Idioma Star Newsletter - Back to School 2025
Welcome Back to School!
As a new school year begins, one of the most powerful tools we can give our students is routine. In the world language classroom, routines aren’t just about order—they’re about creating a safe, predictable space where students can focus on communication, community building and language acquisition.
Simple routines—like starting each class with a greeting in the target language, a brief warm-up activity (like a Do Now or a Calendar Talk), or a daily question—help students know what to expect. This predictability allows them to take risks, speak more confidently, and build the habits that lead to long-term proficiency growth.
Routines also free up mental energy. When students know the structure, they can concentrate on using the language rather than wondering what comes next. Over time, these small, consistent practices become the backbone of a classroom culture that values curiosity, participation, and growth.
As we settle into the year, think about which routines you’ll introduce from day one. Even tiny rituals—a daily check-in, a vocabulary circumlocution activity, or a closing reflection (like an Exit Ticket)—can make a big difference in student engagement and success.
Here’s a lesson plan template with routine built right in!
Upcoming Events
Click 👉here👈 to explore all of Idioma’s upcoming events. Highlights include:
Where and how Idioma is supporting world language educators at fall conferences across the country
Fall courses with Idioma starting October 20th
Earn conference credit for attending the ACTFL Convention
In the Loop
Idioma has SO much going on year round: from our online graduate-level courses and workshops to our NJ DOE-approved alternate route CE program for certification in New Jersey and the Master of Education (M.Ed.) program with CSU Pueblo.
Did you know we also have in-person and online classes for English-learning families in Massachusetts and we partnered with the MA DESE to co-develop the Handbook for Induction and Mentoring?
Read about all these activities, check out our blog posts with practical ideas for the classroom, and learn what Idioma is up to by clicking 👉here👈.
Course Spotlight
The Making of Cultural Myths: Using Animated Films to Teach Spanish
October 20th - December 5th, 2025
Bring the power of film into your Spanish teaching! In this online course, we’ll watch well-known children’s films (easy to stream or borrow) as a springboard for building vocabulary, boosting conversational and writing skills, and exploring cultural themes.
Click 👉here👈 to learn more and register!
Recommended Resource
Looking for a lesson plan template that checks all the boxes? Here’s one that’s rooted in the ACTFL standards, focused on Can Do statements and supports your daily routine through the communication modes!
Click 👉here👈 to get the lesson plan template—make a copy and make it your own!
