Another reason I love teaching middle school kids: I only have one Ava in this class 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Today when the students walked in the song on my playlist happened to be Ella Baila Sola. Next thing I knew a boy (a band kid) was swaying and shaking his shoulders. And then he and several boys were waltzing around the room together. Days like this I remember why I like teaching middle school. 😄

On p. 107 the authors write “We should no longer be focusing on learner’s ability to conjugate a list of verbs in the imperfect tense, but rather that they can communicate using those verbs in context.” Yep, that’s exactly what I do. 💅🏻 #LangChat. #SLAyyy

On p. 118 the authors give a sequence of tasks as students read biographies of people from the target culture. I do a whole unit on Identity in Spanish 1 in which students read a brief biography every day. I could use these processing activities. #LangChat #SLAyyy

I’d heard of the PACE model before, but didn’t know much about it. Stacey Margarita Johnson of the podcast We Teach Languages mentioned it more than once. So I was intrigued and interested to learn more about it in action in this chapter. #LangChat #SLAyyy

My son convinced me to let him stay for the Varsity game (he’s on JV) so I’m getting a head start on chapter 4 of Proficiency Based Instruction while he watches the game. It’s a beautiful night to sit under stadium lights and read about teaching grammar. @slayyypod.bsky.social

My 2nd "huh?" moment came on p.61 when I read about the Interactive Model, which moves from Interpretive to Interpersonal to Presentational (like an IPA). Why is this the sequence? If we allow resources for Presentational, it's easier than Interpersonal, and should come before it. #LangChat #SLAyyy

My first "huh?" moment was on p.59 when the authors gave a sample of 2 teacher-created texts. They want us to notice that the 2nd is more natural instead of hammering the grammar point. What I saw is that #1 is much easier to read. These texts are not for the same proficiency. #LangChat #SLAyyy

Also, my lessons need a rhythm that includes both me standing at the front of the room, & me sitting down while students read and write individually or in small groups. I need a break from them and they need a break from me. #LangChat #SLAyyy

A 2nd takeaway is how my lessons need rhythm. One rhythm is the alternation between teacher-created resources and authentic resources. I've done a good job this week finding authentic videos and images to supplement the teacher-created texts I'm using for Hispanic Heritage Month. #LangChat #SLAyyy

I think my biggest takeaway has to be realizing that I was aiming for the wrong proficiency levels in Spanish 1 and 2. Oops! That's kind of a biggie. 🤦 #LangChat #SLAyyy

The authors write, "Our experiences -- both as teachers and as language learners -- have ingrained in us a sense of necessity when it comes to grammar." Actually, I've got this. I KNOW that input based methods work, because they have worked for me, both as teacher and as learner. #LangChat #SLAyyy

The authors plan two "learning episodes" per class with a brain break in between. Each learning episode has a "prime time" then "down time" then "prime time 2." I NEED Down Time. I knew this, but I thought it was my little secret. It's new to me to see it explicitly sanctioned. #LangChat #SLAyyy

I’m excited for tonight’s @actfl.bsky.social webinar with @traversteach.bsky.social and Catherine Ritz. I wish I were attending from a bench overlooking a lake, but alas, I am home in my kitchen.

I also had an "Uh-oh, I think I've been doing this wrong" moment. The authors give 2 sample lessons. The target proficiency for the level 1 class is Novice High. I thought it was supposed to be Novice Mid. Reading my Spanish 2 student writing samples this week, they're right. 😳 #LangChat #SLAyyy

I don't use graphic organizers enough. Adding a graphic organizer is an easy way to have another task for another read-through. #LangChat #SLAyyy

The third place I noted "I don't do this enough" is when the authors write "The Comprehension Phase asks us to have our learners read the resource twice while actively engaged in different but related tasks." TWICE. #LangChat #SLAyyy

Next! Teacher-made resources that focus on an authentic aspect of your own experience. I am not a native Spanish speaker. But I am not without experience. When teaching about holidays, I can use photos I took at the Cinco de Mayo celebration in Southwest Detroit's Mexicantown. #LangChat #SLAyyy

So much good stuff! 1st: balance teacher-made resources with authentic resources. I'm teaching a unit in Span 2 on Hispanic Heritage Month using a reading from Comprehensible Classroom. I should pair that with authentic resources: memes, posters, social media, and even photos. #LangChat #SLAyyy

It has been a very hectic start to the school year (isn’t it always?) so I’m enjoying a weekend away. Sitting on a big front porch, looking over a lake, listening to gentle rain, sipping mint tea, and reading Proficiency Based Instruction. #langchat @slayyypod.bsky.social

I am loving Card Talk as a sponge activity at the end of every day in Spanish 1. Without prompting the kids used all high frequency words: I have, I play, I like. This is helping me match names and faces as we all start to learn about each other. 🥰

Variation on Card Talk! Day 1, Spanish 2 kids drew 3 things they did last summer. Today, I picked a card and wrote 4 sentences on the board about what he did. 3 were true, 1 was false. The class had to guess which was which. Then I showed the drawings. They all wanted me to pick their card next!

