#134Are your speaking activities as communicative as they could be? Are students creating language spontaneously? Today’s episode is a Leveling Up episode, where I coach Stephanie, a Spanish teacher in New Hampshire. Creating speaking activities that allow students to create language on their own is the area where wants to level up her teaching practice. So let's start the conversation. Suggestions:Make sure that not only the input is compelling, but the output as well. How Interested are students in how they use the language?Make topics and themes compelling with cultural exploration, differentiated tasks, role-plays, simulations, think/pair/share, quiz/quiz/trade Use Chat Mats as a Scaffolding Tool with vocabulary support, sentence starters, and visual promptsAction Plan:This Week:Develop chat mats with vocabulary support, sentence starters, and visual prompts for a specific speaking activity on a cultural topic. The Coming Weeks:Discover new ways of making the output compelling (how students are using the language)Plan a group discussion session centered around a cultural aspect of the target language.Helpful Podcast Episodes on This Topic:#18: Make Your Can Do Statements Communicative# 56: Backwards Design and Planning#76: Interpersonal Activities with Meredith White#82: Engaging Language Activities With Wendy Mercado & Valérie GreerHelpful Blog Posts on This Topic:Authentic Resources in the World Language ClassroomReflecting on Our Language TeachingDo Nows and Exit Tickets in the World Language ClassroomCompelling Input and Compelling Output in the Language Classroom Additional Tools: ChatGPT (for creating chat mats)WindowSwapJoin Joshua for a Leveling Up Coaching Episode  on the podcast. Let's connect! wlclassrom.comX (aka Twitter):  @wlclassroomThreads: @wlclassroomInstagram:  @wlclassroomFacebook:  /wlclassroomWLClassroom Facebook Group__________________________Interested in having Joshua work directly with your department, school or district?  Look at options for collaborating in person or remotely.______________________________Sign up for Talking Points to get  tips, tools and resources for your language teaching.______________________________Join Joshua as a guest on the podcast.