World Language Classroom

Global Connections and Partnerships in the Language Classroom

15 Jun 2026

Contributed by Lukas

#253What if your students could use the language they’re learning to build real relationships with peers across the globe? In this episode French te...

Breaking Down Integrated Performance Assessments

08 Jun 2026

Contributed by Lukas

#252Have you ever wondered whether your tests, quizzes or assessments truly measure what your students can do with the language, or are they just look...

Balancing CI and Explicit Instruction

01 Jun 2026

Contributed by Lukas

#251Have you ever felt like you’re not allowed to say this out loud? That Comprehensible Input works beautifully with novices… but something feels...

Making Teaching Sustainable with Dr. Allyson Power

25 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

#250What if a few intentional moments of gratitude each day could help you feel more connected, energized, and sustained in your teaching life? In thi...

Quicker and More Effective Writing Feedback

18 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

#249Do you spend hours correcting student writing—marking every error, fixing every verb, circling every agreement mistake—only to see those same ...

Participation That Works for All Students

11 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

#248When you think about participation in your classroom… who comes to mind first? Is it the students raising their hands? The ones who always have ...

Language Learning Through Music and Film with Sybil Sanchez Jacome

04 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

#247Do you use songs and films with your students? Do you have some go-to activities that you normally do, but could maybe use some new ideas?  In th...

5 Strategies to Move Beyond Q&A in Classroom Discussions

27 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

#246Your students read the text and you had comprehension questions ready, yet the conversation never really took off. Instead of an authentic discuss...

Language and Culture Through the United Nations SDGs with Carmen Reyes

20 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

What if language class could help students talk about the issues shaping our world today? In this episode, I’m joined by Carmen Reyes, a Spanish tea...

No Prep Speaking and Writing Activities

13 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

#244Have you ever reached the last five minutes of class and thought, I wish my students spoke or wrote a little bit more today… but we didn’t hav...

Daily Strategies That Build Comprehension

06 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

#243Have your students finished listening to something or reading in the target language and you looked around the room, and wondered… Did anyone ac...

Turn That Vocabulary List Into A Communicative Activity

30 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

#242Do you have required vocabulary lists by units that you’re expected to teach? Let’s say that you have a list of 30 or 40 words per unit. Your ...

Practical Ways to Bring Art to Your Language Classroom with Courtney Bonino

23 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

#241What would happen if the artwork on your classroom walls became the catalyst for real communication in the target language? In this episode I’m ...

Improve Student Writing with Frames & Scaffolds

16 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

#40Do your students sometimes struggle to get their ideas down in writing because they aren’t sure how to start or how to say exactly what they mean...

Short Writing Tasks that Build Confidence

09 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

#239Do your students sometimes feel overwhelmed or a little hesitant when you ask them to write in the target language? Building writing confidence do...

National Board Certification for Language Teachers with Erin E.H. Austin and Lisa Bartels

02 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

#238Do you want to deepen your practice as a world language teacher and sharpen your skills around proficiency?  In today’s episode, we’re explor...

Promoting and Sustaining Language Programs with Ann Leclair Ash

23 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

#237What keeps students coming back to your language program each year?  Especially when graduation requirements, scheduling and competing electives ...

Advocacy for Languages and Programs

16 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

#236Curious how language programs thrive even with tight budgets and shifting graduation rules? In this episode, I share insights from conversations a...

Support Students in Feeling Motivated & Confident with Martha Cox-Stavros

09 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

#235What actually motivates our students? Today we explore that question through the lens of Self-Determination Theory with teacher Martha Cox-Stavros...

What You Can Learn When You Reflect On Your Teaching

02 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

#234When did you last speak with a colleague about what really worked in your lesson? Or reflected on what helped students communicate, not just what ...

Techniques to Get Students Talking with Christina Margiore

26 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

#233Do you want your students to feel more confident and eager to share their ideas in the target language? In this episode, we’ll explore strategie...

CI Activities in Practice in the Classroom, Part 2

19 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

#232Last week in episode 231 I began a two-part series on using a simple story to show what CI looks like in real classroom practice. In this episode,...

CI Activities in Practice in the Classroom, Part 1

12 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

#231Over a series of 3 episodes we looked at a range of CI activities, and I promised I’d be back and to show exactly how they work together in prac...

Recharge Your Educator Battery with Will Anderson

05 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

#230It’s the start of new year and a chance to recharge our educator battery. Sometimes a little easier said than done, I know. In this episode, rec...

Sponge Activities for Any Level with Jessica Hall

29 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#229What do you do when there is a change in your schedule, like shortened class time because of a delayed opening?  What if several students need to...

