Conversations about Language Teaching
"Conversations about Language Teaching" is a podcast of unscripted discussions of language teaching, drawing on both research and classroom & online language teaching. If you like thinking deeply about issues of classroom language teaching and how those relate to research and theory, this podcast might be for you.
Reed & Diane, the hosts, base our knowledge of language teaching on research we've read & done, theoretical views of language acquisition, our experiences as language teachers and learners, and our observations of language teaching in the US and elsewhere. We like to help build bridges among teachers and researchers and view ourselves as part of both communities. We collaborate on projects & like talking about language teaching & learning, and decided to have some of those conversations in a podcast format. Here it is!
A transcripted, video version of the podcast is on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/@ConversationsaboutLanguage
More about Diane: https://sites.google.com/view/dianen/home
More about Reed: http://www.reedriggs.com
Episodes
49 episodes
Episode 47: Teacher evaluations
Episode 47 - Teacher evaluationsBryce Hedstrom’s observation checklist: https://www.brycehedstrom.com/wp-content/uploads/Check...
Episode 46: Word Repetition
Episode 46: Word Repetition -- Show NotesWe discussed TCI Oregon, June 29-July 1, 2026: https://cocc.edu/departments/community-ed/tciDiane mentioned several "button using...
Impactful Teacher Training
Episode 45: Impactful Teacher TrainingShow notes: Diane mentioned this article:Neubauer, D., & Wesely, P. (2023). K-12 world language teachers’ use of conferences as professional development. Teaching and Teacher Educati...
Fools Rush In: Individual Pathways
Episode 44: Fools Rush In: Individual PathwaysReed started the conversation with a quote from the book The Nurture Assumption: Why Children Turn Out the Way They Do by Judith Rich Harris
Episode 43: Discussing a language teaching video
Show notes:The video clip we watched & discussed is on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/VlZESXSvi-QAdriana Ramírez's website: https://www.adrian...
Episode 42: Do different levels of learners need different things?
Episode 42: Do different levels of language learners need different things?Show NotesMitten CI language teaching conference April 17 & 18, 2026: https://mittenci.weebly.com/
Episode 41: Doing Resets
Episode 41 Show Notes:Diane mentioned this episode of the Mel Robbins podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHpFwHYDnKE
Episode 40: Heritage Language Learners
Thank you to our guest, Dan Call, who joined us for this episode! Information about Dan's award as Pacific Northwest Regional Teacher of the Year:
Episode 39: Target Language for Young Learners
Show Notes: Diane mentioned studies that have found children process language more slowly than adults. One such study is here: Nip, I. S. B., & Green, J. R. (2013). Increases in Cognitive and Linguistic Processing Pr...
Episode 38: ACTFL Teacher Awards as Professional Development
Episode 38: ACTFL Language Teacher Awards as Professional Development Show NotesGuest: Ngan-Ha Ta, PhD Ngan's LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nganhataACTFL Convention & World Languages ...
Episode 37: "Listen & Do"
Show Notes: Episode 37: "Listen & Do" in language teachingReed mentioned: Ellis, R., & He, X. (1999). The roles of modified input and output in the incidental acquisition of word meanings. Studies in Second Langua...
Episode 35: Language Policy in Classrooms
Menken & Garcia, 2010 ch. 16 Johnson, 2013ACTFL 90%+ TL use position statement
Episode 33: Introducing Vocabulary
Episode 33: Introducing Vocabulary Show Notes Diane mentioned the book Vocabulary Myths by Keith Folse. Here is the publisher's site about it: https://press.umich....
Episode 32: Focus on Form
Episode 32 Show notes - Focus on Form Michael Long’s thinking about “focus on meaning,” “focus on form,’ and “focus on forms” in language teaching, for example: Long, M. (2008). Focus on form in task-based languag...
Episode 31: Child Language Development & Implications for Teachers
Show Notes: Episode 31 (season 4) show notes: Child language development & implications for teachersConversations about Language Teaching Episode 7 was about Conversation Analysis: YouTube video
Episode 30: Purposes for Picture Talk
Episode 30 Show Notes -- Purposes for Picture Talk Link to Cheng & Tsui webinar (mentioned by Diane as included Picture Talk): https://youtu.be/HinXS0n762g eBook (inc...
Episode 29: Rethinking Authenticity
Episode 29 Show Notes - Rethinking Authenticity Hasegawa, A. (2018). Understanding task‐in‐process through the lens of laughter: Activity designs, instructional materials, learner orientations, and interpersonal relationships...
Bonus Episode 28: 当非母语中文老师
This episode is in Mandarin Chinese. Reed & Diane talk about their experiences as non-native learners, users, and teachers of Mandarin Chinese.
Episode 27: A Story about Student Production
No show notes this time!
Episode 26: Children’s Books & Reading for Vocabulary Growth
Episode 26: Children’s Books & Reading for Vocabulary Growth Show NotesThe Mandarin Companion blog has concise & helpful information about Extensive reading (ER) and 98% known language. This post also de...