Research into the transience effect suggests that learners can struggle when spoken information disappears before they have had time to process and connect it. A student shares an interesting idea, uses a brilliant phrase or makes an important connection - but seconds later the conversation or story has moved on and that contribution has been forgotten.In this episode, we explore how we can use the teacher's whiteboard as the classroom’s shared memory: capturing key words beside drawings during Story-Listening, spotlighting effective learner language and preserving students’ ideas so that others can see, revisit and build upon them. We also examine how making learner contributions visible can support autonomy, competence and relatedness by showing students that their voices genuinely influence the lesson.And.. how does this all relate to the fact that students need an abundance of compelling, comprehensible input in order to acquire language naturally and implicitly? Listen to this episode to find out now!Full programme notes are available on www.liamprinter.com/podcast.Keep in touch and share!Follow The Motivated Classroom on Instagram @themotivatedclassroom and Facebook @themotivatedclassroom.I'd love to know what you think, please get in touch! Join the conversation with the hashtag #MotivatedClassroom.Leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Facebook.Enjoying the free content? Support the podcast here:👉 www.buymeacoffee.com/liamprinter👉 www.patreon.com/themotivatedclassroomDon’t forget to subscribe & share with a fellow languages teacher!
Oct 9
28 min
Q&A episode featuring questions sent in directly by listeners: In this on we explore the use of AI and AI made resources in the language classroom, when and how do we start teaching spelling to children, and finally, how can we combat the inevitable forgetting that happens when we acquire language in classrooms. Leave a comment below and let me know what you think:Let me know what you think! I'd love to hear from you. Full programme notes are available on www.liamprinter.com/podcast.Keep in touch and share!Follow The Motivated Classroom on Instagram @themotivatedclassroom and Facebook @themotivatedclassroom.I'd love to know what you think, please get in touch! Join the conversation with the hashtag #MotivatedClassroom.Leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Facebook.Enjoying the free content? Support the podcast here:👉 www.buymeacoffee.com/liamprinter👉 www.patreon.com/themotivatedclassroomDon’t forget to subscribe & share with a fellow languages teacher!
Oct 2
28 min
In this special, extended episode, I am joined by Janet Schneider and Michelle Scott to talk about how they transformed dwindling numbers in their language courses to now, where they have waiting lists and not enough classrooms due to all the student demand for languages. A truly inspirational episode to show us what can be achieved when we are brave enough to change something that often demotivates and destroys competence: the test. Janet and Michelle take us through a step-by-step process about how their large school in Australia changed assessment practices, particularly around speaking, and how this led to a huge increase in student interest, success and motivation for language learning. When the exam changes, everything changes. You don't want to miss this one!Let me know what you think! I'd love to hear from you. Full programme notes are available on www.liamprinter.com/podcast.Keep in touch and share!Follow The Motivated Classroom on Instagram @themotivatedclassroom and Facebook @themotivatedclassroom.I'd love to know what you think, please get in touch! Join the conversation with the hashtag #MotivatedClassroom.Leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Facebook.Enjoying the free content? Support the podcast here:👉 www.buymeacoffee.com/liamprinter👉 www.patreon.com/themotivatedclassroomDon’t forget to subscribe & share with a fellow languages teacher!
Sep 25
1 hr 3 min
In those first few weeks of the school year, it is easy to just provide the classroom routine once and then assume the students have it nailed. As it begins to slip, we gloss over it and let things slide so that we can get on with our content... but, this often ends up eating into way more class time as you try to fight against that poorly embedded routine as the year progresses. This episode is all about keeping the focus on those "little things", particularly at the start, so that you gain that time back and much more, later in the year. A highly practical episode, with of course some mentions of the evidence and research in this area too.Let me know what you think! I'd love to hear from you. Full programme notes are available on www.liamprinter.com/podcast.Keep in touch and share!Follow The Motivated Classroom on Instagram @themotivatedclassroom and Facebook @themotivatedclassroom.I'd love to know what you think, please get in touch! Join the conversation with the hashtag #MotivatedClassroom.Leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Facebook.Enjoying the free content? Support the podcast here:👉 www.buymeacoffee.com/liamprinter👉 www.patreon.com/themotivatedclassroomDon’t forget to subscribe & share with a fellow languages teacher!
Sep 18
20 min
When we think about autonomy as a driving force of intrinsic motivation, we often conflate it simply with 'providing choice'. According to Self-Determination Theory, however, autonomy is also about self-direction, ownership and value; this psychological need is also satisfied when we understand the rationale and purpose behind an activity... especially ones we may not find in inherently interesting.This episode explores what providing rationale looks like in the classroom and how important it is to continually do this, right through the year, but even more so in the first few weeks.Full programme notes are available on www.liamprinter.com/podcast.Keep in touch and share!Follow The Motivated Classroom on Instagram @themotivatedclassroom and Facebook @themotivatedclassroom.I'd love to know what you think, please get in touch! Join the conversation with the hashtag #MotivatedClassroom.Leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Facebook.Enjoying the free content? Support the podcast here:👉 www.buymeacoffee.com/liamprinter👉 www.patreon.com/themotivatedclassroomDon’t forget to subscribe & share with a fellow languages teacher!