3 Engaging Narrative and Storytelling Activities

22 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#228Do you use stories in your classroom? Do you have some engaging ways for students to, well, engage with those stories? In this third episode of th...

Engaging Reading Activities That Build Proficiency

15 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#227Have you noticed how a well-chosen reading can spark curiosity in your students? Reading can be one of the most engaging, communicative parts of y...

Teach Students the Skill of Listening

08 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#226Have you ever played an audio or clip for your class, only to see blank stares and puzzled expressions? It’s not that your students aren’t lis...

ACTFL 2025, Where Languages & Cultures Connect

01 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#225There’s something special about ACTFL. The energy, the connection, the spark that comes from being in a space filled with teachers who care deep...

Teaching Language in a Block Schedule with Marlyn Pichardo

24 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#224How long are your classes? Do you see your students 2,3, 4 maybe 5 times a week? We all have different schedules in our schools and learn to adapt...

First Steps in Teaching Grammar in Context

17 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#223Have you ever taught a grammar concept and then watched your students completely forget it during a speaking or writing task? It can be frustratin...

6 Reading and Writing Activities in the CI Classroom

10 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#222Do your reading and writing tasks feel like an afterthought or are they building blocks for language proficiency? In this second episode of the CI...

Hands-On Activities that Motivate and Engage with Heidi Lechner

03 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#221Have you ever noticed how students light up when language learning feels real, active, and connected to their world? In this episode, I’m joined...

Transform Your Class with Authentic Projects with Diego Ojeda

27 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#220Have you ever felt the pressure to “teach to the test” in your AP language class, only to wonder if it’s actually helping students communica...

Design Activities That Are Fun and Communicative

20 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#219You just wrapped up a fun, high-energy activity. The room was buzzing, students were laughing and moving, but now you’re wondering: Did they act...

6 Activities for Interaction and Discussion in the Language Classroom

13 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#218This is the first of 3 episodes in a series on CI Strategies.  There will be an episode on Story Telling and Narrative techniques, one on Reading...

Using Authentic Texts at Every Level

06 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#217Have you ever wanted to use an authentic resource like a menu, a meme, or a social media post, but thought, “My students aren’t ready for this...

Assessment & Feedback: Supporting Growth, Not Just Grades

29 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#216Are your assessments really capturing what your students can do with the language? Or are they just measuring memorization and correctness? In tod...

Boost Interpersonal Speaking Skills at All Levels

22 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#215Do your students freeze up during partner conversations? Rely on memorized phrases? Default to English? It’s not just your students, I assure yo...

Be Intentional With Your Planning

15 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#214Do your lessons ever feel like a mix of good activities that just don’t quite connect? You’re not alone—and it’s frustrating when all your...

Ready For Tomorrow Quick Wins

08 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#213Are you always looking for better ways to support your language learners? That’s probably why you listen to this podcast—because you care abou...

Setting Goals for Students and Teachers

01 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#212Are your goals for this year focused on what you’ll teach or what your students will be able to do with the language? In this episode, we’re t...

A Simple Way For Students to Understand Language Proficiency

25 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#211Do your students know exactly what they can do in the target language? If you asked them right now, could they tell you their current proficiency ...

Revisit CI Activities and Planning for Proficiency

18 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#210This is episode 6 in my 2025 summer headspace series. This is a chance to revisit episodes from the previous school year during the summer months ...

Revisit Calendar Talk and Special Person Interviews

11 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#209This is episode 5 in my 2025 summer headspace series. This is a chance to revisit episodes from the previous school year during the summer months ...

Revisit the Leveling Up Coaching Episodes

04 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#208This is episode 4 in my 2025 summer headspace series. This is a chance to revisit episodes from the previous school year during the summer months ...

Revisit Working Smarter and AI Tools

28 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#207This is episode 3 in my 2025 summer headspace series. This is a chance to revisit episodes from the previous school year during the summer months ...

Revisit Authentic Texts and Products, Practices & Perspectives

21 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#206This is episode 2 in my 2025 summer headspace series. This is a chance to revisit episodes from the previous school year during the summer months ...

Revisit Confidence in Speaking and Making Language Comprehensible

14 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#205This is episode 1 in my 2025 summer headspace series. This is a chance to revisit episodes from the previous school year during the summer months ...

Get into Your 2025 Summer Headspace

07 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#204Now that the school year is over hopefully you have a little less on your mind and have a little extra time. This is the perfect time to get into ...

