Growing With Proficiency The Podcast

Claudia Elliott, World Language educator
  • 4.8 (86)
  • LANGUAGE LEARNING
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Welcome to Growing With Proficiency: The Podcast!  Are you a World Language teacher who is looking for ideas, strategies, activities, and inspiration to create a World Language class where you and your students enjoy using the language to learn about the world and each other?  Do you want to transform your class into an acquisition-driven instruction space where you intentionally provide a ton of comprehensible input?  If you are, you're in the right place. Let's start this journey together. Head over to IG, and send me a DM @claudiamelliott to let me know what topics you would like me to cover in an upcoming episode.Join my free Facebook community, Growing With C. Also, check out my blog to start discovering some of these ideas and strategies at growingwithproficiency.com

  1. 6D AGO

    Episode 190: Is That Strategy Really Not Working — Or Is It Context? | End-of-Year Reflection

    Send us Fan Mail You see a 60-second classroom video on social media. Students are engaged, speaking, producing. And you go straight to: "That is not happening in my class. Something is wrong with me." But you're missing the other 44 minutes — the class size, the school, the context behind that clip. In this episode, Claudia sits down with world language teacher Dahiana Castro to talk about something our profession doesn't say enough: every strategy has to meet your context. That's not a limitation — that's good teaching. This is not about lowering expectations. Your students can and do grow. But a strategy that works with 15 motivated students in a selective program will likely need real adaptation for a class of 37 in an under-resourced public school — and making that call is a valid, professional decision. In this episode: Why that viral classroom video is missing more context than you thinkThe real factors that shape whether a strategy succeedsHow to adapt strategies for your actual students — not the ideal onesWhy blanket statements like "if you do X, students will do Y" ignore real classroom complexityHow to reflect at year's end without the shame spiralThe goal isn't to replicate what you saw online. It's to ask: how can this work here, with these students? 🔗 Resources & Links: 📋 Free reflection resource + student survey: growingwithproficiency.com/reflectionJoin the waitlist for Growing With Proficiency: The Spanish Teacher AcademyFollow Claudia on Instagram @claudiamelliottGrowing With CI FB CommunityBlogTeacher Pay Teachers Store

    43 min

  2. MAY 14

    Episode 189: Tea Party in the World Language Classroom: A Powerful Pre-Reading Strategy to Boost Engagement and Communication with Rita Barrett

    Send us Fan Mail If you’ve ever wanted your students to feel genuinely excited before reading a novel or watching a movie in class, this episode is for you. In this conversation, I sit down with Rita Barrett, an outstanding Spansih teacher, to talk about the Tea Party strategy, an engaging pre-reading activity where students become characters from the story before they even begin reading. Students walk around the room meeting other characters, uncovering relationships, discovering conflicts, making predictions, and communicating in the target language the entire time. One of the biggest takeaways from this episode is this: Tea Party is NOT the moment to introduce lots of new language. Instead, the focus is on highly comprehensible language so students feel confident speaking, interacting, and listening while building curiosity for the story ahead. We also talk about: ✨ How to set up a Tea Party step-by-step ✨ What character descriptions should look like ✨ How students create relationship webs and predictions ✨ Why this strategy creates authentic communication and engagement Rita Barrett teaches Spanish at Portland Adventist Academy in Portland, Oregon. The 2016 COFLT TOY, Rita has been a frequent presenter at state and national conferences and co-hosts a Portland area language teacher PLC. She is passionate about inspiring students to become lifelong language lovers.  Resources Mentioned: Growing With Proficiency: https://growingwithproficiency.com The Spanish Teacher Academy: https://growingwithproficiency.com/academy AnneMarie Chase’s Tea Party Blog Post: https://senorachase.com/2025/11/15/tea-party-round-up/

    37 min

  3. MAY 7

    Re-release Episode 65: Low-Prep Strategies for the End of the School Year: Anchor Charts, Model Texts & Write and Discuss

    Send us Fan Mail Feeling exhausted trying to keep students engaged at the end of the school year? 😅 In this re-released episode of Growing With Proficiency: The Podcast, Claudia Elliott shares three powerful low-prep strategies that help world language teachers create communicative, comprehensible, and sustainable lessons without spending hours planning. If you need great strategies to keep students interacting and using the language, this episode is for you. In this episode, you’ll learn: ✨ How to use anchor charts to co-create vocabulary and ideas with students ✨ Why model texts increase confidence, comprehension, and participation ✨ How Write and Discuss creates compelling and comprehensible input ✨ Ways to support mixed proficiency levels with student-centered activities ✨ Why low prep does NOT mean no prep in the language classroom These strategies work for Spanish classes, French classes, and any world language classroom focused on language acquisition, comprehensible input, and communication. Whether you teach novice learners or upper levels, these routines can help you reduce overwhelm while increasing engagement and interaction during the final weeks of school. 🎧 Listen now and discover practical strategies you can use tomorrow! 🔗 Resources & Links: Join the waitlist for Growing With Proficiency: The Spanish Teacher Academy Follow Claudia on Instagram @claudiamelliott

