In this episode, we address the overlooked emotional dimension of language testing, exploring why English Learners (ELs) may "freeze, shut down, or give up" during high-stakes assessments like ACCESS. ACCESS and other language tests don’t just measure English as they touch the themes of identity, confidence, and belonging. In this episode, we offer a framework for shifting from a state of urgency to one of grounded presence to support the student's emotional well-being first, which then allows them to access their language and learning.

Here is What You Will Hear in This Episode:

• Why language testing can feel heavy for multilingual learners.
• What is actually happening beneath the behavior when students freeze, shut down, or give up.
• How our presence as teachers can either intensify pressure or create enough safety for students to access what they know.
• A personal story about where the host first learned what it truly means to hold space.
• A classroom moment that changed the host's approach to assessments, involving a student overwhelmed during ACCESS testing.
• Practical ways you can support students when anxiety shows up—without rushing, fixing, or pushing through.
• An invitation to download the free resource, The First 7 Minutes, designed to help teachers intentionally reset their classrooms.

Simply Ieva Offers:

• The Inner Classroom™ Clarity Session

If you find value in The ESL Teaching Podcast and want to support the time, effort, and costs that go into bringing you these episodes each week, consider making a small donation—whatever feels right for you. Your support helps keep this podcast going and means the world to me! You can find the donation link below. Thank you so much! https://www.paypal.biz/simplyieva

Save time and build confidence in your EL teaching with these resources:

• Simply Ieva website
• My TpT store

Free resource:

Grab your free practice The First 7 Minutes: How to Start the Class Grounded (Even if Your Students Aren’t)

Related episodes:

• One EL Strategy, One Shift: How to Support ELs Without Burning Yourself Out
• Preparing ELs for State and Language Proficiency Tests. Part 1: Listening and Speaking

Let’s connect!

• Follow me on Instagram
• Follow me on Facebook
• Follow me on LinkedIn

• Record a comment for us - click HERE. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Support the show

ACCESS season can quietly shift the energy in our classrooms—bringing urgency, pressure, and the feeling that we should be doing more. More prep. More drills. More fixing. But let's talk about preparing ELs for ACCESS without panic.

In this episode, we slow the entire conversation down.

Instead of panic-driven test preparation, we focus on what actually supports English learners during ACCESS—and how your own regulation as a teacher directly impacts student language performance.

This episode is about preparing ELs for ACCESS without cramming, without overload, and without sacrificing nervous-system safety—for you or your students.

Here is What You Will Hear in This Episode:

• The 3–4 language behaviors ACCESS measures across listening, speaking, reading, and writing
• Why understanding the task matters more than perfect grammar
• How expansion (adding a reason, detail, or example) impacts scores
• Why language acquisition doesn’t respond to last-minute intensity
• A simple Inner Classroom check for awareness and regulation during testing season
• Four low-stress, high-impact prep routines that actually support ELs
• What to intentionally let go of during ACCESS season
• A grounded reframe of ACCESS as information—not judgment

Simply Ieva Offers:

• The Inner Classroom™ Clarity Session
• If you find value in The ESL Teaching Podcast and want to support the time, effort, and costs that go into bringing you these episodes each week, consider making a small donation—whatever feels right for you. Your support helps keep this podcast going and means the world to me! You can find the donation link below. Thank you so much! https://www.paypal.biz/simplyieva

Save time and build confidence in your EL teaching with these resources:

• Simply Ieva website
• My TpT store

Free resource:

Grab your free practice The First 7 Minutes: How to Start the Class Grounded (Even if Your Students Aren’t)

Related episodes:

• Reading and Writing Practice for State and Proficiency Tests
• Preparing ELs for State and Language Proficiency Tests. Part 1: Listening and Speaking

Let’s connect!

• Follow me on Instagram
• Follow me on Facebook
• Follow me on LinkedIn

Support the show

If you’re listening today and you feel like you’re constantly trying to do more—more scaffolds, more supports, more differentiation—yet still wondering if you’re doing enough for your English learners, this episode is for you.

In today’s episode, I want to do something very simple and very intentional.

I’m going to share:

• One practical EL strategy you can use tomorrow
• And one Inner Classroom takeaway that will help you actually sustain your teaching—without burning yourself out

I have shared a lot about EL teaching strategies in some of my previous episodes on this podcast and I can link a few episodes for you to peruse below. But today’s episode is going to go a little deeper rather than wider - no overload, no long list. Just one solid instructional move and one internal shift.

If you find value in The ESL Teaching Podcast and want to support the time, effort, and costs that go into bringing you these episodes each week, consider making a small donation—whatever feels right for you. Your support helps keep this podcast going and means the world to me! You can find the donation link below. Thank you so much! https://www.paypal.biz/simplyieva

Related episodes:

• Seeing is Understanding: 5 Visual Strategies for Supporting ELs
• 4 Strategies for Teaching Math to ESL Students
• Cultivating Comprehension: The Art of Strategic Questioning for English Learners

Save time and build confidence in your EL teaching with these resources:

• Simply Ieva website
• My TpT store
• Accommodate and Modify Your Lessons for ELs with Less than 1 Hour of Planning a Week - classroom teacher and admin checklist

Let’s connect!

• Follow me on Instagram
• Follow me on LinkedIn
• Join the Simply Ieva Facebook Group
• Record a comment for us - click HERE. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Support the show