Black History & Hispanic Heritage in Language Curriculum with Jenniffer Whyte

30 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#203What do we mean when we talk about representation in the classroom? More specifically representation in our language classrooms?  How can we make...

Planning and Teaching for Proficiency

23 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#202I want to make sure that you start your new school in the fall with a clear framework for planning and teaching for proficiency. I created a free ...

Ideas to Get Students Speaking More with Sherry Sebesta

16 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#204Do you have some go-to activities to motivate your students to speak and engage with the target language in your classroom?  Are you always on th...

Tips for Common Challenges in Proficiency-Based Classrooms

09 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#200How do you feel about the CI strategies, proficiency-based procedures or communicative language teaching that you do in your classroom?  You hear...

Celebrating Identity and Dialects in Heritage Classes with Courtney Nygaard

02 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#199How can celebrating identity and dialects transform the experience of language learners? In this episode I'm joined by Courtney Nygaard, a te...

Engaging Routines in the Language Classroom with Tia Parnell

26 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#198How can simple, consistent routines create a classroom where students communicate confidently in the target language every day?  In this episode ...

How & Why To Do a Write and Discuss

19 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#197Have you heard of a Write and Discuss or have you tried it in your classroom? If you've done it, you know how useful and beneficial it is for...

Immerse Your Students in Arts and Culture with Heidi Trude

12 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#196What if your students could step inside the Louvre Museum, explore Frida Kahlo’s studio, or walk through the streets of ancient cities, all with...

Teaching Grammar For Proficiency with Catherine Ritz and Mike Travers

05 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#195There are lots of misconceptions about teaching grammar. There are also opinions about whether or not there is a place for teaching grammar in a p...

Global Connections and Service Learning with Chris Howell from the Pulsera Project

28 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#194Where do you find opportunities for exploring language and culture beyond the classroom? Have you found ways to involve your students in service l...

15 Ways to Engage Students with Task Cards

21 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#193Do you use task cards? How can we get the most out of them in our language classrooms? Task cards are useful tools for building engagement, suppor...

CI When Required to Use a Textbook with Ashley Mikkelsen

14 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#192How much flexibility or autonomy do you have over your curriculum? Are you able to integrate CI techniques and procedures? This can be a bit chall...

Pre-Speaking and Writing Routines That Build Confidence

07 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#191Do you have effective routines that support your students’ language proficiency and communication skills?  We often think of the communication ...

Using Podcast Episodes as Departmental PD with Andrea Caulfield

31 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#190A few weeks back I posted on LinkIn and Andrea Caulfield left a comment. Andrea is the World Language Curriculum Specialist in Denver Public Schoo...

Project That Engages Students in Story Details

24 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#189We are all well aware of the importance of comprehensible input in our classrooms, and to support this many of us use stories as the way to do it....

Speaking Activities for Any Grammar or Vocabulary with Jessica Hall

17 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#188We are always taking on new vocabulary themes and language structures in our language classroom. How do you make sure that your students are engag...

Standards-Based Grading In Proficiency-Based Instruction with Jude Krushnowski

10 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#187What do your grades look like? Do the grades that your students earn reflect their mastery and what they can do with and in the target language? I...

Write Effective Can Do Statements

03 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#186How do we ensure our students know exactly what they’re working toward in their language learning journey? In this episode, we’re diving into ...

Universal Truths about Teaching with Carmen Scoggins

24 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#185What have you learned about your teaching throughout your years of experience? Do you take time to look introspectively at what works well for you...

10 Interactive Writing Activities For Your Language Classroom

17 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#184Are you always on the lookout for new and inventive ideas to bring to our classrooms. I have one simple, yet powerful, tool.  A mini-folding book...

Supporting Students with AI tools with Noemi Rodriguez

10 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#183Are you getting more comfortable with AI tools? Are you finding ways to use them to enhance your teaching? Last year, Noemi Rodriguez joined me on...

Get the Most Out of Calendar Talk in Your Classroom

03 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#182Calendar talk is a CI (Comprehensible Input) activity that is part of many teachers' routines in the classroom.  It is essentially just that...

Hexagonal Grouping with Erin Coleman

27 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#181Have you seen teachers posting on social media about their hexagonal grouping activities? I certainly have and I got curious about how it works an...

CI Activities You Can Do Today

20 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#180Do you have particular activities and procedures that you use to engage students in your classroom? Many of us have these tried-and-true go-to CI ...

Special Person Interviews with Bryce Hedstrom

13 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#179What have you heard about special person interviews in world language classes? Maybe you have tried them yourself. In today’s episode I speak wi...

