The Kate Languages Podcast Kate Languages

The new MFL GCSE specification is almost upon us! I’ve spent a LOT of time this academic year reading, researching and making resources for the new specs (AQA and Edexcel) and in this episode, I outline three of the key things I think you need to know.
I talk about how it’s not actually as different as I had initially feared, which textbooks are now available and my thoughts on them, plus what I believe you need to be doing in KS3 right now to help prepare your students.
For more depth on individual exams and the prescribed vocab list, have a listen to my episode from last year (season 4 episode 6). Plus, you can still sign up to my New GCSE series of online workshops. The 3rd one is on 22nd June - https://katelanguages.co.uk/product/the-new-gcse-online-cpd-series/
As always, I would love to hear your thoughts on the episode, so get in touch on Facebook and Instagram (I’m Kate Languages on both) or email me through my website https://katelanguages.co.uk/
Joe Dale is my podcast producer and the music is by Coma-Media from Pixabay.

In this episode, I outline my five favourite activities to get students talking in MFL lessons.
From whole class games like Connect 4 to pair activities like trapdoor, have a listen for details of some great activities that you can try in your own lessons today!
As always, I would love to hear your thoughts on the episode, so get in touch on Facebook and Instagram (I’m Kate Languages on both) or email me through my website https://katelanguages.co.uk/
Joe Dale is my podcast producer and the music is by Coma-Media from Pixabay.

I really enjoyed this conversation with the amazing Helen Myers and I really hope you will, too! We discussed how important it is to connect with other teachers through organisations such as ALL, Facebook groups and of course, the Kate Languages Buy Everything community!
Connect with Helen on X (she’s @HelenMyers on there) or LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/helen-myers-6111148/
To find out more about ALL, head to their website https://www.all-languages.org.uk/
Join the Secondary MFL Matters Facebook group here (don’t forget to answer the questions to be allowed to join!): https://www.facebook.com/groups/secondarymflmatters/
Join the Kate Languages Buy Everything community here: https://katelanguages.mykajabi.com/offers/jCzaVQCn
As always, I would love to hear your thoughts on the episode, so get in touch on Facebook and Instagram (I’m Kate Languages on both) or email me through my website https://katelanguages.co.uk/
Joe Dale is my podcast producer and the music is by Coma-Media from Pixabay.

Season 7 is here! As always, the first episode of the series is a Q&A episode. I had some amazing questions for this season and I really hope you’ll find my answers helpful! Let me know if you agree or disagree with what I’ve said for any of them - get in touch on my social media (I’m Kate Languages on Facebook and Instagram) or through my website https://katelanguages.co.uk/
In this episode, you can find out my thoughts on GCSE uptake and motivating reluctant learners, which fun/cultural elements I recommend including in your curriculum, my take on different MFL teaching pedagogies, how to maintain a work-life balance when you have a child… and many more!
Joe Dale is my podcast producer and the music is by Coma-Media from Pixabay.

CW: This episode contains discussion of panic attacks and stress at work.
This was my third ever live podcast recording and it was such a great conversation! Bex is a fellow ex-MFL teacher, who is now working as the MFL Subject Adviser for Pearson Edexcel, and we discussed everything from what made us want to quit the classroom to what we are doing now. We also gave some (hopefully helpful!) advice for those of you who are thinking of leaving teaching.
We had lots of great questions and comments from the live audience, which added so much to the discussion. We also answered some questions from our Instagram followers - have a listen to find out if we answered yours!
Bex can be found on Instagram @pagepracticepodcast or LinkedIn as Rebecca Waker. Her website is https://learninglinguist.co.uk/
During the episode, we mentioned the Facebook groups “Life after teaching” and “Adventures after teaching”. I am not a member of either of these Facebook groups, so can’t verify the content of them, however. We also referred to the website https://www.didteach.com/ as a useful resource for those thinking of leaving teaching.
As always, I would love to hear your thoughts on the episode, so get in touch on Facebook and Instagram (I’m Kate Languages on both) or email me through my website https://katelanguages.co.uk/
Joe Dale is my podcast producer and the music is by Coma-Media from Pixabay.

In the penultimate episode of season 6 of the Kate Languages Podcast, I’m talking all about checking for understanding in MFL lessons. More precisely, I’m telling you what NOT to do… and then giving you my thoughts on what you should be doing instead.
For example, you shouldn’t be explaining a grammar point or task and then asking “OK, any questions?” and then expecting students to just get on with the work if no hands go up. I also don’t think you should be cold-calling students without giving them time to think of answers/questions, or praising outcomes without focusing on the process. I don’t think you should be giving feedback on specific errors without linking to the bigger picture, and I definitely don’t think you should be allowing half-formed answers as final answers.
To find out what I mean by all that and what my solutions are, have a listen to this episode!
I have delivered CPD on this topic and am available for bespoke CPD on topics such as this one or any of the other topics I discuss in the podcast. Get in touch to find out more!
As always, I would love to hear your thoughts on the episode, so get in touch on Facebook and Instagram (I’m Kate Languages on both) or email me through my website https://katelanguages.co.uk/
Joe Dale is my podcast producer and the music is by Coma-Media from Pixabay.