabulary growth, cultural exploration, and communicative opportunities.5 Key Benefits of Reading in the World Language ClassroomReading Provides the Input That Drives AcquisitionReading Builds Vocabulary and Grammar NaturallyReading Strengthens Interpretive Skills That Transfer to All ModesReading Lowers Anxiety and Builds ConfidenceReading Opens the Door to Culture and Authentic CommunicationReading FrameworkPre-Reading: Set the Stage for SuccessDuring Reading: Focus Their AttentionPost-Reading: Extend the LearningReady For Tomorrow Quick Win PD Course: Engaging Reading Activities That Build ProficiencyA Few Ways We Can Work Together: Ready For Tomorrow Quick Win PD for Individual TeachersOn-Site or Virtual Workshops for Language DepartmentsSelf-Paced Program for For Language DepartmentsConnect With Me & The World Language Classroom Community: Website: wlclassrom.comInstagram:  @wlclassroomFacebook Group: World Language ClassroomFacebook:  /wlclassroomLinkedIn: Joshua CabralBluesky: /wlclassroom.bsky.sociaX (Twitter):  @wlclassroomThreads: @wlclassroomSend me a text and let me know your thoughts on this episode or the podcast.

    22 min
  4. Teach Students the Skill of Listening

    08/12/2025

    Teach Students the Skill of Listening

    #226 Have you ever played an audio or clip for your class, only to see blank stares and puzzled expressions? It’s not that your students aren’t listening—it’s that they need tools to know how to listen. In this episode, we’ll explore three essential strategies: prediction, summarizing, and focus tasks. These make listening more intentional, more engaging, and more effective. Whether your learners are novices or advanced, these techniques will help them process language with purpose and confidence. Topics in this Episode: Listening isn’t passive, it’s active.When students predict what they might hear, listen with a specific purpose, and summarize afterward, they aren’t just hearing language they’re processing it in real time. This builds comprehension, retention, and confidence, no matter the proficiency level. We are supporting the skill in ways that won’t happen in real situations, but students are learning the skill of listening in our classrooms (with our support) that they will transfer to realistic situations where they will draw on these skills and have the confidence.Classroom Strategies:Prediction Before ListeningFocus Tasks During ListeningSummarizing After ListeningReady For Tomorrow Quick Win PD Course: Build Strong Listening SkillsA Few Ways We Can Work Together: Ready For Tomorrow Quick Win PD for Individual TeachersOn-Site or Virtual Workshops for Language DepartmentsSelf-Paced Program for For Language DepartmentsConnect With Me & The World Language Classroom Community: Website: wlclassrom.comInstagram:  @wlclassroomFacebook Group: World Language ClassroomFacebook:  /wlclassroomLinkedIn: Joshua CabralBluesky: /wlclassroom.bsky.sociaX (Twitter):  @wlclassroomThreads: @wlclassroomSend me a text and let me know your thoughts on this episode or the podcast.

    19 min
  5. ACTFL 2025, Where Languages & Cultures Connect

    01/12/2025

    ACTFL 2025, Where Languages & Cultures Connect

    #225 There’s something special about ACTFL. The energy, the connection, the spark that comes from being in a space filled with teachers who care deeply about students, language, culture, and each other. Whether you are listening to reflect on your conference experience, shared your own voice in this episode or were  would like a window into what it's like to be part of this incredible community…this episode is for you. A huge thank you to Klett World Languages. They invited me to set up a podcast table at their booth in the ACTFL exhibit hall, and without that collaboration, none of these conversations would have happened. It truly opened the door to gathering these voices, these reflections, and this sense of community that you’re about to hear. Topics in this Episode: Hear from teachers about their personal experiences, collaborations and takeaways from ACTFL 2025 in New Orleans.ACTFL Teacher of the Year Nathan CampbellNavigating the many optionsTeaching ideasRepresentationElementary teaching Making connectionsInspirationA Few Ways We Can Work Together: Ready For Tomorrow Quick Win PD for Individual TeachersOn-Site or Virtual Workshops for Language DepartmentsSelf-Paced Program for For Language DepartmentsConnect With Me & The World Language Classroom Community: Website: wlclassrom.comInstagram:  @wlclassroomFacebook Group: World Language ClassroomFacebook:  /wlclassroomLinkedIn: Joshua CabralBluesky: /wlclassroom.bsky.sociaX (Twitter):  @wlclassroomThreads: @wlclassroomSend me a text and let me know your thoughts on this episode or the podcast.

