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Growing With Proficiency The Podcast
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
Episodes
182 episodes
Episode 165: Listening to Silence: How to Use It to Understand and Engage Your Students in the Language Classroom
Silence in the language classroom doesn’t mean students aren’t saying anything. Silence is information. In this episode of Growing With Proficiency: The Podcast, we explore why silence can be a valuable source of information a...
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38:32
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Episode 164: Are We Listening? Rethinking Accents, Comprehensibility, and Communication in Our Classrooms and Communities
Are errors or strong accents really blocking communication—or is it about how we listen? 🎧In this episode, I share why comments about my accent made me reflect on how we approach communication in our classrooms and in our teacher communi...
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27:26
Episode 163: Silent Discussions: A Simple Strategy to Boost Interpersonal Communication in Your Language Classes
Have you ever felt like getting your students to really use the target language with each other is the hardest thing? You want them to share ideas, agree or disagree, and ask questions. But when the moment comes, silence takes over—or worse, th...
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54:26
Episode 162: Students Didn’t Meet Expectations? Why That’s Not the Real Problem
As teachers, we’ve all been there—you’ve planned the lesson, you’ve given directions, and then… your students just don’t meet the expectations. Blank stares, missing homework, silence after a question. 😩But here’s the thing: maybe unmet ...
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30:42
Episodio 161: Momentos Auténticos Para Fomentar Interacciones en Español en Clase
Seguro te ha pasado: das tu clase en español con toda la energía, pero hay un silencio total. Esa desconexión cansa y desmotiva, porque lo que más deseamos como profes es escuchar a nuestros estudiantes usar el español de manera autént...
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28:59
Episode 160: Routines That Stick: Save Time, Reduce Stress, and Maximize Target Language Use
Save time, reduce stress, and maximize target language use—because that’s how you create a sustainable school year, profe. 🌟In this episode, we’re diving into routines: those small but powerful structures that keep your class running smo...
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39:57
Episode 159: How to Transform Open House Into a Trust-Building Moment
Open House isn’t just about sharing rules—it’s your chance to build trust with parents, spark curiosity, and show them how their students can thrive in your class. In this episode, Claudia walks you through her 7–8 minute Open House...
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18:24
Episode 158: How to Boost Target Language Use with Routines, Play, and Student Connections
In this episode of Growing With Proficiency, I’m joined by my friends and fellow educators Annabelle Williamson (La Maestra Loca) and Elissa McLean to share our biggest takeaways from Conference in the Cloud<...
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24:50
Episode 157: What Does It Really Mean to Teach for Acquisition? 3 Key Skills Every Language Teacher Needs
How do we move from teaching about a language to using it to communicate—authentically, meaningfully, and joyfully?In this special live episode of Growing With Proficiency: The Podcast, I sit down with two powerhouses i...
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45:35
Episode 156: Planning With Purpose — A Conversation with Dr. Diane Neubauer & Dr. Reed Riggs
Planning for acquisition isn’t about perfection—it’s about intention. In this powerful episode, I sit down with Dr. Diane Neubauer and Dr. Reed Riggs for one of the most meaningful conversations I’ve ever had about lesson planning in the world ...
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1:03:44
Episode 155: What Happened When I Taught My Students About Language Acquisition and Proficiency
What happens when students expect grammar charts, parents want vocabulary lists, and administrators walk in asking, “Why are YOU doing all the talking?” If you’ve felt that tension, this episode is for you.In this final episode of the
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29:05
Episode 154: What to Prioritize the First Week of School-Back to School Series
The first week of school can feel like a whirlwind—there’s excitement, anticipation, and let’s be honest… pressure. What should you do first? What’s most important? And how can you make sure you’re setting up your students (and yourself!) for a...
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34:49
Episode 153: Back To School Series: Planning a Sustainable Year in the World Language Classroom: Five Steps for Success
Planning for a new school year can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re trying to create a class centered on communication and proficiency, not grammar features. In this episode, I walk you through five intentional steps to help you map ou...
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30:02
Episodio 152: 5 claves para comenzar el año escolar con claridad, conexión y sostenibilidad
¿Tienes todo listo para un nuevo año escolar que no solo funcione, sino que se sienta bien? En este episodio te comparto las 5 claves esenciales para un regreso a clases intencional, humano y sostenible en tu clase de español.En v...
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49:46
Episode 151: Back to School in the World Language Classroom: 3 Pillars to Build a Sustainable Language Classroom
As we step into a new school year, one word guides everything: sustainability.In this first episode of a 4-part summer series, I’m breaking down the key to a successful and sustainable language class—one that doesn't run ...
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56:56
Episode 150: Teaching with ADHD: Real Talk, Tools, and Compassion with Annabelle Williamson & Bertha Delgadillo
This episode is a different kind of conversation—one that goes beneath the surface and straight to the heart. 💛In this episode of Growing With Proficiency, the Podcast, I’m joined by two great friends and incredible educators, A...
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1:02:47
Episode 149: What to Do When Your School No Longer Feels Like a Safe Place
This isn’t your typical episode about strategies or games. Today, we’re talking about something real, something we don’t say out loud enough in our teacher circles: What do you do when your school no longer feels like home?I’m j...
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39:41
Re-Release Episode 84: One of the Most Downloaded Episodes of Growing With Proficiency — The Power of Reading with Dr. Stephen Krashen
In a season when we just can't do it all, having clarity about what truly impacts our students’ proficiency journey is key. And this episode? It's the one you’ll want to replay over and over again.This conversation with Dr. S...
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38:31
Re-Release Episode 37: Discover the Power of the S.T.E.P. Protocol for Your Language Class
In this re-released episode, I'm sharing one of the most powerful practices I started a few years ago—and yes, I still use it today! It's called the S.T.E.P. Forward Protocol, a simple yet transformative 4-step process to help y...
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16:17
Re-Release Episode 35: Easy, Fun, Low-Prep Games for the End of the Year (with Dahiana Castro)
There’s nothing like a good game to bring life back into your classroom—especially when everyone (including you) is counting down the days to summer 🌞.In this conversation, I’m joined by my friend and amazing teacher, Dahiana Ca...
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32:38
Re-Release Episode 94: Card Talk with a Twist: An Activity That Builds Community and Boosts Comprehension
Are you looking for an interactive and engaging activity to boost your students' participation and build a strong classroom community at the end of the school year? In this episode of "Growing With Proficiency, the podcast," we explore a unique...
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14:42
Episode 148: Avoiding Teacher Burnout: 5 Things I Wish I Knew Sooner
Are you ending the year feeling tired, disconnected, or wondering if all your hard work made a difference?In this episode, I’m opening up about five things I wish I had known earlier in my teaching career — before burnout crept in...
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33:53
Episode 147: How to Turn End-of-Year Assessments Into a Celebration of Growth
Do your assessments reflect the full journey your students have taken with you this year?In this episode, I reflect on how end-of-year assessments can do more. They can be an opportunity to celebrate all the meaningful interactions...
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30:15
Episodio 146 – Planear con propósito: Cómo diseñar una unidad comunicativa paso a paso
¿Quieres planear tu próxima unidad sin caer en el “más de lo mismo”? En este episodio te llevo paso a paso por cómo diseño una unidad comunicativa, usando el idioma como vehículo para explorar el mundo, no como el objetivo en...
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31:33
Episode 145: Read and Draw with a Twist: The Power of Hieroglyphics in Comprehension
In this episode of Growing with Proficiency, we dive into a creative twist on the classic Read and Draw activity that takes student comprehension to the next level! We share an innovative classroom strategy that transforms how students...
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20:16