Sep 11
20 min
A very special podcast collaboration with Will Marks of The Language Lab Podcast where we discuss motivation, storytelling and assessment in the acquisition-driven classroom.Thank you to Will for inviting me on his excellent podcast. I highly recommend listening to his other content!Full programme notes are available on www.liamprinter.com/podcast.Keep in touch and share!Follow The Motivated Classroom on Instagram @themotivatedclassroom and Facebook @themotivatedclassroom.I'd love to know what you think, please get in touch! Join the conversation with the hashtag #MotivatedClassroom.Leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Facebook.Enjoying the free content? Support the podcast here:👉 www.buymeacoffee.com/liamprinter👉 www.patreon.com/themotivatedclassroomDon’t forget to subscribe & share with a fellow languages teacher!
Sep 4
41 min
The first few lessons give us an opportunity to build the foundations for a classroom where students feel connected, capable and have a sense of ownership over their language learning journey.In this episode, we look at how we can apply the principles of Self-Determination Theory to those crucial first two weeks of the school year. What can we do to develop relatedness? How can we create a sense of belonging? How can we give students meaningful choices and help them feel competent from the very beginning?This episode explores how we can intentionally create the conditions for motivation to take root and grow right from the start. Full programme notes are available on www.liamprinter.com/podcast.Keep in touch and share!Follow The Motivated Classroom on Instagram @themotivatedclassroom and Facebook @themotivatedclassroom.I'd love to know what you think, please get in touch! Join the conversation with the hashtag #MotivatedClassroom.Leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Facebook.Enjoying the free content? Support the podcast here:👉 www.buymeacoffee.com/liamprinter👉 www.patreon.com/themotivatedclassroomDon’t forget to subscribe & share with a fellow languages teacher!
Aug 28
33 min
Motivation is repeatedly found in the research to be a key factor in long term success in education. In 2020, I started this podcast with the episode "Motivation: What is it and how does it work?". So, what do the world's leading researchers and voices on motivation and language learning now tell us, about how it works in our classroom over 6 years later?In this episode, I share what I learned at the International Self-Determination Theory Conference in Geneva in July 2026, where 750 researchers and practitioners from 50 countries came together to explore the science of motivation. Across the different presentations, studies and discussions, one core message kept coming through.Listen to this episode in full to learn about the latest motivation research and what it tells us about our students, our classrooms and the way we teach languages.Full programme notes are available on www.liamprinter.com/podcast.Keep in touch and share!Follow The Motivated Classroom on Instagram @themotivatedclassroom and Facebook @themotivatedclassroom.I'd love to know what you think, please get in touch! Join the conversation with the hashtag #MotivatedClassroom.Leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Facebook.Enjoying the free content? Support the podcast here:👉 www.buymeacoffee.com/liamprinter👉 www.patreon.com/themotivatedclassroomDon’t forget to subscribe & share with a fellow languages teacher!
Aug 21
37 min
Almost all SLA researchers agree on one core point: Comprehensible input is necessary for language acquisition... but, there is now widespread agreement that in a school environment, that input must also be compelling, interesting and engaging. Comprehensible alone is not enough to hold our students' short attention spans in the current busy classroom - the input needs a narrative arc to engage our students and ensure they are paying enough attention to the input so that it can become acquired.In this episode we explore the use of narrative and story in the language classroom as a way to maintain engagement and boost acquisition. So, what are your thoughts on this?Full programme notes are available on www.liamprinter.com/podcast.Keep in touch and share!Follow The Motivated Classroom on Instagram @themotivatedclassroom and Facebook @themotivatedclassroom.I'd love to know what you think, please get in touch! Join the conversation with the hashtag #MotivatedClassroom.Leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Facebook.Enjoying the free content? Support the podcast here:👉 www.buymeacoffee.com/liamprinter👉 www.patreon.com/themotivatedclassroomDon’t forget to subscribe & share with a fellow languages teacher!
Jul 4
17 min
In this episode I am joined by the wonderful author and educator, Kodi Rain. We had a great conversation about belonging, representation and identity affirming teaching practices; with a particular focus on gender-inclusive language in the classroom.A perfect listen in this #Pride Month. Full programme notes are available on www.liamprinter.com/podcast.Keep in touch and share!Follow The Motivated Classroom on Instagram @themotivatedclassroom and Facebook @themotivatedclassroom.I'd love to know what you think, please get in touch! Join the conversation with the hashtag #MotivatedClassroom.Leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Facebook.Enjoying the free content? Support the podcast here:👉 www.buymeacoffee.com/liamprinter👉 www.patreon.com/themotivatedclassroomDon’t forget to subscribe & share with a fellow languages teacher!
Jun 28
27 min
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