Eric Richards Instructional Consulting, LLC
I came across this article and thought I would share. The Forgotten Dialects of the Past: What We Can Learn from Them. (You can also read it below.) As a language educator and learner, it made think about the unique role and nature of dialects in communication and community, including broader communities and our “micro-communities”…
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In this feature, we showcase “Cuyes en Crisis” by Jeremy Jordan. It is available through TPRS Books. Title: Cuyes en Crisis Author: Jeremy Jordan Language: Spanish This Book / Reader is: for language learners (individual / classroom) Link to Purchase / Access the Book / Reader: Cuyes en Crisis Book / Reader Overview: All is well in the…
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I listen to quite a few podcasts – and not all of them have to do with language! One of the podcasts I listen to frequently is “The James Altucher Show“. I enjoy his interview style and his wide-ranging list of guests and topics. I wanted to share an episode from his podcast: “Infiltrating Hate:…
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As I have previously mentioned, I listen to quite a few podcasts – and many of them do not have to do with language and language acquisition! One of the podcasts I listen to frequently is “The James Altucher Show“. I enjoy his interview style and his wide-ranging list of guests and topics. I wanted…
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In this feature, we showcase “neue Stadt, neue Probleme” by Eric Richards. It is available here: https://www.amazon.com/DP/B0FPD127B8 Title: Author: Language: German This Book / Reader is: for language learners (individual / classroom) Link to Purchase / Access the Book / Reader: neue Stadt, neue Probleme Book / Reader Overview: Summer break is here. Heidi and Anton are…
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Recently, Pat Brown and I had a featured article in the July 2025 issue of Language Magazine. I know that some do not have access to the article, so I wanted to share a summary of the article and our contribution to language education. In our article “Leading Effective Curriculum-Based Learning,” we look at how…
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The following post is courtesy of Keith Toda. He teaches Latin at Parkview High School, a public school in Lilburn, GA. He teaches with four other Latin teachers in one of the largest Latin programs in the nation (USA). I highly recommend that you bookmark his blog and come back to it. There is truly…
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In this feature, we showcase “Nuestro mundo: Puentes hacia nuevas perspectivas” by Bryan Kandel and JJ Morgan. It is available through Voces Digital. Title: Author: Language: Spanish This Book / Reader is: for language learners (individual / classroom) Link to Purchase / Access the Book / Reader: Nuestro mundo: Puentes hacia nuevas perspectivas Book / Reader Overview:…
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In this feature, we showcase “Give Them What They Want: A Guide to Increasing Enrollment in World Language Class” by Bryan Kandel. It is available through Voces Digital. Title: Author: Language: English This Book / Reader is: a personal / professional growth book for educators Link to Purchase / Access the Book / Reader: Give Them What…
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Does the language you speak determine how you think and process the world around you? Does learning a new language actually rewire your brain? With those questions in mind, you need to listening to this episode of the The Human Upgrade podcast – “How Learning a New Language Rewires Your Brain—Lessons from the Pirahã Tribe”…
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In this feature, we showcase “Les zombies attaquent Québec!” by Andrea Caulfield. It is available through Voces Digital. Title: Author: Language: French This Book / Reader is: for language learners (individual / classroom) Link to Purchase / Access the Book / Reader: Les zombies attaquent Québec! – Level 2 – French Book / Reader Overview: Livia realizes…
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In this feature, we showcase “El verano de terror” by Tiasha J. Garcia. It is available through Voces Digital. Title: Author: Language: Spanish This Book / Reader is: for language learners (individual / classroom) Link to Purchase / Access the Book / Reader: El verano de terror – Level 2 – Spanish Book / Reader Overview: Carlos…
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In my recent blog post “Language Learning & Language Acquisition – What’s the difference?“, I discussed the difference between the terms “learning” and “acquisition”. Along that same thread, I would like to discuss the terms “performance” and “proficiency” in the context of world language education. The terms “performance” and “proficiency” are often used interchangeably, but…
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Language Learning & Language Acquisition – What’s the difference? In the language education field, we frequently hear two terms: learning and acquisition. Although these two terms are often used interchangeably, they have different meanings. “Acquisition” and “Learning” are two distinct processes involved in Second Language Acquisition (SLA), as proposed by linguist Stephen Krashen. As these…
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In this feature, we showcase “Arepa vs. Arepa” by Margarita Pérez García. It is available through Voces Digital. Title: Author: Language: Spanish This Book / Reader is: for language learners (individual / classroom) Link to Purchase / Access the Book / Reader: Arepa vs Arepa – Level 2 – Spanish Book / Reader Overview: Arepa vs Arepa is…