Managing Lots of Preps with Sophie Forker

06 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#178How many preps do you have?  If you have 3, 4 or more, or know someone who does, stick around for this episode. Oftentimes we equate 3 or more pr...

2024, The Year of Language Functions and Grammar

30 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#177The most popular episode of 2024 was the one where I talked about moving from grammar to language functions.  I begin this last episode of 2024 w...

Oral Corrective Feedback to Improve Learner Performance

23 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#176How do you address your students’ mistakes or errors when speaking in the classroom? Should you address them? Is it useful, and if so, how do yo...

Getting the Most out of a Comprehensible Novel with Jennifer Degenhardt and Theresa Marrama

16 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#175Do students read in your classroom? What do they do with the reading? In this episode I speak with Jennifer Degenhardt and Theresa Marrama. They a...

Cohesive Lessons and Flow in Class Routines

09 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#174How cohesive are your lessons?  Do you feel that activities flow and connect to each other in meaningful ways, or do they sometimes seem disconne...

ACTFL 2024: Connect for the Love of Languages!

02 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#173This is an exciting episode that I recorded live at the 2024 ACTFL Convention and Language Expo in Philadelphia! This year’s ACTFL theme, “Con...

World Language Honor Societies with Regina Symonds

25 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#172Do you have a World Language Honor Society in your school? Have you thought about bringing one to your school?  In this episode, Regina Symonds, ...

Focusing on Cultural Products, Practices & Perspectives

18 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#171How do your students engage with culture in your classroom? One way to approach cultural topics is to look specifically at Cultural Products, Prac...

Calendar Talk is More Than Just Calendars with John Sifert

11 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#170What do you know about calendar talks? Maybe you have tried them yourself and maybe you’re hearing about them for the first time. In today’s e...

Student Choice in the Language Classroom

04 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#169What role does student choice have in your classroom? We know that when students have some ownership over their learning that they are more intrin...

How to Deal With Resistance to Change with Tim Eagan and Mike Travers

28 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#168How well do you navigate change? Are you open to it?  What do you need  to reduce any resistance that you might have? How do you support colleag...

Guiding Learners to Interpret and Discuss Authentic Texts

21 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#167Do you use authentic texts in your language classroom? To make sure that we are all on the same page with the concept, the simple definition is ma...

Building Community Through Comprehensible Input (CI) with Elodie Channa

14 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#166Community. Is this a word that you would use to describe your classroom?  Do you and your students feel like you are a part of a supporting and e...

Support Target Language Use in the Classroom

07 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#165How much of the target language is used in your classroom, by both you and your students? I’m talking about truly communicative language. Today’...

Teach Grammar in a Communicative Context

30 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#164The topic of grammar is always up for discussion. Does the question of teaching grammar have a simple yes or no answer? Is it an either or?  Is t...

Work Smarter, Not Harder with Amy Marshall

23 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#163We’ve heard this idea of working smarter and not harder. Does that sound like something that is easier said than done? Do you feel that efficien...

How to Make Language Comprehensible

16 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#162We talk a lot about making language comprehensible in our language classroom. This is essential now that we understand how critical this is to lan...

Make Your Language Classroom Warm and Welcoming with Allison Perryman

09 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#161Is your world language classroom a welcoming space for students? Would you describe it as warm and welcoming? Can it be? Should it be? Is it helpf...

Create a Classroom Where Students Use the Target Language Confidently

02 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#160What is a discourse community? Essentially, it’s a learning environment where students actively engage in meaningful communication, using the ta...

The Inspiring Story of the Mariposa in Nicaragua

26 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#159I have something that I want to share with you as we go into this new school year. If you know me you know that I have talked a lot about my exper...

Revisit Teacher Toolbox Episodes

19 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#158This is episode 7 in my 2024 summer headspace series. This is a chance to revisit episodes from the previous school year during the summer months ...

Revisit Grammar, Language Functions and Proficiency Growth

12 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#157This is episode 6 in my 2024 summer headspace series. This is a chance to revisit episodes from the previous school year during the summer months ...

Revisit Guided Conversations and Chat Mats

05 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#156This is episode 5 in my 2024 summer headspace series. This is a chance to revisit episodes from the previous school year during the summer months ...

Revisit Coaching Episodes

29 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#155This is episode 4 in my 2024 summer headspace series. This is a chance to revisit episodes from the previous school year during the summer months ...

Revisit Class Pacing and Classroom Management

22 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#154This is episode 3 in my 2024 summer headspace series. This is a chance to revisit episodes from the previous school year during the summer months ...