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Interpersonal communication can feel like one of the hardest modes to teach. You plan the activity, set expectations… and then students give one-word answers, switch to their common language, or disengage altogether.

But what if the problem isn’t your activity?

In this second part of my conversation with Chelsea Lawrence, we build on our previous conversation in episode 163 and take a deeper look at what actually makes interpersonal communication work—especially through silent discussion.

After presenting this strategy at SCOLT and trying it in our own classrooms, we saw firsthand how powerful it can be when students have a clear goal and the right scaffolds in place.

In this episode, we unpack what true interpersonal communication requires, how to structure a silent discussion for success, and how to support students so they can stay in the target language and engage meaningfully with each other.

If you’ve ever felt frustrated with interpersonal activities, this conversation will give you a new way to think about them—and practical ways to implement them right away.

✨ Key Takeaways

• Why interpersonal communication often falls flat—and what’s really missing
• The two essential elements of true interpersonal communication: an information gap and a clear purpose
• How silent discussion lowers the affective filter and increases participation
• Different communicative goals you can use (jigsaw, interview, prediction, and problem-solving)
• How to scaffold student questions instead of giving them all the language
• Simple ways to support responses, reactions, and negotiation of meaning
• How to help students stay in the target language without forcing it
• Why this strategy works across levels—from novice to AP

📚 Resources & Links

• 🎧 Listen to Part 1 (Episode 163: Silent Discussion with Chelsea Lawrence)
• 📄 Read the full blog post: How to Build Interpersonal Communication with Purpose in the Target Language
• Website: https://growingwithproficiency.com
• GWP Spanish Teacher Academy Waiting List
• Growing With CI FB Community
• Blog
• Teacher Pay Teachers Store

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Have you ever felt like you are doing everything, you’re running out of energy, and somehow, it still doesn’t feel like enough?

In this episode of Growing With Proficiency The Podcast, I sit down with Meredith White, Bethanie Drew, and Maris Hawkins to have a real and honest conversation about something we don’t talk about enough: How do we decide what to stop caring about as teachers?

Because the truth is… we cannot do it all. And trying to do it all is what leads to burnout.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How to identify what is actually worth your time and energy
• Why comparison is one of the biggest drains on teachers
• How to stop reinventing the wheel with every lesson
• The power of using high-impact templates like sentence starters and roving paragraph frames
• A simple, repeatable lesson cycle you can use with any reading or video
• How to protect your time, your boundaries, and your joy

This is not about doing less just to do less. This is about doing what matters—with intention.

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, this episode will help you take a step back and ask:
What do I actually need to keep… and what can I finally let go of?

🎧 Listen now and start making small shifts that will make your teaching more sustainable.

🔗 Resources mentioned:

• Roving Paragraph Frames & Sentence Starters (Bethanie Drew)
• Episode with Sally Barnes

📬 Stay connected:

• Website: https://growingwithproficiency.com
• GWP Spanish Teacher Academy Waiting List
• Growing With CI FB Community
• Blog
• Teacher Pay Teachers Store

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I’m re-releasing this episode today because Silent Discussions have become one of the most powerful activities in my classroom. Recently, during a formal observation, my assistant principal watched my students fully engaged in a Silent Discussion for almost 30 minutes—reading, asking questions, responding to each other, and learning from their classmates.

If you’ve been looking for a strategy that truly gets students interacting in the target language, this episode is a great place to start.

Have you ever felt like getting your students to really use the target language with each other is the hardest thing? You want them to share ideas, agree or disagree, and ask questions. But when the moment comes, silence takes over—or worse, they switch to English.

In this episode, I sit down with my friend and incredible Spanish teacher, Chelsea Lawrence, to talk about a game-changing strategy: Silent Discussions.

✨ What you’ll learn in this episode:

• What Silent Discussions are and how to set them up step by step.
• Why this strategy works so well to lower stress and build success in interpersonal communication.
• Real classroom examples—from connecting the Panama Canal to a local tunnel, to jigsaw activities with biographies and even telescopes.
• Practical scaffolds to support your students: graphic organizers, sentence starters, question stems, and even a “How do you say…?” board.
• What to do after the Silent Discussion to extend the learning with gallery walks, reflections, or presentational tasks.

👉 If you’re a Spanish teacher looking for resources to create great jigsaw activities plus Silent Discussions, check out the Biographies to Celebrate Hispanic Women or explore the Panoramas Culturales, where you can assign one article to each group.

Listen now and discover how one big sheet of paper can transform into a powerful tool for authentic student interaction in your classroom.

📬 Stay connected:

GWP Spanish Teacher Academy Waiting List
Growing With CI FB Community
Blog
Teacher Pay Teachers Store

Website: https://growingwithproficiency.com