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Before I thought oral language was just part of learning to read and write, but now I realize it plays a key role in helping multilingual learners grow in their language skills.

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On Day 1, I will start using restorative circles so students can share their thoughts in a safe space. I will also use student prompts during center time to help them practice speaking and listening. These routines will help build confidence and create a classroom where students feel comfortable using language.

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One takeaway I got is that oral language is very important for language learners. Students need to talk, not just listen, to really learn. Another thing I learned is that we should plan student talk carefully by using things like sentence stems and group work to help them speak more. Lastly, it's helpful to know if our students are simultaneous or sequential bilinguals, because that can guide how we support their language growth.

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Before I didn't think of the role that oral language plays in literacy and how it is the basis for what students write, but now I realize how importance it is to be intentional in creating opportunities for students to develop their oral language across disciplines.

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Using sentence frames more consistently as a scaffold for students is something I plan to take into my classroom. This is key for having students engage in learning conversations.

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1. I found myself reflecting a lot about my own teaching practices throughout the podcast. I was specifically thinking about the percentage of teacher talk being used during explicit instruction. The importance of being very intentional with the time the teacher is spent talking is something that stuck with me.

2. People learn with talking was a very important take away. Giving students the space to talk about the material they are learning during ELD, but also across other subjects is so important! It's helpful to think of talk time as students learning and steering away from thinking about students talking as negative/off task.

3. The majority of bilingual learning is sequential bilingualism in contrast with what we know is possible, simultaneous bilingualism.

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Before I thought that students come in knowing what to do but now I understand/realize we must teach every step of the way. This is huge when expecting students to have a conversation and practice oral language, I need to also teach them how conversations work, it will be a challenge this day in age because conversations are not had very much when technology is in front of their eyes.

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On day 1 and on I will make sure that those sentence frames are up for students to use in academic conversations. Adding this throughout the day will be one of my goals to encourage conversations.

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1. Oral language is crucial for foundation of Structured Literacy: For me this meant that teaching how to intake language such as listening and then having the students practice this oral language that was transmitted to them.

2. These paths for multilingual learners are still being paved: As we heard these women the development of language acquisition is being made as we speak. Making sure that home language and home practice is embedded in the year long learning we have ahead. Also having grace as a teacher when working on this road that is new in general.

3. Small adjustments can yield big changes: Not adding more to a teachers plate but adding small steps towards multilingual learners such as ample conversations (student talk), language frames to support, and peer to peer verbal interaction encouragement.

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Before I thought english language was not categorized differently when it came to English learners but now I realize there is academic language and more formal language and students may learn one category and still need support in obtaining the other.

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For me, I will create more talking opportunities for students and make sure I don’t go past that 20% of the lesson mark of me talking.

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1. One thing that was briefly mentioned, but I come face to face with often as a special education teacher is that many students get identified as special ed when it is a language acquisition issue. On the podcast they were talking about this happening more when prop 227 was brought on the scene, but really, this still happens often. Students are often misidentified as having some learning disability, especially with reading or writing, due to test scores, when in reality they just need more time acquiring the language.

2. Something really interesting that they spoke about is how when you internalize that students are learning when they are talking, this motivates you to create more talking opportunities. Using sentence starters and other things to create conversations they can have, even with math, will maximize their learning time by practicing the language.

3. One more thing that they mentioned is that 20% of lesson only should be you talking, and the other percentage should be the students talking or doing work related to the talking you did. I’ve definitely heard this before, but they spoke about planning in advance how many minutes you will talk based on how long the lesson chunk is and then using a timer and really sticking to it and I thought that was an interesting idea.

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Before I thought that oral language was an important aspect of literacy but now I realize that it is also crucial to the language development of multilingual learners.

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I will plan for more scaffolded talking opportunities for my students, both whole group and in partnerships. I want to teach grouping procedures within the first days of school to truly maximize student voices in the classroom early on.

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1. Oral language is a crucial aspect of literacy-especially for language learners. Hearing the language is not enough. Students also need opportunities engage with and process language through conversation. Ultimately, "students are learning when they are talking."

