Growing With Proficiency The Podcast - Episode 121: Elevate Intermediate Learners - Part 2: Purposeful and Supported Output & Realistic Curriculum

Episode 121: Elevate Intermediate Learners - Part 2: Purposeful and Supported Output & Realistic Curriculum

11/07/24 • 35 min

In Episode 121 of Growing With Proficiency The Podcast, Claudia dives into the second part of her series on intermediate learners, focusing on two major challenges: output and curriculum. Claudia shares actionable strategies on how to support student output meaningfully, reduce the overwhelm of curriculum, and keep learners motivated as they navigate this critical stage.

This episode is packed with insights to help you create a more manageable and motivating classroom experience.

Episode Highlights:

Supporting Student Output with Purpose:
- What is the role of output and the importance of meaning when it comes to output.
- How low-stakes output activities can help reduce stress and increase input opportunities.
- The role of model texts in guiding students to produce the language and the importance of scaffolding output.
Dealing with Curriculum Pressures:
- Strategies for managing a heavy curriculum while keeping the focus on input and maintaining flexibility.
- How can overlapping themes across units help cover more content without rushing through topics?
Keeping Intermediate Learners Motivated:
- Tips on fostering intrinsic motivation through self-evaluation, scaffolded tasks, and regular progress checks.
- Celebrating comprehension wins and supporting students through the challenge of producing output is important.

Resources and Links Mentioned:

Free Resource:

"Apoyos" for Intermediate Learners and AP Students

Episode 56: Output with Dr. Florencia Henshaw

Episode 119: Elevate Intermediate Learners Part 1

Join the Growing With CI Facebook Community

Get Involved:

Have a question for Claudia about intermediate learners or another topic? Send your questions via:

Instagram DM: @claudiaelliott

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: Growing With CI Facebook Community

Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share this episode with your fellow language teachers!

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Now imagine combining that universal love with a real-world topic like natural disasters—and boom 💥—you’ve got a compelling, ready-to-use lesson that sparks curiosity and builds empathy.

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This episode is packed with insights to help you create a more manageable and motivating classroom experience.

Episode Highlights:

Supporting Student Output with Purpose:
- What is the role of output and the importance of meaning when it comes to output.
- How low-stakes output activities can help reduce stress and increase input opportunities.
- The role of model texts in guiding students to produce the language and the importance of scaffolding output.
Dealing with Curriculum Pressures:
- Strategies for managing a heavy curriculum while keeping the focus on input and maintaining flexibility.
- How can overlapping themes across units help cover more content without rushing through topics?
Keeping Intermediate Learners Motivated:
- Tips on fostering intrinsic motivation through self-evaluation, scaffolded tasks, and regular progress checks.
- Celebrating comprehension wins and supporting students through the challenge of producing output is important.

Resources and Links Mentioned:

Free Resource:

"Apoyos" for Intermediate Learners and AP Students

Episode 56: Output with Dr. Florencia Henshaw

Episode 119: Elevate Intermediate Learners Part 1

Join the Growing With CI Facebook Community

Get Involved:

Have a question for Claudia about intermediate learners or another topic? Send your questions via:

Instagram DM: @claudiaelliott

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: Growing With CI Facebook Community

Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share this episode with your fellow language teachers!

Now imagine combining that universal love with a real-world topic like natural disasters—and boom 💥—you’ve got a compelling, ready-to-use lesson that sparks curiosity and builds empathy.

Previous Episode

Episodio 120: 3 Estrategias Clave para Apoyar a Estudiantes de Nivel Intermedio – con Esther Galo

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¿Te preguntas cómo ayudar a tus estudiantes de nivel intermedio a dar ese salto de comprensión y expresión en el idioma? En este episodio, exploramos estrategias efectivas para brindar el apoyo que necesitan en esta etapa crítica de su aprendizaje. Conversamos con Esther Galo, profesora de español con 15 años de experiencia enseñando AP Español Lengua y Cultura y 5 años en el Bachillerato Internacional. Esther comparte estrategias que puedes implementar en tu clase para ayudar a tus estudiantes a avanzar en su dominio del idioma.

