Eric Richards Instructional Consulting, LLC
I wanted to thank Stacy Alvizo de Marte and the Wylie Independent School District for inviting me to lead their World Language professional development session at Wylie High School in Wylie, TX. It was a fantastic two days working in-person with their talented world language educators. Their teachers are passionate and dedicated. They are making…
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World Language Educators and Learners! If you are looking to for some great new readers, check out these titles for Spanish, German, and French! For Spanish Learners: → The “Nueva” Series: + Audio books and teacher’s guides available for all the titles Find out more here: https://www.tprsbooks.com/shop/the-nueva-bundle/ → The “El documento” Series: Find out more…
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I wanted to thank Ashley Racicot and the Dudley-Charlton Regional School District for inviting me to lead their World Language professional development session at Shepherd Hill Regional High School in Dudley, MA. Their world language educators are talented, dedicated and are committed to making a difference in their students’ language learning and acquisition. It was…
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If you are from St. Louis or have ever visited, you have most likely seen (part of) the vision of a German (Prussian) immigrant, who helped shape the landscape of the Gateway City. I am from Saint Louis. I was not born here, but I was raised here and chose to start my own family…
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I have always been interested in languages and linguistics – and this includes etymology and language families. I recently came across this articles that deals with Euskara, also known as Basque. I found it interesting and I thought I would share. Here is a link to the article: https://historyfacts.com/arts-culture/fact/basque-language-mystery/ Here is a summary of the…
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As I previously written, I have always been interested in languages and linguistics – and this includes etymology and language families. I recently came across this articles that deals with how the Vikings influenced the English language. I found it interesting and I thought I would share. Here is a link to the article: How…
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🤔📱😊🔤❓= Are emojis a language? Great question! I recently came across this article and it piqued my interest. It made me think about language, communication, and how we convey meaning. I found it interesting and I thought I would share. Here is a link to the article: https://wordsmarts.com/are-emojis-a-language Here is a summary of the article:…
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Here is how to set it up: 1. Students have a whiteboard, marker, and rag/eraser. (This can also be done on paper.) 2. Establish meaning of any necessary vocabulary and/or target structures and vocabulary. 3. Then explain that after reading the text, they would eventually need to make a list of bullet points. Next to each…
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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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