Araceli Qualls teaches Spanish and French at a private high school in West Virginia, USA. She has been using Newsdle materials in Spanish and French classes since 2021. During our Q&A, she explained how Newsdle fits into her language programs, and why it’s such a great tool for students to expand their vocabulary while practising reading and listening.  

How did you discover Newsdle and what did you like about it that made you interested? 

During the pandemic, I researched resources that could help my students to not only have access to reading material in both languages [Spanish and French], but also, I wanted something where they could practice their listening comprehension. I came across Newsdle in my search, and from the moment I requested information about the program, I have got a lot of help from their support group. The materials they have, the different topics they cover, as well as the different levels of difficulty, have made it a great fit for our program. 

What kinds of challenges do Spanish/French language instructors face these days that Newsdle helps to solve?  

I think you can find authentic reading materials anywhere on the internet, but the challenge is to find them adjusted to the reading levels of the students. Also, I think one of the challenges is to find audio content that has a transcript, so students are able to follow along with the audio. Finally, the availability of vocabulary: we may be able to find short texts or authentic materials, but having the vocabulary as they read, and the students being able to click on the word and get a definition in the context of the reading – this is something that is hard to find, and I really like that feature of Newsdle. 

Are there any specific challenges of teaching Spanish and French in comparison to other languages (English, for example)?  

In my opinion, grammar sometimes is different, but can always be tied to the native language to help the students understand it better. I think pronunciation is usually the challenge: languages have different sounds and rules when it comes to letter sounds, and being able to listen to the language and read I think is key for the students to see the grammar in context. 

What are some Newsdle features that you find particularly useful? 

For listening, the fact that it is a person reading and not a computer. I also like having an integrated vocabulary in the lessons. 

Have you tried other language learning tools in your work? How do those tools compare to Newsdle? 

I use different programs for different skills. Newsdle helps with reading and listening comprehension. Students get reading tasks assigned according to the unit theme, to see the vocabulary learned in class applied to “real life” texts. We used to use Newsela, but they do not have the listening component that Newsdle has, nor the vocabulary.  

Could you share an example of how you use Newsdle in your Spanish and French programs?   

I use Newsdle for homework assignments. They get a reading assigned every other week to practice their comprehension on the themes we cover. 

In your opinion, what would be the top benefits of using Newsdle in schools and universities?  

Students have access to original materials. The audio is recorded by native speakers, and students can increase their vocabulary as they have the vocabulary list with each article. 

In what ways has Newsdle improved the effectiveness of the language teaching process in the classroom? 

In the case of my French students, it has helped them in their pronunciation; they are able to listen to the words they want to hear again and repeat to help them pronounce them better. I have had students that have improved their pronunciation of words and sounds that they constantly hear in the articles. 

For the Spanish students, I have seen an increase in their vocabulary. Words that they see used in the articles, they try to use them when they speak or in their writing assignments.