Thursday, February 20, 2025
Let’s continue exploring the connections between Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect by Will Guidara and world language teaching and learning.
Setting expectations, building the team (a.k.a the students in your classes), and working with purpose should drive our actions in the classroom, at the beginning of the school year, after each break, and at times when it is needed.
In Chapter 7 we read, ”A leader’s responsibility is to identify the strengths of the people on their team, no matter how buried those strengths might be.” Setting realistic expectations for your classes as well as knowing your students’ abilities and capabilities are key in achieving success in your world language class.
In Chapter 8 we read, “You need to be as unreasonable in how you build your team as you are in how you build your product or experience.” It is clear that in a world language class, staying in the language 90% of the time, what we teach, and how we teach it, is as important as spreading the feeling of belonging in your class (and to the world).
In Chapter 9 we read, “No matter what you do, you can make a difference in someone’s life. You must be able to name for yourself why your work matters.” What else can we add to this statement! Our work matters, every day. As Christa McAuliffe said, “I Touch the Future, I Teach.” Moreover, we teach students to communicate in another language!
Let’s set high expectations for our students, let’s make them feel they belong in our classes, and let’s continue teaching languages with purpose.
Join us on March 20 to keep on discussing ‘why your work matters’ in your world language classes. Here is the form to register
Thursday, February 13, 2025
The book Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect by Will Guidara is full of insights for world language educators.
We’ll discuss intentionality, caring, and impact today. Why? What we choose to do for the students we serve as world language educators should have a tremendous ripple effect in our students’ future.
In Chapter 3 we read, “Intention, means every decision, from the most obviously significant to the seemingly mundane, matters. To do something with intentionality means to do it thoughtfully, with clear purpose and an eye on the desired result.” We choose the resources for our lessons, prepare our lessons, and engage our students in communicating in the language we teach in our classes. We are opening doors to new worlds and providing mirrors for them to reflect on their place in the world now and their place in the world looking forward into the future.
In Chapter 5 we read, “If you take care of your managers and give them what they need to be successful, you put them in a better position to take care of their teams.” Let’s replace the word ‘managers’ with ‘educators’ and ‘teams’ with ‘students’. Educators that feel supported, seen, and valued are in a better position to serve their students and make them feel supported, seen, and valued. Caring for each other in a school setting will certainly pay off.
In Chapter 6 we read, “Run towards what you want, as opposed to away from what you don’t want.” You know how to teach a language and you understand the value of being able to communicate in more than one language. You want your students to be able to communicate in more than one language too. Stay 90% of the time in the language you teach and you will certainly be nearer your goal.
Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect by Will Guidara is the book chosen for our next LTL Book Club on March 20. Join us!
Thursday, February 6, 2025
Our next book for the Language Teaching Lab Book Club on March 20 is Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect by Will Guidara
“It is a book about how to treat people. How to listen. How to be curious. And how to learn to love the feeling of making others feel welcome. It is a book about how to make people feel like they belong… Will shows the amazing impact we can have on someone’s life when we give them a sense of belonging…”
As world language educators we have a unique opportunity to give our students a sense of belonging in our classes. When it comes to making our students feel welcome, what we do and how we do it matter.
We also give students a sense of both ‘belonging in the world’ and ‘belonging to the world.’ Why both?
In general ‘belonging in the world’ gives a sense of connection and feeling part of something larger than yourself. It may emphasize feeling connected to others and the planet as well as making you think where you fit in.
In general ‘belonging to the world’ suggests a global perspective, where we are all interconnected. It may imply a deeper sense of being one with everything around you, transcending specific cultures or locations.
As language educators we help students explore the communities of the language we teach and connect with and compare its rich culture, history, and beliefs, all while learning to communicate in another language.
Join us on March 20 to keep on discussing ‘belonging’ in your world language classes. Here is the form https://forms.gle/CqtmgnPuPiS9ev6h9
Thursday, January 30, 2025
I read “You can fight change, adapt to change, embrace change, create change, or lead change. No matter your choice, change is not going away.” This quote is on page 90 of Innovate Inside the Box by George Couros and Katie Novak.
Teacher Talks based on Innovate Inside the Box is on February 4! Register here!
The quote from the book made me think of AI in world language education. AI is not going away! I would like world language educators to consider embracing AI.
Are you new to AI? Do you want to learn more? There are several articles about AI in the Language Teaching Lab blog Voices.
- Headin’ Back-to-School with GenAI
- Customized Learning with Generative AI: Safe Tools for Our Students
- Imágenes en mente – AI y cultura (in Spanish)
- Educator Wellness & Generative AI
- And the Stars Align… Combining AI + CI
- Prompts and Resources to use AI in World Language Class
That is not all!
Fortunately, long-time Language Teaching Lab contributor, Noemí Rodríguez offers great resources to embrace AI. You can get started or keep learning about it. Take advantage of these two options with LoLogramos!
- Get a $5 off each month for the AI Innovator Monthly Subscription by using code: ltl5month
- Get a $5 off of ANY of the online courses, including the latest: Canva, Your One Stop Shop! by using code: team5
You might not only adapt to change and embrace change but start creating change and leading change!
Thursday January 23, 2025
Today we are gathering virtually for our Language Teaching Lab Book Club for world language educators to talk about The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo. In his book, on page 86 we read “Everyone has his or her own way of learning things. His way isn’t the same as mine, nor mine as his. But we are both in search of our Personal Legends and I respect him for that.” Coehlo defines ‘Personal Legend’ on page 23 as that which you have always wanted to accomplish. On page 163 Coehlo adds, “No matter what he does, every person on earth plays a central role in the history of the world.”
Both our students and us have our way of learning, we both do it at our own pace, and we both play a role in making history with our actions. As language teachers, what role do these ideas have in our classrooms? How can we support our students in finding their ‘Personal Legend’ in a language class, i.e. what do they want to accomplish in our classes?Join us at 5:30 pm EST. Complete the form and receive the Zoom link. See you!
