Growing With Proficiency The Podcast

Claudia Elliott, World Language educator
  • 4.8 (88)
  • Language Learning
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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

  1. 2d ago

    Episode 209: How to Teach Reading and Writing Skills in the World Language Classroom: A Conversation with Dr. Lara Bryfonski

    Send us Fan Mail We all want our students to acquire the language. We also want them to read it and, eventually, write it. But are we teaching them how to become readers and writers in the target language? That’s what I discuss with Dr. Lara Bryfonski in this episode. Lara is a professor at Georgetown University and coauthor of The Art and Science of Language Teaching. Together, we explore why developing literacy and acquiring a language are different processes—and how we can support both in our classrooms. In this episode, we talk about: Why we cannot always assume that students’ reading and writing skills in their first language will transfer automatically to the language we teach.How to find out what support students need when they read.What to do before, during, and after reading to help students make sense of a text.How to show students what they can do when they reach a word or paragraph they don’t understand.Why writing needs time for brainstorming, drafting, feedback, and revision.How to teach useful peer feedback, even when you have a large class.One thing surprised me during our conversation: I was already using some of these strategies. Understanding how they help students develop literacy skills made me want to name and model them more intentionally. If you’ve ever finished reading with your class, looked at the comprehension questions, and wondered, How do I actually help my students become better readers?—grab your cafecito ☕️ and join us. This conversation gave me tools I can use in my next lesson. MORE FROM GROWING WITH PROFICIENCY Follow me on Instagram: @claudiamelliottRead the BlogGrowing With Proficiency on Teachers Pay TeachersJoin the waitlist for Growing With Proficiency: The Spanish Teacher AcademySUBSCRIBE & REVIEW Subscribe to Growing With Proficiency — The Podcast so you don’t miss our next conversation. If this episode helps you, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It helps more world language teachers find the show. 🎙️ Gracias for listening. ❤️ Profe de español, Bring five fascinating, comprehensible Latin American legends into your classroom for free. Grab your copy at growingwithproficiency.com/leyendas. Profe de español, Grab this free resource and bring into your classroom 5 fascinating and comprehensible leyendas Latinoamericanas. Go to growingwithproficiency.com/leyendas to grab your free copy.

  2. Sep 21

    Episode 208: When a Student Says “I Hate This Class”: A Framework for Responding Without Reacting

    Send us Fan Mail A student threw her backpack on the floor and said loudly, “I hate this class. I hate everything about this class.” More than once. Everything inside of me wanted to react. I wanted to defend myself, my class, and all the work I put into creating a space where students feel successful. But I didn’t. In this episode, I’m taking you inside what happened next, the framework that helped me respond without escalating the situation, and the private conversation that followed. We’ll talk about what we can do when a student’s frustration becomes disruptive: regulate ourselves first, have the conversation privately, set the boundary, give students better options for communicating what they feel, and then release. But this experience also revealed a blind spot I didn’t expect. I care deeply about my students feeling connected, confident, and successful in my classroom. But somewhere along the way, I had started watching this student a little too closely—hoping she would smile, laugh, participate differently, and eventually love the class. And that made me ask myself a much harder question: Do our students need to enjoy our class in order to belong in it? This episode is about classroom management, yes. But it’s also about us—our triggers, our expectations, and what difficult moments with students can teach us about ourselves when we’re willing to look. Grab your cafecito ☕️, your mate, or just take me with you on your drive to school. This is a conversation I think we need to have. MORE FROM GROWING WITH PROFICIENCY Follow me on Instagram: @claudiamelliottBlogGrowing With Proficiency on Teachers Pay TeachersJoin the waitlist for Growing With Proficiency: The Spanish Teacher AcademySUBSCRIBE & REVIEW If this episode resonated with you, subscribe to Growing With Proficiency — The Podcast and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your support helps more world language teachers find the podcast and join these conversations. 🎙️ Gracias for listening. ❤️ Profe de español, Grab this free resource and bring into your classroom 5 fascinating and comprehensible leyendas Latinoamericanas. Go to growingwithproficiency.com/leyendas to grab your free copy.