📝 Lo más destacado del episodio:

Andamiajes y textos modelo: Descubre cómo los textos modelo y los marcos de escritura pueden servir de guía para que los estudiantes se sientan más seguros al expresar ideas en español. Esther nos comparte cómo podemos incorporar estas estrategias cada día.

Trabajos colaborativos: Aprende a implementar actividades en grupo que facilitan el aprendizaje a través de la interacción y la cooperación. Exploramos cómo podemos hacer estos trabajos colaborativos oralmente pero también de manera escrita para fomentar una colaboración auténtica y significativa.

Desarrollar habilidades de metacognición: ¿Cómo pueden los estudiantes volverse más conscientes de su propio proceso de aprendizaje? Esther explica cómo enseñar habilidades de metacognición puede ayudar a los estudiantes a reflexionar sobre sus avances y ajustar sus estrategias, mejorando así su autonomía en el aprendizaje.

🌐 Recursos mencionados en el episodio:

Estructuras para apoyar a estudiantes de AP

Esther ́s website: https://www.sragalo.com/

Advanced Spanish purchase link: https://stan.store/sragalo

¿Listo para implementar estas estrategias y ver cómo tus estudiantes de nivel intermedio alcanzan nuevos niveles de comprensión y expresión? ¡Escucha este episodio y lleva tu enseñanza al siguiente nivel!

Now imagine combining that universal love with a real-world topic like natural disasters—and boom 💥—you’ve got a compelling, ready-to-use lesson that sparks curiosity and builds empathy.

Next Episode

Episode 122: Elevating Intermediate Learners with CI – Authentic Resources, Grammar, Writing, and Feedback (Part 3)

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In this final installment of our three-part series, Elevating Intermediate Learners with Comprehensible Input, we’re tackling the questions YOU asked! From authentic resources to grammar instruction, writing support, and feedback, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you simplify and strengthen your classroom practices.

Let’s remember that whatever strategy you’re incorporating in your class, it has to be sustainable—because you deserve strategies that work without burning out.

Episode Highlights

🌎 Authentic Resources: Are authentic resources helping or frustrating your students? Learn how to bridge the gap between cultural authenticity and comprehensible input.

📚 Grammar Instruction: Why teaching grammar for grammar’s sake is pointless. Strategies like P.A.C.E., Pop-up Grammar, and Structured Input Activities that make grammar meaningful.

✍️ Writing Support: The Breathe In/Breathe Out approach: Reading as input, writing as output. Break writing into manageable steps with scaffolds and examples.

💡 Feedback: Shift your mindset: Feedback isn’t about fixing everything—it’s about guiding growth. Strategies to help students listen to feedback while they are working on their product.

🎉 NEW SEGMENT: The Tool or Activity of the Week: Quizzizz!

This segment is sponsored by Mitten CI Language Conference! Register by December 1st to grab your early bird discount and infuse happiness into your teaching!

Resources & Links Mentioned

Free resources:

Scaffold for AP Free Responses

AP Question Guide

📖 Previous Episodes:

Episodes 60–66: Sustainable practices in the language classroom.

Episode 41: Using Structured Input Activities for grammar instruction.

🔎 Edutopia article

🌟 Mitten CI Language Conference: Register now and save: Mitten CI Conference Registration

Join the Conversation

Did this series spark ideas or questions? Share your thoughts!

📧 Email me: [email protected]

💬 DM me on Instagram

Thank you for being part of this series. Don’t forget to revisit parts 1 and 2 to explore how comprehensible input can transform your intermediate learners’ experience. ¡Sí se puede! 🎉

Now imagine combining that universal love with a real-world topic like natural disasters—and boom 💥—you’ve got a compelling, ready-to-use lesson that sparks curiosity and builds empathy.