33. My Journey to Teaching for Proficiency with Denise Wagstaff

In this episode Michelle talks with Denise Wagstaff, 20-year veteran French teacher about her journey to teaching for proficiency – what she has learned and is still learning about her students, her profession and herself.  We talk about everything from setting realistic expectations for student language learning to conversations about the role of grammar to Denise’s recent deeper dive into grading practices.  Denise Wagstaff has been a teacher for over 20 years and has spent almost her entire career at Melrose High School (MA) teaching French and occasionally Spanish.  Her professional interests include teaching for proficiency, using technology in the classroom, grading and feedback practices & UDL.  A Massachusetts native, Denise also enjoys travel, watching professional tennis and is always ready to enjoy a cup of coffee or an ice cream. Visit the Language Lounge on Twitter - https://twitter.com/langloungepod Connect with Michelle - https://twitter.com/michelleolah Have a comment or question? Leave a voicemail at (207) 888-9819 or email [email protected] Produced by Wayside Publishing - https://waysidepublishing.com Watch this episode on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/wayside Show Notes Social Media:  Twitter:  @mme_wagstaff  Instagram:   @mmewagstaffmhs  Mentioned in podcast:   FELDMAN, J. (2019). Grading for equity: what it is, why it matters, and how it can transform schools and classrooms.