Podcast Interviews with Our Consultants
Math and English Language Learners
Dr. Jim Ewing discusses supporting English language learners in math classrooms.
Jun 23, 2025
Positioning Multilingual Learners for Success in Mathematics
Listen as Dr. Jim Ewing discusses how to change the game by supporting emerging bilingual students in mathematics.
Jun 23, 2025
Small Moves, Big Gains
Nancy Motley (@nancymotleyTRTW) shares how intentional small moves can make a big impact on student learning and our teaching. This is based on her new book of the same name. It’s SO PRACTICAL!
Jun 13, 2025
Top Tips for the First Days of School with Newcomer MLs
MABE TV interviews Dr. Carol Salva on supporting students in the first days of school.
Jun 12, 2025
Self-directed Professional Learning with Carol Salva, Tan Huynh, and Katie Toppel
What are some benefits we have seen from the rise of virtual professional development opportunities since the pandemic? How can educators drive self-directed professional learning that can lead to deeper knowledge and sustained results? How can school leaders best support high-quality PD opportunities? This week we bring back two familiar contributors to Highest Aspirations - Dr. Carol Salva and Tan Huynh along with one guest who somehow is making her first appearance, Katie Toppel. These three incredible people provide our community with a wealth of resources to ensure we are well-equipped to maximize the potential of multilingual learners. In this interview, we focus on how educators can engage in self-directed professional learning - specifically for multilingual learners. They’ve recently released a book on the topic, appropriately titled DIY PD: A Guide to Self-Directed Learning for Educators of Multilingual Learners.
Jun 12, 2025
Education Matters: Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education
Join us in a terrific and invigorating conversation for parents and educators with Dr. Carol Salva!
Jun 12, 2025
Newcomers and SLIFE Students
NAELPA TV interviews Dr. Carol Salva on how to best support newcomers and SLIFE students.
Jun 12, 2025
Discovering Languages Programs
When faced with selecting which World Language to study, many high school students end up shrugging and choosing the most popular language track by default. But what if they knew which language really called to them? Enter the “Discovering Languages” program, an exploratory primer course for junior high students! In this episode, our host Emily (linguist, PhD) sits down with Tracye Thomas, Language Acquisition Coordinator at Brazosport Independent School District (Texas). Listen to learn everything you need to know about what a “Discovering Languages” program is, whether it’s right for your district, and 4 tips for bringing this innovative program to life at your school! All of that and more in this episode of Teaching Languages Today!
Jun 11, 2025
English Learners and STEM in Remote and Hybrid Learning Environments
What are some of the affordances we can leverage to engage English learners in STEM classes in remote and hybrid learning environments? How might we make synchronous meetings more engaging to promote growth in content area knowledge, language skills and collaborative work? What are some tools and strategies we can use to incorporate effective visuals, manipulatives and other supports in remote environments? We discuss these questions and much more in our conversation with Dr. Stephen Fleenor.
Jun 9, 2025
English Learners and Advanced STEM Courses with Dr. Stephen Fleenor
Why are advanced STEM classes a good fit for many English learners? What strategies can teachers leverage to maximize impact on diverse learners in STEM classes? How might we remove barriers that prevent many English learners from taking advanced classes throughout their academic careers? We discuss these questions and much more in our conversation with Dr. Stephen Fleenor.
Jun 9, 2025
QSSSA - structuring accountable academic conversations
Decades of research (Wright, 2016), and the experience of millions of educators, make one thing abundantly clear about the modern classroom: students need to talk about their learning. Engaging students in small-group, academic conversations is one of the most effective ways to: enhance comprehension reduce misbehavior build academic language proficiency support literacy develop socioemotional skills promote question-asking and deep thinking, and create a sense of community within the classroom So why don’t all lessons have all students talking about their learning, all the time? Unfortunately, asking students to “turn and talk” to their partners has proven frustrating for many educators, who see students not talking, or students talking about non-academic subjects, or gregarious students dominating conversations while shier students are voiceless. As a teacher, I had all of these frustrations, too. I gave my students the opportunity to talk about their learning, but I wouldn’t see them doing it—at least not the majority of my students. When I asked them why they weren’t talking, I heard a variety of responses, which I dismissed as excuses at the time: “I don’t want to go first.” “I don’t know what the question is asking, sir.” “I didn’t learn this.” “I don’t even know what we’re supposed to be doing.” I knew that students engaging in new activities tend to thrive with more structure, but I wasn’t sure what structure I could add to these conversations. And then I came across QSSSA. The Question, Signal, Stem, Share, Assess routine was first introduced in 7 Steps to a Language-Rich, Interactive Classroom by Seidlitz and Perryman in 2011, and has since taken modern classrooms across the nation by storm (as evidence, try an image search of QSSSA). Research has shown that regularly using QSSSA results in enhanced participation and enthusiasm from students (Seidlitz et al., 2024). QSSSA is so effective because it provides exactly that structure I was looking for in my classroom. Students feel safe and confident in the QSSSA process and are intuitively engaged in participation. In all content areas and at all grade levels, it is one of the most versatile, effective tools in the teacher toolkit, and can be used any time you want to have students participate in structured conversations using academic language. A Routine for Academic Language Development Each step of the QSSSA routine was deliberately designed to help students develop academic language, first by reducing the affective filter, and second by providing supports that encourage students to use academic language. Here is how to implement each step of the routine.