    31 min

  4. APR 30

    Episode 188: End-of-Year Engagement: How to Use Reading Stations With Any Text and Keep Students Learning

    Send us Fan Mail At this point in the year, many of us are feeling it. Students are distracted, energy is low, and if we say “read,” suddenly half the class needs the bathroom. In this episode, I’m sharing a simple sequence I use to turn any reading into an engaging station-based lesson that keeps students reading, moving, and participating without creating more work for you. Whether you’re using a Cinco de Mayo article, a Panorama Cultural reading, or your own class text, this structure helps students process one shared reading in a way that feels interactive and manageable. ✨ In this episode, I share: • How to choose the right text (this part matters most!) • Simple pre-reading activities like predictions, images, and quick movement • How I structure the “during reading” phase with audio + small groups • My favorite post-reading stations: matching, sequencing, graphic organizers, and open-ended questions • Why I duplicate stations instead of creating more • How one reading can easily become 3 full class periods 🎁 Resources mentioned: • Free Cinco de Mayo Reading Resource • Full blog post with classroom pictures + step-by-step breakdown • Panorama Culturales for more high-interest readings • Episode 21 if you want more station ideas beyond one shared text

    27 min

  5. APR 23

    Re-Release Episode 94: Card Talk with a Twist: An Activity That Builds Community and Boosts Comprehension

    Send us Fan Mail Are you looking for an interactive and engaging activity to boost your students' participation and build a strong classroom community at the end of the school year? In this episode of "Growing With Proficiency, the podcast," we explore a unique twist on the popular Card Talk activity that my students absolutely loved! In this activity, I’ll share with you how to turn the simple drawings our students do in card talk into a pair-reading activity plus a gallery walk.  Main Highlights: Introduction to Card Talk and its benefits for student engagement and comprehensible input.Detailed activity setup with the prompt: "The Best and the Worst in the School Year."Step-by-step process from drawing, writing, hallway gallery walk, and class discussion.Personal connection and community building through shared experiences.Extending Card Talk: Ideas for adapting Card Talk for different thematic units such as clothing, food, and travel.Resources and Links Mentioned: Free Teacher Guide: "How to Shift to A Comprehensible and Communicative Teaching Approach" – growingwithproficiency.com/guideEpisode 82: Previous discussion on Card Talk with Ben FisherFollow Claudia on Instagram: @claudiamelliottConnect on Facebook: Claudia M ElliottJoin our waitlist for Growing With Proficiency The Spanish Teacher AcademyThank you for tuning in to "Growing With Proficiency, the podcast." Until next time, keep growing and keep teaching with passion. ¡Hasta luego!

    15 min

  6. APR 16

    Episode 187: End-of-Year Activities for World Language Classes (Low-Prep Ideas That Work) With Allison Wienhold

    Send us Fan Mail The end of the school year can feel chaotic: testing, low energy, and unpredictable schedules.  So what do you actually do with your students during those final weeks? In this episode of Growing With Proficiency, I sit down with Allison Wienhold (Mis Clases Locas) to share simple, low-prep end-of-year activities for world language classes that keep students engaged without burning you out. We talk about how to balance review, celebration, and connection while staying true to a communicative, comprehension-based approach. Whether you need movement, easy games, or meaningful ways for students to show what they’ve learned, this episode is full of ideas you can use right away. ✨ Biggest Takeaways Why the end of the year is a different season for both students and teachers—and how to plan accordinglyHow to use conversation cards + movement for engaging reviewEasy ways to turn any activity into a gallery walk or walk & talkLow-prep games like:1-2-3 JumpTeam Marker Game (whole-group version)Relay-style Quizlet/Kahoot/BlooketA meaningful self-portrait project to make learning visibleHow to talk about future plans and goals with studentsSimple ways to use movies without creating a full unit 📚 Resources & Links Mentioned Alison Wienhold (Miss Clase Locas): https://misclaseslocas.comActivities with movement (includes question cards, Quizlet Live Relay, 1,2,3 Salta & dancing) https://misclaseslocas.com/10-ways-to-get-you-spanish-class-moving/Culture rich movies to use at the end of the year https://misclaseslocas.com/appropriate-movies-for-spanish-class/Comprehensible Iowa Conference June 12-13, 2026 in Des Moines, IA https://comprehensibleiowa.wordpress.com/End of the Year Activities Blog: https://misclaseslocas.com/lista-lunes-end-of-year-in-spanish-classRunning out of Time EOY Blog: https://misclaseslocas.com/end-of-the-year-spanish-activities/Grab a Spanish Routine Freebie: https://misclaseslocas.com/para-empezar-sample-1-week-freebie/Growing With Proficiency Spanish Teacher Academy: https://growingwithproficiency.com/academyGrowing With CI FB CommunityGWP BlogClaudia's Teacher Pay Teachers StoreIG & Twitter: @claudiamelliott