2. Talking should be planned intentionally .

Teachers should be strategic about the amount of talking they are doing the talking during designated ELD time. Similarly, student conversations should be planned and scaffolded effectively. Building on language, sentence stems, strategic groupings can make conversations more successful.

3. Simultaneous vs. sequential bilinguals - Knowing where our students fall can help us better support their language needs.

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Before, I thought that exposure to the target language was the key to bilingualism, but now I understand that students need intentional opportunities to practice and build confidence in their expressive language. Simply being exposed to a language isn’t enough—creating a supportive environment with guided conversations is essential for helping students develop their speaking skills and achieve true language fluency.

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One thing I’ll apply to my teaching Day 1 is creating opportunities for language practice through restorative circles and student prompts during structured center time. The podcast emphasized the importance of giving students chances to speak and interact in meaningful ways. I plan to start Day 1 by introducing restorative circles, which will allow students to share their thoughts in a safe and supportive environment. Additionally, I’ll incorporate student prompts during center time to encourage language use in a more structured setting. This will help students engage with the material while practicing both listening and speaking in a low-pressure environment. By building these routines from the start, I hope to foster a sense of community and confidence in using language.

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Creating opportunities for student conversation is key to language learning. One major takeaway is that students learn best when they can speak and interact with others. Giving students chances to practice through structured conversations, like using sentence frames and group work, helps them build confidence and language skills. Pairing more proficient speakers with less proficient ones ensures that all students have models to learn from, creating a supportive environment for everyone.

Minimize teacher talk during ELD time to maximize student engagement. A powerful point made in the podcast was the importance of limiting the teacher’s speaking time during designated English Language Development (ELD) time. If teachers spend too much time giving directions, it reduces the time students have to actively work and practice. Being clear and concise in instructions helps make the most of that precious time for students to engage with the language.

Students can learn two languages simultaneously. The podcast also challenged the old myth that children can’t learn two languages at once. It was eye-opening to learn that students—especially those from immigrant families—can and should be encouraged to maintain their home languages. This not only honors their heritage but can also support their English learning. Recognizing that bilingualism is a strength and not a barrier can help create a more inclusive and effective learning environment.

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Before I thought that reading was the best way for students to start learning new vocabulary, but now I understand that students start learning a new language by using oral language.

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I will add more opportunities for students to talk. Percentage my talking time (shouldn't be more than 20% of the time). Ice breakers and community building activities are great opportunities for students to practice their second language.

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1. The School System has a strong influence in families, specially immigrant families. In the past, after passing prop 227, the system influenced families to stop speaking their native language which had negative effects in students' development. The positive side of this is that nowadays we can influence and encourage families to celebrate their native languages and cultures. Celebrate the asset orientation of a second language for monolingual families.

2. It's good to remember that comprehensible input of a language is not enough. It is necessary for students to speak the language, engage with it and create with it. We have to create more opportunities for students to engage in conversations.

3. Structured literacy instructional practices can help students become bilinguals learning two languages simultaneously. Create and add more talking opportunities. Students are learning when they are talking.

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Before I thought that reading was one of the most important aspects in building literacy but now I realize that communication is just as important, if not more important. It allows students to be more comfortable with themselves and begin to envelop themselves in the target language, which opens up other areas in literacy, including reading and writing.

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Create opportunities for students to talk in the classroom. Students learn best when they are speaking; therefore, providing them with talking points and subjects that will spark conversation is a great way to start the school year.

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1) A person is learning while they are talking. Therefore, you want to create talking opportunities for your students. How can I create a conversation for students to speak on the subject at hand. Sentence frames can be more than one sentence. Create groups for students to talk with one another, have most English proficient student go first and the least proficient last, so they can listen to their peers as examples.

2) Designated ELD time: The teacher should not be speaking more than 20% during this time. If you are giving directions for too long, you are not being efficient with your time. You must plan ahead about what the directions will be so they are succinct and straight to the point in order to maximize student work time.

3) You should not limit students from learning two languages at once. It has been proven that students can and will be able to learn two languages simultaneously. It used to be said that students should only focus on learning one langauge at a time, but that is far from the truth. As a parent, if you speak two languages, you should be teaching your children both languages.

