Growing With Proficiency The Podcast

Re-Release Episode 77: Enhancing World Language Classes with Music: Discover March Madness for Boosting Student Engagement

Claudia Elliott, World Language educator

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Are you on the lookout for effective strategies to enhance engagement in your world language classes? Join us in this episode as we explore the power of incorporating music into language learning with Justin from Spanish Plans. We delve into March Madness, a dynamic approach to using music that has significantly boosted student interest and participation in Spanish classes.

March Madness isn't just a competition; it's a gateway to cultural immersion and linguistic enrichment. Through this engaging three-week event, students evaluate and vote on songs, connecting them with a diverse array of artists and genres. This innovative use of music in world language education not only introduces students to high-frequency language in context but also cultivates an appreciation for the cultural nuances behind the lyrics.

Whether you're looking to fully integrate this music challenge into your lessons or seeking to adapt its format to fit your class's unique needs, March Madness provides an accessible platform for all educators to elevate the use of music in their classrooms.

In this episode, Justin will share with us great ideas to successfully integrate not only March Madness but music into our classes, ensuring our students are cultivating an appreciation for different musical genres and encouraging the exploration of Spanish music outside the classroom.

Click play now and let’s enjoy some music. 

Justin's Bio: 

Justin is a veteran Spanish teacher of nearly 20 years. He currently teaches 8th grade in nothern Chicagoland. He has been blogging at SpanishPlans since 2010. In addition to raising his bilingual daughter, Justin also enjoys listening to music, soccer, and traveling.

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📸 Instagram: @claudiamelliott
📘 Facebook: Growing With CI Community

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Links

General information about March Madness: https://spanishplans.org/mmm24/

Teacher Pay Teachers: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/March-Music-Madness-2024-Locura-de-Marzo-Musical-10925380

This teacher guide, available in English and Spanish, will give you clarity about how our students acquire the language and develop proficiency and the shifts I made to move from a traditional approach to a more comprehensible and communicative teaching approach.

Click here to download now https://growing-with-proficiency.mykajabi.com/teacherguide

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