World Language Classroom Joshua Cabral, French, Spanish and World Language Teaching Ideas

#121
Have you used chat mats in your classroom? Even if you haven't, I'm sure that you have heard about this useful tool to support students.  Today, Christina Margiore,  a Spanish teacher on Long Island, New York, joins me to talk us through all the details involved with creating and using chat mats.  If you are using them already, you will get some new ideas for sure.  New to chat mats?  No problem.  You’ll soon be ready to use them with ease. 
Topics in this Episode:
what chat mats are and how they are beneficial in the language classroomelements to you include in chat matsbuilding on existing chat mats and creating new chat mats by unitspecific examples of how incorporating chat mats into lessons and activitiestips for implementing chat matConnect with Christina Margiore :
Instagram:@supersenora Blog: www.supersenora.comEmail: christina@supersenora.com__________________________
Interested in having Joshua work directly with your department, school or district?  Look at options for collaborating in person or remotely.
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Sign up for Talking Points to get  tips, tools and resources for your language teaching.
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Join Joshua as a guest on the podcast.
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Join Joshua for a Leveling Up Coaching Episode  on the podcast.  

#120
What does participation look like in your classroom?  How can you make sure that all students are actively engaged and not just a few that have demeanors that lend themselves to speaking up regularly?  In this episode I speak with Timothy Chávez, a Spanish teacher in Massachusetts, who shares his suggestions and techniques for getting all students involved and participating in class.  We recorded this episode live in the Exhibits Hall at the MaFLA conference in October. We had lots of spectators stop by to see how it all works and what it looks like to record an episode. I kept the background sound of the exhibit hall excitement in so that you can feel the energy that we did. 
Topics in this Episode:
the benefits of Prsida Himmele & William Himmele’s Total Participation Techniques in the world language classroomhow these techniques enhance language learning and student engagementhow Total Participation Techniques promote a comfortable and inclusive learning environmentSpecific Total Participation Techniques that Timothy has found most effectiveTotal Participation Techniques used for assessmenthow Total Participation Techniques can be adapted to ensure that all students are actively participating and feeling confident in their communication skillsConnect with Timothy Chávez:
Instagram: @communicativeteacher418__________________________
Interested in having Joshua work directly with your department, school or district?  Look at options for collaborating in person or remotely.
______________________________
Sign up for Talking Points to get  tips, tools and resources for your language teaching.
______________________________
Join Joshua as a guest on the podcast.
______________________________
Join Joshua for a Leveling Up Coaching Episode  on the podcast.  

#119
This is the fifth teacher toolbox episode. I hear from listeners all the time that they like the actionable tips and suggestions for activities that they can use with students next week, or even tomorrow. That usually means effective and beneficial, but somewhat minimal prep. That’s what I bring you on these Teacher Toolbox episodes. I have lots to share with you.
Sorry (not sorry), But They Will Keep Asking
"Can we play a game?" Embrace the request and discover 15 activities that can be easily adapted to any language or level. Fill your teacher toolbox with ways for students to engage enthusiastically with the target language in all modes.  

Activities mentioned in this episode:
This Google Doc has all of the links.

Interpersonal
Quiz, Quiz, TradeCards with Secret CardWho is it?Chat StationsZut/CarambaInterpretive
JumpLet’s GoGuess WhoLogic PuzzlesPresentational
Pecha KuchaDo Nows and Exit TicketsShipwreckCard PathTime CapsulesDie Decides
Let's connect!
 wlclassrom.comX (aka Twitter):  @wlclassroomThreads: @wlclassroomInstagram:  @wlclassroomFacebook:  /wlclassroomWLClassroom Facebook Group__________________________
Interested in having Joshua work directly with your department, school or district?  Look at options for collaborating in person or remotely.
______________________________
Sign up for Talking Points to get  tips, tools and resources for your language teaching.
______________________________
Join Joshua as a guest on the podcast.
______________________________
Join Joshua for a Leveling Up Coaching Episode  on the podcast.  

