Growing With Proficiency The Podcast

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2051875/open_sms] 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, cultural insights, and personal growth that have happened in our classrooms. Inspired by a powerful quote from Dr. Beniko Mason—“Assessments are more for me as a teacher than for my students”—I’m sharing three practical ideas to help you create assessments that honor what really matters in your class. Plus, I’ll walk you through: * Why we need to revisit the World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages * What happens when students don’t see relevance in assessments * How reflection questions, gallery walks, and personal prompts bring connection back * The importance of creating tasks aligned with ACTFL proficiency levels And don’t miss the free end-of-year survey resource I use with my own students! 🌟 What You’ll Learn in This Episode: * Why should assessments include more than one section of what we do in class? * How the 5 Cs (Communication, Cultures, Connections, Comparisons, Communities) show up in class—and how to reflect that in assessment * Tips for using personal questions at both novice and intermediate levels * The power of student reflection at the end of the year 🔗 Resources + Links: * 📄 Free End-of-Year Reflection Workbook: Click here [https://growingwithproficiency.mykajabi.com/selfreflection22] * 🎧 Episode 102 with AnneMarie Chase on Assessments: Listen here [https://growingwithproficiency.com/podcast/102] * 🎧 Episode 110 with Cecile Lainé on Intercultural Competence & the 5 Cs: Listen here [https://growingwithproficiency.com/podcast/110] * 🎧 Episode 138 with Maris Hawkins on ACTFL Updates & Proficiency Levels: Listen here [https://growingwithproficiency.com/podcast/138] 🎉 Don’t Miss This: From May 12–22, you can get a FREE 7-day sneak peek inside Growing With Proficiency: The Spanish Teacher Academy. No credit card, no commitment—just real support and strategy. ✨ Sign up here: growingwithproficiency.com/academy [https://growingwithproficiency.com/academy] 🎧 Spanish teacher — this is your invitation to finally experience what it's like to teach with clarity, connection, and confidence. The 7-Day Start Experience of Growing With Proficiency: The Spanish Teacher Academy gives you a FREE sneak peek inside the trainings, tools, and story-based curriculum that hundreds of teachers are using to transform their classes. Get the why, the how, and the what — all in one place, with a comunidad tha

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2051875/open_sms] ¿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 sí. Te comparto el marco de Creciendo con Competencia que utilizo —un enfoque que va más allá de enseñar estructuras sueltas— para ayudarte a crear experiencias con sentido, con intención y con propósito comunicativo. Este episodio nace de una sesión de Planeando Juntos en la Academia, donde una profe preguntó: ¿Qué puedo hacer con mis estudiantes de Español 3 y 4 en mayo? Usamos el 5 de mayo como ejemplo, pero lo que verás aquí aplica a cualquier unidad cultural o temática que tú quieras explorar en clase. 🔍 En este episodio descubrirás: * Cómo partir de una idea poderosa (no de una lista de vocabulario) * Por qué es clave definir el lenguaje funcional, no solo palabras temáticas * Qué significa tener un can-do realista y comunicativo * Cómo estructuro mi ciclo de instrucción para mantener el input al centro * La importancia de cerrar con reflexión y conexión, no solo con actividades finales 📣 ¿Y la sorpresa? Del 12 al 19 de mayo abriré una experiencia gratuita de 7 días dentro de la Academia. Podrás explorar una unidad completa del currículum Creciendo, ver cómo la aplico paso a paso y obtener ideas prácticas para cerrar tu año con intención. 🎟️ Únete a la lista de espera → http://growingwithproficiency.com/academy [http://growingwithproficiency.com/academy] Más recursos: 📕 Recurso de Cinco de Mayo [https://growingwithproficiency.com/CINCODEMAYO] 🏪 Tienda de TPT [https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/claudia-elliott-growing-with-proficiency] 🎧 Episodio 145: Read and Draw with a Twist: How Hieroglyphics Can Boost Comprehension [https://growingwithproficiency.com/read-and-draw-with-a-twist-how-hieroglyphics-can-boost-comprehension-in-your-class/] 🎧 Spanish teacher — this is your invitation to finally experience what it's like to teach with clarity, connection, and confidence. The 7-Day Start Experience of Growing With Proficiency: The Spanish Teacher Academy gives you a FREE sneak peek inside the trainings, tools, and story-based curriculum that hundreds of teachers are using to transform their classes. Get the why, the how, and the what — all in one place, with a comunidad tha

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2051875/open_sms] 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 engage with texts, using hieroglyphics-inspired symbols to boost memory, collaboration, and creativity. Learn how this activity, backed by research showing drawing nearly doubles recall, encourages students to replace words with illustrations, fostering deeper text understanding without the pressure of artistic skills.  From group challenges to lively peer discussions, discover how students reimagined a story from the Creciendo curriculum, swapping symbols and retelling narratives with enthusiasm. Packed with practical tips, this episode is perfect for educators looking to refresh reading activities while keeping comprehension and engagement front and center. Tune in for actionable ideas. Resources 🏫 Join our waitlist [https://growingwithproficiency.com/academywaitinglist] for Growing With Proficiency The Spanish Teacher Academy  👩🏽‍💻 Our Blog [https://growingwithproficiency.com/blog/]: Growing With Proficiency 📥 Free Lesson: Animales en Desastres Naturales [https://growingwithproficiency.com/mascotas]📲 Join our free FB Community [https://growingwithproficiency.com/ourcommunity]: Growing With CI  📳 Follow us on social: IG @claudiamelliott | FB @claudiamelliott  🖇️ TPT Store [https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/claudia-elliott-growing-with-proficiency]: Growing With Proficiency

