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Language Glue: Why Your Students Can't Remember What You Taught Them
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Language teachers everywhere face the same challenge: how do we create units that actually lead to acquisition instead of just memorization? The answer lies in understanding how our brains naturally process and store language.
In this eye-opening episode, I break down the six-phase structure that every successful proficiency-based unit must follow. Starting with context-rich input (the "glue" that makes language stick in students' brains), we explore how declarative versus procedural knowledge explains why students can sometimes recite grammar rules perfectly but freeze during conversations.
You'll discover why rushing through the comprehension phase is a critical mistake that prevents true acquisition, and why many teachers unwittingly sabotage their students' progress by skipping essential steps in the acquisition process. I share practical, classroom-tested strategies for each phase - from input introduction through comprehension, gradual output release, authentic contexts, presentational practice, and finally to meaningful interpersonal communication.
Using comparisons as our example structure, I demonstrate how to adapt this framework for both brand-new concepts and reviewing previously introduced language. You'll learn how to determine appropriate timing for each phase based on your specific teaching context and student needs, rather than arbitrary pacing guides.
Whether you're teaching novice learners or advanced students, this structural framework provides the scaffold your proficiency-oriented units need. Stop wondering why your students struggle to use language they've "learned" and start designing units that follow the brain's natural pathways to language acquisition.
Have you tried structuring your units this way? Share your experiences in the comments or on social media using #PracticalProficiency. And if this episode helped you, please leave a review to help other teachers discover these strategies!
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Chapters
1. Welcome to Practical Proficiency (00:00:00)
2. What Does a Proficiency-Based Unit Look Like? (00:01:19)
3. Phase 1: Context-Rich Input Introduction (00:03:52)
4. Phase 2-3: Comprehension and Gradual Output (00:09:38)
5. Phase 4-5: Authentic Context and Presentational Mode (00:15:02)
6. Phase 6: Interpersonal Communication and Timing (00:18:19)
7. Determining Your Unit's Duration (00:21:47)
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