Growing With Proficiency The Podcast

Claudia Elliott, World Language educator
  • 4.8 (80)
  • 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

    Re-Release Episode 126: Voice and Grow: Why End-of-Year Surveys Are a Must for Our Classes

    Send us a text As the school year wraps up, there’s no better time to reflect—not just on what we think worked, but on how students experienced our class. In this episode of Growing With Proficiency: The Podcast, I’m sharing how I use end-of-year surveys to gather meaningful feedback that helps me adjust my teaching and better meet my students’ needs. I’ll walk you through key survey questions that cover classroom culture, comprehension, learning strategies, and personal progress. I’ll also reflect on the responses of my own students and how those responses are helping me to adjust some of my lessons, routines, and strategies—all while keeping things simple and actionable. If you want to close the year with purpose and set yourself up for a stronger start next year, grab a notebook and let’s start. Resources & Links: 🎯 Freebie: 10 Stations Template – Keep students engaged while you reflect! 👉growingwithproficiency.com🎙️ Related Episodes:Episode 125: 3 Creative Ways to Keep Students Engaged and Learning as the Year EndsEpisode 76: Talk, Read, Talk, Write with Tan HuynhEpisode 124: Silent Sustained Reading: Why It Works & How to Start🎉 FREE RESOURCE FOR LANGUAGE TEACHERS! “10 Ready-to-Use Station Activities to Keep Students Engaged!” ✅ Reading & Easy Tasks – Print & go! ✅ Engaging & Interactive – Keep students focused! ✅ Low-Prep & Time-Saving – Less work! Perfect for those moments when students seem more distracted than ever.  👉 Grab Your Free Resource Now! 🎉 FREE RESOURCE FOR LANGUAGE TEACHERS! “10 Ready-to-Use Station Activities to Keep Students Engaged!” ✅ Reading & Easy Tasks – Print & go! ✅ Engaging & Interactive – Keep students focused! ✅ Low-Prep & Time-Saving – Less work! Perfect for those moments when students seem more distracted than ever.  👉 Grab Your Free Resource Now!

    37 min

  2. DEC 11

    Episode 174 — Three Low-Stress December Activities That Still Give Students Input

    Send us a text In this episode, we talk about December. I’m sharing three low-stress activities that keep students engaged, help them revisit everything they’ve learned, and still give them meaningful input, even when their energy (and ours) is running low. These ideas have worked beautifully in my own classroom. My students stay focused, they collaborate, they read, they listen… and I get to step back a little without sacrificing the quality of the lesson.  Top Takeaways 1. Review + Recall + Input Students list everything they remember about a story or unit, reread the text in groups, and create an illustrated or mapped version. 2. Dictation That Actually Works in December We combine recall → dictation → comprehension tasks. 3. “Guess Who?” Based on Your Content A collaborative guessing game using characters, themes, or topics from the semester. Students listen, discuss, negotiate meaning, and celebrate everything they’ve learned. Free Resource Want an easy way to keep students moving and collaborating this month? Download my Stations Template Freebie here: 👉 growingwithproficiency.com/stations It includes 10 ready-to-use station ideas you can apply to ANY unit — perfect for December when you need structure + movement + input. Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Episode 31 — Stations & Rotations Ten ideas you can use right away, plus the downloadable template. Episode 125 — More on Stations A deeper look at creating smooth, purposeful rotations. Episode 171 — ClipChat with Amy Marshall  Ideal for seasonal commercials and short clips during December. Episode 173 — My ACTFL Takeaways + Dopamine Great for managing energy and motivation during this season. December can feel heavy… but with the right activities, it can also feel joyful, calm, and full of meaningful learning. I hope this episode gives you simple ideas to celebrate everything your students have learned — and to take care of yourself, too. 💛✨ 🎉 FREE RESOURCE FOR LANGUAGE TEACHERS! “10 Ready-to-Use Station Activities to Keep Students Engaged!” ✅ Reading & Easy Tasks – Print & go! ✅ Engaging & Interactive – Keep students focused! ✅ Low-Prep & Time-Saving – Less work! Perfect for those moments when students seem more distracted than ever.  👉 Grab Your Free Resource Now!

