#70In this episode, we are talking about how we can create a supportive classroom environment so that learners, particularly those new to language learning, feel comfortable speaking the target language.  Julie Baker, The Director of the French Intensive Language Program at the University of Richmond,  joins me to take this a step further with simple ways of modifying speaking activities that we all are likely doing so that they are indeed communicative. Topics in this episode:what it means to have a “safe space” for speaking the TL, why this is important, and how we can create this type of classroommotivating students to speak and interact in the TL with some ways to facilitate this in the classroom how to determine if our activities are truly communication, rather than simply practicing structures and vocabularysimple ways to make our activities more communicative with concrete examplesassessment and evaluation of communication, compared with assessment of language structure and vocabularyConnect with Julie Bakeremail: [email protected] ______________________________Work with Joshua either in person or remotely.______________________________Sign up for Talking Points for tips, tools and resources for language teaching.______________________________Let's connect!wlclassrom.comTwitter:  @wlclassroomInstagram:  @wlclassroomFacebook:  /wlclassroomWLClassroom Facebook Group______________________________Teachers want to hear from you and what you are proud of in your classroom.Join me on the podcast.  We record conversations remotely, so you can be anywhere.