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I wanted to share one of the more impactful podcasts that I listened to recently: “Hard Words: Why aren’t kids being taught to read?” The podcast can be found on many podcast platforms, including: Apple, Spotify and many more; simply do a search wherever you listen to podcasts and you’ll most likely find it. Here…
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In this feature, we showcase “Arepas ¿De dónde son?” by Adriana Ramírez and is available through Voces Digital. Title: Author: Language: Spanish This Book / Reader is: for language learners (individual / classroom) Link to Purchase / Access the Book / Reader: Arepas ¿de dónde son? – Level 2 – Spanish Book / Reader Overview: Arepas, ¿de…
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Thank you to Voces Digital for reviewing and showcasing “Juana, La Avanzadora” AND “Teresita, La maestra del piano” by Margarita Pérez García and Adriana Ramírez. Title: Author: Language: Spanish This Book / Reader is: for language learners (individual / classroom) Link to Purchase / Access the Book / Reader: Juana, La Avanzadora – https://vocesunplugged.com/products/juana-la-avanzadora-level-3-4-spanish?_pos=1&_psq=Juana&_ss=e&_v=1.0 Teresita, La maestra del…
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Thank you to Bryce Hedstrom for reviewing and showcasing “Hi-Impact Reading Strategies: How to Accelerate Fluency and Proficiency with Reading”. Title: Hi-Impact Reading Strategies: How to Accelerate Fluency and Proficiency with Reading Author: Bryce Hedstrom Language: English This Book / Reader is: a personal / professional growth bookfor educators Link to Purchase / Access the Book / Reader: https://www.brycehedstrom.com/product/hi-impact-reading-strategies/ Book…
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Thank you to Keith Toda for reviewing and showcasing “Confidence Readers” by Adam Giedd. Title: Confidence Readers Author: Adam Giedd Language: Spanish This Book / Reader is: for language learners (individual / classroom) Link to Purchase / Access the Book / Reader: https://www.confidentpigeon.com/ Book / Reader Overview: These readers are specifically designed for Novice-Low Spanish…
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I have been reflecting on my professional journey, specifically goals, challenges, accomplishments, and shortcomings. Looking back over the years, I realized that one of my goals throughout my professional journey has remained constant: to stay involved, give back to educators, and create material that better serves our students. I also sincerely believe that teachers sharing…
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As you may know, I’ve been rethinking how I engage with my students and how I need to make sure that the communication in my classroom is purposeful. That is, I am trying to communicate in a way that allows me and my students: With that in mind, I wanted to share a simple activity…
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In this post, I wanted to follow up with some more functionalities of deepl.com/write. If you didn’t read the original blog post on deepl.com/write, you can find it HERE. (I encourage you to read it before reading this post!) Note: You can decide to use or not use these functions in class. (They work for…
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I recently heard about deepl.com/write. (It is free.) It is a AI-powered writing assistant tool. It helps improve written communication by correcting grammar and offering alternative word and/or sentence choices. It currently supports English (American), English (British), French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Portuguese (Brazilian) and Spanish. (See screenshots below and visit the site.) I was immediately…
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I am about a week removed from the ACTFL conference. During this week I’ve had time to reflect on my time in Philadelphia at the conference. First, let me share a bit of gratitude. I am thankful that I had the opportunity to go. I am also thankful that Voces Digital invited me to be…
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After recently attending and presenting at the FLAM (Foreign Language Association of Missouri) St. Louis Regional Conference, I had a chance to reflect on the experience. It was a great experience, not only motivating and inspiring. It was wonderful to see familiar faces and also get to know new educators. It was also rewarding to…
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Note: This is a longer blog post, but I promise it is worth your time to read it! This is my first of what I hope are many collaborative posts with Keith Toda. I first met Keith at the 2023 CI Summit in Savannah. Both of us were assigned to serve as team members/trainers for…
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I wanted to share a quick update on Soundscapes. I’m hoping this makes your teaching life a bit easier. If you haven’t gotten the chance to read the original post about Soundscapes, you need to read it HERE, before continuing. It will explain the setup and give you links to implement a “soundscape.” Side note…
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What does cybersecurity have to do with a world language educator? Let me explain. When I first graduated from college, I started in computers and networking. There was definitely a learning curve, but I enjoyed computers and technology – and I still do! I enjoy computers and the ever changing landscape of technology – especially,…
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I first came across the idea of “soundscapes” at the Comprehenisble Iowa conference. At the conference, I had the pleasure of seeing Diane Neubauer present on this activity (and other interactive listening strategies.) It was a great presentation and it really resonated with me. (I especially enjoyed that we got to experience a “soundscape” together…
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