Overview
Moving Beyond the Textbook: Language Instruction that Matters
This interactive two-day workshop supports educators in shifting from textbook-driven instruction to meaningful, proficiency-focused language learning. Participants explore how languages are truly acquired, design communication-centered learning experiences, and develop practical strategies aligned with real-world language use.
With 30+ years of world language teaching experience and National Board Certification in Spanish, Glen brings both research-backed methodology and classroom-tested wisdom to this workshop. The result is language instruction that actually sticks — and students who leave class feeling like speakers, not students.
What Participants Develop
How It Works
The Process
Day 1 — How Language is Actually Acquired
Research-based foundations of language acquisition. Moving from grammar-first to meaning-first instruction. Designing units around communicative outcomes, not textbook chapters.
Day 2 — Building the Communicative Classroom
Creating authentic materials, designing task-based assessments, and building cultural responsiveness into daily instruction. Participants leave with a redesigned unit or lesson sequence ready to implement.
Who This Is For