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Last week in Episode 139, I shared the 4 biggest takeaways from SCOLT — and today, I’m showing you how those ideas come to life with 4 powerful classroom strategies grounded in Second Language Acquisition (SLA) research. 💡

In this episode, I’m breaking down 4 engaging, easy-to-implement strategies that are already working right now in my classroom — and they might be just what you need to re-ignite joy and purpose in yours!

Here’s what you’ll hear:

✨ “No me digas” – The reading game that sparks connection and joy

🧠 Story Mapping for Deeper Comprehension. This flexible strategy from Kaleb Hayat helps students re-read, organize meaning, and work together with intention.

📊 Let Students Choose Their Rubric. Learn how Liza Hyatt and Joanna Jiménez are letting students self-select rubrics based on ACTFL proficiency levels — without lowering the bar.

🌎 Calendar Talk with Purpose. I share 3 specific ways to level up Calendar Talk and build global knowledge in the TL. From Earth Day to National Poetry Month, you’ll get concrete ideas you can use this week.

🎁 Mentioned Resources:

• Episode 139: The 4 Big Takeaways
  
• Episode with Maris Hawkins on ACTFL Descriptors
  
• AnneMarie Chase on Low-Stress Assessments
  
• Full Calendar Talk Episode
  
• My April 2025 Calendar Talk
  
• 7 Natural Wonders YouTube Video
  
  

🧡 If this episode helps you, please share it with a language teacher friend or tag me on Instagram @claudiamelliott. And if you’re a Spanish teacher, join the waitlist for Growing With Proficiency: The Spanish Teacher Academy to be the first to know when doors open again!

Let’s keep creating joyful, communicative classrooms — one strategy at a time. 🙌

🎙️ Do your students love animals?
Yeah… I already know the answer.
Because if there’s one thing that gets every single one of my students to say “aww” or light up with a smile… it’s animals. 🐶🐱🐘

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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