    29 min

  3. DEC 4

    Episode 173: Why Curiosity is Key for Motivation in Language Class: ACTFL Takeaways + Easy CI Strategies for December

    Send us a text If you are exhausted this December and looking for simple, meaningful ways to keep your students engaged — this episode is your cafecito. I’m sharing what truly stood out at ACTFL this year, and spoiler alert: it wasn’t a new app, a new tech tool, or a shiny new curriculum. It was something much more human: ✨ Curiosity + Safety = Motivation. In a powerful session with Samara Spielberg, she shared how dopamine rises when learners experience curiosity, anticipation, and the desire to know what happens next. And the moment she said that, everything clicked. I suddenly saw the pattern in the effective activities.  In today’s episode, I break down three simple, low-prep strategies I learned at ACTFL you can use right away in your world language class — even in December — to spark that curiosity while keeping comprehension and safety at the center. 🌟 In this episode you’ll learn: Why curiosity naturally increases student motivationHow Picture Talk with one compelling image can create instant intrigue (learned from Mira Canion)How cultural storytelling (inspired by Carolina Gómez) builds prediction, anticipation, and deep meaningHow the Movie Trailer Technique gives you easy engagement with zero prepHow simple “cliff-hanger” moments create dopamine, motivation, and comprehensionWhy motivation is not about hype… it’s about relevance, safety, and curiosityAnd toward the end, I talk about the piece many of us forget: teachers need community too. ACTFL reminded me that when we feel supported, inspired, and connected — our classrooms change. Which is exactly why I’m so excited about the six-month membership option now open inside Growing With Proficiency: The Spanish Teacher Academy.  This is for any Spanish teacher who wants to grow as a teacher, to gain practical, comprehensible-input strategies, and to access culturally rich units, and a supportive community — without burning out. If you’re thinking, “I want to teach better, but I need it to feel manageable…” this six-month option is exactly for you. 👉 Join the Academy The World Largets Lesson with SDG Samara Spielberg IG: @samaraspielberg  Carolina Gómez IG: @funforspanishteachers Mira Canion www.miracanion.com Episode of Growing With Proficiency on Picture Talk Episode with Karen Rowan on storytelling, comprehension, and brain-friendly instruction If this episode gave you a spark of hope this December, share it on IG and tag me @growingwithproficiency.

    34 min

  4. DEC 1

    Episodio 171 en español: Cómo mantener clases de español activas sin pasar horas planeando

    Send us a text ¿Te sientes que se te acabo la gasolina? ¿Tienes poco tiempo pero muchas ganas de que tus clases sigan vivas y activas? En este episodio te comparto 3 estrategias reales para que tus clases sean dinámicas, participativas y en español — sin que tengas que quedarte hasta tarde preparando cada día. Hablamos de: 🎯 Preguntas personales y rutinas de entrada que activan la clase desde el minuto uno. 🔄 Brain breaks, pausas mentales y descansos estratégicos para renovar la atención y la energía. 📚 Lecturas culturales o anclas de input + actividades simples alrededor — para mantener español auténtico sin sobrecargar al profe. 💡 Cómo usar plantillas y rutinas listas (como las de la Spanish Teacher Academy) para planear menos y enseñar mejor. Si estás buscando una forma sostenible, realista y auténtica de enseñar español, este episodio es para ti. ¿Te interesa explorar más? Ve a growingwithproficiency.com/academy para descubrir cómo puedes unirte a Growing With Proficiency The Spanish Teacher Academy para acceder a recursos completos, plantillas listas y apoyo para planear sin estrés. 🎉 FREE RESOURCE FOR LANGUAGE TEACHERS! “10 Ready-to-Use Station Activities to Keep Students Engaged!” ✅ Reading & Easy Tasks – Print & go! ✅ Engaging & Interactive – Keep students focused! ✅ Low-Prep & Time-Saving – Less work! Perfect for those moments when students seem more distracted than ever.  👉 Grab Your Free Resource Now!

