Episode 164: Are We Listening? Rethinking Accents, Comprehensibility, and Communication in Our Classrooms and Communities

Send us a text

Are errors or strong accents really blocking communication—or is it about how we listen? 🎧

In this episode, I share why comments about my accent made me reflect on how we approach communication in our classrooms and in our teacher communities. Together, we’ll explore:

• Why the hidden goal of “sounding native” can get in the way of real communication.
• What research says about listening, comprehensibility, and sympathetic listeners.
• How we can become better listeners by valuing diverse voices and stopping the cycle of criticism.

Because communication is a two-way street—and our job as educators is to help students (and ourselves) walk it with confidence.

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• Dr. Vijay Ramjattan – on antiracism and the reminder that listening is not neutral.
• ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines – defining accuracy as the use of linguistic features to convey meaning.
• Dr. Diane Neubauer & Dr. Reed Riggs – conversations reminding us that most communication is listening and reading, not speaking.

More resources:

• Join the waitlist for Growing With Proficiency: The Spanish Teacher Academy → growingwithproficiency.com/academy
• Follow me on Instagram @claudiamelliott
• ​​📑 Discover culturally rich, month-specific resources for Spanish classes in myTPT Store: Growing With Proficiency.