Jun 9, 2025
Collaboration Between EL and Foreign Language (LOTE) Teachers With Anna Matis (Part 2)
How might ELL and LOTE teachers provide low stress opportunities for output? What is the role of motivation in language learning and how might cultural input and technology help boost it? We discuss these questions and more in part 2 of our conversation with Anna Matis. How is the concept of productive struggle different in the ELL and LOTE classroom and what can these groups learn from each other? We discuss these questions and more in part 2 of our conversation with Anna Matis.
Jun 9, 2025
Collaboration Between EL and Foreign Language (LOTE) Teachers With Anna Matis (Part 1)
Do EL teachers and teachers of languages other than English (or LOTE teachers) collaborate enough? What are some ways these educators could learn from one another to help build better language programs for all students? What are some common misconceptions about what it means to be a “good language teacher” and how might understanding them help our students achieve greater language competency? We discuss these questions and much more in Part 1 of a 2 Part conversation with Anna Matis.
Jun 9, 2025
Supporting Newcomer Students through Acculturation with Dr. Marie Heath
Newcomer students face unique challenges as they adjust to life in a new country, culture, and educational system. Dr. Marie Heath, an international educational consultant with over 30 years of experience, joins Highest Aspirations to share her expertise on acculturation and bicultural identity. Drawing from her own experience as the child of an immigrant and her doctoral research at Texas A&M Commerce, Dr. Heath discusses strategies for helping newcomer students build their bicultural identities while navigating the complexities of their new environment. In this episode, Dr. Heath explores the importance of creating a welcoming space, building connections between schools and families, and equipping students with the tools they need to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. From developing systematic approaches to supporting newcomers to celebrating their strengths and unique contributions, this conversation provides actionable insights for educators dedicated to fostering inclusive classrooms.
Jun 9, 2025
A framework for trauma-informed instruction
Elise White Diaz is well-versed in the challenges facing diverse students from difficult backgrounds. Prior to her work in public education, Elise’s passion for trauma-informed pedagogy began when she moved to Tegucigalpa, Honduras to serve at a school for child laborers in the garbage dump. There she taught bilingual and ESL education at the secondary level, and learned so much from her students who overcame obstacles and went on to college. Upon returning to the United States, Elise brought her experiences to a diverse district in North Texas. She wove together principles from culturally-relevant, trauma-informed education and language acquisition in innovative ways, bringing dramatic gains in standardized test (STAAR) scores. Soon after, she began to mentor and coach teachers in how to recreate these routines. Elise has served in various roles in Emergent Bilingual education, including co-teaching, instructional coaching, writing curriculum, and offering professional development to Texas schools. As a consultant for Seidlitz Education, Elise enjoys supporting teachers in their important work of building language and connection across cultures and obstacles. She holds a Master’s degree from Fuller Seminary in Intercultural Studies and lives in the Dallas area with her husband and two children. She is a member of the National Association for Bilingual Education and Women-for-Orphans-Worldwide, and returns to Central America wherever she can.
Jun 9, 2025
Connecting with students from hard places with Elise White Diaz
Elise White Diaz, a passionate advocate for trauma-informed multilingual education, joins Highest Aspirations to discuss practical strategies for connecting with and supporting students who have experienced trauma or come from challenging backgrounds. Drawing on her extensive work in diverse settings, Elise emphasizes the power of understanding students' experiences and building trust as foundational elements for effective teaching. This episode explores the impact of trauma on learning and language acquisition, highlighting the importance of emotional attunement in the classroom. Elise introduces her "Discover, Connect, Respond" framework and the practical "Four S's" routine as actionable ways for educators to create safe and supportive environments. Learn how fostering secure connections and responding empathetically to student needs can unlock their potential and promote growth.
Jun 9, 2025
An Inside Look into the 7 Steps to a Language Rich Classroom
How does the teaching outlined in his book 7 Steps to a Language Rich classroom help bridge the gap between research and practice? What outcomes or impact has John and his team seen on student performance in classrooms where the 7 steps methodology has been implemented? What would John say to educators who may be interested in trying the 7 Steps but may have lingering questions about the potential loss of agency or the level of fidelity needed to effectively implement? On this episode, we bring back our friend John Seidlitz to catch up on the work he has been doing for the newest version of his well known 7 Steps to a Language Rich Classroom book.
Apr 5, 2025
Interview with Nancy Motley
Today’s guest is a best selling author and Educational Consultant at Seidlitz Education. She’s known to many as the Michael Jordan of PD...she’s the one and only NANCY MOTLEY. Get. Hyped!
Apr 5, 2025
7 Steps to a Language-Rich Classroom
John Seidlitz (@JohnSeidlitz) shares the research about his co-authored book: #7Steps to a Language-Rich Classroom. You will LOVEEEE this conversation! tinyurl.com/yb9hxtw7
Apr 5, 2025