    29 min

  5. NOV 27

    Re-Release Episode 130 — Rediscovering Joy and Authenticity in the Language Classroom: Practical Steps to Engage and Inspire

    Send us a text Have you ever felt disconnected from your passion for teaching — like you’re doing all the things but nothing seems to spark joy anymore? You’re not alone.  In this re-released episode of Growing With Proficiency: The Podcast, we talk with Spanish teacher Mirna Deakle, who shares her journey of burnout, rediscovery, and finding her authentic voice in the language classroom. Mirna opens up about how she shifted from survival mode to purpose-driven teaching by centering her curriculum around culturally rich content and student connection. From a unit inspired by Mayan traditions to facilitating real-world interactions through virtual guest speakers, her transformation shows what’s possible when we stop teaching about the language and start using the language to communicate. Whether you’re teaching through comprehensible input, content-based instruction, or district-mandated curriculum, this episode offers practical ideas to bring back joy, engagement, and meaning — without adding more to your workload. 🔍 In this episode, you’ll learn: The emotional and physical challenges that lead many language teachers to feel disconnectedHow to define clear goals and stay focused on what matters despite obstaclesPractical strategies for integrating authentic cultural content into our classesWhy student identity, representation, and storytelling increase motivationHow community and collaboration can reduce burnout and support growth✨ Key takeaways for world language teachers: Find your authentic voice: Your personal story matters — and your students benefit when they hear it.Set meaningful goals: Teaching feels lighter when you’re guided by purpose rather than perfection.Use culturally rich content: Real voices and lived experiences lead to deeper communication and curiosity.Create real-world connections: Students engage more when the classroom feels connected to the world.Don’t go alone: Community can make this profession sustainable, energizing, and joyful.📚 Resources mentioned: Balún Canán by Rosario CastellanosGrowing With Proficiency: The Spanish Teacher AcademyEpisode 84 — The Power of Reading for Language Acquisition with Dr. Stephen KrashenEpisode 51 — Before, During, and After Reading StrategiesIf this episode speaks to you, share it with a fellow world language teacher and leave a review — we’d love to hear how you’re rediscovering your voice and joy in the classroom. For more resources, visit growingwithproficiency.com 🎉 FREE RESOURCE FOR LANGUAGE TEACHERS! “10 Ready-to-Use Station Activities to Keep Students Engaged!” ✅ Reading & Easy Tasks – Print & go! ✅ Engaging & Interactive – Keep students focused! ✅ Low-Prep & Time-Saving – Less work! Perfect for those moments when students seem more distracted than ever.  👉 Grab Your Free Resource Now!

    56 min

  6. NOV 20

    Episode 171: Boost Comprehension and Engagement With ClipChat: A Guide for Language Teachers with Amy Marshall

    Send us a text If you’ve ever found yourself searching for an activity that is engaging, meaningful, and actually supports language acquisition, this episode is for you. Many of us want our students to feel confident understanding and using the language — without us spending hours planning something new every day. In this conversation, I’m joined by Amy Marshall, a world language teacher with over 25 years of classroom experience, known for her thoughtful use of ClipChat. ClipChat blends short films with teacher-guided narration to build comprehension in a way that feels natural, visual, and compelling. Students watch, listen, and make meaning — and we guide the language to match what they need. In this episode, you’ll learn: What ClipChat is and why it works to support real acquisitionHow to choose the right video clips for different levelsWhy slowing down can actually boost student confidence and understandingHow small student responses (“guided output”) create a natural pathway for teachers to give even more inputPractical routines like Write & Discuss, acting with whisper support, puppets, gallery walks, and picture grid listeningHow one short clip can carry your class for days or even weeks — without adding more planning to your plateThis episode is full of strategies that work in real classrooms — including the classes that are wiggly, chatty, distracted, or just tired. If you’re working to design world language classes rooted in comprehension, communication, and cultural connection, you’ll find something here to take with you tomorrow. Resources Mentioned Read the blog hereClipChat Examples & Classroom Materials:  Zona de Profes on TPT — https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Zona-De-ProfesAmy’s Website: https://zonadeprofes.weebly.comShort Film Playlist for ClipChat: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKhH5MAAh6FpSBBumo6Cv8lG_iS8Q9LpzFree November Resource: Download Here: https://growingwithproficiency.com/diadegraciasJoin the Academy Waitlist: https://growingwithproficiency.com/academy-waitlistIG Claudia ElliottGrowing With Proficiency TPT StoreFree FB CommunityBe Part of the Community If this episode inspired a new idea, I’d love to hear about it. Tag me on Instagram @claudiamelliott and share which clip you’d like to try — or send me a DM and I’ll help you brainstorm one. Make sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss the next conversation.  We grow by learning together — we learn, we try, we 🎉 FREE RESOURCE FOR LANGUAGE TEACHERS! “10 Ready-to-Use Station Activities to Keep Students Engaged!” ✅ Reading & Easy Tasks – Print & go! ✅ Engaging & Interactive – Keep students focused! ✅ Low-Prep & Time-Saving – Less work! Perfect for those moments when students seem more distracted than ever.  👉 Grab Your Free Resource Now!