Today I asked students to write me a note telling me anything they needed me to know. I got some heavy ones: my sister who lives with me just had a baby and he wakes me up, I have anxiety, my parents got divorced this summer, I have a glass eye and can’t see out of the right. But I also got this:

What do YOU want to see us reading? As the 2025-2026 school year gets underway, LLLAB is gearing up for another year of reading and reviewing. It's not too late to share YOUR suggestion for what books you'd like to see reviewed. Click here: forms.gle/Les4p2ZVHZyv...

I don’t think Allison is active on Bluesky, but I wanted to share that I just bought her Hispanic Heritage Month music bracket for the 5th year in a row. Never disappointed. Always a perfect segue from Música to Map Talk on Miércoles. #LangChat

First day of school done! I always get nervous the day before but then I meet the kids and remember why I like this job.

Wish me luck on the first day of school tomorrow! I don’t feel ready but at least my classroom is looking good. This year’s goal: leave time in my plans for catch up time for the inevitable interruptions and students who need more time.

In a world where many are actively working against us, we must continue ensure that this is true

My biggest takeaway from participating in this chat is that I get so much more out of reading a book with friends. I’m grateful to @mrfishersays.bsky.social because he noticed some things that I didn’t, but that deserved my attention. Looking forward to discussing ch.2. #LangChat

The authors discuss ACTFL’s “Core/Effective Practices,” ACTFL’s l”Guiding Principles,” & the “High-Leverage Teaching Practices” as described in 2 books published by ACTFL. They even provide a handy chart that shows how they overlap. My question is for ACTFL: Why do we need so many? 😵‍💫 #LangChat

I attended PD yesterday in which we were shown how to use AI to grade essays. As a “time saving” tool. But we should still review the AI comments, of course. Q: How can I review the AI comments without taking time to read the essay? A: I’m sorry, Dave. I’m afraid I can’t do that.

“We need to shift from presenting grammar to our learners and expecting instant mastery to instead facilitating students’ grammatical acquisition through input-first and meaning-based… activities.” I do this already! And it works! 💅🏻 #LangChat

A lot of ch.1 was review for me. One “Aha!” moment: if the PROFICIENCY target is novice-mid or novice-high, then the PERFORMANCE target for the rehearsed task is intermediate. 🤯 Makes all the sense, but I don’t remember reading this before. #LangChat

Wow, this is awesome. Thanks, Leslie!

Okay, I’m going to say it: I struggle to set appropriate performance targets for my courses at the beginning of the year. I have taught 20+ years, but at many levels, without a text, and usually as a dept of 1. “What should they be able to do by the end of the year?” is still a guess. #LangChat

Chapter 1 of the SLAyyy Pod x Book Club crossover event! So excited! Click on the link and replies for alt text. Feel free to use #LangChat to tag your replies. 💡

Reviewing last year’s notes on my daily lessons, and the phrases I see over and over are “no time for this,” and “took longer than expected,” Goal for 2025-2026: under-plan rather than over-plan.

I’ve been practicing my Korean listening comprehension. I can’t understand all of this beginner level podcast yet, but I can tell I’m improving.

I listened to this episode on listening comprehension in language learning. I have so many thoughts! I was surprised to hear that for some learners, listening comprehension lags behind other skills. As this study shows, what you practice will improve.

My copy of Proficiency Based Instruction: Teaching Grammar for Proficiency was waiting here for me when I got home from my summer travels. I’m looking forward to reading it and sharing my thoughts with all of you and with the SLAYYY crew 😎

I called my senators again today. If you live in the US, you should call yours, too.

I spent 2 weeks studying Hawaiian on Duolingo before my trip and it was cool to see words I recognized on signs.

Oooh! Chicago here I come! 😁 Hope to see many teacher friends there.

We invite YOU to apply to join the Language Learner Literature Advisory Board (LLLAB). If you care about languages, teaching, social justice, comprehensible input, & collaborating with peers – this is the place for you! Apply by following this link: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

I’m so excited to read this book with the SLAyyy team and all of you! 📖

Quita, que yo lo cuento mejor.

“el miedo a los Woke” 😮‍💨

It didn’t have to go that way. This story could have been: … he had to share a classroom with Hispanic kids, where he made new friends, learned empathy for others, and decided to major in Spanish in college. Hate is a choice.

All education is political.

Like animals, all languages have some natural defense mechanism. Sure, maybe it has adorably regular verbs or an approachable phonemic inventory, but it has something hidden somewhere. Maybe 9 tones. 14 declensions and 12 cases. A formidable writing system. Something. #langsky