December hits differently, doesn’t it?
We’re tired. Our students are tired. We’re thinking about grades, concerts, holidays, and family… and somehow, we’re still expected to plan lessons that keep everyone engaged.
But after attending ACTFL in New Orleans this year, I walked away with one powerful reminder:
The most effective world language strategies do two things at the same time:
✨ They spark curiosity and anticipation
🧡 While keeping the space safe and comprehensible
These two elements—curiosity and safety—were present in every meaningful session I attended. And today, I’m breaking down why they matter so much, what the brain has to do with it, and three specific strategies you can take straight into your classroom this week.
Let’s dive in.
The Brain, Dopamine, and Why “Curiosity” Matters More Than Rewards
One of my favorite ACTFL sessions was led by Samara Spielberg, Noemi Rodríguez, and Mary Hawkins. In Samara’s segment, she explained dopamine in a way that made everything click for me—not in a heavy neuroscience way, but in a simple, teacher-friendly way.
Here’s the key:
🎯 Dopamine increases when learners feel curiosity, anticipation, and the desire to know what comes next.
And even more interesting:
🧠 The highest dopamine release happens during the pursuit—not the reward.
This means:
- Stickers? Fun… but temporary.
- Candy? It lasts maybe 10 seconds.
- External rewards? They fade fast.
But activities that create curiosity (“What is happening?” “What will happen next?”) keep students leaning in and invested.
When I looked back at the ACTFL sessions I loved most, they all had these ingredients:
- Intrigue
- Meaningful content
- Comprehensible language
- A safe, supportive environment
And none of them required hours of prep. They were simple… but intentionally designed.
Three ACTFL-Inspired Strategies to Use in Your Classroom Right Away
Below are the three activities I shared in the podcast—each one connected to curiosity, anticipation, safety, and comprehensible input.
1. Cultural Picture Talk (Zooming In + Zooming Out)
I was inspired by a phenomenal session by Mira Canion. This approach takes Picture Talk to a new level.
Instead of showing the whole image, Mira started with a zoomed-in detail. Then she used forced-choice questions (“Either/Or” questions where both answers are provided) to guide students into the story of the picture.
This does three powerful things:
- Reduces anxiety because students always have language support
- Builds intrigue and prediction
- Keeps input comprehensible
When the image finally zoomed out, the room literally gasped. That’s dopamine + curiosity at work.
I immediately thought about December traditions—including the Colombian tradition of running with a suitcase on New Year’s Eve. Even a simple image like that can create endless predictions when you zoom in on the suitcase and build out from there.
Think about how you can use this strategy with this picture.
This strategy works beautifully for:
- novice learners
- intermediate classes
- any cultural image you want to explore
2. Cultural Storytelling & the Sustainable Development Goals (with Carolina Gómez)
Another standout session was by Carolina Gómez, who teaches K–2. She shared how she teaches the Sustainable Development Goals through storytelling—even heavy topics like hunger, poverty, or environment.
Her example used the book Maddi’s Fridge to explore hunger and poverty through the eyes of a child.
Here’s why it works:
- Storytelling naturally creates cliff-hangers
- Each page invites predictions
- High-frequency language makes concepts accessible
- Students experience big ideas in a safe, comprehensible way
Watching her session reminded me of how powerful cultural storytelling is at any level. I do this all the time with legends like La Llorona or with real-world phenomena like las mariposas monarca. Students hang on every word because they genuinely want to know what happens next.
And that’s dopamine. That’s curiosity. That’s motivation.
3. The Movie Trailer Technique
This strategy came from the session I co-led with Bertha Delgadillo. It’s perfect for introducing:
- authentic resources
- challenging texts
- documentaries
- articles
- interviews
Here’s how it works:
- Take screenshots from the resource
- Identify key high-frequency words
- Create a “movie trailer” that narrates the premise
- Leave out major details so students are predicting
- Let the anticipation build
Students enter the reading or viewing experience with:
- background knowledge
- curiosity
- emotional investment
And all of that helps them access input that would otherwise feel intimidating.
I’ve used this with:
- a César Chávez article
- La Llorona de Guatemala
- news clips
- film trailers
- even student-written stories
It never fails.
Why These Strategies Work: Curiosity + Comprehension + Safety
The common thread in all three?
✔️ Low anxiety
✔️ High curiosity
✔️ Meaningful, relevant content
✔️ Comprehensible language
This combination is the “sweet spot” for motivation.
It’s not fancy tech.
It’s not performance.
It’s not perfect lesson plans.
It’s intention.
For Teachers: A Note About December, AI, and Our Reality
I want to say this with so much compassion:
In December, most of us are reaching for anything that feels engaging.
AI, Blooket, Kahoot — they’re helpful. I use them too.
But they give us 10 minutes of engagement.
That’s it.
Without understanding:
- how students truly acquire language,
- what creates motivation,
- or how to make the language comprehensible and relevant…
no tech tool can carry us through the hard months.
That’s why I’m so excited about the six-month membership of Growing With Proficiency: The Spanish Teacher Academy.
Because inside the Academy, you’re not just getting activities.
You’re getting:
✔️ the why behind effective strategies
✔️ frameworks you can repeat all year
✔️ culturally rich content scaffolded for your learners
✔️ training from outstanding educators
✔️ a community that supports you when things don’t work
✔️ clarity, confidence, and direction—especially when you’re tired
If you’re ready to teach Spanish in a way that feels meaningful, comprehensible, and sustainable, this is the perfect time to join.
👉 Learn more about the Academy here:
growingwithproficiency.com/academy
