beliefs & Practices

I believe that proficiency is based around communicative competence. Rather than using translation and rote grammar instruction to grow a student's proficiency, communicative competence allows learners to utilize the language in practical, every day situations and allows them the freedom to pick and choose the target sentences they wish to use.

I believe that motivation and engagement begins by creating a comfortable classroom in which language can be used freely, actively and in engaging ways. This free use of language includes various technologies and regalia, such as YouTube, Kahoot, and printed maps of places around the world, to support students' learning.

Instead of allowing the use of direct translation from the native language into the target language, I let my students explore the grammar points by listening to demonstrations and having discussions. Vocabulary is best learned by playing games and using flashcards with pictures, rather than repeat-after-me methods. I believe that students learn better when they are having fun, no matter the age!

By allowing my students the more hands-on experience of exploring places, people and cultures, I assist in furthering their intercultural awareness. Cultural games, deep web-or-book dives into different holidays, and discussions on differences of cultural routines should be apart of the classroom as often as possible!