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Before I thought building literacy meant focusing on reading and writing right away. Now I understand that starting with students’ oral language, especially in their home language, helps build confidence, connection, and a stronger foundation for literacy.

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One thing I will apply to my teaching in day 1 is give students opportunity to talk, both small groups and whole class. I will give them a chance to share something about themselves in whatever language they’re comfortable with. When students feel seen and heard from day one, it builds trust and makes it easier to dive into reading and writing later.

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1. Start with Student Talk

Give students space to speak,especially in their home language, right from the beginning. Oral language is the foundation of literacy, especially for multilingual learners. Talking first helps build vocabulary, comprehension, and confidence.

2. Value Home Languages

A student’s home language is an asset that can support learning. When teachers acknowledge and include students’ native languages in the classroom, it helps build confidence, deepen understanding, and show students that who they are is valued.

3. Support Oral Language with Simple, Structured Tools

Teachers don’t need special programs to build oral language, just some intentional planning. Simple things like sentence frames and partner talk go a long way. When students get regular chances to speak, especially multilingual learners, they start building the confidence and language they need to become strong readers and writers.

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Before I thought that exposure in the target language would be the biggest/ most effective tool for students to grow in their bilingualism, but now I understand that in order for their bilingualism to be strong and fluid students need to build in their abilities to be successful in their expressive language. In order to do so I will need to guide students in building their confidence in the target language through practice and conversations.

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One thing I will apply is the use of academic language starting the first day of class with my students. I want to be able to set the environment of learning for my students that can help them in building their language confidence.

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1. Immigrant families have been conformed over time not to continue teaching their native tongue to their children in the US. I've seen this in many different families where parents or even grandparents are immigrants and choose not to pass on their native language to their children in order to ensure that they may be set up for success assimilating in the United States.

2. Multilingual learners are deserving of an equal learning environment. With access for these students to the right tools that are specific to their learning, we can help them reach their goals.

3. Sequential bilinguals: learning one language first before the second (majority). Simultaneous bilinguals: learning both languages in the home at the same time. Knowing which type of bilingual category your students are in, can guide you best in the strategies to teach and support their bilingualism.

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1. I found it interesting the differences in how other countries approached language learning compared to the United States. The U.S is made up of a lot of monolingual speakers, this can lead to the assumption that learning 2 languages simultaneously is impossible and detrimental. While other countries, who have more bilingual speakers, they know that 2 languages can be learned side by side. They don't limit the capabilities of their learners and speakers, and that I think is due in part to their diversity of languages.

2. The idea of Receptive understanding, and how it is crucial that students practice constructing and using their new language, in order to fully grasp it.

3. Language is community and we build our understanding when we socialize. Students should be able to use whatever they wish to communicate with the world around them.

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Before, I thought exposure to a language would automatically translate into you speaking and understanding it. But I now realize exposure alone does not create a foundation for expressive language. Creating a supportive environment in the classroom is essential for the students language acquisition through practice, guided and intentional instruction.

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I will apply the use of academic language on day 1 in the classroom. There was a strong emphasis on the importance of using academic language in order for students to improve their proficiency status. I want my students to internalize academic language by hearing and seeing it used by me.

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1. Speaking another language will not be a barrier for learning the English language.

Students are capable of developing and understanding multiple languages and should not phase out exposure and practice of heritage language to develop their English language proficiency.

2. The importance of oral language when learning a new language.

Children are wired to learn how to communicate with caregivers and can learn to be receptive and expressive in a language if they are regularly exposed to a new language.

3. Strategies on how to divide your instructional time and how to provide time to practice oral language.

Maya Valencia Goodall shares how important it is to provide opportunities for students to engage each other using oral language. The combination of practicing oral language, academic language and teaching foundational skills will increase how a student can think in the new language.

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Before I thought that giving students time to speak was enough, but now I realize how important it is to guide their speaking with support—like visuals, sentence starters, and clear modeling—so they feel confident and actually grow in the language. Even small moments throughout the day can help build their skills.