    38 min

  7. APR 13

    Episodio 186: El modelo 50/50: cómo motivar y facilitar interacciones auténtica en el modo interpersonal con Theresa Jensen y Maria del Carmen Benítez

    Send us Fan Mail Profe ¿te ha pasado esto? Haces una pregunta… y recibes respuestas de una palabra.  O silencio.  O miradas de “no sé qué decir”. Y tú estás ahí pensando: pero si esto debería ser comunicación… ¿por qué no se siente así?  Porque muchas veces no es que tus estudiantes no quieran hablar o que no puedan, es que no tienen una razón real para hacerlo. En esta conversación me siento con dos profes extraordinarias — María del Carmen Benítez desde Monterrey, México, y Teresa Jensen desde Omaha, Nebraska — para descubrir cómo un simple intercambio por Zoom entre sus clases lleva siete años transformando la experiencia de sus estudiantes... y por qué estos no quieren que termine la llamada. En este episodio hablamos de: Qué es el modelo 50/50 y cómo funcionaLa logística: Zoom, Google Sheets y cómo se emparejan los estudiantesCómo se eligen los temas de conversaciónCómo preparar a los estudiantes antes de la llamadaLos desafíos más comunes y cómo superarlosSeguridad y consentimiento informadoCómo empezar desde cero🎧 Escucha el episodio, compártelo con tu comunidad y conéctate con nosotras para seguir creando clases más auténticas y significativas. María del Carmen Benítez es especialista en enseñanza de lenguas con casi 40 años de experiencia. Actualmente lidera el área de Lenguas Extranjeras en Prepa Tec y es examinadora del Bachillerato Internacional. Ha trabajado en formación docente, desarrollo curricular y proyectos internacionales, además de promover la lectura y la escritura creativa a través de Poetazos. Theresa Jensen es profesora de español certificada por National Board con 28 años de experiencia. Ha sido reconocida como finalista de ACTFL Teacher of the Year y Teacher of the Year en Central States. Es autora de novelas en español y promueve el uso de historias como herramienta para crear clases más inclusivas, significativas y centradas en la voz de los estudiantes. Conéctate con nuestras invitadas:  María del Carmen Benítez benitez@tec.mx Teresa Jensen —https://srajensen.com Recursos para ti: Website: https://growingwithproficiency.com GWP Spanish Teacher Academy Waiting List Growing With CI FB Community Blog Teacher Pay Teachers Store

    1 hr

  8. APR 9

    Re-Release Episode 27: Shake Up Your Classroom with My Top 5 Language Teaching Strategies and Activities from SCOLT 23

    Send us Fan Mail SCOLT is definitely one of my favorite conferences, and 2023 was a highlight. That is  why I decided to re-release this and because you can get amazing activities you can do tomorrow in your class.  Are you feeling bored and uninspired in your own language classroom? I'm not talking about your students, I'm talking about you. The truth is, we all need new ideas and fresh perspectives to keep us engaged and motivated in our teaching practice. That's why I love attending conferences like SCOLT. In this episode of Growing With Proficiency The Podcast, I'll be sharing 5 of my favorite strategies and activities that I learned at SCOLT 23. All of the 5 strategies and activities have one thing in common: they not only have the potential to engage my students and promote proficiency, but they also excite me to use them. When I'm excited, that energy transfers right back to my students. So, if you're looking for ways to shake things up in your class and get excited, hit play and join me for this exciting episode of Growing With Proficiency. 👉 Resources & Links Growing With CI FB Community GWP Spanish Teacher Academy Waiting List Blog Teacher Pay Teachers Store IG & Twitter: @claudiamelliott 5EModel Explain QFT Video Guess the Movie Challenge Brain Break Hexagon Strategy by Bertha Delgadillo

    40 min
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Welcome to Growing With Proficiency: The Podcast!  Are you a World Language teacher who is looking for ideas, strategies, activities, and inspiration to create a World Language class where you and your students enjoy using the language to learn about the world and each other?  Do you want to transform your class into an acquisition-driven instruction space where you intentionally provide a ton of comprehensible input?  If you are, you're in the right place. Let's start this journey together. Head over to IG, and send me a DM @claudiamelliott to let me know what topics you would like me to cover in an upcoming episode.Join my free Facebook community, Growing With C. Also, check out my blog to start discovering some of these ideas and strategies at growingwithproficiency.com

Information

  • Creator
    Claudia Elliott, World Language educator
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    223
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Growing With Proficiency The Podcast
  • Show Website
    Growing With Proficiency The Podcast

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