  3. Sep 14

    Episode 207: Write & Discuss: A Powerful, Low-Prep Strategy for World Language Classes

    Send us Fan Mail What if one strategy could give your students more comprehensible input, more repetition, more writing, AND more opportunities to think and contribute? In this episode, we're talking about teacher-led collaborative writing, also known as Write & Discuss, shared writing, or joint construction. It's one of those strategies that can do a LOT without requiring a lot of prep. I break down how I use it before, during, and after writing—and some small changes I'm making this year that are making it even more effective. A few takeaways: Why Write & Discuss is especially powerful with large and mixed-level classesHow a quick brain dump or retrieval activity BEFORE writing can prepare students to contributeWhen to co-create freely and when to choose one intentional language moveHow to use proficiency targets to decide what to modelHow tasking instead of asking can keep more students actively involvedWhat to do AFTER you create the text, including choral reading, comprehension activities, and retrieval writingHow to use a disappearing text variation with less experienced learnersYou don't need to do all of these things every time. Choose what your students need, make the strategy work for your classroom, and keep coming back to the language. Resources & Episodes Mentioned: Episode 204 with Ben Fisher-Rodriguez — We talk about Write & Discuss with a specific focus on using pop-up grammar during the process.Mike Peto — The educator I originally learned Write & Discuss from.BlogGrowing With Proficiency on Teachers Pay TeachersJoin the waitlist for Growing With Proficiency: The Spanish Teacher AcademyProfe de español, Grab this free resource and bring into your classroom 5 fascinating and comprehensible leyendas Latinoamericanas. Go to growingwithproficiency.com/leyendas to grab your free copy.

  4. Sep 7

    Episodio 206: De la investigación al aula: lo que las familias nos enseñan sobre cómo apoyar a estudiantes de herencia

    Send us Fan Mail Una conversación con la Dra. Bertha Delgadillo En este episodio en español, converso con mi amiga, la Dra. Bertha Delgadillo, sobre su investigación doctoral, en la que entrevistó a familias de estudiantes hisanohablantes para conocer sus experiencias, expectativas y relación con la escuela y la clase de español. Sus respuestas revelan oportunidades importantes para nosotros como profes: conocer mejor la experiencia lingüística de cada estudiante, escuchar lo que quiere lograr con su español, reconocer el trabajo que las familias ya hacen para preservar el idioma y la cultura, e invitarlas a participar activamente en nuestras clases. También hablamos sobre la vergüenza que algunos jóvenes sienten alrededor de su español, el peligro de asumir su nivel por su apellido o por lo que hablan en casa y la importancia de crear espacios donde puedan sentirse orgullosos de ser de aquí y de allá. Principales aprendizajes de este episodio Por qué no todos los estudiantes de herencia tienen las mismas experiencias, necesidades ni metas.Qué preguntas podemos hacer para conocer su verdadera relación con el español.Cómo ofrecerles oportunidades de crecimiento sin darles simplemente más trabajo.Lo que las familias pueden enseñarnos sobre el idioma, la cultura y la identidad de sus hijos.Cómo invitar a las familias a compartir sus historias, tradiciones y conocimientos en nuestras clases.Por qué un estudiante no necesita demostrar un nivel específico de español para que su identidad sea reconocida y valorada.Cómo conectar el idioma con el servicio comunitario para que los estudiantes puedan participar, contribuir y experimentar un verdadero sentido de pertenencia.Esta conversación lleva la investigación de Bertha directamente al aula y nos ofrece acciones posibles, incluso cuando enseñamos clases grandes y con diferentes niveles. No necesitas tener todas las respuestas ni crear un programa completamente nuevo. A veces, el primer paso es simplemente hacer mejores preguntas, escuchar con intención y abrir una puerta que antes no habíamos considerado. Recursos: Profesora Delgadillo IG Blog Growing With Proficiency on Teachers Pay Teachers Join the waitlist for Growing With Proficiency: The Spanish Teacher Academy Profe de español, Grab this free resource and bring into your classroom 5 fascinating and comprehensible leyendas Latinoamericanas. Go to growingwithproficiency.com/leyendas to grab your free copy.

