Whether you’re finishing your first year of teaching or your fifteenth, June always brings that familiar mix of exhaustion and pride. You’ve poured your energy into helping students grow as language users, navigated the ups and downs of classroom life, and continued to show up, even on the tough days. Now, summer invites you to pause.
Take time to rest. Let yourself step away from the to-do lists and lesson plans. Reflect on what went well, what challenged you, and how you’ve grown. And when you’re ready—recharge not just for the sake of next year, but for yourself as a lifelong learner and educator.
When the spark of inspiration returns (and it will), here are five quick-start ways to prepare for next year with proficiency in mind:
1. Revisit the "Why" Behind Proficiency-Based Teaching
Take 30 minutes to reconnect with your core beliefs about language learning. Re-read a favorite article or blog post, revisit ACTFL’s proficiency guidelines, or talk with a colleague. Grounding yourself in the “why” will help shape meaningful choices next year.
2. Set One Goal for Each Mode of Communication
Think ahead to one intentional shift you want to make in your Interpretive, Interpersonal, and Presentational tasks. Maybe it’s using more authentic audio, offering more open-ended interpersonal prompts, or scaffolding presentational writing more effectively.
3. Curate (Not Create) Authentic Resources
Spend an hour collecting a few new authentic texts—videos, songs, social media posts, menus, or infographics. Store them on a Pinterest board, a Wakelet, or a Google Drive folder by theme or unit. These resources can become the heart of rich interpretive and interpersonal tasks later on.
4. Audit One Assessment for Proficiency Alignment
Pick one assessment you used this year. Does it truly get at what students can do with language? Revise just one piece—perhaps reframe multiple choice questions as open-ended, or align the rubric more closely to performance descriptors.
5. Design for Community
Think about the first week of school: How can you build classroom community in the target language? Plan one interpersonal activity that gets students using language meaningfully while getting to know each other.
Whatever your plans this summer—travel, rest, family, side projects—remember that time away from the classroom is professional growth. A rested teacher is a better teacher. You deserve the space to pause before diving into another year of powerful, purposeful instruction.
Bonnes vacances! 🌞 ¡Feliz verano!
See you next year—rested, ready, and recharged.
Comments
Post a Comment