Planning for a new school year can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re trying to create a class centered on communication and proficiency, not grammar features. In this episode, I walk you through five intentional steps to help you map out your year with clarity and sustainability. You’ll learn how to prioritize compelling input, build a flexible curriculum map, and keep your students’ needs and your well-being at the center of your planning.
This episode will help you feel more grounded and confident heading into the school year.
Key Takeaways:
Start with the big picture. Use a year-at-a-glance calendar to identify your teaching windows, breaks, and celebrations you want to highlight.
- Let your communicative anchors lead. Plan around meaningful questions and content, not grammar structures.
- Reuse what worked. Bring back favorite units that felt joyful and effective.
- Fill in the gaps with purpose. Choose content that supports the required curriculum while staying rooted in compelling, comprehensible input.
- Plan for creativity. Schedule storyasking and one-word image sessions to provide rich, personalized input.
- Simplify. Step back and adjust your calendar to keep your plan flexible and realistic. Aim for sustainability, not perfection.
Resources Mentioned:
Episode 151: The 3 Pillars of a Sustainable Language Classroom
Episode 152 (Spanish): Cinco Claves para Prepararte Antes del Primer Día
Episode 131: Understanding ACTFL's New Proficiency Descriptors with Mary Hawkins
Episode 33 and 99: Featuring Dr. Karen Lichtman on Language Acquisition Research
Spanish Teacher Academy Trial Access: growingwithproficiency.com/trial
More about the Crescendo Curriculum and planning framework: growingwithproficiency.com/academy
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