  5. Aug 31

    Episode 205: New AP Spanish Language Exam Changes: What to Keep, Add, and Drop with Bethanie Carlson Drew

    Send us Fan Mail The AP Spanish Language and Culture exam is changing—and if you teach AP, you may feel like you need to change everything in your course too. But take a breath. You do not have to start from zero. In this episode, I’m joined by my friend and incredible educator Bethanie Carlson Drew, who is beginning her 33rd year in the classroom. Bethanie helps us look at the new AP Spanish Language exam format with clarity and intention. As Bethanie reminds us, approximately 80% of what we already do in a strong AP language class has not changed. Students still need to develop language proficiency, cultural competence, and the confidence to communicate. Instead of rebuilding her entire course, Bethanie is asking three questions: What should I keep? What should I increase? And what can I finally drop? ✨ In this episode, we discuss: How Bethanie uses 60–90-second mini-presentations to gradually prepare students for the new three-minute Project PresentationWhy students need explicit support to ask follow-up questions—not only answer themHow one image and only three words on a slide help students develop real presentational skillsWhy Bethanie is keeping reading, music, and culturally rich input at the center of her courseSimple ways to increase oral sharing without adding more long, formal presentationsHow to explore products, practices, and perspectives throughout the year by asking, “Why is this important?”Why culture cannot be reduced to one isolated unitHow Bethanie is simplifying the AP project materials into a manageable student notebookWhat she is dropping now that the simulated conversation and stand-alone cultural comparison are no longer part of the examWhy the beginning of the year should focus on classroom culture, confidence, and connection—not panicEven if you do not teach AP Spanish, this conversation is full of practical ideas for any language classroom. It is a powerful reminder that the activity is not the purpose—the activity serves the purpose. 📚 Resources Mentioned 👉 Read the complete blog post and show notes here. 👉 Explore Bethanie’s blog, Aventuras Nuevas. 👉 Review the AP Spanish Language and Culture Course and Exam Description. 📲 Connect with Claudia Follow me on Instagram: @claudiamelliott Learn more about Growing With Proficiency: The Spanish Teacher Academy: growingwithproficiency.com/academy Listen, take a breath, and remember: you do not need to throw away everything that already works. Keep what supports acquisition. Increase meaningful communication. Drop what no longer serves your students. Profe de español, Grab this free resource and bring into your classroom 5 fascinating and comprehensible leyendas Latinoamericanas. Go to growingwithproficiency.com/leyendas to grab your free copy.

  6. Aug 24

    Episode 204: Choral Translation and Pop-Up Grammar Without Losing Communication with Ben Fisher-Rodriguez

    Send us Fan Mail What if one simple routine could help students see, understand, and feel more confident with the language they have already experienced? In this episode, I sit down with Ben Fisher-Rodriguez to explore how Write and Discuss, choral translation, and pop-up grammar can help students make sense of the language they are hearing and reading while keeping meaningful communication at the center. Ben walks us through the process step by step: beginning with a highly comprehensible or co-created text, translating it together as a class, briefly highlighting one grammatical feature, and then returning to meaningful communication. We also discuss how choral translation can serve as a quick formative assessment, how to plan pop-up grammar when you have a grammar-heavy curriculum, and why noticing a structure does not guarantee immediate language acquisition. This episode offers practical classroom strategies for world language teachers who want to address grammar while keeping communication, comprehension, and proficiency at the center. ✨ Takeaways Why students need to understand the meaning of a text before focusing on grammatical formHow to create a highly comprehensible, personalized text through Write and DiscussA step-by-step process for introducing choral translationHow choral translation can reveal gaps in comprehension and serve as a formative assessmentHow to plan brief, student-friendly pop-up grammar without turning it into a full grammar lessonWhy noticing grammar may support students, but does not guarantee immediate acquisition or accurate productionIdeas for returning to meaningful target-language communication after the grammar “pop”📚 Resources Mentioned Choral Translation and Pop-Up Grammar: Discovering How Form Contributes to Meaning by Ben Fisher-Rodriguez Read Ben’s original articleMr. Fisher Says Explore Ben’s websiteSLAyyy: Second Language Acquisition for Everyone with Ben Fisher-Rodriguez and Bill Langley-Bostick Listen on Apple PodcastsThe Perfect Low-Prep Activity for Any Day in Our World Language Classes with Ben Fisher-Rodriguez Listen and read moreHow to Build a Sustainable Language Class with Routines Read the related blog postListen to the full episode and share it with a world language teacher who is trying to balance a grammar-focused curriculum with a more communicative, proficiency-driven classroom. And if you need more support, check this out: BlogGrowing With Proficiency on Teachers Pay TeachersJoin the waitlist for Growing With Proficiency: The Spanish Teacher AcademyProfe de español, Grab this free resource and bring into your classroom 5 fascinating and comprehensible leyendas Latinoamericanas. Go to growingwithproficiency.com/leyendas to grab your free copy.

