As a foreign language teacher I am constantly seeking sources of comprehensible input for my students. There is a lot of input available however it is ineffective if students do not have the language ability to understand what they are hearing. A good philosophy for foreign language teaching is (input + 1). This is to mean that students should understand most of what they read or hear, plus a little more to challenge them and keep their brains engaged. If the material is too easy students will not progress in the language. Conversely if the material is too difficult for students to understand they will shut off and no acquire any new knowledge. We are to give them what they know plus a little more. It is like Plato’s The Allegory of the Cave. When students are in the comforting darkness of the cave they are not learning. As they move into the light their minds grow and they lean. (Input + 1) puts takes the students from the darkness towards the light as they learn.

• Comprehensible input is important to foreign language acquisition
  
• It is challenging to find quality input for students
  
• Input that is too easy is ineffective
  
• Input that is too difficult is ineffective
  
• (Input + 1)

Due to the continual challenge that I encounter I thought it would be fun for students to be a part of their Spanish experience. Students will create a podcast and a set of questions using vocabulary and grammar concepts that we have worked on in class. Other students will listen to the podcast and answer questions in Spanish. This project will be successful because students will be able to talk about what they are interested in as communicate with each other in Spanish. I have found that students teaching students is a very successful way for students learning. Students will also be encouraged and excited to hear their own voice speaking a foreign language.

• Students will be producing original work
  
• Students teaching students Spanish
  
• Students will be producing and listening to (input + 1) Spanish
  
• Students will have ownership in the products they create