    27 min
  6. Teaching Language in a Block Schedule with Marlyn Pichardo

    24/11/2025

    Teaching Language in a Block Schedule with Marlyn Pichardo

    #224 How long are your classes? Do you see your students 2,3, 4 maybe 5 times a week? We all have different schedules in our schools and learn to adapt to the time that we have. Block schedules, extended class periods that meet fewer times in a given week, are becoming more common in many schools and districts. In this episode, we are talking about teaching in this format.  Marilyn Pichardo, a Spanish teacher in New Jersey, joins me to talk about teaching in a block schedule for over 2 decades.  Lots to learn about planning and class pacing whether you have 20, 40, 60 or even 85 minute classes.  Topics in this Episode: opportunities that block schedules open up for world language teachers that might be harder to achieve in a traditional schedulesustaining student focus in language classes with longer blocks.  strategies or lesson structures that keep students engaged and actively using the target language for the full periodbalancing pace, repetition, and variety so that students continue to build proficiency in a block schedule without feeling overwhelmed or burnt outConnect with Marilyn Pichardo: Instagram:@perfectspanishplansbyMarilynTikTok: @perfectspanishplansbyMarilynChat Mat MembershipA Few Ways We Can Work Together: Ready For Tomorrow Quick Win PD for Individual TeachersOn-Site or Virtual Workshops for Language DepartmentsSelf-Paced Program for For Language DepartmentsConnect With Me & The World Language Classroom Community: Website: wlclassrom.comInstagram:  @wlclassroomFacebook Group: World Language ClassroomFacebook:  /wlclassroomLinkedIn: Joshua CabralBluesky: /wlclassroom.bsky.sociaX (Twitter):  @wlclassroomThreads: @wlclassroomSend me a text and let me know your thoughts on this episode or the podcast.

    34 min
  7. First Steps in Teaching Grammar in Context

    17/11/2025

    First Steps in Teaching Grammar in Context

    #223 Have you ever taught a grammar concept and then watched your students completely forget it during a speaking or writing task? It can be frustrating. In this episode, we’re looking at why that disconnect happens and how to bridge it by teaching grammar in context. I’ll share manageable, beginner-friendly steps you can take to make grammar more meaningful, communicative, and effective without rewriting your whole curriculum.  Topics in this Episode: Teaching grammar in context makes sense in theory, but putting it into practice often feels messy. We’ll look at some practical first steps and scaffolds that make grammar instruction more natural and effective so students build accuracy while staying focused on communication.Grammar instruction should be anchored in communication, not separated from it.When students learn grammar in the context of meaningful input and purposeful output, it becomes more than just rules. It becomes a tool. A tool they use to understand and to be understood.Classroom Strategies:The “Grammar-First” Pathway: Use an authentic or teacher-created resource where the structure occurs naturally. The “Text-First” Pathway: Choose a reading, listening, or viewing resource and highlight structures that are crucial for making sense of the text.Ready For Tomorrow Quick Win PD Course: First Steps in Teaching Grammar in Context.A Few Ways We Can Work Together: Ready For Tomorrow Quick Win PD for Individual TeachersOn-Site or Virtual Workshops for Language DepartmentsSelf-Paced Program for For Language DepartmentsConnect With Me & The World Language Classroom Community: Website: wlclassrom.comInstagram:  @wlclassroomFacebook Group: World Language ClassroomFacebook:  /wlclassroomLinkedIn: Joshua CabralBluesky: /wlclassroom.bsky.sociaX (Twitter):  @wlclassroomThreads: @wlclassroomSend me a text and let me know your thoughts on this episode or the podcast.

    20 min
  8. 6 Reading and Writing Activities in the CI Classroom

    10/11/2025

    6 Reading and Writing Activities in the CI Classroom

    #222 Do your reading and writing tasks feel like an afterthought or are they building blocks for language proficiency? In this second episode of the CI Toolbox series we focus on reading and writing activities that engage students through movement, visuals, collaboration, and just the right amount of challenge. I’ll share strategies to help students process and produce language in meaningful, low-stress ways. Topics in this Episode: Reading and writing should feel interactive, connected to input, and in line with students' proficiency level.In this episode, we’re looking at six activities from my “CI Toolbox” that focus on reading and writing and are adaptable for many levels, with support for engagement and growth.One Word at a TimeEmbedded ReadingVolleyball ReadingDraw the SentenceRunning DictationDictation with a TwistEpisode 218: 6 Activities for Interaction and Discussion in the Language ClassroomGet the PDF with all of the CI Toolbox Activities: A Few Ways We Can Work Together: Ready For Tomorrow Quick Win PD for Individual TeachersOn-Site or Virtual Workshops for Language DepartmentsSelf-Paced Program for For Language DepartmentsConnect With Me & The World Language Classroom Community: Website: wlclassrom.comInstagram:  @wlclassroomFacebook Group: World Language ClassroomFacebook:  /wlclassroomLinkedIn: Joshua CabralBluesky: /wlclassroom.bsky.sociaX (Twitter):  @wlclassroomThreads: @wlclassroomSend me a text and let me know your thoughts on this episode or the podcast.

    29 min
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About

Tips, Tools and Resources for world language teachers who want their students to rise in proficiency and communicate with confidence.

Information

  • Creator
    Joshua Cabral, French, Spanish and World Language Teaching Ideas
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2025
  • Episodes
    231
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 World Language Classroom
  • Show Website
    World Language Classroom

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