    48 min

  7. NOV 17

    Re-released Episodio 3 En español: Tres cambios que transformaron mi clase de español

    Send us a text En este episodio, comparto uno de mis episodios favoritos en español sobre tres cambios fundamentales que transformaron mi clase y renovaron mi motivación como docente.  Estos cambios surgieron a lo largo de 15 años en el aula y responden a una pregunta que muchas profes me hicieron recientemente: ¿Cómo construir una clase donde la conexión, la comunicación y la cultura sean el centro, y donde el español se use de manera auténtica? Hablaremos de: Construir conexiones con los estudiantes empezando por sus nombres.Comenzar a usar el español en clase, en lugar de enfocarnos en explicar reglas.Poner la cultura en el corazón de la experiencia para desarrollar curiosidad, identidad y pertenencia.Cuando nuestros estudiantes participan en eventos comunicativos significativos, la competencia lingüística crece y la clase se siente más humana y más viva — para ellos y para nosotros. Suscríbete para seguir construyendo clases que apoyan la adquisición, la competencia comunicativa y la conexión cultural. 🎉 FREE RESOURCE FOR LANGUAGE TEACHERS! “10 Ready-to-Use Station Activities to Keep Students Engaged!” ✅ Reading & Easy Tasks – Print & go! ✅ Engaging & Interactive – Keep students focused! ✅ Low-Prep & Time-Saving – Less work! Perfect for those moments when students seem more distracted than ever.  👉 Grab Your Free Resource Now!

    29 min

  8. NOV 13

    Episode 170: How Do We Support Neurodivergent Learners in the World Language Classroom? Designing Inclusive Classrooms

    Send us a text A conversation with Wesley Wood What happens when we stop planning for the “average” learner and instead design our classrooms with neurodivergent students and students with disabilities in mind? In this episode of Growing With Proficiency: The Podcast, I’m joined by Wesley Wood, Disability Specialist at Georgetown University and former world language teacher, for a powerful and eye-opening conversation about expanding what is possible in the language classroom. Wesley brings deep experience supporting students with disabilities as well as working side-by-side with world language teachers. Rather than focusing on labels or deficits, he invites us to see the strengths and identities our neurodivergent learners bring — and to plan instruction that welcomes different ways of processing, communicating, and engaging from the very beginning. Together, we explore: Why planning for the “middle” unintentionally leaves many students outHow planning for the margins strengthens learning for everyoneThe difference between accommodations and designing with accessibility in mindHow predictable routines, visuals, and co-created norms help students feel safe and ready to communicateWays to offer multiple paths to input: visuals, text, audio, modeling, and gesturesHow choice and flexible output honor students’ strengths and lower anxietyWhat it looks like to slow down, observe, and truly see our studentsThis conversation connects deeply with the core of our work in world language classrooms: comprehensible input, communication, connection, and cultural competence. You’ll walk away with mindset shifts and simple classroom practices you can begin using right away — not by doing more, but by seeing differently. If this episode resonates, make sure to follow the podcast, share it with a colleague, and tag Claudia on Instagram @claudiamelliott so we can continue learning and growing together. Resources: Growing With Proficiency The Blog Growing With Proficiency The Spanish Teacher Academy Waitlist Growing With Proficiency TPT Store Free FB Community Click here to download for FREE ➡️➡️➡️ https://growingwithproficiency.com/diadegracias 🎉 FREE RESOURCE FOR LANGUAGE TEACHERS! “10 Ready-to-Use Station Activities to Keep Students Engaged!” ✅ Reading & Easy Tasks – Print & go! ✅ Engaging & Interactive – Keep students focused! ✅ Low-Prep & Time-Saving – Less work! Perfect for those moments when students seem more distracted than ever.  👉 Grab Your Free Resource Now!

    1h 1m
See All (197)

Trailer

4.8
out of 5
80 Ratings

About

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 - 2025
  • Episodes
    197
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Growing With Proficiency The Podcast
  • Show Website
    Growing With Proficiency The Podcast

You Might Also Like