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One thing I’ll take from what Maya Goodall shared is to give students regular chances to speak, even from day one.
She reminded me how important it is for language learners to use their voice—to talk, to share, to try—even if it’s not perfect. I want to create a classroom where students feel safe to practice and where I model language they can use. Just giving them time and support to speak every day can make a big difference in their confidence and growth.

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1. Students need to speak in order to learn.
One thing that really stayed with me from the podcast is that kids learn language by using it. The more we let them talk—whether it’s with a partner, in a group, or just sharing ideas—the more confident they become. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Just giving them a safe space to try makes a big difference.

2. Their first language is something to be proud of.
I really appreciated how Maya reminded us that students’ home languages are a strength. When we make space for their first language, it helps them feel seen and understood. It’s not something they need to hide—it can actually support their learning in English too.

3. Just because a student isn’t speaking yet doesn’t mean they don’t understand.
This part really made me reflect. Sometimes students are quiet, but it doesn’t mean they’re not learning. Maya explained that understanding (receptive language) comes before speaking (expressive language), and I think that’s so important to remember. We can support them with visuals, gestures, and patience while they build up the courage to speak.

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Before, I thought that learning a new language would be challenging for beginners, but now I understand that even simple, everyday moments can offer rich chances for students to build confidence and start speaking the language.

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One idea Maya Goodall talks about is using language frames to support students. These are sentence structures that help students organize their thoughts and communicate more clearly. I like these because I can incorporate them through out our day regardless of subject. By providing simple sentence starters or templates I can help my students express themselves during group discussions or writing activities.

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1. Students learn language best by using it to talk.
Structured conversations, partner talk, and classroom discussions help students build vocabulary and grammar naturally.
The more we give them chances to speak, the more language they internalize and remember.

2. Students’ home languages are a strength.
When we value their first language, we help them feel confident and ready to learn more.

3. Mistakes are part of learning to speak.
Encouraging students to take risks without fear of being "wrong" helps them grow faster and develop fluency.
We want them to talk a lot, even if it’s not perfect, because every attempt is practice and progress.

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1) Receptive language is the ability to understand what others are saying, while Expressive language is the ability to communicate your own thoughts. This really connected with me because during my years of teaching at CLIC, I often heard parents say, “My child understands Spanish really well, they just can’t speak it.” Now I realize that there’s actually a name for that difference!

2) Comprehensible input is using language that students can mostly understand—even if they don’t know every word or grammar rule. This really stood out to me because by using visuals, gestures, tone, and relatable content, I can support their natural language growth just by speaking Spanish in ways that make sense to them.

3) Simultaneous bilingualism happens when a child learns two languages from birth, while Sequential bilingualism occurs when a second language is learned after the first. Knowing which one applies to my students helps me tailor my support to their specific language learning needs.

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One thing she mentioned that I’ll start using in my teaching is academic language. She really emphasized how important it is for students to hear me use academic Spanish- not just casual, everyday words. That stuck with me. If I want my students to be able to understand and use more advanced language, especially for school subjects, I need to model it for them regularly.

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Before, I used to think receptive language was enough for language development- but now I see it takes two to tango. It’s not just about understanding the language; students also need chances to use it. Expressive language- actually speaking and communicating- is just as important. Giving students regular opportunities to practice speaking helps deepen their learning and really builds their confidence in using the language.

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Before I thought giving students opportunities to talk was enough, but now I realize the importance of intentionally designing structured conversations to deepen language and content learning

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One thing I’ll apply from the podcast on day one is creating space for structured conversations. Maya Goodall emphasized that language grows through use, so I’ll make sure students—especially multilingual learners—have daily opportunities to speak and use academic language.

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1. Bilingualism is a Strength
Being bilingual is an asset. We should value students' home languages and see them as a foundation for learning, not a limitation.

2. Language Learning Happens in All Subjects
Language development should be built into every subject, not just ELD time. Students need rich opportunities to use language throughout the day.

3. High Expectations with the Right Support
Multilingual learners deserve access to grade-level content. With the right support, they can succeed in challenging tasks.