Re-Release: Episode 49: Star Student Interview – Centering Our Students Despite Restrictions

Growing With Proficiency The Podcast

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With new regulations restricting what we can and cannot teach, many of us are left wondering: How can we continue to support ALL of our students while creating a safe and inclusive classroom?

That’s exactly why I’m re-releasing this episode on the Star Student Interview—one of the most powerful and adaptable strategies for centering students, fostering engagement, and making language learning truly meaningful.

In this episode, I break down:
✅ What the Star Student Interview is and how it differs from PQAs
✅ Why it’s such an effective strategy for creating community and using language in context
✅ How to implement it in your classroom—from selecting students to engaging the whole class
✅ How to level up or down questions to meet different proficiency levels
✅ What to do after the interview to maximize learning and reinforce comprehension

At a time when many educators feel constrained by policies that limit diverse and equity-focused content, the Star Student Interview allows us to shift the focus back to our students—celebrating who they are and making them feel seen, regardless of external restrictions.

Looking for more ideas? Check out these resources:
📌 Bryce Hedstrom’s Star Student Questions – A great collection of questions to get started.
📌 Cécile Laine’s Guide – A resource for adjusting question difficulty to different proficiency levels.

Have you tried the Star Student Interview? What’s your go-to strategy for creating a welcoming and engaging language classroom? Let’s continue the conversation!

And if this episode resonated with you, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts—it helps more world language teachers discover strategies to grow with proficiency! 🎉

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