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2051875/open_sms] AI tools are popping up everywhere — but can we use them in a way that still aligns with second language acquisition and communication-centered teaching? In this episode, I’m walking you through how I use AI — especially ChatGPT — in my Spanish classroom without losing the heart of what we do as CI teachers. I’ll share the 5 tools I actually use (and how I stack them), plus the mindset I bring into every lesson to make sure my students get compelling, comprehensible, and connected input. Whether you're new to AI or already experimenting with it, this episode will give you ideas, inspiration, and lots of teacher-to-teacher encouragement. 💡 Here’s what you’ll hear: * Why AI can support (not replace) your teaching * How I use Voice Control for ChatGPT to co-create texts that are meaningful and level-appropriate * My exact workflow for stacking 4 AI tools to save time and still create quality input * Tips for using Gamma, Mote, Quizziz, QuestionWell, and Diffit * Why your voice, experience, and connection with students matter more than any tool 🛠️ Tools & Resources Mentioned: * Free story: Los animales en los desastres naturales [https://growingwithproficiency.com/mascotas] * Gamma (Slide Deck Generator) [https://gamma.app/] * Voice Control for ChatGPT (Chrome Extension) * Mote for Voice Support [https://www.mote.com/] * Quizziz Game-Based Review [https://quizizz.com/] * QuestionWell AI Quiz Builder [https://questionwell.org/] * Diffit – AI Resource Builder for Teachers [https://app.diffit.me/] 📣 Let’s Stay Connected If this episode was helpful, share it with a language teacher friend or tag me on Instagram @claudiamelliott [https://www.instagram.com/claudiamelliott]. 💌 And if you’re a Spanish teacher, don’t forget to join the waitlist for Growing With Proficiency: The Spanish Teacher Academy at growingwithproficiency.com/academy [http://www.growingwithproficiency.com/academy] — so you’re the first to know when doors open again! 🎧 Spanish teacher — this is your invitation to finally experience what it's like to teach with clarity, connection, and confidence. The 7-Day Start Experience of Growing With Proficiency: The Spanish Teacher Academy gives you a FREE sneak peek inside the trainings, tools, and story-based curriculum that hundreds of teachers are using to transform their classes. Get the why, the how, and the what — all in one place, with a comunidad tha

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2051875/open_sms] Welcome back to Growing With Proficiency The Podcast! In today’s episode, we’re diving into Picture Talk—a classic strategy that many of us use occasionally… but what if it became part of your weekly routine? When reimagined as a sustainable and student-led practice, Picture Talk can provide meaningful input, spark student curiosity, and support communication—all with one powerful image. In this episode, I’m sharing exactly how I use one image across different levels and for multiple days, all while keeping prep simple and language use at the center of my classroom. Whether you’re in a season when energy is low or you’re just looking for something consistent and effective, this episode will guide you through step-by-step ways to make Picture Talk work for you and your students. Highlights: What Is Picture Talk? A quick overview of this input-rich strategy and why it fits all levels. Why Picture Talk Works Year-Round From September to April, there are always stretches when engagement drops—Picture Talk helps keep the conversation going. 5 Ways to Stretch One Image Across the Week From co-creating stories to reusing texts, these strategies help you build routines without more planning. Tips to Keep It Student-Led  Use questioning, retelling, and real-world connections to invite students to do the heavy lifting. Differentiation Made Simple Use the same image with different language supports for novice and intermediate learners. 🎁 And yes—there’s a free resource ready for you:  Download the Animales en Desastres Naturales Picture Talk lesson [https://growingwithproficiency.com/mascotas] Perfect for Earth Day or any time you want to connect language to real-world themes. Resources 🏫 Join our waitlist [https://growingwithproficiency.com/academywaitinglist] for Growing With Proficiency The Spanish Teacher Academy  👩🏽‍💻 Our Blog [https://growingwithproficiency.com/blog/]: Growing With Proficiency 📥 Free Lesson: Animales en Desastres Naturales [https://growingwithproficiency.com/mascotas] 📲 Join our free FB Community [https://growingwithproficiency.com/ourcommunity]: Growing With CI  📳 Follow us on social: IG @claudiamelliott | FB @claudiamelliott  🖇️ TPT Store [https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/claudia-elliott-growing-with-proficiency]: Growing With Proficiency More Podcast Episodes to Support You: 🎧 Episode 47 [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2051875/episodes/13416021] – Ignite Curiosity With Images (with Chelsea Lawrence)   🎧 Episode 95  [https://www.buzzsprout.com/admin/2051875/episodes/15158556-episode-95-what-is-story-asking-and-why-every-language-teacher-should-try-it]– What Is Story Asking and Why It Works Don’t miss this episode—especially if you're looking for a way to simplify your week, provide rich input, and let students guide the learning process.