  7. Aug 17

    Episode 203: How to Keep Students Engaged With Stories: Confidence, Curiosity, and Comprehension With Eric Richards

    Send us Fan Mail Have you ever started a story with your students and felt like everything was going beautifully until you noticed the glazed expressions, delayed responses, and side conversations beginning? It is easy to assume the story is boring or that students simply do not care. But a drop in engagement does not necessarily mean the story failed. In this episode, I sit down with world language educator, author, and presenter Eric Richards to explore how we can use stories and reading to support language acquisition while keeping students engaged. Eric shares how he builds engagement through two essential elements: confidence and curiosity. We also discuss how to make stories more comprehensible, recognize when students’ attention is beginning to fade, and respond with quick resets instead of falling into what I call the judgment trap. This conversation is filled with practical, low-prep strategies you can use with any story, reading, proficiency level, or curriculum. ✨ Takeaways Why comprehension itself can make a story compelling for beginning learners.How confidence and curiosity help students continue listening and reading.Simple ways to add movement, drawing, personalization, and interaction.What to do when you notice student engagement beginning to drop.How to check comprehension without turning every reading into a test.Why the response students give should match the purpose of the activity.📚 Resources and Links Read the complete blog post and find all the resourcesVisit Eric Richards’ website and blogExplore Eric’s professional development and classroom resourcesJim Trelease’s Read-Aloud Handbook, Eighth EditionJoin the waitlist for Growing With Proficiency: The Spanish Teacher AcademyFollow Claudia on Instagram: @claudiamelliott🎧 Listen now and discover how stories can become a vehicle for language acquisition, connection, curiosity, and cultural competence—poco a poco. Profe de español, Grab this free resource and bring into your classroom 5 fascinating and comprehensible leyendas Latinoamericanas. Go to growingwithproficiency.com/leyendas to grab your free copy.

  8. Aug 10

    Episode 202: Classroom Management Through a Nervous System Lens with Hélène Colinet

    Send us Fan Mail What if challenging student behavior is not always simply a discipline problem—but sometimes a sign of overwhelm, anxiety, or disconnection? In Episode 202 of Growing With Proficiency: The Podcast, I’m joined by French teacher and teacher educator Hélène Colinet to explore classroom management through the lens of nervous system regulation. This conversation is not about excusing behavior or removing boundaries. Instead, Hélène invites us to pause before assigning motives, consider what a behavior may be communicating, and respond in ways that protect both the student’s dignity and the learning environment. We discuss practical ways to create the conditions students need to engage and acquire language—including connection, comprehensible input, predictable routines, movement, and teacher self-regulation. Key Takeaways Observe behavior before assigning a motive.Safety and clear boundaries can coexist.Slow down and check for comprehension.Use predictable routines to reduce uncertainty.Include both brain breaks and body breaks.Address difficult behavior calmly and privately.Notice and support your own regulation.Remember that our state can influence the class.Resources Mentioned Read the companion blog postLearn more from Hélène ColinetFollow Hélène on InstagramCreating a Powerful First Day of Language ClassSave Time and Reduce Stress With Classroom RoutinesThe Science Behind the Power of StorytellingBrain Breaks, Map Talk, and StorytellingGrowing With Proficiency: The Spanish Teacher AcademyIf this episode gives you a different way to think about classroom behavior, share it with a teacher who may need it. Then come find me on Instagram at @claudiamelliott and tell me: What is one small practice that helps you feel more regulated during the school day? Profe de español, Grab this free resource and bring into your classroom 5 fascinating and comprehensible leyendas Latinoamericanas. Go to growingwithproficiency.com/leyendas to grab your free copy.

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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
    242
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Growing With Proficiency The Podcast
  • Show Website
    Growing With Proficiency The Podcast