#118
Join me on the podcast for a Leveling Up Coaching Episode.
Do you have to balance common assessments with your proficiency-focused classroom?  Is this a bit of a challenge when those common assessments are not all that focus on proficiency and communication? Today’s episode is a Leveling Up episode, where I coach Lisa, a French teacher in Michigan. Balancing common district assessments in a Proficiency-Focused Classroom  is the area where wants to level up her teaching practice. So let's start the conversation. 
Suggestions:
Might have to be a both/and during these years of transition. Allow for this.Leave 1-2 days at the end of a unit to check in on the material that should be covered on the district common assessment. Any topics that were not covered during the unit can be quickly added on at the end so that students are prepared.Action Plan:
This Week:
Review the district assessments and analyze the proficiency objectives in your curriculum. Identify specific areas where the two align and make sure that the focus remains on language proficiency, while also setting students up for success on the common assessments. Make note of the topics that will be added on to the final days of the unit to align with the common assessment.The Coming Weeks:
Initiate discussions with department heads or administrators to advocate for the importance of proficiency-focused assessment in language learning. Present evidence of its benefits and explore possibilities of incorporating proficiency tasks into district assessments. Start with the walkers and get them into running mode, then move onto those standing on the side.Helpful Podcast Episodes on This Topic:
#20 Rubrics for Assessment and Learning with Beckie Bray Rankin#37 Competency-Based Grading with Ursula Askins-Huber#56: Backwards Design and PlanningHelpful Blog Posts on This Topic:
Reflecting on Our Language TeachingGrading for Proficiency and Competency
Join Joshua for a Leveling Up Coaching Episode  on the podcast.
 
Let's connect!
 wlclassrom.comX (aka Twitter):  @wlclassroomThreads: @wlclassroomInstagram:  @wlclassroomFacebook:  /wlclassroomWLClassroom Facebook Group__________________________
Interested in having Joshua work directly with your department, school or district?  Look at options for collaborating in person or remotely.
______________________________
Sign up for Talking Points to get  tips, tools and resources for your language teaching.
______________________________
Join Joshua as a guest on the podcast.

#117
How do you support your students through the process of getting them comfortable when it comes to speaking in the target language? On today’s episode I speak with Jamie Rodriquez, a Spanish teacher in Connecticut, who talks us through using guiding conversations to get students to that place of using the target language to speak not only comfortably, but confidently.
Topics in this episode:
what guided conversation are and how they benefit both student performance and language proficiency strategies for creating effective and engaging guided conversations that align with the curriculum and target language proficiency goalshow to adapt guided conversations for different proficiency levels success stories of using guided conversations and the significant impact on students' language proficiency and communication skillsFree Guided Conversations: Family ThemeConnect with Jamie Rodriguez:
Instagram : @specialtyspanishFacebook : Specialty Spanish Website:  www.specialtyspanish.comEmail : contactspecialtyspanish@gmail.comLet's connect!
 wlclassrom.comX (aka Twitter):  @wlclassroomThreads: @wlclassroomInstagram:  @wlclassroomFacebook:  /wlclassroomWLClassroom Facebook Group__________________________
Interested in having Joshua work directly with your department, school or district?  Look at options for collaborating in person or remotely.
______________________________
Sign up for Talking Points to get  tips, tools and resources for your language teaching.
______________________________
Join Joshua as a guest on the podcast.
______________________________
Join Joshua for a Leveling Up Coaching Episode  on the podcast.  

#116
Are you using AI tools like ChatGPT?  Do you know about all the other AI tools that are out there and can help support your teaching, your curriculum and save you time?  Today, Noemí Rodríguez, a Spanish teacher in New Jersey, has thrown herself into the AI world. She shares lots of resources and tells about all the incredibly helpful ways that we can leverage AI tools as language teachers. 
Topics in this episode:
what AI is and why should teachers consider using itadvice for language teachers who are eager to embrace AI tools but may feel overwhelmed or uncertain about where to startUsing AI tools to streamline lesson planning while still maintaining personalized learning experiencesstriking a balance between leveraging AI tools and fostering meaningful interactions and cultural understanding among your studentsexamples of specific AI applications that work well in the world language classroom and how do these tools enhance the learning experience for studentsAI Resources: Magic School, Learn With Carlos, ChatGPT, Diffit.meConnect with Noemi Rodriguez:
Instagram : @team_lologramosX (Twitter) : @Team_LoLogramosWebsite: Lo Logramos Consulting LLC
Let's connect!
 wlclassrom.comX (aka Twitter):  @wlclassroomThreads: @wlclassroomInstagram:  @wlclassroomFacebook:  /wlclassroomWLClassroom Facebook Group__________________________
Interested in having Joshua work directly with your department, school or district?  Look at options for collaborating in person or remotely.
______________________________
Sign up for Talking Points to get  tips, tools and resources for your language teaching.
______________________________
Join Joshua as a guest on the podcast.
______________________________
Join Joshua for a Leveling Up Coaching Episode  on the podcast.