I’ve always believed in a more natural, student-centered approach to teaching Hawaiian language—one that moves beyond the colonial, grammar-driven frameworks like ‘pepeke,’ which simply translate Western systems into Hawaiian terms. The Motivated Classroom was the first CI/SLA podcast I found, and it immediately radicalized how I think about language teaching. This show confirmed that comprehensible input isn’t just a method—it’s a liberating philosophy. It empowers teachers to prioritize meaningful communication and authentic connections, helping students acquire language naturally and confidently at the same time going beyond language learning and exploring other topics. It’s been transformative for how I teach Hawaiian and has inspired me to challenge outdated approaches in favor of a more freeing, responsive, and human way to teach.

I listen to this podcast on my hour-long commute to work and never get bored. Excellent ideas, informative and entertaining. Thank you, Dr. Printer!

I love this podcast. It was exactly what I needed in order to distill recent language acquisition research and back up the feelings I’ve had about teaching all along. Listening to the episodes is giving me the language to justify my teaching methods to myself and my colleagues and administrators. Thank you!

I love this podcast. I listen to it, it changes my thinking about teaching, gives me great strategies for teaching and I have recommended it to everybody! If you teach a world language, listen now!

The Motivated Classroom and TPRS have completely transformed how I teach and how I feel about being a Spanish teacher. I feel so excited by the creative options available with the CI approach, and my students are so much more engaged. Thank you!

Finally I have found a mentor to help me become a better language teacher. Every episode has given me something to put into practice the very next day in my Spanish class for novice teenagers in rural Washington state. Four days since school started, full classes of rambunctious adolescents and every idea I’ve tried from the Motivated Classroom has elicited delight and attention: constitution, invisible character, jobs. Now I am looking to remodel my Google Classroom. Go raibh smith agat

LOVE your podcast! I recently just discovered it and I am obsessed! I am a self-taught CI teacher for middle school French in the USA. Your podcast have given me so much confidence in improving my CI skills. The new school year is coming up fast and I just can’t wait to get started with some new ideas that you have given me! Thanks for giving me the courage and newly discovered passion for CI and all its benefits! I feel like I “know” what I am doing, but lack the bravery at times to really let go and let the class go where it needs to during a lesson. Keep doing what you’re doing, you’re an inspiration!

I have been listening to this podcast only recently, but it has become a great resource for me as a language educator. There are so many ideas and resources in these episodes. Thank you for sharing your experiences and expertise!

This is a great podcast for world language teachers, especially if you use comprehensible input in your classes or want to use more. I generally listen while I am walking, but I need to go back and take notes! Liam’s voice is easy to listen to and I appreciate that the podcasts are only 20-30 minutes in length.

I came across this podcast a couple weeks ago and started listening from the very beginning. Love it because it has such valuable and helpful information presented in a concise way. Highly recommend!