As a Premier Publisher, what insights do you bring to curriculum design and educational technology? 

This is my 20th year teaching online for virtual schools. I have much experience using different technology and digital resources with my students. I was also a curriculum specialist for a virtual school and worked on the course development team for World Languages for 4 years before I decided to return to teaching.

Who is your audience when you design new decks?

I create resources in French and Spanish for beginning students. I also create English versions of all of my resources for bilingual classrooms. My resources are often used by elementary teachers and students. However, a middle and high school language learner can also be a beginning student, so my resources are often used with these grade levels as well.

What’s your favorite memory from your time as an educator?

The most memorable moment for me is when a beginning language student starts speaking a second language. With beginning students, you spend so much time immersing them in the language and having students demonstrate understanding of what they are listening to or reading. After a lot of language input, when I pair students up to ask each other questions, I get goosebumps when I hear those conversations!

What inspired you to start creating engaging digital learning experiences with Boom Cards?

Second-language learners need so much input (listening and reading). I started making my own resources when I had difficulty finding anything appropriate for a beginner language learner. So much of what was available from companies took a lot of work for my students. It wasn’t comprehensible.

However, since beginner language learners need small chunks of language with lots of visuals to aid comprehension, I used a lot of paper and printer ink. And my printable resources did not help with the need to hear the language being spoken. I was so excited when I discovered Boom and opened my Boom Store in 2018! Boom solved the paper and ink problem and allowed me to add audio to my resources.

What opportunities do you see for publishers to collaborate and innovate in the Boom community?

It is essential to collaborate so we all can learn and make improvements to our resources. I would be excited to participate in a professional learning community to share ideas and best practices. Virtual online meetings work best so that all interested publishers can attend.

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What are some ways you make your Boom Cards adaptable and inclusive for all types of learners?  

I’ve always used Krashen & Terrell’s Natural Approach in my teaching & in developing my resources, as well as the ACTFL World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages. The emphasis is on communication with a lot of comprehensible input.

Since my resources are created with a focus on beginning language learners, I choose activities to strengthen interpersonal and interpretive communication standards. These are the building blocks for presentational communication standards.

What role can publishers play in supporting teacher self-care and preventing burnout?

Obviously, I like creating my own resources! But I also rely on publishers and purchase ready-to-go, high-quality resources to save time. If I tried to make everything, I would have no time left for myself. Self-care includes anything you do to keep yourself physically, mentally, and spiritually healthy. Please take care of yourself.

Do you have any motivational words for aspiring publishers or educators looking to make a difference?

You are already making a difference every day with your students in your classroom. You probably already have dozens of high-quality Boom Cards in your library that you’ve been using with your own students. You know what works and what does not work. Take the plunge and open a store on Boom. Your resources can impact classrooms and students all over the world!

Check out some of Janice’s favorite decks:

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