In this episode of the Language Bridge Podcast, Dr. Giuseppe Chiaramonte tackles a common misconception in education: that professional development (PD) is bad or a waste of time for teachers and administrators. He explains why this belief is false and explores how well-designed PD can transform teaching, especially for English Second Language learners.

Dr. Chiaramonte combines theory and real-world applications, sharing practical strategies from both primary and secondary classrooms. Listeners will hear examples like Total Physical Response (TPR) in early grades and sentence frames in secondary science classes—showing how PD directly improves student engagement and academic language development.

If you’ve ever been frustrated by ineffective workshops or wondered how PD can truly support ESL students, this episode will give you actionable insights and a renewed perspective on professional growth.

What if your ESL classroom could be a place where success feels automatic—and failure feels safe? In this episode of the Language Bridge Podcast, Dr. Giuseppe Chiaramonte shares five powerful strategies to transform your teaching environment into one where students naturally thrive.

From lowering the affective filter to designing small wins, from feedback that feels like coaching to building psychological safety, you’ll learn practical, classroom-tested techniques that help even the most hesitant learners find their voice.

Dr. Chiaramonte also shares a personal story of a student whose fear of making mistakes changed the way he approaches teaching forever—and how you can use that same mindset shift to empower your students.

Whether you’re a new teacher or a seasoned educator, this episode will give you tools to make participation the norm, boost confidence, and foster a love of learning in every student.

In this short and practical episode of the Language Bridge Podcast, Dr. Giuseppe Chiaramonte shares quick, effective strategies for general education teachers at both the primary and secondary levels to support English language learners.

Drawing on research in academic language development, Giuseppe explains why every subject—science, history, art, and more—has its own “language” that students must master. You’ll hear real-world classroom applications, from using sentence stems and visuals in primary grades to vocabulary walls and think-pair-share routines in secondary classrooms.

If you’ve ever wondered how to help ESL students succeed without becoming a full-time language teacher, this episode will give you the tools and confidence to make your classroom more accessible—while keeping your content strong.